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Firebird is a steel Floorless Roller Coaster made by Bolliger & Mabillard in Six Flags America.
The roller coaster had originally debuted in 1990 as a stand-up roller coaster named Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America. It was later relocated to Six Flags America in 2012 and renamed Apocalypse, under which it operated until 2018.
Design[]
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Elements |
Trains[]
Firebird operates with two floorless trains. Each train has six rows with four each for a total of 24 riders per train.
When the roller coaster was known as Iron Wolf, both trains featured the face of a wolf on the front of the train. After the ride was relocated to Six Flags America, the wolf was removed and the word "Apocalypse" replaced it.
Ride Exprience[]
After departing the station, the train makes a 180 degree turn leading to the 100-foot (30 m) chain lift hill. Once at the top, the train goes through a pre-drop before making a sharp left hand turn leading into the first drop. Once the train is at the bottom of the first drop, it immediately goes through the first of two inversions, a vertical loop. The train then makes an upward right turn before making a left turn back down to the ground. The train continues to go left before going through an upward helix. After, the train makes a downward right s-bend leading into the second and final inversion, a corkscrew. The train makes a left turn back up before going through another s-bend, small over-banked turn which leads to the brake run. One cycle lasts about 2 minutes with riders reaching a top speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h).
Track[]
The steel track is approximately 2,900 feet (880 m) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 100 feet (30 m). The first drop is 90 feet (27 m). The track spine is painted orange and the rails red. The supports are dark gray.
When the coaster was known as Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America, the track was brown.
History[]
Iron Wolf, a stand-up coaster, opened in Six Flags Great America in 1990 as Bolliger & Mabillard's first roller coaster. After 21 years of operation in Six Flags Great America it closed in 2011 and was shipped to Six Flags America as Apocalypse: The Last Stand in 2012. But in the late 2010s, Bolliger & Mabillard was taking their stand-up coasters and making them floorless coasters. And they did that for Apocalypse so they re-themed the coaster to a Firebird and added new floorless trains in 2018.
Theme[]
Between 1990 and 2011, when Apocalypse was known as Iron Wolf, there was no theme for the roller coaster. After its relocation to Six Flags America, to match the new name of the coaster, an end of the world apocalypse theme was added with fire, crashed planes and zombies located in the queue line and along the layout of the roller coaster. As guests went further in the queue line to the end at the station, it mimicked an end of the world apocalypse scenario. The skull from Skull Mountain also serves as a backdrop to the ride.
After being converted to Firebird, much of the Apocalypse theming has been removed. The fire effect is still used, however.
Picture Gallery[]
.jpg "Iron Wolf (Six Flags Great America).jpg (1.22 MB)")