The Ten Oldest Rides still operating in the park are as listed. Each is profiled with an article at this site. The list also corresponds with all of the rides built in the 60s which are still operational in the park.
8. Tower – open 1969; closed for renovations 1998 Mini-Mine Train – open 1969; closed for renovations & reconstruction 1997.
10) the Rugged Buggy, now a Loony Tunes land ride was added in 1972, in the petting zoo.The Rugged Buggy is the park’s oldest “kiddie ride”.
The next major ride to be added, which is still in the park, is the Texas Chute-out, added in 1976. The Red Baron, also now a Loony Tunes land ride, was also added in 1975.
The next major ride to still be operating in the park is the Shockwave, which opened in 1978.
NOTES:
The Flume is considered older than the Carrousel, as the Carousel was closed for two full seasons.
The Tower and Mini-mine Train are considered tied for 9th oldest, as both have been closed for a season.
Year Installed:
2018
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Gotham City
Manufacturer:
ABC Rides
Other Names and Nicknames:
Harley Quinn Spinsanity was installed in 2018. Although the park had previously hosted a ride with the same name, that ride was unrelated to the newer ride using the same name.
Year Installed:
1987
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Mexico
Manufacturer:
Intamin
Other Names and Nicknames:
Avalanche Bobsled, The Bobsled
For the celebration of Six Flags Over Texas’ 25th Anniversary, the Avalanche Bobsled Ride was introduced. Located in the area of the park that had formally held the Fiesta train, the Bobslide’s new feature was that it did not ride on a track. Instead, the cars rode in a curve structure, more similar to the log ride’s flume or chute than a roller coaster track. The result of this configuration was that not every ride was exactly the same as the one before it.
It also created the illusion that the cars could leave the flume area, creating an apprehension of danger. With a lift height of sixty feet, and a track length of 1,490 feet, the ride travels at up to 32 MPH for a ride of approximately 1 and one half minutes to ride.
While the ride was new to Six Flags over Texas, it was not new to the Six Flags’ park system, having operated at Magic Mountain from 1984 to 1987. Built by Intamin, the ride is an AG Bobsled style ride.
Originally painted blue, the structure was repainted in red and yellow sections to resemble the strips of a snake. It was renamed the La Vibora, Spanish for the “Viper”, brining it more closely into the theming of the Mexican section where it resides. Counting the AR as a roller coaster increased Six Flags Roller Coaster to five, the highest it had been to date. The ride was moved from Six flags Magic Mountain where it was installed in 1984.
Year Installed:
1961
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Texas
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
Crazy Horse Saloon Theater
The Crazy Horse is show saloon, complete with a small stage for western singing and can-can dancing, as well as a bar. In keeping with the park’s family friendly atmosphere, park promotional materials make it very clear that “although it is a saloon, only soft-drinks are sold there.”
The theater is rather small, with room for a small stage, a piano, and several tables for the guests. Four or five performers in saloon costumes sang period songs, danced on the stage and mingled with the guests.
In keeping with the park’s historical emphasis, the entire back bar is an actual antique bar from an 1890 vintage saloon. Carpenters crafted a new front bar to conform to the original. Antique tables and chairs were acquired from a saloon in Little Rock, Arkansas.
A 1966 show courtesy of LaVerne Huselton Catter.
While there are shows and performers in all of the sections of the park, the Crazy Horse is unique in that is the park’s first indoor show. It continued as the park’s only indoor show for the first seven years of operation, until the much larger Southern Palace replaced the amphitheater in 1968. It is also the longest running theater in the park, operating continuously since the first season. Inside, the singing and dancing showgirls still entertain visitors.
Being the only indoor theater, the Crazy Horse also served as an employee auditorium, being used for orientation sessions, training, and other meetings
The Crazy Horse Saloon opened with the Park in 1961 and is the oldest theater in the park.
Year Installed:
2001
Last Year Operated:
Operating
Section:
Texas
Manufacturer:
Giovanola
Other Names and Nicknames:
The Titan was built for Six Flag’s fortieth anniversary season. Construction of the Titan was one of the Six Flags over Texas’ largest capital expenses. The ride, a” mega-coaster”, is located in the southwest corner of the park, west of the Texas section, in an area that had previously been outside the park. Much of the ride extends out over one of the park’s parking lots.
The ride starts with a 245 foot high hill. The lift leads to a 255 foot 65 degree drop into a 120 foot long below ground tunnel. After topping the first hill, the ride reaches speeds of up to 85 mph. The ride track is 5,312 feet in length. The three thirty rider trains can carry up to1600 guests per hour. During the three minute ride, guests can experience up to 4.5 Gs.
The Titan is an extended version of the Goliath built at Six Flags Magic Mountain. When built, the two rides tied for the third tallest roller coaster in the world. Since then they have dropped to fifth tallest. The pair are currently the sixth fastest steel coasters in the world. Both rides were built by Giovanola of Switzerland.
Year Installed:
1961
Last Year Operated:
On-going
Section:
Texas
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
Section: Texas
Year installed: 1961
Gunfights in front to the Texas Courthouse. From Six Flags Postcard. Note Judge Roy bean on the porch with a “hanging rope”. Also note the park photographer with a Polaroid Camera in the Mid-left of the photograph. The photographers sold the Polaroid pictures to guests.
The Gunfighter Shows have been held in the Texas section since the park opened in 1961. The shows recreate the good-guy/bad-guy shoot-outs of the wild west. They are designed to be entertaining more than historically accurate. Typically they take place on the street in front of the Courthouse in the Texas Section. Over the years, however, shows have been held in various locations around the park. In some shows, outlaws rob the Train while it is running, leading to a shoot-out in front of the Texas train station. Shoot-outs have also been held in front of the Jersey Lilly, around the corner from the Courthouse.
Gunfighters in front of the Texas Astrolift. The Texas Railroad station would be out of the photograph to the photographers left. The area in the upper left corner of the photograph is now the location of the Boot Scootin’ Ride.
Starting in 1994, the Texas section hosted the Texas Backlot Stunt Show, an outdoor action-comedy stunt-show featured in the Texas section. Additional sets were built next to the Jersey Lilly for this show. The first show, the O.K Corral Shootout Backlot show,was tied to the release of the Warner Brother’s movie Wyatt Earp. The stunt shows continued through the 1990s.
At this time, the Gunfights continue in front of the Courthouse.
The Six Flags Railroad is the oldest operating attraction at Six Flags Over Texas and has the distinction of being the ONLY attraction remaining from the park’s initial season.
The trains make a one mile run around the park. The ride is enhanced by the “Spiel of the Conductor“, which points out the sights for the riders, highlights interesting facts about the park, and provides some “corny” entertainment. The spiel changes over the years as new attractions are added and others are removed.
The Engines
The center pieces of the Railroad are the two engines, each of which has an extensive history of its own. Engine Number 1 is known as the Green Train due to its green paint scheme. The Green Train was constructed in 1901 as Engine 1280 of the Dickson Works of the American Locomotive company.
Engine Number 2 is known as the Red Train for its red color scheme. It is the older and smaller of the two engines. It was manufactured in 1897 as Engine Number 1754 of the Porter Company.
Enterprise Plantation
Both Engines were originally built for the Enterprise Plantation, a Sugar Cane Plantation, in Patoutville, Iberia Parish, Louisiana, owned by the Patout family. The Red Train was Enterprise’s first engine and tender and was named the “Lydia”. The Green Train was Enterprise’s second engine and tender and was named the “Mary Ann”.
The Engines were part of a fleet of 8 engines and 220 4 ton cars eventually owned by the plantation railroad, which operated until 1945.
The Engines are Narrow Gauge (36″), meaning that the distance between the two tracks is thirty-six inches. This is smaller than Standard Gauge Railroads, but allows for better maneuverability on tight tracks.
Both engines were leased to Six Flags Over Texas by the Patout Family when the park opened in 1961. As of 1995, the Trains still operated in the park under a lease agreement.
Six Flags Rebuilds the Engines
The Green Train, originally the “Mary Ann” at the Enterprise Plantation, was renamed the “General Sam Houston” by Six Flags, in honor of the Texas hero. Its pulls four cars, and is the primary train of the railroad, operating even on slow days when only one of the two trains is running.
The Red Train, originally the “Lydia” at the Enterprise Plantation, was renamed the “Maribeu B. Lamar”, also in honor of the a Texas hero. It pulls a compliment of three passenger cars. It usually runs as an extra train on crowded days.
The two engines were rebuilt by the park at an estimated cost of $50,000 each. Photographs of the original “Lydia” and the “Mary Ann” hang in the lobby of the Texas Station. Due to reconstruction of the engines, they look different from their current appearance and may not instantly be recognized. A lantern and cattle guard was added the front end of the each train. The Engines are no longer wood burning and the tenders were converted accordingly. Additional guide wheels were added to the front of each engine under the cattle guards.
The front smoke stack on the Green Train was modified. On the Red Train, the covering for the Engineer and Fireman was moved back on the engine and additional windows were added.
The passenger cars were also built for the park.
The Red Train has since been renamed to the Charles Jefferson Patton, in honor of the engineer that operated the Six Flag engines for many years. The Green Train has been renamed in honor of Larry Cochran.
The Engine House
The home to the Trains is an engine house built in the Southwest Corner of the park, outside of the Spanish and Mexican Sections. The Engine House can be viewed by Guests as they ride the trains.
Train Operations – Sights
The Trains originally operated only out of the Six Flags Railroad Station in the Texas Section. The station was officially named the “Great Southwest Station.” Trains left the Texas Station heading North towards the Chaparral cars. They made a non-stop round trip run around the park, which was completely enclosed by the track. Along the way, riders could see some of the parks rides and attractions. Some of the route, however, was through as of yet undeveloped areas of the park. The park added sights to these areas. In what was to become the boomtown area of the park, Buffalo lived in pens for viewing by guests on the trains.
The trains made their one way run until Six Flags added Boomtown in 1963. The Boomtown Station was added as part of the boomtown section and the trains began the tradition of stopping on the east end of the Park so riders could disembark and new riders could embark.
When the StageCoach ride closed, the “Ghost-town saloon” animation was moved to become part of the train’s landscape. Likewise, in 1968 when the Fiesta Train was rebuilt, the Train landscape became the home of several of the old Fiesta Train’s animations, including the “dancing tamales“. This section of the landscape became known as “Mexican Junction”, although the Trains never actually stopped there.
Station Houses
The ride stayed basically the same until Six Flags added Good Times Square in 1973. At that time, the old Boomtown Station house was removed and the Good Times Square Station was added in its place. Rather than being inside the track like the Texas and Boomtown Stations, the Good Times Square Station was on the outside of the track. The Passenger cars were modified accordingly so that they could be entered from either side.
At the same time that the Good Times Square Station was added, the Trains were “turned” so that they ran the opposite direction, leaving the Texas Station South, heading towards the flume. Of course, the Conductors now how to learn to spiel “backwards”.
The Trains were “turned” again in the early 1980s, so that they now depart Texas in the same direction as they did in 1961, heading North, towards the Chaparral cars.
In 1987, the Good Times Square Station was removed to make way for the Mr. Freeze Ride. At that time, a new Boomtown Station was built.
Texas Station has now been renamed from “Great Southwest Station” to the “Johnson Creek Station“.
The Six Flags Railroad is an official operating railroad regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission.
An Official Texas Historical Plaque hangs on the outside of Texas Station, documenting the history of Narrow Gauge Railroads in Texas. The plaque, placed in 1966, incorrectly states that the engines were originally manufactured in 1887 and 1903.
The Trains remain a popular ride, in that they can be enjoyed by both the young and the old. More importantly, the preserve a piece of American history that many generations can only read about. Hopefully, the whistle of the engines will always be heard throughout the park.
Year Installed:
1966
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Confederacy
Manufacturer:
Premier Rides
Other Names and Nicknames:
Runaway Mountain Rollercoaster, Six Flags’ eighth roller coaster, was added for the 1996 season. Runaway Mountain is located in the Old South (Confederacy) section between the Southern Palace and Nalar’s Plantation house. The area had once been occupied by the Skull Island River Raft queue house and the more recently removed Spinnaker.
Runaway Mountain utilizes single unit cars rather than the trains common with the other roller coasters. Runaway Mountains key feature is that the entire ride is inside. The darkness of the interior prevents the riders from knowing whether they are going up, down, left or right. This lack of knowledge makes the ride more thrilling, even though it is not as tall or fast as the other major coasters.
The four seat cars reach speeds of up to 40 mph and g-forces of up to 3.6.This is actually faster than the 39 mph estimated at the time for the Texas Giant, and the 2.7 g’s pulled on the Giant. The ride includes drops of nearly 90 degrees, banked turns at 82 degrees, and two high speed horizontal spirals.
The ride lasts one and a half minutes and can entertain a thousand guests an hour.
The publicity for the ride resembled the story line for the original skull island. As with the Skull island, which was located at the same spot, the mountain was said to contain gold left there by the famous pirate Jean LaFitte. The riders search for the gold as they explore the mysteries of the mountain. The ride’s tagline is the “Coaster that dares the Darkness.”
The ride was designed using the most current computer aided design techniques and was a “heart-line design”, meaning that the riders heart was used as the center of gravity. The ride also employed state of the art computer controls as well as a chainless lift that provided much quieter operation.
The ride was built by Premier Rides of Maryland and was originally based on three twelve passenger trains.
In order to avoid confusion of the names, “runaway” was removed from the Runaway Mine Train’s name, which was shortened to simply the “Mine Train”
Year Installed:
1981
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Spain
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
Conquestador
For the park’s twenty-fifth anniversary, the Conquistador, the Flying Ship of Spain was introduced. While technically themed as a Spanish attraction, and situated near the exit to Flume II, the ride was physically located within what had before always been the Mexican section. This placement created a blurring of the sections to the extent that they are sometimes referred to as if they were one section. The ride is a traditional swinging ship ride in which the riders sit facing the center of the boat. The ride is suspended from a structure so that it can swing back and forth like a pendulum. The ride slowly starts to rock back and forth, until it reaches the point where it seems as if it will go completely upside down. As that point, each time the ride reaches the top of either point, the riders experience a moment of weightlessness while the ride changes directions.
Year Installed:
1963
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Frontgate
Manufacturer:
Dentzel
Other Names and Nicknames:
Merry-go-round; Carousel;
The Six Flags Silver Star Carousel opened with the opening of boomtown in 1963. It is tied with the Flume Ride as the fourth oldest attraction in the park, behind the Six Flags Railroad, the Chaparral cars, and Casa Magnetica (and excluding the Crazy Horse Saloon, which is a show). It actually has been open less years than the Log Flume, as it was out of service for three seasons.
DESCRIPTION
The Silver Star is a Sixty-six (66) horse carousel located at the Frontgate of the park. There are four rows of horses, fifty jumpers and sixteen “standers”. (Standers do not move up and down with the ride.)
In addition to the horses, there are two double bench seat “chariots”. The ride does not have menagerie animals.
Neither the brass ring machine, nor the band organ operate and the organ has been removed.
BACKGROUND
The Carousel is a Dentzel, meaning that it was manufactured by the Dentzel Carousel company of Philadelphia. Dentzel was started by Gustav Dentzel who manufactured his first carousel in 1867. He started the first manufacturing company in America which built carousels on a regular full time basis.
Carousel horses at the time were carved from wood by skilled wood carvers. They were each individually crafted. Some of the Six Flags horses actually predate the ride itself and were crafted in 1900.
Gustav Dentzel passed away in 1909 and his son William Dentzel took over the family business. The Six Flags Carousel was manufactured around 1925 or 1926. The Dentzel company was sold to another major ride producer, Philadelphia Toboggan, in 1928.
Some published articles state the Six Flags Carousel was the last Dentzel?s Carousel made. This is considered unconfirmed, since the company operated for at least two years after manufacturing this particular Carousel.
ROCKAWAY PLAYLAND
Prior to being purchased by Six Flags, the Carousel was at the Rockaway Playland on Long Island in New York. Rockaway had owned and operated it since it was bought new from Dentzel. Rockaway Playland closed in 1987.
Six Flags bought the Carousel for approximately $25,000, in 1962, the year before it opened in the park.
BOOMTOWN
The Carousel was originally placed in the Boomtown section of the Park in the current location of the Texas Tornado Swing Ride. It was simply referred to as the “Merry-go-Round” in early park maps and publications.
RESTORATION
The ride was removed from Boomtown in 1985 for restoration, with the hope that it would reopen for the park’s Twenty-fifth anniversary in 1986. The restoration, however, took two years longer than anticipated and the ride did not reopen until 1988.
It took over 30,000 hours of labor to restore the Carousel. The horses were completely rebuilt, with new body parts being created as needed. A coating of fiberglass, and old layers of paint, were stripped off the animals before being repainted.
Two of the original horses are missing and have been replaced.
FRONT GATE
The ride reopened on a raised platform and under a protective roof at the park?s Frontgate. After reopening, the ride was renamed as the Silver Star Carousel.
Located amidst the Park?s Six Flags, entrance to the ride is by a set of stairs which cross over the park’s “dancing waters.”
CURRENT STATE
The ride is now valued at over Five million dollars, and the individual horses are worth between $50,000 and $100,000. Ten years after being restored, some of the Horses are again becoming cracked and looking their age.
Although it is an impressive sight, the ride’s placement at the Frontgate is inconvenient for children wanting to ride the horses. Traditionally, rides are not placed at the front gate of amusement parks due to the congestive nature of front gate areas. Front gate plazas are always crowed with people coming and going. Having a ride in the area only adds to the confusion.
This is particularly true of the Carousel, whose stairs now constitute the majority of seating in the front gate area. Children wanting to ride the ride have to negotiate their way through layers of guests sitting on the stairs waiting on their parties. They then have to negotiate their way down the same steps after exiting the ride.
It is obviously too expensive and unwise to move the ride again. The Park should, however, explore the possibility of moving the entrance/exit to an area behind the Carousel. In this manner the ride would maintain the visual impact it has at the front gate, while at the same time, the congestion problems could be avoided.
OTHER TEXAS DENTZELS
The Carousel at the State Fair grounds in Dallas is also a Dentzel, being manufactured around 1914. The Carousel at Astroworld is an even older Dentzel, manufactured in 1907.
During the early 1970’s when the ride was in boomtown, the Railroad spiel stated that the ride was identical to the one at the Smithsonian Institute. In fact, prior to the bicentennial, the Smithsonian purchased a Dentzel Carousel, but was never able to restore it and make it operational. (Updated information provided by Anthony.)
