The Flash: Vertical Velocity

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The Flash: Vertical Velocity
The Flash: Vertical Velocity back when it was V2: Vertical Velocity as seen at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Location	Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Park section	DC Universe
Coordinates	38°08′17″N 122°13′56″W / 38.138170°N 122.232335°W / 38.138170; -122.232335Coordinates: 38°08′17″N 122°13′56″W / 38.138170°N 122.232335°W / 38.138170; -122.232335
Status	SBNO (Standing But Not Operating)
Opening date	June 8, 2001
General statistics
Type	Steel – Launched – Inverted
Manufacturer	Intamin
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Shuttle coaster
Track layout	Twisted Impulse
Lift/launch system	LIM
Height	150 ft (46 m)
Drop	150 ft (46 m)
Length	630 ft (190 m)
Speed	65 mph (105 km/h)
Inversions	1
Duration	1:10
Max vertical angle	90°
Capacity	900 riders per hour
Acceleration	0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds
Height restriction	54–75 in (137–191 cm)
Trains	Single train with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
The Flash: Vertical Velocity at RCDB Pictures of The Flash: Vertical Velocity at RCDB

The Flash: Vertical Velocity (formerly known as V2: Vertical Velocity) is a steel Inverted Impulse roller coaster located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. It is California's first and only Spiraling Impulse Coaster, built by Intamin and opened on June 8, 2001.^[1] It stands 150 ft tall (46 m) and reaches speeds of up to 65 mph (105 km/h). The ride is tied with Medusa and Superman: Ultimate Flight in the same park for tallest roller coaster in Northern California at 150 ft (46 m) high.

History[]

When it opened on June 8, 2001, the ride was 186 ft tall (57 m). Both sides of the track were vertical, the front tower twisted and the rear tower straight with a reverse LIM segment at the top (designed to hold the train momentarily). In 2002, the ride was temporarily closed while the track was modified from 186 feet (57 m) to the city ordinance limit of 150 feet (46 m). To lower the height, the front tower was tilted to a 45-degree angle and the reverse tower lowered to 150 feet (46 m).^[2][1]

For the 2007 season, V2 was repainted red with maroon supports. Before the repainting, it had a yellow track with blue supports, which made this ride's paint scheme very similar to the defunct coaster Wicked Twister at Cedar Point, which had also had a yellow track and supports that were a lighter shade of teal.

Vertical Velocity closed for extensive refurbishment in early 2016, which included the removal and complete disassembly of the train. Sections of track and queue railings were also removed as part of this refurbishment.

On April 3, 2019, the park sent a newsletter announcing renovations to rebrand the coaster into The Flash: Vertical Velocity, which would open next to the park's new 4-D coaster, Batman: The Ride. The opening of the two coasters rebranded that area of the park to a DC Comics-themed land, standing along with Superman: Ultimate Flight, and The Joker. Vertical Velocity's supports were painted yellow for the new theme.^[3]

Following the reopening of the park after its prolonged closure from the COVID-19 pandemic, The Flash once again was dormant, with barricades blocking the hill leading to the line in favor of a Mask Relief Area, where parkgoers could take off their personal masks if they so chose. The Flash's train was once again removed, this time going completely missing, whereas during the prior refurbishment to turn the coaster into The Flash, the train was disassembled and subsequently reassembled in the station.

The ride[]

The roller coaster's layout is akin to a large vertical U shape, that is loaded at the base and uses a series of LIMs to accelerate the train up each side of the track. One side of the track is twisted track (commonly called an inline twist) that ends in a straight section angled at about 45 degrees, the other side is a perfectly vertical straight track.^[4] The train seats 28 riders in a standard overhead suspended design.

Timeline[]

• 2001 - The Flash: Vertical Velocity opens as V2: Vertical Velocity.

• 2002 - V2 is modified so both it's towers are 150 feet, and it's back tower has a 45-degree angle.

• 2007 - V2 receives a repaint with red track & maroon supports.

• 2019 - V2: Vertical Velocity is repainted and it's track is given a darker shade of red while the supports become yellow. It is also given a retheme to the Flash and renamed "The Flash: Vertical Velocity.

• 2021 - The Flash: Vertical Velocity becomes SBNO.

References[]

External links[]

• Official website