One of the original rides at Six Flags Over Texas when it opened in 1961 was the Mexican Fiesta Train Ride. Crisp-Ladew was very involved in the building of Six Flags as the primary contractor for designing and installing fire sprinkler systems in rides and buildings throughout the park.
The Fiesta Train offered a unique challenge in its fire protection requirements. From the time the ride opened in 1961 to its closing in 1978, twice an hour the centerpiece of the ride, an 70’ volcano, exploded a simulated eruption. Towards the conclusion of the ride, the train traveled through the volcano. All sections of the ride’s volcano top to bottom required fire sprinkler protection and Crisp-Ladew met the challenge. Shown here are our original fire sprinkler plans for the Fiesta Train Ride and its volcano. Notes from the drawings show the following went into the construction:
1700′-0″ of 6″ underground supply piping.
1525′-0″ of steel piping.
(102) 1/2″ 160 degree Reliable brand fire sprinkler heads.
The structure was constructed of wood frame members on wood poles covered with fiber-glass covering. This was constructed as “as you go” kind of construction which required a lot of coordination with the contractor.
The Mexican Fiesta Train Ride was one of many rides and attractions at Six Flags that Crisp-Ladew designed and installed fire protection for over 50 years ago. For all you Six Flags Over Texas history buffs, this will be the first in a series of profiles looking back at our work at Six Flags.
For scenes from the Mexican Fiesta Train Ride, click here to see YouTube feature.
“Ladew was asked to step up and find a way to provide fire protection for a creative ride at an innovative theme park. We were able to deliver then, and today nothing has changed,” says Cullen Crisp, President of Crips-LaDew.