X2
A4 · Cover Stars
A4 · № 4/150
X2
Six Flags Magic Mountain · US · Arrow Dynamics 4th Dimension Coaster (opened 2002 as X, relaunched as X2 in 2008)
“At Valencia, Arrow’s last great riddle turns the seats themselves.”
UNOFFICIAL · NOT PARK-ENDORSED
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Fast facts
- Opened to the public on January 12, 2002, under the name X. en.wikipedia.org
- Built by Arrow Dynamics as a steel 4th Dimension Coaster. themeparkarchive.com
- The lift rises 175 feet, or 53.3 metres, before a 215-foot first drop. en.wikipedia.org
- Top speed is 76 mph, or 122 km/h. en.wikipedia.org
- The course includes 2 inversions. thrillzing.com
- Listed ride capacity is 1600 riders per hour. ultimaterollercoaster.com
- The original build cost was $45 million. en.wikipedia.org
The story of X2
Six Flags Magic Mountain presented X as a prototype fourth-dimension coaster from Arrow Dynamics, made on a scale worthy of the Valencia hillside. Planned for 2001 but delayed by design difficulties, it opened to the public on January 12, 2002. en.wikipedia.org· themeparkarchive.com
The first visitors met it before they even reached the gate. Contemporary Los Angeles Times coverage described several thousand people gathered for opening day, with the new machine drawing attention from Magic Mountain Boulevard as trains climbed and dropped in full view of the arriving crowd. latimes.com
Its achievement was in the carriage as much as the track. Riders sit beside the running rails while each seat turns 360 degrees forward or backward, governed by separate rotation rails, so the journey changes direction without changing its path. sixflags.com· en.wikipedia.org
In 2007 the original X closed for a major rebuilding, returning on May 24, 2008, as X2. New trains and added show effects accompanied the relaunch, while the underlying Arrow invention remained the rare machine that made the coaster itself feel newly discovered. en.wikipedia.org· ultimaterollercoaster.com
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org Acceptable source
- themeparkarchive.com Acceptable source
- thrillzing.com Acceptable source
- ultimaterollercoaster.com Acceptable source
- latimes.com Acceptable source
- sixflags.com Preferred source