Mr. Freeze

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Mr. Freeze
Location	Six Flags Over Texas
Park section	Gotham City
Type	Steel
Status	Operating
Opened	1998
Manufacturer	Premier Rides
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Shuttle
Lift/launch system	LIM
Height	238 ft (73 m)
Length	1,480 ft (450 m)
Max speed	70 mph (110 km/h)
Inversions	2 (one forward, one backward)
Capacity	1300 riders per hour
Acceleration	0-70 in 3.8 seconds
Height restriction	4 ft 6 in (137 cm)
Mr. Freeze at RCDB Pictures of Mr. Freeze at RCDB
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Mr. Freeze is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas.

This LIM-launched roller coaster is essentially a mirror image of the ride of the same name at Six Flags St. Louis. When it first opened, this coaster had over-the-shoulder restraints (commonly called OTSRs). These were replaced with individual ratcheting lap bars for the 2002 season. Mr. Freeze was supposed to open in 1997 with the release of Batman & Robin (Which was the main reason Gotham City Area was made). Arnold Schwarzenegger, and George Clooney were scheduled to appear at the opening of Gotham City and being the first people to ride it, but troubles with the LIM system delayed the opening until 1998. This was the main reason why Schwarzenegger never appeared (since he had another promised project at the time; Clooney decided not to come because Schwarzenegger didn't).

Two train operation

Mr. Freeze is able to use two trains (almost every other shuttle coaster can only use one, for obvious reasons) because of an innovative sliding platform in the station. One train loads and unloads on either the right or left side of the station while the other train is launched out onto the main track. When this train returns to the station, it slides to the unused side of the room and unloads as the other train slides to the middle and launches. This cycle then repeats itself with opposite trains. These trains are launched by 244 linear induction motors that help them achieve a top speed of 70 mph in 3.72 seconds.

Rider experience

The ride begins when the lights in the tunnel turn on and the lights in the station dim. LIMs launch the train through this 190' tunnel and up into an inside tophat (to the left) that flips riders completely upside-down. This element is followed by an overbanked turn to the left and a vertical spike. As the train climbs this spike and slows, it is gently pushed up almost all the way to the top by another set of LIMs. The LIMs stop and the train runs the entire course in reverse.

2006 closure

In June 2006, all Premier LIM rides underwent emergency inspection and were closed. This included Mr. Freeze coasters in both St. Louis and Arlington, Texas. They were closed because of an accident on Batman & Robin: The Chiller where a wheel fell off on the lowest part of the track. This problem apparently existed on all of Premier Rides' coasters with booster LIMs. New wheels and bearings were ordered and have been replaced.

Paint job

The station where trains are launched at 70mph

Mr. Freeze received a new paint job that was completed in 2007. This was the first time it was painted since its original opening in 1997. Previously, the entire ride was painted light blue. Now, while the track inside the station and in the tunnel remain light blue, the rest of the track is painted a vibrant red and the supports are dark blue. The cars remained the same with the blue cars and orange lap bars. It is said that Six Flags Over Texas wanted the ride to resemble a red hot melting effect, but it ironically resembles the original paint job from its sister coaster, Batman & Robin: The Chiller.

References