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There's a new gateway to Presque Isle. At 2:14 a.m. Thursday the first of two support arches for Waldameer Park & Water World's new wooden roller coaster, the Ravine Flyer II, was placed across Peninsula Drive. The crew erecting the supports had hoped to put up both arches Thursday morning, but only completed the southern galvanized-steel arch before they had to reopen the road at 6 a.m., said Steve Reed, project superintendent for Mekis Construction, which is building the bridges. "We knew it was a stretch," Reed said. "Everything went fine tonight, but sometimes you just don't get as much done as you hope. "We figured it would take two nights, we just didn't know what we'd do the second night." The arches are assembled from eight prefabricated galvanized steel pieces. The four pieces that contact the ground were set up and supported Monday and Tuesday. Early Thursday morning a crew joined the two center pieces of the southern bridge and hoisted them into position. Video Bridge assembly: http://www.goerie.com/video/waldameerbridge Virtual ride: http://www.goerie.com/video/waldameer Reed said that the second bridge would be completed late Thursday or early this morning. If the weather turns to freezing rain, the crew will have to complete the second arch Monday. Together, both bridges weigh about 55 tons, Reed said, and are designed to hold a 300-ton load. The 165-foot-bridge will attach to the crossbeams on each arch, and a walkway will go along the main supports. Crews will start work on that walkway as early as next week, Reed said.

Update with a video of the bridge being installed across the road: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080118/NEWS02/801180376/-1/NEWS/

The main thing is the "Cyclone" does not have to move or get "Razed", shame the rest of the park is not looking too full

It's lovely to see an Original woodie getting the love it needs, this shows other parks that a coaster of this age can still thrill after all of the years. I would like to see it have "Nad" trains running. Maybe the park could buy the "Blue Streak" ones if CLP closes forever.

Update from GoErie.com: The bridge is going to be installed tonight. By 6 a.m., you'll be able to see workers installing the bridge by going to GoErie.com/video/waldameerbridge When I was a kid and heard terrifying stories about Waldameer Park's Ravine Flyer roller coaster, this was the amazing part: It carried riders right over Peninsula Drive -- over the road, the traffic, everything. It seemed almost too much to comprehend. Right over the road. Apparently, I wasn't the only one impressed by that detail, because for more than a decade, Waldameer Park & Water World owner Paul Nelson has been cutting his way through a 10-foot layer of red tape to build the new Ravine Flyer II. Right over the road, of course. The next big step for the $6 million wooden coaster, which is rapidly taking shape and on schedule to be completed in April, takes place tonight and in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Workers will stretch a 165-foot arched steel bridge over Peninsula Drive, which will eventually support the coaster's track. The important work is supposed to start at about 3 a.m., which is when an Erie Times-News crew of reporter Cody Switzer, photographer Rob Engelhardt and videographer Matt Mead will report to the scene for duty. It's fitting that Waldameer's new coaster, which is state of the art, will be covered by a cutting-edge team that will gather the news, snap the pictures, and record video and audio. By 6 a.m., you'll be able to see workers installing the bridge by going to GoErie.com/video/waldameerbridge. Time was, newspaper readers would have to wait a full news cycle before getting the story about events like this. But this is no longer just your father's Times-News. Thanks to GoErie.com, you can read the news, see the pictures, and get video and audio from the scene. It's only the beginning, too. What it means for news junkies is, you'll no longer have to wait. The breaking stories will appear on GoErie.com, and then, experienced Times-News reporters will continue digging deeper to provide you with more layers of coverage for the next news cycle. I've been in the newspaper business all my life, and I can't tell you how exciting it is to see this type of coverage coming together, and to know your news organization is now able to cover the story more completely than any other group. Brand-new technology and a commitment to serve its customers as completely as possible enables this newspaper to deliver the news immediately. I'd be willing to bet that the 74-year-old Nelson, who's worked at Waldameer since age 11, will be there tonight when they start to swing that long bridge across the road. He'll probably think about the past, when the first Ravine Flyer was the most exciting ride in town. But this coaster will be longer, faster and even more thrilling. It will take Waldameer, which is about to enter its 112th season, to a higher level.

I hope we hear good news from this meeting, but it depends if the "The Memphis City Council" likes Theme Parks and Roller-coasters. Why does everything take so long to come to an agreement that by the time it's finished the product is not working keeping due to cost more money to repair.. I wonder if Council's and companies do this on purpose, " leave things SBNO" and they become cheaper to destroy than to repair..

I can't eat anything spicy, would not even have a sniff at these wings. Give me a Wendy's Triple Burger anyday.

It will always be called "Thunderlooper" by myself. I rode it loads when it was at Alton Towers, front seat and hands up, an amazing launch with some great views of the countryside when climbing the spike after the loop. A great loss to English fan's after finding out AT did not get proper planning permission for it and "Thunder" had to leave. I wish another park in England bought the ride but it was destined to live thousands of miles away. When I rode "Turbine" at WB last year, it did not seem over 10 years since I was at AT riding "TL". How I love the strong launch n loop. Long live "Thunder" and "Turbine"

Does the Matterhorn have an indoor Tennis / Squash court at the top.

"Puma" is a weak name for a coaster. "Banshee" is the best name ever, but due to restrictions it can never be used.

The Park can only blame it's self for J2 rough's ride, the designers knew what the layout would be and they told the Park all of the rides hot "rough" spots. The Park could of gone for a less brutal ride to get more people in their gates. They have to put up with J2 or : Raze it or mod it so it's less rough.

A 7.15m film of the "Bat" at KI, there is some onride footage.

The "Bat" did look a fun ride for it's time and I thought "Top Gun" had extreme swinging. "Vampire" at Chessington (England) has improved with age and the floorless cars make the flying even better esp the 2nd 1/2 when it dives into a tunnel. I have not been on BBW, the 2nd drop looks pure fun over the lake. If anything on the "Beast" could be changed, what would it be.. I think the "Brake Run" shed on the Beast should not be as long as it is, KI could remove / shorten it, add some floating hills and a figure of 8 helix before hitting the underground / overground tunnel.

Thank you, was it a good wooden coaster to ride and anyone got a POV

What was the Theme Park and wooden roller coaster called which is featured in the film " Smokey and the Bandit 2". The coaster fell down when Burt Reynolds was chased through the coaster supports.

I've just bought one of these Bass tubes for my car, they are not avalible in the UK so I imported it. I am waiting for it to be shipped to England in the next couple of days, Does anyone have 1 or 2 of these in their car, Do the tubes produce very low and powerful bass.? http://www.bazooka.com/productAutoAmplifiedBTsBT.asp?id=244

I have everything I need at the moment due to me having a disposable income of £1,000 each month. I got a few things of men's grooming stuff, chocolate and £5,000 from my parents.

Smoking in films does not bother me, if someone is so dumb enough to follow a film and start smoking that's their bad luck, nothing will stop them from doing it.. The way to slow down drinking and smoking is to put the cost up to say $20 - $30 a packet and $10 - $20 a pint of lager / ale.

Happy Xmas and New Year everyone at TPR A coaster is for life not just for 1 season.

$80 for the MF Model

Wooden "Wild Mouse" rides are great because: Father of newer and spinning "wild mouse". Wood structure running steel track. Very rare - less than 5 in the world. Unique ride with tilting cars so it appears you come off the rails at the corners. 90 degree corners with drops straight afterwards. The cars are so huggable, cute and make a lovely "clicky" sounds when they are running on the course. BPB version is the most insane ever built.

From Screamscape: The day of reckoning is at hand at Six Flags Magic Mountain. I’ve been told that demolition crews have started the process of removing Flashback from the face of the Earth forever. A giant metal cutting claw unit was spotted tearing away pieces of the ride’s station, pre-lift turn and the bottom of the lift hill already. At this rate there wont be anything left other than scrap metal shavings pretty soon so if you get a chance, swing by and take some pictures of the historic moment as another ride gets sent to coaster heaven.

Just the right size to have in the back garden. The cars look lovely Mad Mouse timber roller coaster for sale. AUD$150,000 or near offer. In excellent condition. 12 Cars. Available end September 2007. Space required 46 metres by 15.5 metres. Will be pulled down and ready for transport September / October 2007. Located in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. http://www.usedrides.com/viewpicture.asp?expire=90&type=1&owner=0&search=1&off=1&page=5&ref=31547&sessionint=True

I miss "Thunderlooper" and "Black Hole" the most from the old days at AT

I just seen the video and it looks fine apart from the ending, I bet there will be loads of people feeling dizzy / ill as the train flys into the brake run and coming to a stop lying on your back. The ride should be longer and wider, there is so much speed left before the final dive, the train can do some "inverted" hills, banked corners and then dive towards the station.