15 years ago today, Great American Scream Machine gave its final rides. Rest in peace, you magnificent bastard of a coaster.
Great American Scream Machine
- Thread starter GASM
- Start date
15 years ago today, Great American Scream Machine gave its final rides. Rest in peace, you magnificent bastard of a coaster.
Absolute beast of a coaster. Loved this so much - every janky transition. And Vortex at Kinds Island!
GASM was the middle child of the mega loopers. Didn’t quite have the more refined profiling of Viper, but it didn’t tear itself apart the way Shockwave did.
I still haven’t been on Viper, but I do think it’s one of very few coasters that I could personally feasibly put over GASM.
I still haven’t been on Viper, but I do think it’s one of very few coasters that I could personally feasibly put over GASM.
From it's unique ride, to the patriotic theme, this coaster was truly an iconic gem. When I saw the coaster climbing up the lift from the parking lot, listening to its arrow chain clacking, the ride just spoke, "welcome to Great Adventure!". You know how every good theme park needs a solid wooden coaster? Well, some parks need a ride like GASM, and GA was truly blessed to have it. It gave off a classic vibe akin to that of a woodie. It will continue to be remembered fondly. Long live GASM.
Below is a picture of a little painting I completed a while back around the time GASM left Great Adventure:
Below is a picture of a little painting I completed a while back around the time GASM left Great Adventure:
Scream Machine and Rolling Thunder will always be the two rides I’m most disappointed I never got a chance to ride. It was a Great Adventure classic and one of the very last rides of its era, not to mention it saved Great Adventure. RIP Scream Machine
As much as I loved GASM (and still do), Rolling Thunder’s removal hurt more. It’s the coaster that made me fall in love with the hobby and whether it had been converted by RMC or not, its removal is a product of legacy SF’s inability to properly maintain some of Great Adventure’s most iconic rides.
I remember when I was younger, GASM was the main reason why I wanted to visit Great Adventure, which I still need to do. Shame I never got to ride it.
I would feel the same if (god forbid) anything happened to Nitro. Ka hurt but man to see Nitro get removed would crush me.
When it comes to Rolling Thunder it especially hurts because that’s the type of ride that Great Adventure really needs. A ride that will serve as a stepping stone to the parks more intense rides. Not to mention that the plot of land is STILL empty.
Don’t even put that in the atmosphere. I would straight up never visit the park again if they did that.
Was going through some old photos and found some of GASM. Despite being my #1 for nearly two decades, I didn’t seem to remember ever having taken photos of it, but I’m thrilled to have been wrong! The last photo is kinda terrible for lighting, but it’s also what I assume is the only photo of me with it (holy shit I look different lol).
One of my long shot personal goals is to make it out to SFMM before Viper reaches the end of its lifespan so I can experience the unique rough-but-still-fun joy only an Arrow mega looper can provide.
You and me both. X2 is a nice bonus (really, I’d love to ride every remaining Arrow in the US), but Viper is the true reason I want to go to SFMM.