Goliath opened at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois on June 19, 2014, rising from the site of the former Iron Wolf coaster. Built by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and designed by Alan Schilke, it paired RMC’s steel-topped Topper Track with a traditional wood structure to create one of the most intense hybrid coasters in the world at the time of its debut.
The ride made history immediately, setting three world records for wooden coasters: the longest drop at 180 feet, the steepest descent angle at 85 degrees, and the fastest top speed at 72 mph. More than a decade later, Goliath still holds all three records, cementing its reputation as one of the defining wood-steel hybrid coasters of the modern RMC era.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Great America
- Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC)
- Opened: June 19, 2014
- Height: 165 feet
- Top speed: 72 mph
- Length: 3,100 feet
- Inversions: 2
- Max drop: 180 feet at 85°
The Ride Experience
Riders climb 165 feet before plunging into an 85-degree, 180-foot drop that sends the train underground through a dark tunnel beneath the midway. From there, Goliath keeps up the pace with a dive loop and a zero-gravity stall, its two inversions, along with a pair of overbanked turns, all delivered at speeds up to 72 mph in a ride lasting roughly 1 minute 45 seconds.
The coaster runs two trains of six cars each, carrying 24 riders per train, with RCDB listing an hourly capacity of about 600 riders. Its blend of RMC’s steel-topped Topper Track with a wooden support structure gives Goliath the smoother, more forceful ride style that made RMC’s hybrid conversions and new builds popular throughout the 2010s.
Records and Construction History
Goliath was built on the footprint of the former Iron Wolf, reusing much of that ride’s station and queue line before lengthening the station to accommodate Goliath’s longer twelve-row trains. Construction began in September 2013 and involved roughly 35 workers over about nine months.
At its 2014 opening, Goliath claimed three wooden coaster world records simultaneously: longest drop, steepest angle, and fastest speed. It remains the record holder in all three categories, standing as a landmark achievement for RMC during the company’s early years of building record-setting wood-steel hybrids.
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Goliath FAQs
What records does Goliath hold?
Goliath holds three wooden coaster world records: the longest drop (180 feet), the steepest angle (85 degrees), and the fastest speed (72 mph).
Who manufactured Goliath at Six Flags Great America?
Goliath was built by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) using its Topper Track system, which combines a wooden structure with a steel running surface.
What is Goliath’s hourly rider capacity?
According to RCDB, Goliath has an hourly capacity of about 600 riders, running two 24-rider trains.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson from United States of America / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.