Before Magnum... - CoasterBuzz

Before Magnum XL-200 came into existence, which roller coaster held the record for being the world's tallest?

I have a few hunches such as American Eagle, or Collossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Magic Mountain at the time).

What are your insights?

-----------------

*** This post was edited by WCS4488 on 7/30/2002. ***

Vortex was the tallest in 1987 I believe

What about Moonsault Scramble? Built in 1983 at 207 feet tall. Taller and earlier than Magnum.

-----------------
My two favorite coasters are named Superman.
Nitro, Gemini, Laser, Ice, Thunder...The American Gladiators!

Well in 1988 Shockwave @ SFGAm was the tallest, fastest, and loopiest coaster in the world. In 1989 all those records were either tied or usurpted by Magnum and Great American Scream Machine @ SFGAdv. Now Magnum, according to RCDB opened on May 6, 1989, but there is no exact date for when GASM-II opened. But in either case, the biggest coaster before Magnum was an Arrow megalooper (either Shockwave or GASM-II)
jeremy
--who *believes* GASM-II opened AFTER Magnum

I remember reading somewhere that GASM at SFGAdv was the tallest coaster in the world when it opened, and Magnum opened a month later and broke the record.

I don't think Moonsault is a continuous circuit coaster.

Moonsault Scramble is, yes, indeed a shuttle, non-full curcuit coaster.

But Moonsault Scramble was a roller coaster, the topic didn't ask about full circut or non.

-------------
Nothing... NOTHING... can prepare you for... the Fourth Dimension!

Here we go again...

It may be a shuttle, and not every car on the train hits the top, but the highest point of track was 207 ft. Moonsault Scramble was the tallest.

Of course, Magnum is 205, so technically, Moonsault still beat it by 2 feet.

-----------------
"I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity."
- George W. Bush

What about Bandit at Yomiuriland (sp?) in Japan? That was built prior to Magnum and if my memory serves me correctly, Bandit was the inspiration for Magnum - just big, fast, and no inversions.

X Factor

-------------
SFWoA: An Unofficial Guide
http://sfohio.tripod.com

Magnum isn't even 205, lol. It's 200, and the drop is only about 196ish. I guess you could consider any coaster like that over 200ft a hyper no matter the drop then, eh?

-----------------
Top 5:
5)Raptor 4) Goliath 3) Ghostrider 2) Sros @Sfdl 1) Millennium Force
Check Out My Site: www.geocities.com/coastingohio

Magnum is 205 feet and one and three quarter inches. Its drop is 194 feet and 8 inches. There - take that... ;)

Wow, I really am a dork!

-----------------
-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew

Welcome back riders, how was your ride? Wooooo

Oncoming riders fasten your orange seat belt and pull back on your lapbar. The magnum will take you up 205 feet and drop you 194 at a 60 degree angle at speeds reaching 72 MPH. We will see you back here in 2 mins 20 seconds. (Clear Clear) So sit up right, hold on tight and enjoy your ride on the Magnum.

-----------------
The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

Bandit has a tall lift but the drop doesn't send you nearly the entire way back down. Maybe 3/4 of the way from what I have seen.

But if the lift is 200ft. or over, its still considered a hyper coaster.

-----------------
800,000 years in 7 seconds: Time Machine the movie or next S&S creation?
"So Quoth the Lemon Chill Guy" (TM) (C)

Actually, Bandit has a shorter lift and a giant third drop that's even bigger than Phantom's second drop.

Shockwave at Six Flags Great America was never the tallest or fastest since Moonsault was fastest at 70 mph and 205" feet tall in 1983.

In truth, MAgnum XL was never the talllest or longest, since Bandit was a couple dozen feet longer thank to all the intense helixes and over banked turns.

-----------------
Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 7/31/2002. ***

Gemini was the tallest coaster in the world when it opened in 1979 at 125 feet tall.

-----------------
#1 Steel-Nitro
#1 Wood-Shivering Timbers

*** This post was edited by Rockrc480 on 7/31/2002. ***

Vertigo said:

Actually, Bandit has a shorter lift and a giant third drop that's even bigger than Phantom's second drop.
Shockwave at Six Flags Great America was never the tallest or fastest since Moonsault was fastest at 70 mph and 205" feet tall in 1983.
In truth, MAgnum XL was never the talllest or longest, since Bandit was a couple dozen feet longer thank to all the intense helixes and over banked turns.
-----------------
Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean
*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 7/31/2002. ***

No it wasn't According to RCDB Magnum is 72 MPH and and Bandit is 68.3 MPH. So Magnum is faster.

-----------------
Chris Knight
Jeff, Did you forget to feed the Raptor again? That Raptor is not in a good mood. See http://www.orlandosentinal.com/business/tourism/orl-asecbirds19071902jul19.story?coll=orl%2Dbusiness%2Dheadlines%2Dtourism and you know what I mean.

If Steel Dragon can claim to be the tallest today (and it does!) then Shockwave can also claim that title. If Millennium Force can claim to be the world's first "Giga-Coaster" (defined as a coaster exceeding 300 ft), then Shockwave had its titles as well.

C'mon on now folks, we all know there are different ways to define "rollercoaster".
jeremy
-------------
"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

When the Screamin' Eagle opened, didn't it hold some records. I remember it being in the Guiness Book of World Records for the longest coaster, but was it the tallest or fastest?