Gravity Group Announces "Timberliner" Trains

Timberliner - The Next-Generation Wood Coaster Train

Here is the press release from The Gravity Group:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT: Korey Kiepert, (513) 948-8400, info@thegravitygroup.com

Gravity Group Engineers Unveil Next-Generation Wood Coaster Train

Cincinnati, Ohio —- The engineers at The Gravity Group started with a blank sheet of paper and ended up with the next generation of trains for wooden roller coasters.

“Timberliners incorporate new technology - such as magnetic braking and restraint monitoring - that wasn’t even imagined when wooden coaster cars were first developed,” says Michael Graham, lead engineer for the project. “When it comes to wooden coasters, The Gravity Group has more experience designing rides than anyone. We’ve applied that expertise in designing trains that addresses every facet of roller coaster performance and function - from maintenance and safety to rider enjoyment and capacity.”

Timberliners are designed to be compatible with existing wooden coasters, allowing a park to upgrade their roller coasters with Timberliner trains.

Key features of the trains include:

• Single-bench design

• Shock absorption and ergonomic styling

• Unparalleled ability to smoothly navigate the track for decreased train & track maintenance

• Innovative restraint system for unsurpassed safety and security

• Restraints designed for higher throughput

• ASTM F2291 Class 5 restraint with integrated monitoring

• On-board sound system capable

• Magnetic braking capable

• Launch system capable

Timberliners are available for purchase in time for the 2009 operating season through The Gravity Group’s sister company, Gravitykraft.

Additional information about The Gravity Group, LLC and the Timberliner coaster trains is available at their website: www.thegravitygroup.com.

Some additional artwork:

And the train image (the only one available so far) blown up:

POST COMMENTS! (Remember TGG do read this forum and I'm sure they value your feedback!)

--Robb

Looks awesome, I wonder what kind of lap bar will they use?

These sound awesome, and look super open. I'm excited to see what becomes of these.

And, LAUNCH SYSTEM CAPABLE?? I'm interested in seeing what happens with that.

Coolio.

I think it will be great as you won't feel as much car around you. And if they cut down on the weight of the trains, there should be less stress put on the track of the coaster, which should help them stay smoother longer for less money... One can only hope...

-James Dillaman

^^^If by that your asking if it's going to use buzz bars, then the answer is probably no.

As for the trains, I like them! They kind of remind me of the trains Intamin uses on their prefab woodies. Definitely a good move on the Gravity Group's part.

Launch system capable

Say what? Do I see launched-woodie-inverted-aquatrax, becoming a reality!

Without a real picture (that i can actually see on my higher-than normal resolution screen) I'll wait. From what I can see, I can just say "interesting".

Judging by those dummies in the train, you will have to ride them with your hands up. Awesome.

These do look very open, which is always a good thing. Boy, PTC is suddenly getting some more and more competition. BTW, does the "single bench" mean one row per car, a la Millennium Flyers and the new PTCs? If so, cool.

Launched woodies, with on-board audio.

What an age we live in.

This all looks like the GG version of GCI's Millennium Flyers, which in theory should also be launch-compatible, as some for their tracks also feature mag-brakes.

And the front of the train in that picture looks very very ugly.

I wonder if Voyage will get them? I would imagine a lot more people would find it enjoyable if all they say is true.

I wander if Fireball will use these new trains? I like them alot!

Eh, I guess you gotta do something when you're playing catchup to Intamin and GCI.

Although, it sure does sound like a lot of unsubstantiated claims for something that hasn't *really* been put to the test yet. I guess we'll see.

Anyone think this is Alton's 'World First' in 2010? A Launched wooden coaster?

No, the Happy Valley ride will have PTCs as noted here.

And I hope to god we never see a launching woodie.

I would prefer to see a bigger/better photo before commenting too much. Looks interesting, though, thats for sure.

These trains look amazing. I can't wait to see a video of one of these in action. I'm confident they'll be great.

Random Note:

I just listened to their second poscast and I can brag that my question I sent to the mailbag was the first to ever be answered on gravitycast....aka, I'm Alex from Michigan.

I feel special

I'd be worried right now if I was PTC.

I don't think these new trains will replace anything on a GCI or Intamin built coaster...but what company will use PTC Trains now?

Just from the small pic... it looks like the millennium flyer train except open seats like Intamin.

Man, Ghostrider could use three of these.

I'd be worried right now if I was PTC.

 

I don't think these new trains will replace anything on a GCI or Intamin built coaster...but what company will use PTC Trains now?

PTC will have work forever as they'll still do winter rehab on most of their trains (and I believe they do work on carousels, too). Its a 2 or 3 year cycle where the trains have to go back to PTC to be inspected, and considering how many of their trains are running, that won't let up for some time. They also make brakes and air gate systems.

The trains still look cool though, and it is nice how open they are. The features that these new trains will have/ be capable of having is cool, but I doubt we'll ever have a launched wooden coaster.

I hope that Six Flags will buy some of these for Viper now, but that will probably never happen. I could see Mt. Olympus and Holiday World buy some though.

I'd be worried right now if I was PTC.

 

I don't think these new trains will replace anything on a GCI or Intamin built coaster...but what company will use PTC Trains now?

 

PTC will have work forever as they'll still do winter rehab on most of their trains (and I believe they do work on carousels, too). Its a 2 or 3 year cycle where the trains have to go back to PTC to be inspected, and considering how many of their trains are running, that won't let up for some time. They also make brakes and air gate systems.

Yeah but thinking long term here if more and more parks replace their PTC's with either the MF trains (similar to what Hershey did and Busch is rumored to do) or these new GG trains (if GG can talk parks with their coasters into it), that's gotta hurt PTC if all they are now doing is maintaining a dwindling number of trains?

Does anyone else feel that these new trains resemble GCI millennium flyer trains a whole bunch!!! It's just a thought though! It may be just me? But who knows?!!?

Considering my favorite trains probably are traditional PTCs, I don't know what to make of this.

Altough the thoughts of a smooth launched wooden coaster sound pretty cool.

Although I will admit when I rode Ravine Flyer II this summer, I thought the design was a bit much for PTCs to handle over a long period of time. If this is the type of direction Gravity Group wants to go with their coasters, perhaps moving to new trains is the best thing to do.

Does anyone else feel that these new trains resemble GCI millennium flyer trains a whole bunch!!! It's just a thought though! It may be just me? But who knows?!!?

Don't forget that the Millennium Flyers are a modern version of the old Prior and Church trains. IMO since both companies are probably into the history of woodies just like the rest of us, they are going off the same source material from designs done decades ago so course they are going to have some similarities.

Man, Ghostrider could use three of these.

Ghostrider could use an entire re-track and a maintenance crew that really cares for the ride.

Don't be always fooled into thinking that new trains will suddenly make a ride better. There is a lot that would need to be done to ANY coaster to make it go from "crap" to "awesome" again.

Just remember how amazing everyone thought Manhattan Express would be when it got it's new set of trains...yeah....

I think the trains will be a welcome addition to a ride they are designed for, and maybe could offer some improvements on a currently operating coaster, but don't just assume that throwing a new style train onto the track is going to radically change a ride's performance if that is the *only* thing done to it.

--Robb