SFGAm's American Eagle Backwards

At No Coaster Con the rep from Great America showed a 2002 season video which included the Eagle going backwards this season. Does anyone know if this will be all season or only for a limited time? Will it be running backwards on opening day?

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Are wooden coasters supposed to be over 200 feet high? See King's Island for the answer!

Good question this topic has come up a lot! From what I heard at No Coaster Con it sounded like it would be running backwards for the beging of the season including opening day through late June early July. Since then I have also heard that it wont start until June. I will try to find some more inforamtion over the neaxt week and get back to you with more details.

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Six Flags Great America Online 2002 season starts May 4, 2002 www.sfgamonline.com

Last time they ran it backwards, I visited the park the day after they switched it back normal. If I remember correctly, there was still a significant amount of the season left (I don't remember exactly when I went, it was a few years back). So it would seem that when they run it backwards, they don't usually do it for the whole season. I say ride it as soon as you can to be on the safe side.

I'm looking very forward (backward?) to riding it backwards (forward?), since I haven't ridden it that way before !!! :)

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Yeah she said that they did not know how long it would ride like that but she said last time about 11 years ago it stoped mid-late June so they could do that again so get there fast.

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Six Flags Great America Online 2002 season starts May 4, 2002 www.sfgamonline.com

Taken from my local Pick'n Save ad this week,
"Ride the red side-facing forwards... ride the blue side- facing backwards for an all-new experience."

Nothing about time frame, but I think it's funny, 'all-new.' They only did it how many times? If you ask me, they should follow PKI and leave it backwards all the time. Instead of Racer and Recar, we could ride American Eagle or Elgae Nacirema.

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Webmaster of Travis's Websites of Infinite Boredom!
Less than 2 months until SFGAm opens!

I would leave the train backwards all the time just because the blue side doesn't have much going for it anyway, but when I was there for Fright Fest '01 on the first weekend, I asked one of the ride ops for Eagle why they weren't running either of the sides backwards. she said that running them backwards did something to mess up the brakes so they weren't going to turn them around this year. if you ask me, that doesn't make much sense and the op could have been pulling my leg, but that's what she said. maybe they're only running it backwards for a short period of time because they don't want the brakes to get too messed up.

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-Bob (formerly Coaster Jedi)
Knott's Berry Farm Cuba ~South Park
"Your proctologist called, he found your head!" ~Jerry "The King" Lawler

I don't care about the trains as long as they toss those brake or lighten them.

Do they have to change the anti-rollback equipment on the trains so the cars can run backwards? I imagine that if they do, that was what she meant SFGA Bob...

I really think it matters how much we the people like ridding it backwards instead of forewards. If backwards is getting alot of people through the lines I see not one reason that ga will not have it for the hole season. But, Again, We'll see.

Everybody ride backwards, it's the law ;)

yea and put in a comment card that they should have it that way all the time, then they will.

One side backwards all the time would be SWEET so don't count on it to happen!

TrBiggar said:
"Instead of Racer and Recar, we could ride American Eagle or Elgae Nacirema."

el-gay nah-sear-rhee-ma?

Sounds like a ride that should be in Southwest Territory!
jeremy
--who notes that Naomi backwards is "I moan"

Yeah, they have to change the anti-rollback devices. The RED train is on the track ready to go. The BLUE train is sitting next to Daredevil Dive, not on yet.

American Eagle was not designed to go backwards, although it can do it as safley as forwards. It is hard on the trains, but for a ride like Eagle with a dwindling life span I'd think it could handle it the rest of its days (which hopefully are many more!)

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Your village called. They're missing their idiot.

So, K-Town, how can a 21 year old wooden coaster be on a "dwindling life span?" It's not old by any means, and just a year or two ago was retracked.

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Webmaster of Travis's Websites of Infinite Boredom!
Less than 2 months until SFGAm opens!