VIDEO – Ride the Blazing Fast New Fire in the Hole in Branson, MO

It was one of my favorite Missouri roller coasters growing up then last year it was retired. Now, there's a new Fire in the Hole to replace the legendary ride and many are wondering what it's like. Thanks to new video and pictures, you can get an idea of what the experience is like.

Missouri does not lack great rollercoasters. The Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags is iconic, but another that achieved legendary status was Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City in Branson.

Thanks to The Carpetbagger, you can see what the new version of the ride is like through pictures and video.

I had two very memorable rides on Fire in the Hole when I was a kid. The first was in the late 1970's and the sudden dip below the approaching train terrified me (in a good way). The second was one I'll never forget. It was late June of 1980 as I remember it and I rode it without incident. But, just a couple weeks later on July 9, 1980, James Frederick Polley was killed while riding Fire in the Hole when the coaster he was on was switched to a maintenance track accidentally and his head hit a low-hanging maintenance door as How Stuff Works documents. I always wondered how close I came to being a part of that incident.

Happy thoughts though moving forward. Great to see a legendary coaster brought out of retirement and refined for an even more exciting coaster experience.