bumprnugit

I scrolled back through as much as I could tolerate, but if it hasn't already been posted Coney Island Cyclone (and Nathan's...what's a ride without a few in your belly?) survived wet but relatively no worse for wear. Well that again depends on what Zamperla decides. In a non-coaster but Coney Island related item: Mitik, the orphaned walrus calf that arrived at the NY Aquarium just a few weeks ago, survived as did all of the other animals thanks to the dedicated staff that rode out the storm with them. But with all the regrettable loss in New Jersey why Lord, oh why couldn't Sandy have struck at a time to make the final season of "Jersey Shore" really the final season? missed larrygator's update by two minutes. Don't beat me.

Toronto is a really cool city to visit, CW or not. As an added incentive the legal drinking age is 19... Once the ride is up and running, no one will be (or should be) questioning CF's decision. It's their $28 mil; let them spend it as they like. I really dig Intamin rides, but I don't own a pick-up truck with a sticker of Calvin wearing their t-shirt while peeing on a B&M logo. I can't wait to see what this ride is going to be like. And it will be a huge success for CW...look how much chatter it's created here!

Do you really think that? With B&M the last 5-10 years if there's one thing I've come to expect is that the rides will FEEL exactly the same! Goliath, Goliath, Intimidator, and even the older hypers and newer ones, I could close my eyes and have no clue which one is which! I totally agree with this - I've been on quite a few B&M Hypers now, almost back to back in the past 14 months - Silver Star, Apollo, Nitro, Goliath, Goliath, Intimidator, Diamondback, Hollywood Dream, etc, and Elissa is right, they all feel exactly the same. I too have felt that B&M thrills have become homogenized for quite some time. It's like buying a Big Mac in NY or LA; the corporate ideal is that they will taste the same. However at 300 feet this certainly does look intriguing. Despite some perceived similarities posted elsewhere regarding Behemoth, I think Leviathan will more than cut the muster. And I can only imagine what that first drop will feel like in the back seat!

Perhaps off topic, but I do believe D/C did make good coasters for their time, unfortunately for various reasons they did not hold up. Here are a few stickers I acquired during their banner year of 1990. I have aerial shots of the big four made that year but why I found these first is beyond me. Here they are, if it matters to anyone: Dinn 1990.BMP Dinn Corp Sticker 1990 Dinn DS 1990.BMP

But if you are applying the Curtis/Dinn equation to Ghostrider, why does Boulder Dash hold up so much better? Both are CCI's but built two years apart. Ghostrider nose-dived in the polls, but BD hasn't moved much at all. For as much as I try, I can't figure out what happened in the time between John Allen and Curtis Summer. And why do Herb Schmeck coasters seem to outlast all others? And why is CI Cyclone still the ride all others are measured against? And why am I still awake at 3:22 east coast time?

It's been a long time since I've ridden Le Monstre myself (even though it's a day trip for me) but the Morgan's plied the course with ease. They work pretty well on Dragon Coaster as well. Morgan trains have a very distinct sound that stays with you forever; I can hear it right now just thinking about it. I loved them on the Riverside Cyclone, the first seat/last car my particular favorite. I would plant my feet on the flat steel bar that ran across the front of the car, allowing me to "surf" the ride hands up. It is still a fun yet considerably rougher and neutered ride in the back, but not in my top three as it used to be. But I digress. Back on topic. Curtis Summer's designs can't be faulted as almost all of them opened to favorable reviews. And most if not all came nowhere near to "pushing the envelope." So the problem must be either construction, the trains, or a combination of the two. Predator gets the hardest hit as the roughest C/D creation, but I think Mean Streak is by far and away the worst. I rode MS it's debut season, and came off the ride somewhat nonplussed. A family "Texas Giant" is how I described it. My last ride two years ago was like a freight train taking a dirt road. When Predator debuted I thought Darien Lake had a winner on it's hands; not a top-ten woodie but a well-paced ride with all the elements a coaster needed to make Western NY proud. Then the Curtis/Dinn curse struck. But if I am not mistaken, this was the last coaster to run PTC's two bench trailer-hitch nightmares. I haven't given up on the Curtis/Dinn coasters yet, as a decent re-track and/or competent trains could solve the problem. But I fear as each year passes the parks will.

Agreed. Same can be said for Belmont's Giant Dipper, or hell, even Dania Beach Hurricane which is a newer woodie not far from the water, runs year round, and gets harsh weather in S. Florida and still ran GREAT last time we were out there! --Robb It's interesting Robb that you may be indirectly defending the much-maligned Morgan trains that run on both Giant Dippers. While I do not think they are the most comfortable seats out there, they get the job done (on a twister, anyway.) Riverside Cyclone was transformed into a retina-detaching car wreck as soon as the two bench PTC trains were introduced. Then shortly afterwards the first drop was altered. Uggh. I really think the issue is the PTC two-bench trains; they just do not track well at all and in time they just become progressively worse. Their three bench design seems to have a better performance record as I can't immediately think of a coaster that uses those that comes anywhere close to the turbulence the two-bench cars do. Sure most of them are out-n-back or figure eights, but I suspect if two-bench trains were used it would be a significantly different story. Of course there are always exceptions, but only a handful come to mind that use the latter and do not seem to have been negatively impacted.

While I hope this re-fab (not a re-furb) is a success, I reserve opinion on future wood coaster modifications. I am a wood coaster enthusiast first and foremost, but not necessarily a purist. I appreciate what Intamin accomplished with the "plug and play" design (my true definition of "hybrid coaster") but what if Texas Giant was re-tracked by what I opine as the best in the business: Martin & Vleminckx? I will patiently wait to see what happens when NTG opens up. In the meantime I will gladly accept wagers now on how long it takes before Six Flags starts to half-ass the theming. Ultimately I may not like the redesign decision, but I truly do hope it succeeds (no Rush Limbaugh am I.)

I was there Sunday 9/5, and the very top portion of the cannons were removed and it appeared steel plates put over the holes. Everything else was still there, so who knows what they are up to. The audio was still performing poorly, but the rest of the ride was as good as it always has been. But I can't recall when the soundtrack worked with any consistency this year anyway. Sixsixsix Flags should just ditch the audio and dispose of those god-awful mouse ear speaker thingys entirely.

SFNE2005, in your photos of the first drop on the service road, you captured SFNE pres. Larry Litton with Ms Massachusetts in the front. I know this because they hijacked that front seat ride from me and my boy! In your very next picture where you comment on "burst mode" and say "Hi, Steve" I believe you got me and my son in the front...I would love a better resolution version of that if it exists. Anyway, here is my proof of being "cut in line" by the SFNE pres (a VERY nice guy, and a gracious host!) Mugging for the press... You didn't think she would actually wear the tiara, did you?