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Superman: Tower of Power

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Superman: Tower of Power
Superman: Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Over Texas in 2010
Six Flags St. Louis
AreaIllinois
StatusRemoved
Opening dateMay 19, 2006 (2006-05-19)
Closing date2020
Replaced byCatwoman Whip
Six Flags Over Texas
AreaTower
StatusOperating
Opening dateMarch 29, 2003 (2003-03-29)
Six Flags Over Georgia
AreaDC Super Friends
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 27, 2016 (2016-05-27)
Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
StatusRemoved
Opening dateOctober 13, 1995 (1995-10-13)
Closing dateJune 21, 2007 (2007-06-21)
Ride statistics
Attraction typeDrop Tower
ThemeSuperman
ManufacturerIntamin (Kentucky Kingdom and Six Flags St. Louis)
S&S Worldwide (Six Flags Over Texas)
Zamperla (Six Flags Over Georgia)
Flash Pass Available at both Six Flags parks.
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair

Superman: Tower of Power is a drop tower ride currently located at two Six Flags parks,[1] and two former installments at Kentucky Kingdom and Six Flags St. Louis. Two of the four drop towers were manufactured by Intamin, while the Six Flags Over Georgia version was made by Zamperla, and the Six Flags Over Texas version was made by S&S. The installment at Kentucky Kingdom (then known as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) was demolished after an accident that severed a 13-year-old girl's feet. At Six Flags St. Louis, the ride was removed from the park's website in early 2021.[2][3] Three additional drop towers of the same model by S&S are installed at other Six Flags parks Six Flags New England and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, each known as Scream and one more built at Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor known as Sasquatch.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

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Superman Tower of Power when it was at Kentucky Kingdom, on June 9, 2007

The Superman: Tower of Power at Kentucky Kingdom (park then operating as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) was an Intamin Giant Drop model, nearly identical to the one at Six Flags St. Louis. It opened in 1995 as the first ride of its kind. The ride was constructed by Martin & Vleminckx. The original name for this ride was "Hellevator", but it was renamed "Superman: Tower of Power" in 2007 and received a fresh coat of paint at the top of the ride. The same year it was refurbished, its life was cut short after a major accident. The ride was dismantled in 2008.

A new 129-foot drop tower, called "FearFall", was later added to the park in 2014.[4]

Rider experience

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Riders sit in one of four seats in several cars attached to the tower. They are quickly taken 177 feet (54 m) in the air at 12 mph (19 km/h), held at the top for several seconds, and then dropped around 154 feet (47 m) at speeds of 54 mph (87 km/h), before being stopped just 23 feet (7.0 m) from the ground by magnetic brakes.

Stats

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  • Introduced: 1995
  • Demolished: 2008
  • Height: 177 ft (54 m)
  • Drop height: 154 ft (47 m)
  • Max speed: 54 mph (87 km/h)
  • Lift speed: 12 mph (19 km/h)
  • Manufacturer: Intamin
  • Height restriction: 48 in (122 cm)

Incidents

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See also: List of incidents at Herschend parks

On June 21, 2007, 13-year-old girl Kaitlyn Lassiter was severely injured on Superman: Tower of Power when a cable snapped shortly after the ride began, striking the passengers in Section 3 of the ride, where she was in. The cable wrapped around Lassiter's feet during the drop, shattering her left femur and sliced both of the girl's feet.[5] Ride operators heard the cable snap and acknowledged unusual screaming as the car climbed, but failed to press the emergency stop button until after the ride had already dropped. The ride cannot be stopped once the carriage begins to drop.[6][7] Her right foot was successfully reattached, but not her left, which required amputation below the left knee.[8][9]

Following the accident, the ride was closed indefinitely.[2][3] Other drop tower rides around the country temporarily closed for inspection, including Drop Tower rides at five Cedar Fair parks.[10] On November 29, 2007, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom announced that Superman: Tower of Power would be demolished for good. The attraction was removed prior to the 2008 season.[11]

On May 14, 2008, the Lassiter family spoke and gave support for a bill introduced by Massachusetts State Representative Ed Markey on Capitol Hill, which would have allowed the federal government to oversee permanent rides at amusement parks.[12][13] The family sued Six Flags and reached a confidential settlement on November 21, 2008, with one of the terms requiring Six Flags to provide a lifetime of care for the injured girl.[14]

Six Flags Over Georgia

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The Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Over Georgia is located in the DC Super Friends themed area with a structural height of 65 feet (20 m) and opened on May 27, 2016.[15] This is the second attraction themed to Superman to operate at the park, with the first one being Superman: Ultimate Flight.

Stats

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  • Introduced: 2016
  • Total height: 65 ft (20 m)
  • Manufacturer: Zamperla
  • Height restriction: 42 in (107 cm)

Six Flags Over Texas

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Superman at Six Flags Over Texas illuminated at night

Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas was added to the Tower section of the park in 2003. With a structural height of 325 feet (99 m), it was the tallest ride in the park until the opening of the Texas Sky Screamer. Superman Tower of Power is also the tallest ride to use both space shot and turbo drop pneumatic (air powered) sequences in the United States, as well as the second highest of its kind in the world, with the tallest being La Venganza Del Enigma at Parque Warner Madrid which is structurally at a height of 377 feet (115 m).[16]

It features three towers: blue, red, and yellow positioned so that ride resembles a tripod like structure. Riders are seated facing outwards and are strapped using air-locked shoulder restraints and a safety belt that attaches the restraint to the seat. The ride begins with the weigh process. During this time the cart is raised and lowered as the ride's computer determines the amount of air pressure to use for the ride cycle. Once completed, there is a brief pause and the riders are then launched up the tower (Space Shot) then slow just before reaching the top. This is the first feeling of weightlessness that the riders experience. The cart briskly falls halfway down the tower then brought back up to the top to complete the Turbo Drop portion of the ride. Once at the top the cart locks into the brakes and is held there giving the riders just enough time to view both the Dallas and Fort Worth skylines. The cart is then released from the brakes, and the riders are dropped giving them the second and final experience of weightlessness. The riders are then bounced halfway up the tower and dropped again until they are slowly brought back down to be unloaded.

At night the ride is illuminated by various lights that change color and can be seen for miles.

Stats

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  • Introduced: March 29, 2003[17]
  • Total height: 325 ft (99 m)
  • Structural height: 313 ft (95 m)
  • Drop height: 245 ft (74 m)
  • Top Speed: 55 mph (89 km/h)
  • G-force: min -1.0 g, max +4.0
  • Manufacturer: S&S Worldwide
  • Height restriction: 52 in (132 cm)

Six Flags St. Louis

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The Superman: Tower of Power at Six Flags St. Louis was manufactured by Intamin, and was one of Intamin's "Giant Drop" models. Riders sat in open-air ski lift style seats that face away from the tower, leaving their feet dangling. The cars lifted up slowly at first, but quickly accelerated to 12 mph (19 km/h) after leaving the magnetic brakes. Riders were held at the top of the 23-story tower for several seconds at the top. The cars were then released in a random order and free fall some 230 ft (70 m), reaching 62 mph (100 km/h) before hitting the brakes.

Stats

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  • Introduced: May 19, 2006
  • Height: 227 ft (69 m)
  • Drop height: 217 ft (66 m)
  • Free fall distance: 230 ft (70 m)
  • Free fall speed: 65 mph (104.607 km/h)
  • Lift speed: Up to 16 ft (4.9 m) per second
  • Ride Duration: 1 min, 50 sec
  • Capacity: 6 cars that hold 4 passengers each, for a total of 24 riders per cycle
  • Manufacturer: Intamin
  • Height restriction: 48 in (122 cm)

History

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  • The ride was originally operated at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston, Texas, where it was known as the "Dungeon Drop". When AstroWorld was closed and demolished in 2005, Dungeon Drop was relocated to Six Flags St. Louis.
  • The ride was originally intended to be named "Acrophobia". The tower pieces were painted in an alternating color scheme of orange, green, and teal with white accent rings – prior to being erected at the park during the off-season. When CEO Mark Shapiro made his stop at the park on his national tour of the Six Flags parks in 2006, he ordered the name change to Superman: Tower of Power and the tower was repainted again, but in an alternating color scheme of yellow, blue and red with yellow and blue accent rings.
  • The ride was closed on June 22, 2007, after the accident occurred on the Kentucky Kingdom location.[18]
  • The ride was removed from the park website in 2021 and replaced by Catwoman Whip.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Two New Kids Areas Opening at Six Flags Over Georgia for 2016 Season". September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Girl's feet severed on ride at Six Flags in Kentucky". CNN. June 22, 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  3. ^ a b Lloyd de Vries (2007-06-22). "Six Flags Closes More Rides After Accident". CBS News. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  4. ^ "Intamin". Martin & Vleminckx. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Excerpts of Kaitlyn Lasitter's deposition". The Courier-Journal. January 30, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "KDA Final Report" (PDF). Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Report: Faulty Cable, Operator Response Factors in Kentucky Accident". Associated Press. Claims Journal. June 2, 2008. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  8. ^ "Teen's right foot reattached". Pensacola News Journal. July 4, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Ky. amusement park to tear down ride". Evansville Courier and Press. December 2, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Carowinds thrill ride closed for inspection". Rock Hill Herald. June 22, 2007. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  11. ^ White, Charlie (November 30, 2007). "Ride that maimed girl to come down". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved December 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Leonard, Connie (May 14, 2008). "Kentucky Kingdom ride accident victim speaks out for safety changes". WAVE. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  13. ^ "Teen Who Lost Legs on Thrill Ride Talks About Ordeal". Fox News. Associated Press. May 15, 2008. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "Amusement Park Reaches Accident Settlement". WKYT-TV. November 21, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2020.[dead link]
  15. ^ MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  16. ^ "La Venganza Del Enigma | Parque Warner Madrid".
  17. ^ "Super thrills at Six Flags ride debut". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. March 27, 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "More thrill rides closed after teen injured". Pensacola News Journal. June 23, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Our Rides - Six Flags St Louis".
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