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| Flashback in 2010. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Vekoma | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Product | Boomerang | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Steel - Shuttle | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Track layout | Boomerang | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hourly capacity | 760 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Propulsion | Catch car lift Chain lift hill | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | 288.8 feet × 98.4 feet | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 116.5 feet | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Top speed | 47 mph | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 935 feet | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Track inversions | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rider inversions | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1:48 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G-Force | 5.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Vekoma (2000-present) Arrow Dynamics (1985-1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Riders per train | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Flashback is a steel shuttle roller coaster currently located at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts, USA. In the past, the ride has operated at Star Lake Amusement Park and Kentucky Kingdom. Built by Vekoma, it is an off-the-shelf Boomerang installation.
History
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The ride first opened in 1985 at Star Lake Amusement Park in Guangdong, China. How long it operated at this location is unknown. After its closure, the ride was sent to Kentucky Kingdom where it reopened on June 13, 1990 under the name Vampire with the controversial slogan "Give blood at your local park".[1] It had red track and purple supports.[2]
After a string of incidents, the Vampire was closed during the 1999 season and dismantled in December of that year.[3][4] It was later sent to Six Flags New England.[5]
An evacuation platform was installed around the cobra roll and a backup brake system was added. The ride was repainted blue with orange rails and supports. On May 5, 2000, the ride reopened as Flashback on the spot previously occupied by the Rotor flat ride and Black Widow, which closed the year before.[6] For the 2010 season, the ride was repainted red with orange supports.
After the 2010 season, the train was covered in advertisements.
Design
| Elements |
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Flashback is a Boomerang installation, an off-the-shelf product from Vekoma.
Layout
The ride consists of a cobra roll and vertical loop. It has two lift hills nearly parallel to each other. When looked at overhead, the layout forms a "V" shape.
Color scheme
Red track and orange supports, used to be blue track with orange rails and supports. Had red track and purple supports when at Kentucky Kingdom. Its colour scheme when at Star Lake is unknown.
Ride experience
The catch-car attaches to the back of the train and pulls it backwards out the station and up the first spike. Upon reaching the top, the catch-car releases the train and riders head down, through the station, cobra roll and vertical loop. Loosing speed, the train travels up the second spike and is caught by the chain lift. Upon reaching the top of the second spike, the train is released. Riders travel through the vertical loop and cobra roll again, this time facing backwards. As the train passes through the station, brakes slow it down.
Trains
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Single train with 7 cars. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 28 riders per train. As part of the relocation to Six Flags New England, the original Arrow Dynamics train was replaced with one built by Vekoma.
Incidents
On Wednesday April 7, 1999, the brakes in the station failed, allowing the train to pass through and enter the cobra roll with insufficient speed to complete the element, causing the train to stall. Riders were trapped for several hours and had to be rescued by fire crews.[7]
On Saturday April 10, 1999, the train stalled again at the bottom of one of the lift hills. This break down was unrelated to the recent incident. Riders were able to disembark the train themselves using platforms at either side of the lift hill.[8]
On Saturday May 29, 1999, another brake failure caused the train to stall in the cobra roll. After riders were rescued, Vampire closed indefinitely.[3]
Images
Flashback's loading station
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References
- ↑ Flashback Article - COASTER-net
- ↑ "A Blast From The Past - Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom's Vampire". NewsPlusNotes. http://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2009/09/blast-from-past-six-flags-kentucky.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vampire Gets Stuck Again At Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom - Ultimate Rollercoaster
- ↑ "Vampire roller coaster being dismantled", The Courier-Journal.
- ↑ "Three New Coasters for Six Flags New England". Ultimate Rollercoaster. https://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/december99/stories/120999_02.shtml.
- ↑ "America's Favorite Thrills Comes to New England". Ultimate Rollercoaster. https://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/may00/stories/050800_01.shtml.
- ↑ Vampire Roller Coaster Gets Stuck Stranding Riders - Ultimate Rollercoaster
- ↑ Vampire Stops Once Again After Reopening
External links
- Flashback on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
- Flashback on the parks website
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