View source for Lightnin' Loops

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{short description|Steel roller coaster}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name= Lightnin' Loops
|image= 
|imagedimensions=  <!--Must be expressed in pixels (px); default is 250px-->
|caption=
|location= Six Flags Great Adventure
|section= Movietown
|coordinates={{Coord|40.1358|N|74.4437|W|region:US-NJ_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|status = Relocated to Six Flags America
|opened = {{Start date|1978|05|23}}
|closed = {{End date|1992}}
|replacement=[[Batman: The Ride]]
| extend= {{Infobox roller coaster/extend
|location= Six Flags Great Adventure
|section= Movietown
|status = Relocated to Frontier City 
|opened = {{Start date|1978|05|23}}
|closed = {{End date|1986}}
|replacement=[[Batman: The Ride]]
 }}{{Infobox roller coaster/extend
|location= Six Flags America
|section= Southwest Territory	
|status = Removed
|opened = {{Start date|1993}}
|closed = {{End date|1998}}
|replacement=[[Two-Face: The Flip Side]]
 }}{{Infobox roller coaster/extend
|location= Frontier City
|status = Operating
|opened = {{Start date|1993}}
}}
|manufacturer= Arrow Development
|designer=
|type=Steel
|type2=Launched
|type3=Shuttle
|track= Interlocking Shuttle Loop
|height_ft= 56
|drop_ft= 47
|length_ft= 635
|speed_mph= 45
|inversions= 1<!--This is per track, the number that a rider will experience in a single ride-->
|duration= 1:06
|capacity=
|cost=
|gforce= 4
|restriction_in= 44
|location_rcdb_number= 151
|rcdb_number= 585
}}

'''Lightnin' Loops''' was a pair of [[Shuttle Loop]] roller coasters that were originally installed at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]] in [[Jackson Township, New Jersey|Jackson]], [[New Jersey]]. The ride consisted of two identical tracks, both of which were later relocated and renamed: the still-extant '''Diamond Back''' at [[Frontier City]] in [[Oklahoma City]] and the defunct '''Python''' at [[Six Flags America]] in [[Largo, Maryland]] (near [[Washington, D.C.]]).
 
Manufactured by [[Arrow Development]], the ride opened on May 23, 1978, with a unique feature at the time. Both tracks interlocked at their vertical loop element. The ride's popularity declined in the mid-to-late 1980s, and a fatal incident occurred in 1987. The ride had limited operation when it reopened later that year and was eventually dismantled in 1992.

==History ==

=== Six Flags Great Adventure ===
''Lightnin' Loops'' was built in 1977 and opened in 1978 at Six Flags Great Adventure.<ref name="n14133698">{{Cite news |last=Rothbart |first=Gary |date=July 18, 1978 |title=Lightnin' Loops: New Ride a Shocker |pages=11 |work=Asbury Park Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14133698/1978-loops-shocker/ |access-date=September 11, 2022}}</ref> Six Flags had acquired the park in 1977 and Lightnin' Loops was planned by the prior ownership as far back as 1976.The coaster was located on the west side of the park that is currently occupied by Movietown, [[Batman: The Ride]], and [[Nitro (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Nitro]].

Lightnin' Loops was the world's only interlocking dual shuttle shuttle loop coaster. Lightnin' Loops featured a launch system that propelled the train downward into the loop and to another launch station at the same height as the loading station. Then the train was launched backwards returning to the loading station.

This coaster continued to be the star attraction at the park throughout the 1980s, although other coasters such as [[Rolling Thunder (roller coaster)|Rolling Thunder]] (built in 1979), [[Sarajevo Bobsled]]s (built in 1984) and [[Ultra Twister (Six Flags)|Ultra Twister]] (built in 1986) also were major coasters. The popularity of Lightnin' Loops faded in 1989 when the bobsleds were replaced with a multiple looping full circuit then-state of the art roller coaster called the [[Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Great American Scream Machine]] (also built by Arrow), which featured seven inversions, three of which were loops. Also unpopular was the {{convert|56|ft|m}} high stair-climb to reach the Loops loading station.

=== Closure and relocation ===
By 1990, the area occupied by Lightnin' Loops became am underused area of the park due to the lack of theming. Adventure Rivers was added nearby in 1991. A new stunt show arena was built next to Lightnin' Loops, and the area was transformed in "Action Town". In May 1992, management announced that Lightnin' Loops would close at the end of July, and it was dismantled in August. One of the loops was sold to Funtime Parks, while the other loop was moved to the site formerly occupied by Ultra Twister. Construction of Batman The Ride began on the site of the space occupied by Lightnin' Loops. Batman: The Ride led the area's conversion into Movietown.

[[File:Diamond Back (Frontier City) 1.jpg|thumb|right|The lower track of Lightnin' Loops at its current location.]]
At the end of 1992, it was decided that both tracks of Lightnin' Loops would be sold to Funtime Parks. Lightnin' Loops was sent to two different parks, both then owned by Funtime. The upper track was sent to [[Six Flags America|Adventure World]] in [[Largo, Maryland]] (near [[Washington, D.C.]]). It was rebuilt and reopened in 1994 as [[Python (Six Flags America)|Python]]. The lower track was sent to [[Frontier City]] near [[Oklahoma City]]. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1994 as Diamond Back and is the only Lightnin' Loop track still in operation.

Adventure World was renamed [[Six Flags America]] in 1999, and the Python was disassembled to make room for more modern roller coasters and attractions. It was scrapped in 2005 after nearly 5 years in storage.

==Accidents==
On June 17, 1987, a 19-year-old woman from [[Chester, Pennsylvania]] fell {{convert|75|ft|m}} to her death as a result of not being properly secured by the over-the-shoulder harness.<ref name="RideAccidents.com"/><ref name="Accident-NYTimes" /> She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital with [[Basilar skull fracture]] suffered from the fall.<ref name="Accident-NYTimes">{{cite news|title = Rider on Roller Coaster Dies In a Fall at Great Adventure |url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE5DB113BF93BA25755C0A961948260 |work = New York Times |date = June 18, 1987 |accessdate = October 8, 2007}}</ref> Early reports indicated that the woman tried to board late after the safety harness was locked and the attendant couldn't stop the train.<ref name="Accident-Hanley">{{cite news |last1=Hanley |first1=Robert |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/30/nyregion/great-adventure-trying-to-regain-lost-customers.html |title = GREAT ADVENTURE TRYING TO REGAIN LOST CUSTOMERS |accessdate=July 11, 2020 |work=NY Times |date=July 30, 1987}}</ref> An investigation found the ride itself to be operating properly, but that an error was made by the ride operator, who started the ride without ensuring all passengers were secured.<ref name="RideAccidents.com"/> The park was fined the state maximum of $1,000, and the ride reopened on October 10, 1987.<ref name="RideAccidents.com">{{cite news |url = http://www.rideaccidents.com/coasters.html |title = RideAccidents.com (1987) |accessdate = October 8, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206002354/http://www.rideaccidents.com/coasters.html |archivedate=February 6, 2016}}</ref>

Also in June 1987, a man from New York sued Six Flags Great Adventure, claiming that he had been injured after going on the ride in 1985.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 20, 1987 |title=N.Y. man sues over Lightnin' Loops |pages=2 |work=Asbury Park Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109349808/ny-man-sues-over-lightnin-loops/ |access-date=September 11, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

==External links==
*[http://www.greatadventurehistory.com/LightninLoops.htm Lightnin' Loops article with pictures at GreatAdventureHistory.com]
*[http://www.rcdb.com/4534.htm Roller Coaster DataBase Profile]

{{SFGA Coasters}}
{{SFA Coasters}}
{{Frontier City Rides}}

[[Category:Six Flags Great Adventure]]
[[Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags]]
[[Category:Six Flags America|Python]]
[[Category:Former roller coasters in Maryland|Python]]
[[Category:Former roller coasters in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 1987]]
[[Category:Roller coasters in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Frontier City]]