Ride of Steel

{{Short description|Steel roller coaster}} {{for|the roller coaster at Six Flags New England previously named ''Superman - Ride of Steel''|Superman The Ride}} {{Infobox roller coaster |name=Ride of Steel |image=Superman - Ride of Steel (Six Flags America) 03.JPG |imagedimensions=250px |caption=Superman – Ride of Steel at Six Flags America  |type=Steel |type2=  |type3=  |manufacturer= Intamin |designer=[[Werner Stengel]] |model=Mega Coaster |track= |lift=Chain [[lift hill]] |height_ft=208 |drop_ft=205 |length_ft=5400 |speed_mph=73 |inversions=0 |duration=2:02 |angle=68 |capacity=1100 |gforce= |trains=2  |carspertrain=8  |rowspercar=2  |ridersperrow=2

|virtual_queue_name=[[Fast Lane (Cedar Fair)|Fast Lane]] |virtual_queue_image=Cedar Fair Fast Lane availibility.svg |virtual_queue_status=available |single_rider=  |restriction_in= 54-76 |accessible=  |transfer_accessible=  |location=Six Flags America|opened={{Start date|2000|05|13}} |altname=Superman – Ride of Steel |status=Closed|section=Gotham City|extend={{Infobox roller coaster/extend |location=Six Flags Darien Lake |coordinates = {{coord|42|55|43.8|N|78|23|21.7|W|display=inline}} |opened={{Start date|1999|05|15}} |status=Operating |rcdb_number=541 }}|closed={{Start date|2025|11|02}}|rcdb_number=699|coordinates={{coord|38|54|30.5|N|76|46|37.7|W|display=inline}}}}

'''Ride of Steel''' is a [[steel roller coaster]] based on the [[DC Comics]] character [[Superman]] at [[Six Flags Darien Lake]] and formerly at [[Six Flags America]] (the latter of which was known as '''Superman – Ride of Steel'''). Both roller coasters are [[hypercoaster]]s, and were manufactured by [[Intamin]]. They feature identical mirrored layouts, and opened one year apart: the [[Six Flags Darien Lake]] ride in 1999, and the Six Flags America ride in 2000. The roller coaster at Six Flags Darien Lake, upon the acquisition of the park by [[PARC Management]] in 2007, was renamed simply to Ride of Steel, dropping the Superman theme and branding for the sake of copyright. While Six Flags Darien Lake was reintegrated into the Six Flags chain in 2019, the Superman theme was not returned to the ride.

Both roller coasters are {{convert|208|ft}} tall, feature a drop length of {{convert|205|ft}}, and reach a maximum speed of {{convert|73|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.

On May 1, 2025, Six Flags announced that the Six Flags America park [[Six Flags America#Closing|would close]] on November 2, 2025.<ref name="wusa1">{{cite web |last=Sopher |first=Ittai |date=May 1, 2025 |title=Six Flags in Bowie to close later this year |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/entertainment/six-flags-america-closing-maryland-bowie-prince-georges-county/65-4819a65c-6f98-4357-b1be-d139f04ba551 |access-date=May 1, 2025 |website=WUSA (TV)}}</ref> The future of the Superman – Ride of Steel roller coaster was not commented on at the time of the announcement.<ref name="mayridestatus">{{cite web |last=Marzano |first=Peter |date=May 1, 2025 |title=Six Flags America, Hurricane Harbor to close after 2025 season, company announces |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/six-flags-america-hurricane-harbor-to-close-after-2025-season-company-announces/3735849/ |access-date=May 1, 2025 |website=WMAQ-TV}}</ref>

==Ride layout== Upon dispatch from the station, the train makes a winding 180-degree turn. It ascends {{convert|208|ft}} up the lift hill before dropping {{convert|205|ft}} at an angle of 68 degrees. The train reaches the maximum speed of {{convert|73|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} before entering a sharp turn and the first airtime hill. A 540-degree helix follows, in addition to another smaller airtime hill. The finale involves a 500-degree helix and three more airtime hills before reaching the brake run and returning to the station. The layout of the Six Flags America ride was mirrored from the Six Flags Darien Lake ride.

===Elements=== * 5 airtime hills (4 straightforward airtime hills and 1 twisted airtime hill) * 2 helixes (540-degree and 500-degree)

==VR experience== On March 3, 2016, Six Flags announced that the ride at Six Flags America would be one of several rides at various Six Flags parks to integrate a VR system into its ride experience. Riders were given the option of wearing a [[Samsung Gear VR]] headset, powered by [[Oculus VR|Oculus]], to create a 360-degree 3D experience while riding. It featured Superman saving a city from [[Lex Luthor]]'s Lex Bots, who were causing chaos with an anti-gravity ray. This feature was also added to [[Superman: Krypton Coaster]] at [[Six Flags Fiesta Texas]] and [[Superman The Ride]] at [[Six Flags New England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/virtual-reality/samsung-six-flags-gear-vr-roller-coaster-news/|title=Six Flags adds VR roller coasters|date=3 March 2016 |publisher=Digital Trends|access-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> It was eventually removed.

==Rankings== {{GTA table | type = steel | accessdate = September 11, 2019 | 2001 = 20 | 2002 = 16 | 2003 = 13 | 2004 = 12 | 2005 = 18 | 2006 = 23 | 2007 = 14 | 2008 = 17 | 2009 = 28 | 2010 = 26 | 2011 = 40 | 2012 = 43 | 2013 = 38 | 2018 = 39 (tie) | 2019 = 47 (tie) }}

<gallery> Image:Ride of Steel.JPG|Ride station at Six Flags Darien Lake Image:Superman - Ride of Steel (Six Flags America) 01.jpg|Lift hill and first drop at Six Flags America Image:Superman - Ride of Steel (Six Flags America) 02.JPG|First airtime hill at Six Flags America File:Ride of Steel first hill.jpg|Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake </gallery>

==Incidents==

=== Six Flags Darien Lake === * On May 16, 1999, a passenger was thrown from the train at the Six Flags Darien Lake installment on one of the final airtime hills, suffering serious injuries. He was awarded US$3.95 million in damages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rider thrown from new Darien Lake roller coaster |url=http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#may16 |website=RideAccidents.com |access-date=February 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207084729/http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#may20 |archive-date=February 7, 2008 |date=May 16, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2004-03-12 |title=Theme-park patron ejected from roller coaster |url=http://www.verdictsearch.com/jv3_news/newsletter/nat/052604/3.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928135146/http://www.verdictsearch.com/jv3_news/newsletter/nat/052604/3.jsp |archive-date=2007-09-28 |access-date=2007-10-15}}</ref> * On July 8, 2011, a disabled [[Iraq War]] veteran who lost both legs during his deployment died after being ejected from the front seat of the Six Flags Darien Lake installment.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43692529 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110711013008/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43692529/ns/us_news-life/t/army-amputee-ejected-roller-coaster-dies/ |url-status=live |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |title=Army amputee ejected from roller coaster, dies |publisher=NBC News |date=July 9, 2011}}</ref> The state's Department of Labor cited "operator error" as the cause of the accident and issued two violations, in which the park responded by retraining staff and updating ride safety signage before reopening the ride.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/Ride-of-Steel-Reopens-Darien-Lake-Officials-Answer-Questions-About-Tragedy-126048908.html |title=Ride of Steel Reopens, Darien Lake Officials Answer Questions About Tragedy |newspaper=WKBW TV Buffalo |date=July 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126022513/http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/Ride-of-Steel-Reopens-Darien-Lake-Officials-Answer-Questions-About-Tragedy-126048908.html |archive-date=January 26, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A final report from the local sheriff's office detailed negligence by the employees, who should have been aware that the restraints required passengers to have both legs in order to be restrained safely.<ref name="Sheriff report" /> Witnesses reported seeing the man let go of the restraint to reach for his hat that had flown off his head before he was ejected, and evidence suggested that he died instantly from blunt force trauma to the head when he came into contact with the front of a ride car.<ref name="Sheriff report">{{Cite web |last=Owens |first=Howard B. |date=August 25, 2011 |title=Final Sheriff's Office report on death at Darien's 'Ride of Steel' contains new details |url=https://www.thebatavian.com/howard-owens/final-sheriffs-office-report-death-dariens-ride-steel-contains-new-details/27870 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |website=The Batavian |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014110655/https://www.thebatavian.com/howard-owens/final-sheriffs-office-report-death-dariens-ride-steel-contains-new-details/27870 |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Following this incident, the ride temporarily ceased operation for two weeks before reopening again on July 22.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-01-08 |title=Darien Lake settles lawsuit stemming from death of Iraq veteran killed by falling out of a roller coaster |url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2013/01/darien_lake_settles_lawsuit_st.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707225707/https://www.syracuse.com/news/2013/01/darien_lake_settles_lawsuit_st.html |archive-date=July 7, 2021 |access-date=2019-04-09 |work=syracuse.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Buckley |first=Eileen |date=2011-07-22 |title=State labor department issues violations against Darien Lake; Ride reopens |url=https://www.wbfo.org/2011-07-22/state-labor-department-issues-violations-against-darien-lake-ride-reopens |access-date=2021-07-21 |work=WBFO}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.sixflags.com/america/rides/SupermanRideofSteel.aspx Six Flags America's Official Page for Superman: Ride of Steel] {{Darien Lake Theme Park Resort Coasters}} {{SFA Coasters}} {{Superman amusement rides}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Superman - Ride of Steel}} [[Category:Superman in amusement parks|Ride of Steel]] [[Category:Steel roller coasters]] [[Category:Roller coasters opened in 2000]]  [[Category:Roller coasters in Maryland]] [[Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Intamin]] [[Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags]] [[Category:Six Flags America]] [[Category:Roller coasters closed in 2025]]