Jump to content

Superman – Ride of Steel: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Accidents: This conclusion is not confirmed yet, even though it appears obvious.
→‎Accidents: I don't think it was confirmed, but witnesses said it was the first turn
Line 74: Line 74:
* A near-fatal accident occurred on the Darien Lake version in 1999 when a passenger was thrown from the train on one of the final hills. As a result, the park installed standard seat-belts and imposed further restrictions on passenger size and weight. Prior to the accident, the height restriction was {{convert|48|in|m}}; now it is {{convert|54|in|m}}. This ride also has a computer controlled and monitored restraint system that does not allow the train to leave the station house until all restraints are low enough. The restraints were also replaced with larger and longer lap bars. There are also many rumors of a man dying at the top of the hill of Darien Lake's Superman Ride of Steel, and those rumors have been told as folk tale and are just myth. Those myths originated from false information from the first incident Darien Lake experienced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#may16|title=Rider thrown from new Darien Lake roller coaster|publisher=Rideaccidents.com|accessdate=2008-02-17}}</ref> A similar incident resulting in death occurred at [[Six Flags New England]] in 2004,<ref>{{cite news |url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06EED9143CF93BA35756C0A9629C8B63 |title = New England: Massachusetts: Coaster Death Report |publisher = New York Times |date = 2004-05-08 |accessdate = 2006-07-31}}</ref> caused by the same problems Darien Lake had rectified after the first incident.
* A near-fatal accident occurred on the Darien Lake version in 1999 when a passenger was thrown from the train on one of the final hills. As a result, the park installed standard seat-belts and imposed further restrictions on passenger size and weight. Prior to the accident, the height restriction was {{convert|48|in|m}}; now it is {{convert|54|in|m}}. This ride also has a computer controlled and monitored restraint system that does not allow the train to leave the station house until all restraints are low enough. The restraints were also replaced with larger and longer lap bars. There are also many rumors of a man dying at the top of the hill of Darien Lake's Superman Ride of Steel, and those rumors have been told as folk tale and are just myth. Those myths originated from false information from the first incident Darien Lake experienced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#may16|title=Rider thrown from new Darien Lake roller coaster|publisher=Rideaccidents.com|accessdate=2008-02-17}}</ref> A similar incident resulting in death occurred at [[Six Flags New England]] in 2004,<ref>{{cite news |url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06EED9143CF93BA35756C0A9629C8B63 |title = New England: Massachusetts: Coaster Death Report |publisher = New York Times |date = 2004-05-08 |accessdate = 2006-07-31}}</ref> caused by the same problems Darien Lake had rectified after the first incident.


* On Friday, July 8, 2011, at approximately 5:30pm, a rider on the Darien Lake version of the Ride of Steel, fell out of his seat and fell to his death.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43692529/ns/us_news-life/t/army-amputee-ejected-roller-coaster-dies/|title=Army amputee ejected from roller coaster, dies |publisher = NBC News |date = 2011-07-09}}</ref> Witnesses say the rider had no legs. Darien Lake released a statement saying that the rider simply "came out" of the Ride of Steel and passed, and that their thoughts and prayers are with the family. The incident is still under investigation. Sgt. Hackemer was a decorated war veteran and only 29 years old at the time of the accident. He lost both of his legs in a roadside bombing in 2008. It was verified that he was ejected from his seat after the first 203 foot drop on the following turn. Witnesses say that he was riding in one of the first cars and that park attendants helped him onto the ride. It has not yet been determined if his disability was the main factor of his accident, however it is speculated that this is the case. He was at the park with his family, but they were not with him at the time of the accident. He leaves behind 2 small children and a wife who is also in the military.
* On Friday, July 8, 2011, at approximately 5:30pm, a rider on the Darien Lake version of the Ride of Steel, fell out of his seat and fell to his death.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43692529/ns/us_news-life/t/army-amputee-ejected-roller-coaster-dies/|title=Army amputee ejected from roller coaster, dies |publisher = NBC News |date = 2011-07-09}}</ref> Witnesses say the rider had no legs. Darien Lake released a statement saying that the rider simply "came out" of the Ride of Steel and passed, and that their thoughts and prayers are with the family. The incident is still under investigation. Sgt. Hackemer was a decorated war veteran and only 29 years old at the time of the accident. He lost both of his legs in a roadside bombing in 2008. According to witnesses, he was ejected from his seat after the first 203 foot drop on the following turn. Witnesses also said that he was riding in one of the first cars and that park attendants helped him onto the ride. It has not yet been determined if his disability was the main factor of his accident, however it is speculated that this is the case. He was at the park with his family, but they were not with him at the time of the accident. He leaves behind 2 small children and a wife who is also in the military.


==Rankings==
==Rankings==

Revision as of 15:41, 9 July 2011

This article is about the identical roller coasters at Six Flags America and Darien Lake. For the Six Flags New England roller coaster originally called Superman – Ride of Steel, see Bizarro (Six Flags New England).
Superman - Ride of Steel
The station on Ride of Steel at Darien Lake. The Darien Lake Ride of Steel is a mirror image of the one at Six Flags America.
Darien Lake
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 15, 1999 (1999-05-15)
Cost$12,000,000 USD
Six Flags America
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 13, 2000 (2000-05-13)
General statistics
TypSteel
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelHypercoaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height208 ft (63 m)
Drop205 ft (62 m)
Length5,400 ft (1,600 m)
Speed73 mph (117 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:10
Max vertical angle68°
Capacity1100 riders per hour
Height restriction54 in (140 cm) (Min.) 76 in (190 cm) (Max.)
Superman - Ride of Steel at RCDB

Superman – Ride of Steel is a steel hyper roller coaster that exists at Six Flags America. A roller coaster with a mirror image layout of Superman – Ride of Steel exists at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort called the Ride of Steel (originally called Superman – Ride of Steel prior to 2007) Additionally, a similar coaster with a somewhat different layout known as Bizarro (formerly Superman - Ride Of Steel) is located at Six Flags New England. The Six Flags America version is an out and back to the right model with two helixes mid course and a couple of bunnyhop hills to end the ride after a transition.

Accidents

  • A near-fatal accident occurred on the Darien Lake version in 1999 when a passenger was thrown from the train on one of the final hills. As a result, the park installed standard seat-belts and imposed further restrictions on passenger size and weight. Prior to the accident, the height restriction was 48 inches (1.2 m); now it is 54 inches (1.4 m). This ride also has a computer controlled and monitored restraint system that does not allow the train to leave the station house until all restraints are low enough. The restraints were also replaced with larger and longer lap bars. There are also many rumors of a man dying at the top of the hill of Darien Lake's Superman Ride of Steel, and those rumors have been told as folk tale and are just myth. Those myths originated from false information from the first incident Darien Lake experienced.[1] A similar incident resulting in death occurred at Six Flags New England in 2004,[2] caused by the same problems Darien Lake had rectified after the first incident.
  • On Friday, July 8, 2011, at approximately 5:30pm, a rider on the Darien Lake version of the Ride of Steel, fell out of his seat and fell to his death.[3] Witnesses say the rider had no legs. Darien Lake released a statement saying that the rider simply "came out" of the Ride of Steel and passed, and that their thoughts and prayers are with the family. The incident is still under investigation. Sgt. Hackemer was a decorated war veteran and only 29 years old at the time of the accident. He lost both of his legs in a roadside bombing in 2008. According to witnesses, he was ejected from his seat after the first 203 foot drop on the following turn. Witnesses also said that he was riding in one of the first cars and that park attendants helped him onto the ride. It has not yet been determined if his disability was the main factor of his accident, however it is speculated that this is the case. He was at the park with his family, but they were not with him at the time of the accident. He leaves behind 2 small children and a wife who is also in the military.

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top Steel Roller Coasters
Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Ranking
-
20
16
13
12
18
23
14[4]
-
-
26[5]
Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Steel-Tracked Roller Coaster
Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Ranking
8
6
11
13
9
12
17
19
  • Superman's lift and first drop
    Superman's lift and first drop
  • Superman's first airtime hill
    Superman's first airtime hill
  • Superman's final airtime hill
    Superman's final airtime hill
  • The Darien Lake version of (Superman) Ride of Steel
    The Darien Lake version of (Superman) Ride of Steel

References

  1. ^ "Rider thrown from new Darien Lake roller coaster". Rideaccidents.com. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  2. ^ "New England: Massachusetts: Coaster Death Report". New York Times. 2004-05-08. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
  3. ^ "Army amputee ejected from roller coaster, dies". NBC News. 2011-07-09.
  4. ^ Tied with Nemesis
  5. ^ "Amusement Today — Golden Ticket Winners 2010" (PDF). Amusement Today. Retrieved 12 September 2010.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superman_–_Ride_of_Steel&oldid=438595174"