Six Flags Great America wooden roller coasters American Eagle, Goliath: Old vs. new (with video)

GURNEE — As Six Flags Great America celebrates "40 Seasons of Thrills," I wanted to look at how wooden roller coasters have evolved at the park.

AMERICAN EAGLE

I've been on a fair amount of old wooden roller coasters. I grew up in southwest Ohio near Kings Island, home to The Beast, which was the world's fastest roller coaster until American Eagle made its debut in 1981. So I know that old wooden roller coasters tend to be very jerky, and this one stayed true to form. American Eagle held the speed record for seven years, and it still hurtles its passengers along at a top speed of 66 mph on its 4,650-foot-long track.

American Eagle delivers thrills as the cars twist along the track, but it's a bumpy ride, jostling its riders through turns and hills, including two enormous 360-degree helices. I rode most of the coasters at Great America multiple times during my first visit, and I didn't care to repeat on American Eagle.

GOLIATH

Great America's newest coaster, Goliath holds three world records: world's fastest wooden coaster at 72 mph, world's tallest drop for a wooden coaster at 180 feet and the world's steepest drop for a wooden coaster at a near-vertical 85 degrees. As soon as we started being cranked up the 165-foot hill, I knew this was going to be a thrilling ride.

The year-old coaster's first thrill is that first record-breaking, 85-degree, daunting drop, which made me let out an expletive even though I knew I was on camera. This coaster had me clinging to the hand holds as I hurtled along sharp turns screaming my head off on its two inversions and other thrilling maneuvers all while maintaining a remarkably smooth ride. If it weren't for the lap and leg restraints, which I found uncomfortable being both tall and large, this might have been my favorite ride. The thrills are unmatched.

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