The World's First-Ever Log Ride | History of Six Flags Series

[@darinmurph3483]

My parents first met each other while waiting in line for the Log Ride when it was brand new. My dad's friend had talked him into going to the park that day to ride after my dad had hurt his hand at work and had the day off. My mom was there with a youth group from her church. They kept passing by one another in the que, and my dad waited after his ride so he could meet her. I might not be here if it werent for that ride! Plus, it's the first of its kind. Irreplaceable. I hope they get smart and restore it, to keep a little bit of history alive. Thanks for the great video.

[@wendelcleghorn7950]

I remember the lumberjack from when I was a kid. Thankfully it sounds like flume 1 may be up and running again. They should let a park like Knoebels, who have a history of saving older rides, have it if nothing else. For sure, it should not be destroyed.

[@Tryingtohaveityall]

Excellent job on this ride. This park used to be my home amusement park. I knew this was the first Six Flags and the first log flume. It absolutely burns me up how bad they let this ride and the whole park go. One summer my family and I went multiple times a week and the oil derrick was never operational for the entire summer. I don’t think they care at all.

[@AmusementSource]

Oil Derrick is very tricky because the elevator system’s sensitivity to wind is quite low. They’ve done a fairly good job keeping it open when they could the last couple years. It was down for a year or so when they repainted it and refurbished the elevator system. Thanks for watching!

[@CH-cp8og]

Great news flume one on the log ride is back up and operational.

[@hippiedadtx2878]

I saw a video by JBThrills April 19th and he showed that Flume 1 looks to be almost operational!! The flume has been painted, logs are in the flume at the loading station, and the lights on the control panel were blinking ! (No water in it at this video). Also, the que area is refurbished and all the lights were working. Great news!

[@yourenotthere]

We were just there over the 4th of July weekend (2021) and the ride inspection certificate has been updated to sometime in 2022, there was water in the flume, and the final drop had water running in it, too. It wasn't open, as in, you couldn't choose to ride that flume, but yes, things are looking up!

[@warrenwatkins9650]

My memories of the Flume were painting the trough in Caribbean blue (epoxy paint). The outside color was Lily Pad. Get that paint all over your clothes, luckily furnished by Six Flags. Still have the blue maintenance jacket though.

[@DavidMosby]

Great video! I was a RR Engineer at Six Flags but remember working a double at the Log Ride. Thank you.

[@312Duck]

Thank you!! I looked for years to find pics or footage the villains they had at the top just before the drops! I visited back in the late 70s and thought these log flumes were the most bad ass I had ever ridden.

[@bransrubar]

This is brilliant! I never knew that ride was the first log flume ever! It's tragic the way they are letting it rot. Six Flags Over Texas is special to me and I can't stand to see it falling apart. As for fun log ride stories, my family had a neat experience once. It was late, near closing time, and we went on the ride. There was absolutely no one else in the line and they people operating it let us ride the flume several times in a row without even getting out of the log. That was cool

[@wesleyvanos]

Fun Fact: Chiapas, DIE Wasserbahn is an Intamin Log Flume ride in Phantasialand, a theme park in Germany, which opened on 1 April 2014. It is located in the park's Mexico area and replaced Stonewash and Wildwash Creek, which were both demolished in 2011. Its 53° drop is the steepest drop on a log flume in the world.

[@matthewlastrapes417]

We were just there saw the log ride it really dose need to be fixed

[@AmusementSource]

Flume 1 is actually running again! Just not during winter months. They did a lot of work on it this past spring.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

Actually Serpent and Bamboo Shoot opened in 1969. Both were Arrow creations. They would also get the "new generation" Arrow mine train in 1972 called the Dexter frebish Electric Roller Ride. It like Magic Mountains mine train would be all steel & not on wooden super structure. Those two rides located in Oriental Corner was one of my fav. sections in the park. There was also a Von Roll aerial tramway. It did do the whole 38 seasons without any fatalities!

[@darrellborder8555]

Great Video AS. I'm a flagger! Happy I got to ride Flume 1 for 2 of 9 seasons I've been going there. It's sad to see it in its' current state, but the money just isn't there to keep 2 flumes running and maintained at 100%.

[@AmusementSource]

Thanks for watching! It looks like they don’t have enough money to maintain either log flume. 👀

[@bullwinkle2380]

Only one flume is in operation??? Very very sad!!!

[@AmusementSource]

In 2021, flume 1 was restored and is operational again.

[@bullwinkle2380]

@@AmusementSource So both twin flumes are in operation again!!! That's great!!! That means more people on the twin log rides!!!

[@CarolinaCycloneJames]

I had a thought about why all of a sudden log flume rides are being removed from parks. But then I realized a lot of them have hit or passed the shelf life of them

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

I had a season pass back then, and I went to Six Flags over Texas every weekend. I actually got a minor injury while riding the log ride. It was after the rain, and wasn't crowded so I got to ride alone. Well, not knowing any better, I sat in the BACK of the log. But when it went down the final hill and splashed in the water, my butt slid across that already wet seat and I hit my mouth on the little handlebar pad in the FRONT of the log. I don't recall any blood, but I learned a lesson. :-O

[@mrjiggawatt]

Six Flags Over Texas used to be awesome, but I feel it’s corporate overlords are not taking care of it anymore. It’s a shame.

[@werksdesign]

Yep....Warner Bros. ruined it.

[@marce.6956]

@@werksdesign I agree. They took a theme park and turned it into a corporate park

[@cicinelson4398]

it's a shame because Cedar Point gets well taken care of as Cedar Fair's first park, while Over Texas is often ignored by Six Flags as a company :(

[@mesquitegirl2013]

Do you think that means it might not have much longer or do they keep it around just because it makes them good money

[@blakeeeee10]

Its sad to see how Flume 1 is just sitting there rotting in front of our eyes. I've been to Over Texas multiple times and have never seen Flume 1 running since 2011. Though maybe, in a few weeks when I go with a few friends to Over Texas, Six Flags will give Flume 1 the love and much deserved care and deep cleaning. (Though I doubt it because of COVID-19 restrictions)

[@AmusementSource]

I think it is beyond their budget of repair at this point, unfortunately. It has been multiple seasons that they’ve not even attempted to fix it or put it through an inspection. Add on the several years of neglect and you run into what currently exists.

[@Savagemister]

Very well done, Bryant. Flume 1 needs to be taken care of and protected.

[@Kissarmy2021]

I fully agree. We lose too much history every year. We need to be more vocal about saving it. Losing the Cave and Flume 1 is tearing my memories from the early to mid 80s away. I still am angry that the Riverboat ride is gone.

[@PriestsandParamedics]

I didn’t go to SFOT until 2017 but I grew up going to Fiesta Texas and my favorite ride was the Bugs Bunny Log Ride there. I would ride it over and over again as a kid. When I went to 2017 we did ride El Assadero but only flume 2 was running. It seemed kind of odd to have flume 1 in such a state of disrepair.

[@AmusementSource]

Yeah, Flume 1 had only been operating on incredibly busy summer days for several seasons. Unfortunately, it looks like nobody will be riding it again.

[@Joypyf]

I’m such a sucker for historical amusement park videos, and this is no exception! 🤓🎢🤩 I subbed!👍🏼😊

[@tommydiamond693]

anybody remember the stage coach ride, and the canoes? What became of the Lasalle river?

[@tgguitarguy]

There is another Bamboo Chute Ride located at Storyland in New Hampshire.

[@esarts6744]

Six flags Company really needs to do maintenance to all it’s parks. my home park is Magic Mountain and it’s very sad to see Six Flags aging poorly while other park remodel, keep up with maintains and add new locations.

[@AmusementSource]

Let’s just hope they can afford to get all their parks back open and operating normally at this point. The new CEO has the right idea. If he can win against investors.

[@esarts6744]

Amusement Source that’s true

[@donniechastain39]

The pink thing!

[@jaketwain114]

That was a great blast fr.the past! What happened to the roto disco? That was my favorite!

[@NorthEasternMotionProductions]

Man it feels weird hearing a log flume be called unusual

[@floppagaming8469]

i love log rides

[@JBThrills]

Hi amusement source, I have a question can you put the link of all the footage of el aserradero somewhere because I’m making a Documentary of SFOT and I can’t find footage for the log ride, could you please tell me where you found it? Or the link somewhere, thank you!

[@kellywolverton3916]

Great job on this, I’ve been waiting for this type of video for a long time. I loved that you showed the two bad guys, at least that’s what I always called them when I was little. Would love to hear the history on the Big Bend or Roto Disco. I cannot imagine the time it takes on your videos but please know we appreciate you.

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

I remember the Rotoriculous (or, as employees called it, Roto-ridiculous!) Remember how calsutrophobic it was, waiting in line in that dark blue building without any windows? I'm sure that's why they eventually put in windows (no glass, just open air).

[@jenniferbrasuell5060]

Speedlunkers cave

[@computerkid1416]

This is great, please make more of these.

[@shawnstarbuck454]

Awesome video. The Cave and Runaway Mine Train would be my next picks.

[@Kissarmy2021]

How do we save Flume 1? Can a vocal minority of the people speak up? My first wish would be to save it and re-image the ride. Maybe make it different by adding several covered portions such as you are going through a cave or maybe even through the saw mill. I understand this is spending someone elses money that would stretch into the hundreds of thousands of dollars or maybe beyond. In the LEAST Six Flags could leave the final hill. Give it a fresh coat of paint or maybe even rig it so water runs down and collects in a out of sight container and then runs up a pipe along the side that is not seen by the public and you have water running down it. It wouldn't be a ride but it would be a standing memorial. The way the hill just sticks out from the trees would make it like the entire flume is still there. I am really focused on this. Any suggestions? You seem to have some sources. What is the best way to rattle the cage.

[@AmusementSource]

I wish I knew. The whole park feels like it is falling apart to me. And has been for a good amount of time now... Investors do not care about the details. All they are about is numbers. That is evident with slacking maintenance, underwhelming yearly additions, and festivals that have zero consistency and improvement from year to year. Upper management at the park is also lacking. It is important to note that when you've worked at the park your whole adult life, much like the current park president, you become incredibly blind and ignorant to the problems. Put that on top of investor pressure and you have your current situation. Complete complacency. Excuses for anything that doesn't match par with what is expected. This video was my attempt to "rattle the cage." Unfortunately, it hasn't gotten as far as I'd like it to.

[@AmusementSource]

And, believe me, I'm certainly not a fan of throwing these thoughts out into the open... but that's what it is...

[@Kissarmy2021]

@@AmusementSource Thank you for being very up front on the topic. The Six Flags that we knew is long gone. The Six Flags of the past mixed thrill with themes. You were transported to another world. The Cave ride, log flume and Runaway Mine train had extensive themes and for the time on the ride you escaped. The youth of today want rides that go faster, spin you more and reach new heights. Its really hard to grasp the area of flume 1 since there is 50 years of tree growth. If they remove flume 1 it has to be for something to create new memories like the Texas Chute out making way for the Texas Skyscreamer. The other thing I think of is that the economics have completely changed. The current goal is to get your money up front in the form of memberships, flash passes and food passes. Once they have the money then why spend it on the "little" improvements. If they were working to get your money for the entire day they would have a vested interest to spend money on the little things.

[@AmusementSource]

@@Kissarmy2021 I think that's a bit of a common misconception. Other theme park chains, such as Disney and even SeaWorld, put a lot of attention on the experience. When you spend the attention to detail, the biggest, tallest, and fastest thing isn't always so necessary. The quality of experience is determined by how much effort the park is willing to put into something. Cedar Fair is a great example of incredible experience with the thrill rides. Kings Island, for example, just reconstructed their antique car ride this season. Those parks are also taken care of, however. I do think you are spot on with the membership. They know exactly what the monthly income will be with the recurring membership payments. Prime example of the greed? Shortening this year's summer operating hours. Why keep the park open late? It doesn't matter. We already have people's money. This is no longer a hunt for season pass numbers.

[@curtis3948]

Late seeing this, but regarding its historical significance, i there some way to make this a, well whatever the equivocal for amusement parks, historical landmark? Kinda forcing SFoT's hand to put money into it to preserve it?

[@AmusementSource]

Since this video was made the park has done some minor work on the ride, including making flume1 operable again. Hopefully it'll keep operating for years to come!

[@jessemask2562]

This is the Six Flags way , they do not run maintainence they wait until its decayed and just tear it down.

[@museumgrackreads]

Spelunker cave!

[@WRKFLO]

great video, i thought about making this video when i was on the train and they were talking about it over the loud speaker. i couldnt have done it this well tho WE WANT MORE six flags history!

[@mikemcclaskey3367]

awesome video sir !!!!

[@jeffcunningham308]

Amazing video! Didn’t know it had this much interesting history! Can’t wait for more.

[@dominicbar7402]

No question what has to be next my fav The mine train

[@Mister_E.]

Thank you for the video, I just rode this today, before the rain started.

[@b.b-notebrown]

Very good historical video!! I can't wait to see more!!

[@SomeoneElsesStory]

Awesome video! Thanks for showcasing this great piece of history!

[@coldsooner3558]

Nice. I love the old video. I would like to see a history of the Sid and Marty Krofft Puppet Theater featuring the shows that performed there, and Six Flags relationship with them.

[@carlschindewolf5322]

They built one at cedar point the same year. They removed there's.

[@marcoradat]

Great video! Cliffhanger, cave ride and spindletop (which I believe is now in okc?) would be my choices. I have a couple of friends that have some of the original speelunkers from the cave ride. On a side note I put the elevator in what is now pandamodium, originally tony hawk.

[@kylebohler2452]

Great video! I'm looking forward to more videos like this

[@brendonneely9456]

How about the building now known as the Majestic theater. I believe that was the old puppet theater and was later used for Looney Tunes shows.

[@AmusementSource]

Brendon Neely The Krofft Puppet Theatre shown in this video is actually what Majestic Theatre is today!

[@brendonneely9456]

@@AmusementSource That's what I thought. I meant to say that was my suggestion for a future video.

[@ThisSingleMom]

Can't imagine riding a horse as a theme park ride. Wish they would fix up the log ride-- it's looking pretty bad. Looking forward to more in this series.

[@carlschindewolf5322]

Awesome video can you do big bend next.

[@carlschindewolf5322]

Are both flumes open I know this was the first and a lot of parks are removing them.

[@AmusementSource]

Flume 1 is not operational but 2 still runs during warmer months.

[@gabeproductions224]

What’s the music??

[@ronnicarter882]

Thank you for a great video. I remember as a kid going down the covered drop on flume 2. Can you please do a video history of Texas Cliffhanger?

[@landryplayz4022]

Hi. I loveeeeee six flags

[@mikemcclaskey3367]

big bend