Iron Rattler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iron Rattler |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | |
| Location | Six Flags Fiesta Texas |
| Park section | Crackaxle Canyon |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 25, 2013 |
| Cost | US$10 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | Alan Schilke |
| Model | I-Box |
| Track layout | Terrain |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 179 ft (55 m) |
| Drop | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Length | 3,266 ft (995 m) |
| Speed | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Inversions | 1 |
| Max vertical angle | 81° |
| Capacity | 850 riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 Gerstlauer trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Iron Rattler at RCDB | |
The Iron Rattler is an exciting steel roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. This popular ride is located in San Antonio, Texas. It first opened in 2013.
Before becoming the Iron Rattler, it was a wooden roller coaster called The Rattler. That ride opened way back in 1992. The Iron Rattler is special because it was the first roller coaster to mix wood and steel tracks. It also has a cool upside-down part called a zero-g-roll.
Alan Schilke designed the Iron Rattler. It was built by a company called Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC). The original wooden Rattler was built by the Roller Coaster Corporation of America. When The Rattler first opened, it was the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world. It was 179 feet (55 m) tall and had a first drop of 166 feet (51 m). Its top speed was 73 mph (117 km/h).
RMC changed the old wooden Rattler by adding new steel track on top of its wooden supports. They made the first drop even bigger and steeper. The drop went from 124 to 171 feet (38 to 52 m) and became much steeper at 81 degrees. These changes made the ride faster, going from 65 to 70 miles per hour (105 to 113 km/h).
Contents
How the Iron Rattler Was Built
From Wood to Steel: The Big Change
In August 2012, Six Flags Fiesta Texas announced a big plan. They would change their wooden coaster, The Rattler, into a steel-tracked ride. This new ride would be called the Iron Rattler. Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) was chosen to do the work.
RMC used a special steel track called I-Box. They put this new track on some of the original wooden supports. The new ride would also have cool trains that looked like rattlesnakes. These trains were made by Gerstlauer. The most exciting part was that the new ride would have a barrel roll, where you go upside down! The Iron Rattler was set to open in 2013.
The Original Rattler's Story
The first Rattler was built by the Roller Coaster Corporation of America. It opened on March 14, 1992. At that time, it was the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. It stood 179 feet (55 m) tall. Its first drop was 166 feet (51 m) and it reached speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h). It was even bigger than its rival, Mean Streak, at Ohio's Cedar Point.
The designer, John Pierce, said the park wanted the tallest wooden coaster. So, the plans kept changing to make it bigger. The Rattler held its record until 1994. Then, its first drop was made shorter, going from 166 to 124 feet (51 to 38 m). This also made it slower, dropping its top speed from 73 to 65 miles per hour (117 to 105 km/h).
A New Idea: The Texas Giant Success
In late 2009, another Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Texas, closed their wooden roller coaster. It was called the Texas Giant. They spent $10 million to make it new. This project took over a year.
The same company, Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), replaced the wooden track with new steel I-Box track. They kept the original wooden support structure. This change was a huge success! Riders loved the new Texas Giant. Because of this, Six Flags started looking for other rides that could be updated in the same way.
The Rattler's Last Ride
At a big trade show in 2011, Alan Schilke from RMC shared some news. He said his company had two projects for 2013. One of them was changing a wooden roller coaster into an I-Box steel coaster. Later, it was revealed that The Rattler would be getting this big update. It would get new track and trains, just like the New Texas Giant.
Even though Six Flags hadn't officially announced it, they said The Rattler would close on August 5, 2012. On that day, park staff and some roller coaster fans took the very last ride on the wooden Rattler. After that, it stopped running as a wooden coaster.
The Iron Rattler officially opened on May 25, 2013. Before that, on May 17, 2013, the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives held an auction. People could bid to be on the very first public ride of the Iron Rattler. The money raised went to the museum. The media also got a special preview ride on May 15, 2013.
What Makes Iron Rattler Special
Ride Design and Features
The Iron Rattler is in the Crackaxle Canyon area of Fiesta Texas. It sits near the Road Runner Express and The Gully Washer. It was the second ride to use RMC's I-Box track. It was also the first I-Box coaster to have a barrel roll, which is an upside-down part.
The Iron Rattler uses two trains. These trains look like rattlesnakes and were made by Gerstlauer. Each train has six cars. Two riders sit in each row, and there are two rows per car. Riders are kept safe with a lap bar and a seat belt.
Comparing the Old and New Rattler
Here's how the original Rattler compares to the new Iron Rattler:
| What We Compare | The Rattler (Original) | Iron Rattler (New) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years Running | 1992–1994 | 1994–2012 | 2013–present |
| Builder | Roller Coaster Corporation of America | Rocky Mountain Construction | |
| Designer | John Pierce | Alan Schilke | |
| Track Type | Wood | Steel | |
| Height | 179 ft or 55 m | ||
| Drop | 166 ft or 51 m | 124 ft or 38 m | 171 ft or 52 m |
| Length | 5,080 ft or 1,550 m | N/A | 3,266 ft or 995 m |
| Speed | 63–73 mph or 101–117 km/h | 65 mph or 105 km/h | 70 mph or 110 km/h |
| Upside-Down Parts | 0 | 1 | |
| Steepest Drop Angle | 61.4° | 81° | |
| Trains | Morgan | PTC | Gerstlauer |
The original Rattler was about 1,800 feet (550 m) longer. This was because it had a big spiral section on top of the quarry walls. The new Iron Rattler is shorter but has a steeper and longer first drop. This helps it go faster!
The Ride Experience
Your adventure on the Iron Rattler starts as the train leaves the station. It turns around and goes under the Road Runner Express ride. Then, it climbs up a 179-foot-tall (55 m) chain lift hill.
At the top, get ready for a thrilling 171 feet (52 m) drop! This drop is super steep, at an angle of 81 degrees. After the drop, the track goes up to the top of the quarry wall. Here, you'll experience a 110-degree over-banked turn. This means the track tilts way over to the side.
Next, a 95-degree over-banked turn takes you back off the quarry wall. Then, the train rises into the famous zero-g roll, which is also on top of the quarry wall. This is where you feel weightless as you go upside down!
After the zero-g roll, there's a camelback hill. This gives you another fun airtime moment. Then, you'll go through two more over-banked turns, tilting at 98 and 93 degrees. Finally, the ride drops back off the quarry wall and enters a tunnel. Inside the tunnel, you'll see cool fog and lighting effects. After leaving the tunnel, the train slows down on the brake run and returns to the station.
