Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Over Georgia)

Great American Scream Machine is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Georgia. The 105-foot (32 m)-tall ride reaches a top speed of 57 miles per hour (92 km/h). GASM, as it is known to park workers, was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters in 1973 with Marvin M. Black & Sons as the contractor. When it opened, it was the tallest, longest and fastest roller coaster in the world, and riders were given a "Red Badge of Courage" button for riding the coaster.[1] Recently, on May 21, 2017, Great American Scream Machine received an ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts) landmark for it being the first wooden roller coaster built by Six Flags and for being at the park for a substantial amount of time while being well maintained.

This article is about the wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. For the former steel looping roller coaster of the same name at Six Flags Great Adventure, see Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Great Adventure).
Not to be confused with Scream Machine (Adlabs Imagica).
Great American Scream Machine
The lift hill
Six Flags Over Georgia
LocationSix Flags Over Georgia
Coordinates33°45′57″N 84°33′05″W
StatusOperating
Opening dateMarch 31, 1973 (1973-03-31)[1]
General statistics
TypeWood
ManufacturerPhiladelphia Toboggan Coasters
DesignerDon Rosser, John C. Allen, William Cobb
Track layoutOut-and-back
Lift/launch systemChain Lift
Height105 ft (32 m)
Drop89 ft (27 m)
Length3,800 ft (1,200 m)
Speed57 mph (92 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:00
Max vertical angle45°
Capacity1200 riders per hour
G-force3.7
Height restriction42 in (107 cm)
Trains2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Great American Scream Machine at RCDB
Pictures of Great American Scream Machine at RCDB

Operational Information

A computerized block system is used to prevent trains from contacting each other. GASM has 5 blocks: Station, Transfer Table, Lift, Main Brake and Ready Brake. Normal operation uses two trains; however, it can be operated with only one. During two-train operation, if the train in the station has not fully exited the loading platform, the inbound train will stop abruptly in the Main Brakes. A combination of proximity switches, mechanical switches, photoelectric sensors and timers are all used by the controller to track train movements.

Each train consists of four cars with three rows per car, two riders per row, holding 24 total riders. Each row has a lap bar and a seat belt. Until the 2018 season, the lap bar itself was locked and unlocked by an electrical current that activates solenoids on the train, resulting in a "buzzing" electrical sound. They could be troublesome, sometimes requiring the operating crew to manually unlock the lap bar for a rider. For the 2018 season, trains from the old Georgia Cyclone roller coaster were added, which allowed for more reliable and safe lap bars to be installed on this ride. Each train consists of six cars with two rows per car, two riders per row, holding 24 riders total. The trains ride on steel wheels with guide wheels and upstops attached. The track is plank wood stacked 7 planks high, with steel running surfaces on the top, bottom and sides (locations where the running, guide and upstop wheels contact the track).

Before computerized control existed, operators used a lever to operate the brake system and dispatch trains. The operator near the end of the station controlled the main brakes at the end of the circuit; the operator at the front of the station operated the brakes at the station platform only and worked to dispatch trains to the lift.

Awards
Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year19981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Ranking —[2]—[3]—[4]42 (tie)[5]—[6]—[7]41[8]—[9]40[10]44[11]49 (tie)[12]—[13]—[14]—[15]48[16]43[17]—[18]

References
  1. Kelley, Tom (2003-06-26). "Detours: Hands Up! Scream Machine Cradle Of Historic Uprising". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Home ed.). p. P30.
  2. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  3. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  4. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  5. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  6. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. "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.
  8. "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.
  9. "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.
  10. "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.
  11. "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.
  12. "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.
  13. "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.
  14. "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.
  15. "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.
  16. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  17. "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.
  18. "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
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