rollermonkey

No one really knows much. I was going to check it out, but my ship's schedule got changed last minute, so what's on RCDB is all that's known. Nobody knows if it's ever operated or even tested!

Here's the article: Son of Beast flaw cited BY JESSICA BROWN | _JLBROWN@..._ (mailto:JLBROWN@...) MASON – The July 9 roller coaster accident at Paramount's Kings Island that sent 27 people to the hospital was caused by a deficiency in the structural design, according to a state report released today. The design flaw in the Son of Beast allowed a vertical wooden support beam to crack. The failure of that support led to the failure of two other supports, causing a slight dip in the track, according to the state. "This led to a `pothole' effect, injuring riders," states the report from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. In order for the ride to reopen, the park must: • hire a qualified engineering firm to conduct a detailed review of the entire structural design; • complete structural modifications to eliminate design deficiencies; • complete structural modifications to stiffen the structure and reduce lateral movement; • strengthen the wood components and connections to ensure structural integrity. Metal chain plates should be added to strengthen wood components and metal split rings should be added to strengthen bolted connections. The ride, which opened in 2000, has been closed since the accident. Kings Island rebuilt a portion of the coaster in August. Two negligence lawsuits have since been filed by injured riders. Kings Island officials plan to remove the "loop" portion of the roller coaster and re-open the ride this spring. "That enables us to use lighter trains," said Maureen Kaiser, park spokeswoman. "That will reduce the load on the physical structure and lead to a more comfortable ride experience." She said the change is above and beyond what the state required. The change is expected to be a multi-million dollar project and will remove the Son of Beast's designation as the only looping wooden roller coaster in the world. Kaiser said guest safety and comfort comes first. It remains the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061213/NEWS01/312130022

Cold Stone Creamery... Yummy, oh so yummy. Might be hard to get any if there are any ACE'rs in the park, though. The first time I ever saw one was in Guam on my honeymoon. We liked it so much we had it every day we were there. Then we worked it off.

Like it's retarded half brother in Thailand? http://www.rcdb.com/ig3436.htm?picture=4

I dunno, I'd have to check, but I'd be surprised if they couldn't get more than $125k just for scrapping it. Averaging @ $200 a ton. What's Superdude weigh?

Elissa said it, SFI will do anything for money right now. However, B&M doesn't usually make more than 4 or 5 rides a year. What's on the block for them right now next year? Griffon Hollywood Dream: The Ride Whatever is going into Hard Rock Park That's it. The Korean ride may not be this Batman, but it is possible...

^^^ That's a pretty 'fair' description of the situation in Ohio, but you forgot one bit: Well, we can go to Wyandot lake on the way, right? No, it's closed all year, but when it opens again, all the rides will be gone, so it will be a zoo with waterslides. Oh. And Six Flags sold that one, too.

Suddenly this week became interesting...

Not a new credit, but I wonder how many people will count it as one? SoB needs more help than just this, new trains at a minimum! PTCs, Millenium Flyers, anything but those crappy Premiers. I'd even take Psyclone's POS B&M trains! Hey, Vekoma woodie trains might not be half bad on SoB...

I am NOT driving to New Orleans for disassembly photos. I should hope that SFI would keep the Batman in the chain and sell off one of the POS SLC's they have laying around, but that would be a smart move. This was originally the Batman clone Gambit from Thrill Valley in Japan. I find it humorous that this is the only B&M ever relocated and it's going to move again.

45 minutes? Do you need gas money? I was driving nearly 2 hours each way for all those Eejanaika updates. With all the tolls it usually coast me nearly 100 bucks each time I went. I don't think anybody wants to see you go out there a bunch of times, but rather just the once for a little visual confirmation, sad though it may be. Please? Incidentally, does the park need to reopen in any specific manner to meet the conditions of the lease? Could they concievably open just the kiddy area for one weekend and then bail safely?

I still think that 6F would be better off not trying to compete directly with the Mouse. The mountain might be a great family park someday, but that's not going to be next week. Why not fill the niche of being more extreme with some quality flats instead of coasters? Remove Goldrusher! Remove Psyclone! Remove the hulk that was once Z-Force!

Hey, CalCajun, where did you hear B:TR is being dismantled? If you saw it yourself, can you get some pictures for us? Thanks!

With the lift hill looking almost twice as tall as all of the other hills, there should be some airtime after all, but why do all those other hills look almost the same height? It certainly seems to fit the description of an out and back.

Screamscape has a bunch of photos from the proposal for this park. The placement within the island itself was a bit surprising to me. I expected it to go in the undeveloped area on the west end of the island. For reference, the bridge at the bottom of the pictures connects Sentosa to Singapore's main island to the north. (So the model is viewed looking south.) They kept the cable cars from the World Trade Center (There are lots of buildings with that name if you didn't know that.) and the nearby 'mountain' on the main island, but it seems to have been extended, as the way they were originally and the last couple of times I made it out there, they came down fairly close to where the bridge meets Sentosa. Most of the current attractions on the island are getting plowed under for all this new development, but they kept the giant Merlion statue, the walkway up to it and some of the gardens.

^^ I can't believe that you were the first person to say that! Avalanche, indeed. I just hope that it has higher capacity. Any idea where the trains are coming from?

It's been some 5 years since I went to this park, so can I get a little help? Is the dashed line on the left side of the map the train line? If it is, that means that down is north, right?

Er, as much as I like visiting Australia, (I can't seem to get there during the coaster season, though.) Singapore really is a world class city, a major shipping and air hub as well as a tourist destination. Plus, they throw around some mad cheddah when they want to make real tourist attractions.

Of course the Hollywood Universal Studios isn't really all that big... I hope that my next ship goes to Singapore after they finally get a new amusement park!

Don't feel bad Flipdude. It took me three days to do my steel poll, and sadly most of my new coasters were down between 80 and 200 on my ballot. *That says something about the bulk of the Japanese coasters.) It was odd seeing only one coaster with insufficient riders for inclusion this year, there is usually a bunch. Some folks got out to India finally I guess. Jupiter will likely move up into the normal ranks next year, but it isn't all that fantastic.

Ballot done... #102... gasp... Next year... Ted's system. thump

Give me a break, Elissa! You forget that I didn't become obsessed with coasters until AFTER I moved to Italy. That means I haven't been subjected to nearly as many ACErs or coaster idiots as you have. You, Robb, and those on the UK trip are the biggest coaster peeps I've really met. I did meet a few ACErs that came on the ECC trip to Japan, but I didn't really get to know any of them except Lisa Schein. Wood coaster poll. NEARLY done with the steel poll...

I recognized our fearless leader's alter ego: Fatty-Patch Jacket, I was just making sure you weren't referring to the feller leaning against the fence.

The worst thing is that I recognize where that photo was taken, but not the people in it. Which one is the 'infamous' P.aul D.rabek?

I was surprised by the drop off in poll submissions this year as well. I wonder if it was in any way related to the fiasco last year? The Wild Mouse @ BPB has been in my top ten woodies more than once, so: Amen, Bruthah Steve! What's a Paul Drabek?