Bullet (Selva Mágica)

Roller coaster in Mexico
Watch the on-ride POV
Bullet
Bullet at Flamingo Land in 1992
Selva Mágica
Location Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Coordinates 20°43′27″N 103°18′36″W / 20.724120°N 103.309881°W / 20.724120; -103.309881
Status Operating since December 20, 2013
Rider height 140 cm minimum
Flamingo Land
Name Bullet
Location Malton, North Yorkshire, England, UK
Coordinates 54°12′42″N 0°48′25″W / 54.211603°N 0.806842°W / 54.211603; -0.806842
Operated 1991 to September 25, 2005
Replaced by Kumali
Goetzke (Germany)
Name Shuttle Loop
Location Travelling
Operated 1988 to 1989
Circus World
Name Wiener Looping
Location Haines City, Florida, USA
Operated 1985 to 1985-86
Prater
Name Wiener Looping
Location Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Park section 1
Operated During 1982
Statistics
Manufacturer Schwarzkopf
Designer / calculations Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
Type Steel - Shuttle - Launched
Track layout Figure-8
Riders per train 24
Hourly capacity 1,400
Propulsion Tire propelled launch (multi-pass)
Area 78.7 metres × 137.8 metres
Height 39.9 metres
Top speed 80.5 km/h
Track inversions 1
Rider inversions 2
HELP

Bullet is a unique steel launched shuttle roller coaster built by Schwarzkopf. It is currently located at Selva Mágica in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico where it opened on December 20, 2013. Previously, it has operated at Prater in Austria and Circus World in Florida, traveled the fair circuit in Germany and operated at Flamingo Land in the United Kingdom.

History

Bullet in storage at Selva Màgica

Bullet was erected at Prater in Vienna, Vienna, Austria, during 1982, where it was named Wiener Looping. It was located in the area "Nr. 1". Due to its very high noise level during testing, it never opened to the public and was taken down. It was then relocated to Circus World in Florida, United States where it opened in 1985.[1] The ride was closed by 1986 and the park sued the coaster's broker, claiming he lied about potentially unsafe conditions.[2]

In 1988, German showman company Goetzke bought the ride and had it refurbished by BHS. BHS added a second drive motor to the ride, reducing the initial launch speed. As a result, less power and maintenance is necessary to operate the ride. Goetzke operated it for two years as the Shuttle Loop. It was then sold to Flamingo Land, who reopened it as the Bullet in 1991[3] on the spot where Kumali stands now. On September 25, 2005, Bullet was closed. It is believed to have been sold to either Wieland Schwarzkopf or Vekoma.

The ride was offered for sale by Wieland Schwarzkopf for €1,350,000 in a 2008 advert.[4] It is possible that Wieland Schwarzkopf sold the roller coasters to Vekoma.

The Bullet was sold by Vekoma to Selva Mágica, where it lay in storage until August 2013, when vertical construction began. A video of the ride in operation was posted on the park's Facebook page in early December.[5] It reopened on December 20, 2013. For 2019, Bullet was repainted. The track was painted red with a yellow spine, whereas previously it was painted entirely red.[6]

Design

Elements

The train is launched backwards out the station and up the first spike. Gravity then pulls it down through the station. It then travels into the vertical loop and up the second spike. The course is then completed again backwards. The station passes through the centre of the vertical loop.

Colour scheme

Yellow spined track with red ties and white supports. It used to feature red track with white supports.

Trains

Single train with 6 cars. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 24 riders per train. When built, the train had lap-bars only.[7] At some point adjustable "accordion" restraints were added. These keep the rider seated upright, without featuring a full over-the-shoulder restraint.

Images

References

  1. Circus World's New Rides something to scream about
  2. "Circus World sues ride broker". The Tampa Tribune. 1986-03-29. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  3. Flamingoland leaflet from 1991 - Flickr
  4. Scott's Coaster Closet - Theme Park Reveiw
  5. Facebook post by Selva Mágica
  6. "Usted está aquí Inicio > Parques > Latinoamérica > Selva Mágica cambia su imagen para su 30 aniversario Selva Mágica cambia su imagen para su 30 aniversario". The Coaster Zone. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  7. Circus World brochure - Scott's Coaster Closet

External links

The categories Bullet (Selva Mágica) and Bullet (Selva Mágica) contain additional media.


Articles on Flamingo Land
Articles on Prater