Arrow Dynamics is arguably the most well-known coaster designer anywhere. They have about 100 coasters spreading all across the world. Arrow is famous among coaster enthusiasts, and rightfully so. They are known for pioneering the world’s first tubular-steel track coaster, Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland; they have also engineered Magnum XL-200, the world’s first hypercoaster. Magnum has proven to be a very successful coaster, being in many top ten lists of coaster enthusiasts. Arrow is also responsible for the Corkscrew models at many parks, featuring an approximate 70-foot drop and two corkscrews. In fact, Arrow successfully completed the first modern inversion on a roller coaster in 1975. Eventually, in 1989, Six Flags Great Adventure opened the Great American Scream Machine, a custom-looping coaster, which, at the time it was introduced, was considered a massive looping coaster, reaching 173-feet in height. Although looping coasters have gotten much smoother, and “wilder” types of coasters have been built, like the floorless coaster for example, Great American Scream Machine remains a classic coaster. Many Six Flags Great Adventure fans could never forget this coaster; it has made such a positive impact on the park, thrilling riders for 21 years. Great American Scream Machine features three loops, a batwing (also known as a boomerang), and a pair of corkscrews, left to roll around a 120 degree turn to the right and into another set of wheeled brakes where the train is sometimes held to wait for another in presently occupying the station. As the coaster ends, the passengers exit to the right and up a ramp that allows for some excellent unobstructed pictures of the lift and first turnaround. This path then goes over the brakes and exits into its shared courtyard with Superman: Ultimate Flight

The Great American Scream Machine was the second of the infamous Arrow Seven-Inversion Triplets. The first was Shockwave at Six Flags Great America. Great American Scream Machine was basically a clone of Shockwave, except that Scream Machine had a smoother transition into the batwing element. The third coaster of the triplets is the only one that is still standing today. Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain features a different layout then the previous two. It also had higher stats than its older brothers, with a height of 188’ and a speed nearing 70 MPH.

A ride on Great American Scream Machine starts out with a small drop out of the station, and a 180 degree turn into the 173’ lift. Back in the day, riders would feel like they were on top of the world, but that has now been covered up by Kingda Ka to the rider’s left. Then suddenly, riders are cresting the lift and plummeting down the 155’ drop at 68 MPH. Then the riders fly up into the first of three vertical loops. After a quick left turn, the second and third loops are experienced. Then riders soar even higher as they take a longer than usual breather in the mid-course brake run. The riders are tilted very slowly to the left as they take a downward s-bend into the batwing. After the batwing, riders turn to the right into the double corkscrew. One more turn to the left finishes the classic Arrow ride.

As a side note, the LOQ entrance is one and the same as the exit. Guests enter through the exit and show their bot to the op on that side. (He/she may come and check or may not in which case there is really no policing and as long as you have a bot with you they will assume that you were registered for the ride.) For the 25th anniversary of the ride in 1998 the trains were turned around backwards for the entire season. This was supposedly to be done with one of the trains for the 30th anniversary in 2003, but it was never implemented. Though the coaster was re-tracked for the 30th anniversary and completely repainted for the 2004 season.

Then in 2010, the ride was closed to make room for the relocated Chang from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. At Six Flags Great Adventure, Chang was rethemed to the new motion picture Green Lantern, and was named after the movie. This included repainting the ride and adding some thematic elements around the ride.

Although Great American Scream Machine was removed for a dwindling coaster type (the stand-up coaster), Arrow Loopers are also dwindling at a faster rate, and who knows when the last one will be gone forever.