Boomerang (Six Flags St. Louis)

{{Short description|Boomerang roller coaster}} {{Infobox roller coaster |name=Boomerang |logo=Boomerang (Six Flags St. Louis) - logo.jpg |logodimensions=250px |image= Six Flags St. Louis.jpg |imagedimensions=  |caption= |previousnames= |location= Six Flags St. Louis |locationarticle=  |section= Illinois  |subsection=  |coordinates= {{Coord|38.5164|-90.6749|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |status= Operating |opened={{Start date|2013|6|8}}<ref name="Fox"/><ref name="Boomerang"/> |soft_opened=  |year=  |closed=  |cost= |previousattraction= Water Street Cab Company |replacement= |extend = {{Infobox roller coaster extend |location = Six Flags Over Texas |coordinates = {{Coord|32.756657|-97.066989|display=inline}} |section = Goodtimes Square  |subsection =  |status = Relocated to Six Flags St. Louis |opened = {{Start date|1989|3|18}} |year = 1989 |closed = {{Start date|2012|9|03}}  |cost = |replacement = Texas SkyScreamer }}  |type=Steel |type2=Boomerang |type3=Shuttle |manufacturer=Vekoma |designer= |model=Boomerang |track= |lift=Chain lift hill |height_ft=116.5 |drop_ft=108 |length_ft=935 |speed_mph=47 |inversions=3 (each traversed twice) |duration=1:48 |angle= 65  |capacity=760 |acceleration=  |acceleration_from=  |acceleration_mph=  |acceleration_km/h=  |acceleration_in=  |gforce=5.2 |restriction_in=48 |trains=1 |carspertrain=7 |rowspercar=2 |ridersperrow=2 | virtual_queue_name = Fast Lane | virtual_queue_image = Cedar Fair Fast Lane availability icon.svg | virtual_queue_status = available |single_rider=  |accessible=  |transfer_accessible= yes  |custom_label_1= |custom_value_1= |custom_label_2= |custom_value_2= |rcdb_number=10947 }}

'''Boomerang''' is a boomerang roller coaster located at Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. It opened to the public on June 8, 2013.<ref name="Fox">{{cite web|title=Be TheFirst To Ride Boomerang At Six Flags With Tim Ezell|url=http://fox2now.com/2013/05/01/be-the-first-to-ride-boomerang-at-six-flags-with-tim-ezell/|publisher=Fox2now.com|accessdate=May 19, 2013|author=Tammy Perry|date=May 1, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515192704/http://fox2now.com/2013/05/01/be-the-first-to-ride-boomerang-at-six-flags-with-tim-ezell/|archivedate=May 15, 2013}}</ref><ref name="June">{{cite web|title=Six Flags Installing New Roller Coaster For Summer|url=http://kplr11.com/2013/02/11/six-flags-installing-new-roller-coaster-for-summer/|publisher=KPLR11.com|accessdate=February 13, 2013|author=Patrick Clark|date=February 13, 2013}}</ref> The ride originally opened as '''Flashback''' in 1989 at Six Flags Over Texas, where it operated through 2012.

==History== thumb|left|Flashback at ''Six Flags Over Texas'' On March 18, 1989, the ride originally opened at Six Flags Over Texas under the name ''Flashback''.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 15, 1989|title=Newest ride opens Saturday|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54445166/newest-ride-opens-saturday/|access-date=December 29, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> It was one of the first Vekoma Boomerang coasters to open in the United States. This model was sold to numerous amusement parks including Knott's Berry Farm, Hersheypark, Lake Compounce, as well as each park owned by Funtime and Premier Parks.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Flashback originally had a red track and black supports. During the 2001 season, the track was repainted strawberry pink while the supports were repainted teal. In 2004, the ride received a new train from Vampire at Kentucky Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sfotsource.com/rides/flashback|title=Flashback Six Flags Over Texas - SFOT Source |date=11 March 2006 }}</ref>

On August 2, 2012, ''Six Flags Over Texas'' announced the last chance to ride ''Flashback'' would be September 3, before it closed along with the neighboring ride Texas Chute Out.<ref name="Last Chance PR">{{cite web|title=A Pair of Popular Six Flags Over Texas Rides Are Going Away|url=http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/info/news_2012FlashbackChuteOutClosing.aspx|work=Press Release|publisher=Six Flags|accessdate=August 2, 2012|author=Six Flags Over Texas|date=August 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024213218/http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/info/news_2012FlashbackChuteOutClosing.aspx|archive-date=October 24, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following its closure, it was announced that Flashback would be dismantled and relocated to Six Flags St. Louis for the 2013 season.<ref name="Boomerang">{{cite web|url=http://www.sixflags.com/stLouis/BoomerangAnnouncement.aspx|title=Six Flags St. Louis announces new addition to the park's roller coaster lineup for 2013|work=SixFlags.com|accessdate=August 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903050155/http://www.sixflags.com/stLouis/BoomerangAnnouncement.aspx|archive-date=2012-09-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> Flashback was completely removed before October 10, 2012.<ref name="imploded">{{cite web|title=Texas Chute Out ride at Six Flags to be imploded|url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-10-09/texas-chute-out-ride-at-six-flags-to-be-imploded|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721195008/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-10-09/texas-chute-out-ride-at-six-flags-to-be-imploded|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2013|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|accessdate=October 9, 2012|author=AP News|date= October 9, 2012}}</ref><ref name="fall">{{cite web|title=What it takes to take down the Texas Chute Out|url=http://www.wfaa.com/entertainment/What-it-takes-to-take-down-the-Texas-Chute-Out-173424171.html|publisher=WFAA|accessdate=October 10, 2012|author=Teresa Woodard|date=October 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012020129/http://www.wfaa.com/entertainment/What-it-takes-to-take-down-the-Texas-Chute-Out-173424171.html|archive-date=2012-10-12|url-status=dead}}</ref> The coaster replaced ''Water Street Cab Company'' (Bumper Cars) and operates under the name Boomerang in the ''Illinois'' section of the park with a new orange and green color scheme.<ref name="Boomerang"/><ref name="BumperCars">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/sixflagsstlouis/posts/10150985058206916|title=Bumper Cars|work=Facebook|publisher=Six Flags St. Louis|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}</ref> Boomerang is the ninth coaster at Six Flags St. Louis, helping the Six Flags park become the park with the most coasters in the state of Missouri. Construction of the coaster began in early 2013 at the former site of Water Street Cab Company, with ''Boomerang'' track arriving at the park on February 11, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fox2now.com/am-show/new-roller-coaster-at-six-flags/|title=New Roller Coaster At Six Flags|date=11 February 2013 }}</ref> The park completed construction of Boomerang in early April. Boomerang opened on June 8, 2013.<ref name="Fox"/><ref name="June"/>

On May 6, 2016, one of the trains abruptly stopped mid-course causing minor injuries to four riders. Guests were able to safely exit the ride.<ref name="May 6 incident">{{cite web|url=http://www.kmov.com/story/31910894/3-injured-when-six-flags-ride-stopped-mid-point|title=Several injured when Six Flags ride stops mid-point|last=Baumer|first=Stephanie|date=May 6, 2016|accessdate=May 6, 2016}}</ref> The attraction was closed pending the investigation into the incident, and re-opened in November 2016.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

==Ride experience==

===Layout=== thumb|left|Track layout of the ride The ride begins when the train is pulled backwards from the station and up a lift hill, before being released. After being released, the train passes through the station, enters a Cobra roll element (referred to as a boomerang by the designers), then travels through a vertical loop. Upon exiting the loop, the train runs up a second lift hill, which is angled so that the two lifts meet at the top in a "V"-like formation. Once out of momentum, the train is towed to the top of the lift hill, and is held for several seconds before being released; traveling through the roller coaster in reverse before returning to the station.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

===Train=== Boomerang only runs one train, with seven cars. In each car there are two rows of two seats, allowing for a total of 28 riders. The train is painted a bright yellow with an orange stripe down the side with a green pinstripe outlining the orange stripe.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120901191805/http://content.sixflags.com/newfor2013/stlouis/boomerang Boomerang at Six Flags St. Louis Official Website]

Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags Category:Roller coasters in Missouri Category:Roller coasters opened in 2013 Category:Steel roller coasters Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Vekoma Category:Six Flags St. Louis