The Great American Scream Machine was a steel looping roller coaster that operated at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, from 1989 until 2010. Designed by Ron Toomer and built by Arrow Dynamics, it stood 173 feet tall and debuted as the world’s tallest and fastest looping coaster.
Riders raced through seven inversions, including a batwing element and a double corkscrew, aboard three trains named Freedom, Liberty, and Spirit. After 21 years of operation, the ride closed in July 2010 due to complaints about roughness and was quickly demolished to make room for Green Lantern, a relocated stand-up coaster that opened on the site in 2011.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Great Adventure
- Manufacturer: Arrow Dynamics
- Opened: April 15, 1989
- Closed: July 18, 2010
- Height: 173 feet
- Top speed: 68 mph
- Length: 3,800 feet
- Inversions: 7
The Ride Experience
After a 173-foot lift hill, the Great American Scream Machine sent riders into a first drop before threading through a sequence of seven inversions at speeds up to 68 mph. The layout’s batwing and double corkscrew elements were signature moments that made the ride a fixture of the park’s steel coaster lineup for two decades.
The coaster made history at its 1989 debut as the tallest and fastest looping roller coaster in the world, a distinction it held until 1990, when Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Viper, also built by Arrow Dynamics, took over the title.
Closure and Legacy
By 2010, years of wear had made the ride notably rough, and Six Flags closed it permanently on July 18 of that year after a special invitation-only farewell event. Demolition began almost immediately, with the lift hill coming down within weeks.
The site was reused for Green Lantern, a stand-up coaster relocated from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (where it had run as Chang), which opened in 2011. Green Lantern itself closed in November 2024, ending the era of steel looping coasters on that footprint.
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Great American Scream Machine FAQs
Where was the Great American Scream Machine located?
It operated at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, from 1989 to 2010.
Why did the Great American Scream Machine close?
Six Flags closed the ride in July 2010 amid rider complaints about roughness, then demolished it to build Green Lantern on the site.
Who manufactured the Great American Scream Machine?
It was built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by engineer Ron Toomer, who also designed several other classic Arrow looping coasters.
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Photo: Camile Gévaudan / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.