Twisted Cyclone

Twisted Cyclone
Previously known as Georgia Cyclone (1990–2017)
Six Flags Over Georgia
LocationSix Flags Over Georgia
Coordinates33°46′13″N 84°33′08″W / 33.77028°N 84.55222°W / 33.77028; -84.55222
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 25, 2018 (2018-05-25)
ReplacedGeorgia Cyclone
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerRocky Mountain Construction
DesignerAlan Schilke
ModelI-Box
Lift/launch systemChain
Height100 ft (30 m)
Length2,400 ft (730 m)
Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions3
Max vertical angle75°
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Trains2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
WebsiteOfficial site
Flash Pass Available
Twisted Cyclone at RCDB

Twisted Cyclone, formerly known as Georgia Cyclone, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, Georgia. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), the ride opened to the public on May 25, 2018. It features RMC's patented I-Box Track technology and utilizes a significant portion of Georgia Cyclone's former support structure. Originally constructed by the Dinn Corporation, Georgia Cyclone first opened on March 3, 1990.

History

Georgia Cyclone opened as a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone on March 3, 1990. It stood ten feet higher than the Coney Island Cyclone at 95 feet (29 m), had a track length of 2,970 feet (910 m), and reached a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[1] For the 2012 season, approximately 30 percent of the coaster's track was replaced with Topper Track by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), intended to provide an improved ride experience. On July 17, 2017, park officials announced that the attraction would close permanently two weeks later on July 30.[1]

Twisted Cyclone car on display at IAAPA IAE (2017)

On August 31, 2017, Six Flags Over Georgia announced plans to convert Georgia Cyclone into a steel-hybrid design called Twisted Cyclone, featuring RMC's patented I-Box Track technology.[2][3] The drop height was raised to 100 feet (30 m), the angle was steepened to 75 degrees, and a total of ten airtime hills and three inversions were added along the ride's course.[2][3] The trains' theme was modified to represent a 1960s-era sports convertible, and the maximum speed remained unchanged at 50 mph (80 km/h).[2][3] The track was shortened to approximately 2,400 feet (730 m), and the roller coaster held its grand opening on May 25, 2018.[4]

Ride layout

Georgia Cyclone (1990–2017)

Upon leaving the station, riders made a left hand turnaround into the lift hill, which took the train up to a peak height of 95-foot (29 m). Riders were immediately sent down a 78.5-foot (23.9 m) drop at a 53° angle; at the bottom of the drop, riders came close to the track above for a headchopper effect. The train then rose up into the first high-speed U-turn to the right, descended again beneath the lift hill and rising into a camelback airtime hill. The train entered a left-hand turnaround, which was then followed by another airtime hill and third left turnaround. Riders navigated another pair of turns under the structure with a series of smaller hills under the main structure before making a final flat turn over the bottom of the first drop, leading into the brake run. From there, the train passed through the transfer track and made its way into the station. A ride on the Georgia Cyclone lasted approximately 1 minute and 48 seconds.[5]

Twisted Cyclone (2018–present)

Upon leaving the station, the train proceeds through several twisted bunny hills while making a left-hand turnaround into the 100-foot (30 m) lift hill. At the top, riders are released into a drop at 75° and rise into the first of three inversions; a so-called step-up-under-flip. The train sweeps to the right through the turnaround and exit through a barrel roll down drop inversion, which is identical to the first inversion minus the train's direction. The train passes through a wall stall facing away from the lift hill and a hasty turnaround wave turn. Another airtime hill leads to the layout's third and final inversion - a zero-g roll - and a pair of low-ground airtime hills before entering the final left-hand turnaround. Another small airtime hill follows, and riders dip up into the final brake run, which leads back to the station.[4] From dispatch to brake run, one ride on Twisted Cyclone lasts approximately 1 minute and 20 seconds.[4]

Awards

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Ranking 12[6] 9[7] 13[8] 16[9] 14[10] 18[11] 20[12] 22 (tie)[13] 31[14] 43[15] 40 (tie)[16] 44[17] 47 (tie)[18] [19] [20] [21]

References

  1. ^ a b Helen Oliviero (July 17, 2017). "Six Flags Over Georgia retiring iconic roller coaster". ajc.com. Cox Newspapers. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Williams, Ross (August 31, 2017). "'Twisted Cyclone,' a wood-steel hybrid coaster, will speed into Six Flags next spring". Marietta Daily Journal. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Twisted Cyclone Roller Coaster: When Wood Meets Steel". Six Flags Over Georgia. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "Twisted Cyclone  (Six Flags Over Georgia)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  5. ^ Marden, Duane. "Georgia Cyclone - Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell, Georgia, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  6. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  8. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  9. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  10. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  11. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  12. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  13. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  14. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  15. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  16. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  17. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  18. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  19. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  20. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  21. ^ "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.