StLCPfan

If they are able to have one train facing each way, then all they would have to do on days with one train operation is have a sign at the entrance stating which way freeze will be running. Just as I'm sure they would have to post at the queue split which train is forward and which train is reverse.

A story from NPR Saturday reports that Ken Ham credited his debate with Bill Nye (arguing the biblical version of creation versus science) with securing funding needed to keep the Ark Encounter still afloat . Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun. Ham also said, as I suspected, interest in the upcoming Russell Crowe movie has prevented his "museum" project from going the way of the dinosaur also.

Isn't the zero-g stall going to be similar to the feel of S&S El Loco's hang time in those crazy dive loops?

By definition, a wood tracked coaster is layers of wood molded to the support structure with steel rails on top. This is what Goliath has for its running surface. The only difference between Rocky Mountain's wood coaster track and traditional wood track is that the top layer is all steel (their topper track) instead of a wood plank with bar stock steel for the running surfaces. The iron transformations of the now 3 previous wooden coasters have the ENTIRE laminate replaced by steel in the shape of the previous wooden track. I didn't think this was that difficult to follow.

It looks to me like a modern interpretation of those old railroad bridges. Using the arch support for the stall inversion is genius. I can see Rocky Mountain doing a design like this with a runaway railroad theme. Congratulations on another history making ride Rocky Mountain.

Unless you're a person who feels the park owes them full staff and every ride open at all times, you understand that when opening in spring the park is missing quite a few college students who aren't available to work until May. Most early season visitors are passholders who understand that most coasters will be single train operation and some of the less popular rides and water rides may be closed due to understaffing also. You just go to be at your park because you missed it during the winter.

I was there on opening day 2013. One train operation on Thunder led to hour long waits.

The entire Jet Scream area was cleared out and there was a dome placed over a large concrete patio for the disco.

And I'm sure it placed as high in the poll as it did because of people like you. Location and knowledge of the park may have played as big of a role in the ranking of Outlaw Run as the fact that it was a first year entry. It's just not a destination park like the big parks are, and without Robb and Elissa and TPR's videos and trip reports, even some enthusiasts wouldn't have SDC high on their lists of must attend parks. I'm excited to see what the increase in popularity of the park due to great additions and great publicity will bring in the years to come.

I don't know how the rest of you feel about it, and it's not a HUGE issue, but the need for multiple midcourse brakes to allow for multiple cars on the track, a la Pandemonium, stops the flow of the ride to me. It's a slightly bigger annoyance when watching looping coasters like Dare Devil Dive, and I've never ridden one, so maybe the ride experience isn't interrupted as much as it appears, but personally I'd rather have a ride that doesn't need 3 or more brakes on the circuit to allow for multiple cars/trains to increase capacity/throughput.

Maybe they can get in on the Noah mania surrounding the Russell Crowe movie coming out this spring and do a little fundraising around that.

Mine would be shirts, and mostly T-shirts. I have a few that are general park shirts, but mostly specific coasters. Second would be baseball caps.

How about going one step further than consecutive loops and having B&M do a new version of Orient Express at Worlds of Fun. The land is still sitting there waiting for a replacement coaster. B&M interlocking loops sounds like a winner to me.

I think at this point having a ride in that spot is a blessing, even if they don't do ANY theming in the surrounding area. And for those who never got to ride the hannibarrels, they originally had roofs. Does anybody remember what year those were removed? It was a fun ride, but once the tilt started it was harder to keep your barrel spinning.

I'm sorry that you can see Batman, Mr. Freeze, a WHOLE WATERPARK, The Boss, Excalibur, Pandemonium, Superman, Tornado, American Thunder, Sky Screamer, and Bonzai Pipeline as SFStL being neglected.

That's what I've read also in regards to the use of steel wheel assemblies using modern suspensions to create a smoother ride for a wooden coaster experience. I don't know exactly what the details are, but I have been reading about the concerns for a urethane-wheeled train on The Boss since its design relies heavily on the terrain changes in the area of the park where it's located. The biggest concern was whether they would have to completely eliminate the final double helix if they used soft-wheeled trains instead of keeping steel wheels. I'm sure that Rocky Mountain could come up with an amazing design either way, and I don't mean to be bashing you, gerstlaueringvar. I just remember having read somewhere that someone, I believe it might have been Alan Schilke himself, made comments about the differences of what they could do in a coaster design depending upon which type of wheels they use for the train. He implied that there was a much greater loss of momentum with the Gerstlauer urethane-wheeled trains that they used on IRat and NTG versus the steel-wheeled trains they designed for OR.

And, as I said, I'm no expert, but I've seen the undercarriage/wheel assembly of both the Outlaw Run train and a GCI Millennium Flyer. The wheel assembly is quite similar. I don't believe that all three wheels of the train gripping the rails instead of being loose like a traditional wood coaster train causes THAT MUCH loss of momentum as you are implying. Read other forums here regarding the new trains on IRat and NTG and how much modification they had to do to make sure the trains had enough momentum to get back to the station. And then read what you can on the topper track with the steel wheeled train Outlaw Run uses and how it compares to a traditional wood coaster train as far as friction, drag, and loss of momentum. And then look into what they are saying about the Great America Goliath with its use of topper track AND soft wheels and what the conversation is about how THAT will affect Goliath's momentum. Another comparison could be Intamin's wooden coasters with urethane wheels. I know El Toro uses urethane wheels. I'm not sure about Balder, Colossos, or T Express. And remember, as 3 of us informed you in previous posts, Outlaw Run is coming UPHILL back into the station, and that has more to do with the ride losing momentum at the end than the wheels.

Just as some on here wish to have been able to ride, or wish the rest of us could have ridden, Ghost Rider at its best, I wish everyone could have experienced Timber Wolf at Worlds of Fun when it was new. KICK YOUR BUTT AWESOME! Please, Cedar Fair, bring that beautiful ride back to its greatness.

Gerstlaueringvar, so far the only rides given Iron Horse treatment, NTG and IRat, have also been given new trains with urethane/nylon wheels. The increased friction and loss of momentum due to the soft wheels has made for substantial changes in the course of both of those rides for the steel track conversion. Unless Rocky Mountain plans on using steel wheels on Iron Horse track for the first time I don't think this will happen, unless Six Flags is willing to allow that major change in The Boss' course. I thought from looking at the IAAPA 2012 photos of Outlaw Run's train that the wheel assembly of Rocky Mountain's wooden coaster train was not that different from the Millennium Flyer by GCI except for being 2 bench instead of 1 bench cars. You would have to ask someone more in the know of the physics of roller coasters than myself, but I thought using traditional steel wheels on Outlaw Run allows the trains to keep more of its momentum, even with a tighter assembly of the running, side friction, and underfriction wheels. The fact that Outlaw Run is designed to be coming back UPHILL at the end of the ride is the reason the train starts to slow down at the end of the barrel rolls. The Boss was designed to keep its pacing breakneck all the way to the last double up at the end, so I don't think the trains used on Outlaw Run would cause the ride to lose much, if any, more momentum than the crappy G trains currently do, maybe even less if they are heavier. I think Six Flags really will pay attention to how the Iron Medusa transformation goes in Mexico since it and The Boss are similar in the unpopularity department and built around the same time. That is unless they have already decided to do the Boss transformation already. And prozach, just because YOU aren't willing to give Six Flags any respect because you aren't getting what you want in regards of ride additions, some of us LIKE the direction they are taking SFStL in. I think most of us were disappointed more that they took OUT the bumper cars to add Boomerang, but Dave Roemer said the building was in bad shape and he is fighting for new bumper cars in the near future. And you aren't just NOT a fanboy, you are a hater at times. I understand your frustration. I'm 10+ years older than you, I worked at the park when I was in high school, and it has seemed at times to be the park corporate cared about the least, especially considering SFStL was one of the original three parks. So take some time off and enjoy SDC and Great America until you feel there is an addition worthy of your patronage again. But sometimes when you feel the need to call those of us who haven't given up hope for a new big steel coaster DREAMERS, you should just step away from the keyboard and not post your negativity.

I think most of us believe that a major rehab on The Boss is more likely than not to be coming within the next 5 years. They have to be aware of how much money they could be saving by not retracking the ride as much as they have to currently. The biggest problem I think most of us have with The Boss is the lack of padding in the trains. Because of the concerns about loss of momentum with the Iron Horse track with urethane wheels that occurred on NTG and IR, and the major modifications that would have to be done to The Boss' course, I personally would rather see the ride given topper track for the whole course and new Rocky Mountain designed trains with steel wheels similar to Outlaw Run's trains. I would think that only minor, if any, changes in the ride's path would be necessary, instead of the drastic change that would be necessary with Iron Horse track and soft wheeled trains.

The name of the wingrider custom train is Parkitect => Sky Rider. It includes 3 types of track - 1) LIM launch Premier track like Flight Of Fear, 2)B&M track to build their coasters with inversions, and 3)Intamin triangular track to build rides like Skyrush. I would imagine it's pretty easy to find online.

Realistic if you think a combination of Rocky Mountain and Togo design aesthetics is realistic. For the most part this is NOT a realistic layout, even for a park that would be willing to spend $50 million plus for a coaster. It's just missing something in the flow of the design and the inversions.

I haven't read any posts complaining about a lack of things for the little ones. The removed ACME piece of crap kiddie coaster needs to be replaced with a modern smooth ride for children too short to ride Pandemonium or the Mine Train, but as far as flatrides go, almost all of them ARE kid friendly. As far as the setting of the park, it is scenic enough in the Ozark foothills to be a beautiful park in it's own right, and the park is pretty maneuverable for most walkers and wheelchairs except the final big hill up to Old Chicago and the Screamin' Eagle. I just wish they would use the topography the way Worlds of Fun did for Orient Express to build a nice hyper on the east side of the park with all that elevation change they have to work with.

Yes, but along the same lines as a coaster where the riders are dangling upside down and backwards for the entire ride - this TRACK could be built, but it's not practical, realistic, or good from an aesthetic standpoint. Isn't that what the creator was asking?

Yes, and by doing what I instructed you isolate the entrance path to avoid that situation. I've done that on several of my homemade parks.