Screamin' Eagle
Screamin' Eagle is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. When it opened on April 10, 1976 for America's Bicentennial celebration, Guinness World Records listed it as the largest coaster at 110 feet (34 m) high and as the fastest coaster at 62 mph (100 km/h). The ride is a modified 'L'-Shaped Out And Back. The Screamin' Eagle was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and was the last coaster designed by the renowned John Allen, who was a historic designer of roller coasters. Allen believed a coaster should inspire awe, not only from a ride full of thrills, but also from its magnificent beauty. Originally Allen wanted to design a coaster to replace the Comet at Chain of Rocks Amusement Park, but lack of funds prevented him from doing such. The Screamin' Eagle is reminiscent of the Comet, mirroring its L-shape, but to a much larger scale.
| Screamin’ Eagle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Six Flags St. Louis | |
| Location | Six Flags St. Louis |
| Park section | Illinois |
| Coordinates | 38°30′59″N 90°40′34″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 10, 1976 |
| Cost | $3,000,000 (1976) |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | John C. Allen |
| Track layout | Out and back |
| Height | 110 ft (34 m) |
| Drop | 92 ft (28 m) |
| Length | 3,872 ft (1,180 m) |
| Speed | 62 mph (100 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
| Height restriction | 42 in (107 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Screamin’ Eagle at RCDB Pictures of Screamin’ Eagle at RCDB | |
Renovations
In 1990, the trains were replaced, the turns banked and a double up hill was removed from a section of the track..from 2003-2006 the Screamin’ Eagle received significant repairs such as painting, re-tracking and replacing of the control panel.
Awards
| Year | 2008 | 2009 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 48[1] | 40[2] | 39[3] | 43[4] | 38 (tie)[5] | 42[6] |
- Designated by the American Coaster Enthusiasts a "Coaster Landmark" on June 21, 2016
| Preceded by Coney Island Cyclone |
World's Fastest Roller Coaster April 1976–June 1978 |
Succeeded by Colossus |
References
- "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 October 4, 2016.
- "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 October 4, 2016.
- "2016 top 50 wooden roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- "2019 Top Wood". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2016.