Superman The Escape
North of Los Angeles, California at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia is a very special thrill ride. Although not strictly a roller coaster (as it does not complete a complete circuit), what makes this attraction so special is that Superman the Escape is the first thrill ride in the world to break the one hundred miles per hour barrier.
Standing over forty stories high (twice as tall as the Niagara Falls) and stretching three hundred yards in a "L" shaped layout Superman the Escape can accelerate you from rest to one hundred miles per hour in seven seconds (2.4 seconds faster than the Porsche 911 Turbo).
What sets Superman the Escape apart from other great thrill rides is the impressive technology that propels the cars to the one hundred miles per hour mark, before they travel up the 415ft. tower reaching for the sky.
Superman the Escape does not use traditional motors to gain its momentum, instead it is driven by 2,000 horsepower linear synchronous motors and precise computer programming. These linear synchronous motors, which guzzle 1.2 megawatts of electricity per track, per ride, launch Superman the Escape's six ton cars from standstill to 100 mph in seven seconds down a 900 ft. horizontal track.
The awesome momentum created by the launch carries the car through the curve that tilts it 90 degrees, straight up into the sky, and up the 415 ft. tower. Near the top of the tower, gravity overcomes momentum and the passengers experience 6.5 seconds of weightlessness as they return to earth, backwards. When the car reaches the horizontal track, the same motors that accelerated it act as brakes to bring it to a smooth stop.
Upon your arrival at the ride, you will be invited to enter the Fortress of Solitude, an icy cavern that leads to Superman the Escape's much anticipated launch chamber. Inside the cavern, glowing paints and black lights are used to enhance the icy theme of the Fortress. The final room before boarding, teases the riders by allowing them to hear, but not see, what is happening on the loading platform.
As the doors swing open, riders anxiously enter the launch chamber and board the cars. Riders are held in the cars by one simple restraint, a lap bar, which will hold you in, but keep the majority of your body free to feel all of the sensations this ride creates.
Prepare for launch, heads against the headrest and hold on tight. The initial acceleration is so incredibly powerful that before you realise it, you are nearing the end of the straightaway, but wait there's more, the ride as just begun. Soaring at 100 mph, the car makes its way through the curve and soars into the sky, sailing up the massive tower. Don't close your eyes, because peering straight down at you from the top of the tower is the man himself, Superman.
Slowly, after a brief stand still, the car reverses direction and begins to freefall backwards, giving riders a weightless experience for six and half seconds. Floating in your seats, falling, the cars quickly gain momentum and once again reach the record 100 mph speed.
The magnetic braking system quickly kicks in, slowing the cars down to a reasonable speed, before returning to the Fortress of Solitude. Amazing indeed, but best of all Superman the Escape does all this in just twenty three seconds. Are you ready to ride again?
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Last updated 3rd May 2001