The Legendary Classic Needs One More Fan.
This classic wooden beast is the world’s tallest and fastest racing wooden coaster, and has been an all-time favorite of true coaster fanatics for over 40 years. A double track means two trains can fly through this 4,650-foot-long run at the same time, so climb aboard either Eagle Red or Eagle Blue and prepare for the race of a lifetime. Side by side and simultaneously, the Red and Blue trains begin their ascent up the lift hill. No matter which side you’re on, you’ll first have to climb up 127 feet.
You slowly make your way to edge of the giant incline and then rush full-force down the first drop at speeds over 66 miles per hour. But this ride is just getting started. Brace yourself to fly through a narrow-tracked series of hills and slopes at top speed like it’s nothing. After several rollicking twists, turns, and hills, you enter an enormous 360-degree helix.
Picking up speed, you circle downward as Eagle Red flies off in one direction and Eagle Blue in another. Both trains then rise up into the massive wooden structure before diving down into a final 360-degree helix. The two trains then emerge and rise into the brake-run to determine the winner. Will it be you?
Fun Facts about American Eagle
- The American Eagle is made out of Douglas fir trees.
- It took 9,000 gallons of paint, and was painted by hand.
- It is the world’s largest double-racing wooden roller coaster.
- Great America held a competition with their employees to name the coaster.
- When it was built, American Eagle had the longest amount of track at 9,300 feet.
- At its debut, American Eagle was the tallest, longest and fastest racing coaster in the world.
- While the lift hill is 127 feet the first drop is 147 feet with the ride diving 20 feet below ground level.
- Over 1,360,000 board feet of lumber was used to build The American Eagle.
- The American Eagle spans over a quarter-mile.
- Construction of The American Eagle began in June of 1980, before it was announced. Many rumors had begun to fly about what the park was building until the park announced the coaster in October of that year.