Piece of iconic Six Flags' Kingda Ka roller coaster finds new home
Piece of Kingda Ka roller coaster finds new home
They call it Operation Teal Team Six ? a mission to preserve a piece of the legendary NJ Six Flags' roller coaster, Kingda Ka. FOX 5 NY's Dan Bowens has the story.
NEW JERSEY - For nearly two decades, Kingda Ka towered over Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey – a record-breaking giant in the world of roller coasters.
At 456 ft. tall, it held the title of the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster when it opened in 2005, launching riders from 0 to 128 mph in just over three seconds.
The legacy of Kingda Ka
The backstory:
That all came to an end this past February, when the ride was dramatically imploded to make way for a new attraction expected to debut in 2026.
Six Flags' Kingda Ka imploded
Kingda Ka, a Six Flags' landmark that was once touted as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, was imploded on Friday morning.
But even as the towering structure disappeared from the skyline, a dedicated group of fans made sure Kingda Ka’s story didn’t end there.
Operation Teal Team Six
Big picture view:
They call it Operation Teal Team Six – a mission to preserve a piece of the legendary coaster. The name is a playful nod to the teal-colored lead car and launch track that made Kingda Ka so visually iconic.
Three roller coaster enthusiasts – Darrius Jones, and father-son duo Phil and Colin Petrignani – are the driving force behind the effort. Literally. The team loaded Kingda Ka’s front car onto a 25-foot box truck and began the journey from Jackson, New Jersey to West Texas, where it will be housed permanently.
"I saw this was going to happen," said Phil. "I was like, you know, that would be a really good way to close the chapter on Kingda Ka and just finish the story. Be a good way to take it, and now we know it’s going to be preserved forever."
A new home in West Texas
The final destination: the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives, home to the world’s largest collection of historic amusement ride vehicles and memorabilia. For the museum, Kingda Ka’s lead car is a crown jewel.
"It’s a good place for legacy roller coasters, the ones that we all know and love," explained Darrius. "When they get torn down, they capture pieces of it, and so they’re building an archive of roller coaster cars, train parts – you name it. And they’re currently kind of working on the location, but they’re really focused on bringing this heritage of roller coasters to the world for people to come visit, especially the U.S. ones that we’re tearing down, so that you can see that history. Especially a coaster like Kingda Ka."
The journey, captured
The entire process is being documented by three well-known creators in the attractions' industry: Coliwood Studios, Upstop Media and Zooder Loopers. From loading the ride onto the truck to the long road trip across the country, the journey is being shared with fans every step of the way.
A piece of history that still shines
Colin says the particular train car was in pristine condition – and that’s part of what makes it so special.
"This is the train that was just most recently redone," he said. "That’s why that paint looks so nice and fresh. And the park was kind enough to give the National Roller Coaster Museum the best example of what Kingda Ka’s trains were."
From breaking records to breaking hearts – and now making history – Kingda Ka's legacy lives on in a museum thousands of miles from where it once roared to life.
What you can do:
You can follow the journey of the coaster on Instagram: @coaster_jones and @coliwood_studios.