CLEARFIELD — Disneyland's new California Adventure is snatching up most of the amusement park headlines this year. However, Six Flags Magic Mountain, about 40 miles north of Anaheim, has its own bragging rights in 2001— 15 roller coasters, more than anywhere else on Earth — including a revolutionary new ride built in Utah.
"X," a new breed of amusement park rides — billed as a fourth-dimensional flying coaster — will travel 76 mph and spin 360 degrees forward and backward on a separate axis. The $14 million ride is in the final stages of construction at Arrow Dynamics in the Freeport Center and will open at the park in Valencia, Calif., later this summer.
Arrow, which employs about 130 workers, has built more than 100 roller coasters and more than 100 other amusement rides during its 55-year history, including six rides for Magic Mountain — four roller coasters and two water rides.
"We think we'll keep coming up with new things," Fred Bolingbroke, Arrow chief executive officer, said.
Arrow moved from Southern California to Utah in 1974 to escape a union labor market. Bolingbroke said Utah has become an intriguing place to build amusement park rides, and the state now rates as a mecca for roller coaster development.
Arrow also builds roller coaster track, and Bolingbroke said several other local companies do, too.
Arrow built Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsled ride, the Canyon Blaster at the Adventuredome in Las Vegas and the Desperado for Buffalo Bills Casino in Stateline, Nev.
Bolingbroke said Arrow labels the X ride as "The Fourth Dimension" and will market similar coasters in the near future to other U.S. amusement parks. He said the company has tested a prototype of the new coaster ride and is confident it is both safe and exciting.
The X ride offers a "don't know what to expect next" sensation because its cars can swing forward or backward on a separate axis, instead of simply paralleling the track.
"Riders will plummet 200 feet to the ground, head first, face down, and race at 76 mph spinning head-over-heels while performing acrobatics throughout the massive 3,600-foot twisting steel maze," according to Six Flag's Web site promotion about X.
Bolingbroke said the total height of the ride is 226 feet, or about the same as the Desperado. He said it takes Arrow 12 to 18 months to design, build, test and produce new roller coaster rides.
Although Lagoon Amusement Park doesn't have any of Arrow's rides, he's confident that will change someday.
"We hope to put a big coaster there," he said.
Magic Mountain is now billing itself as an "Xtreme Park," instead of just an amusement park, because of all its roller coaster and thrill rides.
"Six Flags is known worldwide as the industry leader in quality thrill ride innovation, and bar none, Six Flags Magic Mountain leads the pack, always adding the biggest and the best," Gary Story, Six Flags president, said. "There's no better way to commemorate Six Flags' 40th anniversary than to put the 'icing on the cake' in Los Angeles . . . the park that truly exemplifies the powerful Six Flags brand."
Magic Mountain is adding two other new rollers coasters this year. Deja Vu, a 65 mph "Boomerang" type coaster, will open this spring, as will Goliath Jr., a children's ride.
More information on Arrow Dynamics rides is available on the Web at www.arrowcoasters.homestead.com/arrow.html. More Magic Mountain details, including simulated ride previews, can be found at www.sixflags.com.magicmountain.
E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com