Great American Scream Machine

Arrow Dynamics built three record-setting coasters for Six Flags in the late 1980s.  Each ride was very similar to the others and claimed to be the world's tallest roller coaster.  The first was Shockwave, built in Illinois in 1988.  Great American Scream Machine, often referred to as GASM, followed the next year, but it was three feet taller in order to set a new world record.   Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain opened in 1990, and was even a few feet taller to set yet another record.

The train is barely visible way at the top of the 173-foot-tall lift hill.  It is hard to believe that this used to be the world's tallest coaster... there now is a coaster more than twice this tall just a few dozen yards away from where this ride used to be!

©2018 by Joel A. Rogers.