2604:3D09:E7C:FB20:9CB8:1033:3648:AC92: /* History */

2024-05-15T05:09:39Z

History

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{{Short description|Steel roller coaster}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name=Magic Flyer
|previousnames= Little Dipper (1941-1971) Clown Coaster (1971-1984)<br>Wile E. Coyote Coaster (1985-1998)<br>Goliath Jr. (2001-2007)<br>Percy's Railway (2008-2010)
|image=Six Flags Magic Mountain children area.jpg
|caption=Magic Flyer, when it was known as Percy's Railway.
|location=Six Flags Magic Mountain
|section= Whistlestop Park
|type=Steel
|type2=Kiddie
|status=Operating
|opened= May 29, 1971
|year=1971
|manufacturer= Bradley and Kaye
|designer=[[Chance Rides]]
|model=Little Dipper
|track=Oval
|lift=Chain [[lift hill]]
|height_ft=10
|drop_ft=
|length_ft=350
|speed_mph=10
|inversions=0
|duration=0:30
|angle=1
|capacity=360
|cost=
|acceleration=
|gforce=2.1
|rcdb_number=749
|trains=1
|carspertrain=3
|rowspercar=2
|ridersperrow=2
|custom_label_1=Height Restriction
|custom_value_1={{Convert|54|in|cm|abbr=on}} or shorter to ride
|coordinates={{Coord|34.424861|-118.595918|display=inline,title}}
|extend = {{Infobox roller coaster extend
|location= Beverly Park
|coordinates= {{Coord|34|07|18|N|118|25|05|W|format=dms|display=inline}} 
|section= 
|subsection= 
|status= Relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain
|opened= 1946 or later
|year=
|closed= 1970
|cost=
}}
}}
'''Magic Flyer''' also known as Percy's Railway, is a small, oval-circuit [[steel roller coaster|steel]] [[roller coaster]] made by Bradley and Kaye that opened in 1971. The coaster is located in the [[Whistlestop Park]] area of [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] in [[Valencia, California|Valencia]], [[California]]. It was an unknown-named coaster at the former Beverly Park prior to operating at Magic Mountain.
[[File:SFMM Magic Flyer 2.jpg|thumb|Magic flyer]]

==History==
''Magic Flyer'' was originally located at [[Beverly Park (amusement park)|Beverly Park]] in the 1940s, known as the ''Little Dipper''.<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=unknown|location=Beverly Park|rcdb_number=2795|accessdate=15 March 2011}}</ref> It was relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1971 where it began operation as ''Clown Coaster''. In the 1984-1985 off-season the ride was renamed and rethemed to ''Wile E. Coyote Coaster'' to suit the theme of the nearby Bugs Bunny World.<ref name=RCDB>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Percy's Railway|location=Six Flags Magic Mountain|rcdb_number=749|accessdate=15 March 2011}}</ref><ref name="LATimes-Arrival">{{cite web|title=Magic Mountain kiddie-coaster makeover|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/magic-mountain-kiddi-1232/|work=(Percy's Railway arrives at Six Flags, Valencia)|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=18 January 2008|accessdate=21 December 2010}}</ref>

In 1998, the roller coaster closed and was disassembled. In 2000, the coaster was redesigned to look like the larger [[Goliath (Six Flags Magic Mountain)|''Goliath'']] roller coaster, located in the same park, and relocated near to it. The old supports were replaced with supports that resembled those found on the Goliath and the trains were rebuilt from the chassis up. It was repainted with Goliath's color scheme and given the name ''Goliath Jr.'' (Goliath Junior) to reopen in 2001.<ref name=RCDB/><ref name="LATimes-Arrival"/>

In the 2007-2008 off-season ''Goliath Jr.'' was rethemed to ''Percy's Railway'' to match Six Flags Magic Mountain's new kids zone, Thomas Town. Similarly to the Goliath Jr. makeover, the cars were rebuilt to resemble [[Percy the Small Engine]] (the leading car) and his Troublesome Trucks (the two following cars), all from the television series ''[[Thomas & Friends]]''.<ref name=RCDB/><ref name="LATimes-Arrival"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Sanchez350|title=Percy's Railway Offride Clip|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQkXYacbhoc|date=25 August 2008|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=7 October 2008}}</ref>

In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including that for ''[[Thomas & Friends (franchise)|Thomas the Tank Engine]]''. The Thomas Town at [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] has been renamed and rethemed to [[Whistlestop Park]] which reopened on March 19, 2011.<ref>{{cite news|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|title=Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-retheme-20101122,0,3267615.story|accessdate=27 November 2010|newspaper=LA Times|date=25 November 2010}}</ref> ''Percy's Railway'' was now again rethemed and renamed to ''Magic Flyer''. The coaster saw very little change aside from Percy's face being removed and the red stripes painted over.<ref name="LATimes Update">{{cite web|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|title=Five 'new' coasters coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain? Not so fast|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-magic-mountain-roller-coasters-01201117,0,5604411.story|work=News Article|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=January 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Percy's Railway Gets A New Name At Six Flags Magic Mountain|url=http://www.thecoasterguy.com/index.php/2011/03/12/percys-railway-gets-a-new-name-at-six-flags-magic-mountain|date=12 March 2011|publisher=The Coaster Guy|accessdate=14 March 2011}}</ref>

==Ride==
The [[Train (roller coaster)|train]] exits out of the [[Station (roller coaster)|station]] and directly ascends the {{Convert|10|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} [[lift hill]]. The track then makes a small dip before navigating a 180° turn to the left. A second small dip is followed by another ascent before making a second 180° turn to the left and returning to the station.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.rcdb.com/749.htm Magic Flyer] at the [[Roller Coaster DataBase]]
{{SFMM Coasters}}

[[Category:Roller coasters in California]]
[[Category:Roller coasters introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags]]
[[Category:Six Flags Magic Mountain]]

Magic Flyer - Revision history

2604:3D09:E7C:FB20:9CB8:1033:3648:AC92: /* History */