Nitro (Six Flags Great Adventure)

Nitro is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Hyper Coaster model opened to the public on April 7, 2001. Since its debut, Nitro has consistently ranked high among steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today, peaking in third place during its tenure.

Nitro
Nitro's overview with Batman the Ride in the foreground
Six Flags Great Adventure
LocationSix Flags Great Adventure
Park sectionThe Pine Barrens
Coordinates40°08′8.30″N 74°26′39.74″W
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 7, 2001 (2001-04-07)
Cost$20,000,000
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelHyper Coaster
Track layoutL-shaped Out and Back
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height230 ft (70 m)
Drop215 ft (66 m)
Length5,394 ft (1,644 m)
Speed80 mph (130 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:20
Max vertical angle68°
Capacity1800 riders per hour
G-force4.3
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains3 trains with 9 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 36 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Nitro at RCDB

History

In August 2000, land preparation of a new attraction began right behind some maintenance buildings.[1] Several concrete footers were being poured in September. The construction was visible from the patio of the Captain Jack's restaurant. Workers continued to work in the forest and the shores of Prospertown Lake.[2] Vertical construction began in December 2000 and the new attraction would cover 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land.[1]

On February 1, 2001, Six Flags Great Adventure confirmed that the new attraction would be named Nitro and be a hypercoaster. The ride would be the third Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster at the park, with the other two being Batman: The Ride and Medusa. Billed as the most explosive coaster on the planet, it would be the largest single investment in 27 years.[3]

Nitro was completed on time, opening to the general public at the start of the 2001 season on April 7.[1] Four days later on April 11, the park hosted a special event. Former WWE wrestler Mick Foley slid down the handle of a detonator as fireworks exploded above the queue line and one of the trains exited the station.[4]

Ride experience
Nitro's entrance sign with lift hill in background

Layout

After leaving the station, the train makes a left U-turn and ascends a 230-foot-tall (70 m) lift hill.[5] After cresting the top, the train drops 215 feet (66 m) at a 68-degree angle, reaching a maximum speed of 80 mph (130 km/h).[5][6] The train then ascends a 189-foot-tall (58 m) hill and dives down to the left, coasting over another large airtime hill.[5][7] Afterwards, Nitro enters an element known as a hammerhead turn, a tight U-turn, which veers to the right.[5][7] Traveling over another camelback hill, Nitro enters its S-curve and into the 540-degree helix.[5][7] After the mid course brake run, Nitro travels over three camelback hills, followed by a final brake run before returning to the station.[5][7]

Trains
Nitro's test seat

Nitro operates with three open-air steel and fiberglass trains with individual lap bar restraints. Each train has nine cars with riders arranged four across in a single row for a total of 36 riders per train.[6]

Track

The steel track is 5,394 feet (1,644 m) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 230 feet (70 m). It was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators located in Batavia, Ohio.

Rankings
Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year2001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202120222023
Ranking 14[8]4[9]6[10]6[11]5[12]4[13]3[14]3[15]3[16]3[17]3[18]3[19]4[20]5[21]5[22]5[23]7[24]11[25]10[26]14[27]21[28]20[29]
NAPHA Survey: Favorite Steel Roller Coaster
Year 2005 2006
Ranking 4[nb 1] 5[30]

Incidents

In the summer of 2014, on a Friday afternoon, Nitro passengers found themselves stuck part way up the first 233-foot high hill of the ride. Six Flags park officials say a power outage to the ride was to blame. No one was injured as a result of the stoppage.  Ride operators climbed up, helped the passengers out of their seats, and down the stairs, NBC News reported.[31]

On Sunday, July 11, 2021, Nitro was temporarily suspended after a complaint was made that a restraining lap bar had unfastened on one of the trains.[32] Following this guest concern, the ride was closed for a few hours. After the three coaster trains were thoroughly inspected by Six Flags' maintenance team and the ride was found to be operating without any safety concerns regarding the lap bar situation, Nitro was reopened with the other two trains.[33]

Notes
  1. Tied with Phantom's Revenge at Kennywood.[30]

References
  1. "Nitro Extreme Thrill Coaster to Blast Off In One Month". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  2. "Nitro At Six Flags Great Adventure". www.greatadventurehistory.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  3. "Nitro Unveiled At Six Flags Great Adventure". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  4. "Nitro Delivers Power and Finesse at Great Adventure". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  5. "Nitro Front Row on-ride POV Six Flags Great Adventure". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  6. Marden, Duane. "Nitro  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  7. "Nitro". Coaster-Net. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  9. "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  10. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  11. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 18–19B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  12. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  13. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  14. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 36–37. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  15. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 36–37. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  16. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 32–33. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  17. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 34–35. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  18. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 38–39. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  19. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  20. "2013 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 34–35. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  21. "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  22. "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  23. "2016 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  24. "2017 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  25. "2018 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  26. "2019 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  27. "2021 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  28. "2022 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  29. "2023 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Amusement Today. 27 (6.2): 66–70. September 2023. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  30. "NAPHA 2005–2011 Survey Results". National Amusement Park Historical Association. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  31. Clark Scott, David (August 2, 2014). "Why Nitro roller coaster riders at Six Flags were forced to climb down". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  32. Gecan, Mike Davis and Alex N. "Are Six Flags rides safe? After malfunctions, we talked to experts and pulled records". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  33. NJ.com, Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media for (July 15, 2021). "2 rides temporarily shut down in latest Six Flags incidents". nj. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
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