mattypark

It definitely will be a good year for the PA parks. Hopefully Flying Turns at Knoebels will be opening 2012...Skyrush at HP, Stinger at DP, and something fun at Kennywood is currently en-route.

Thanks everyone for your comments! Much appreciated. Hi Matt. I'm not sure if I want to build another coaster right away. I will definitely be building more for my layout (once I have the room), but my next project is probably going to return to flat rides. Either a PTC carousel or maybe a Zamperla Hawk will be my next project...I haven't decided yet! Thanks. Haha - that would be neat. I do think about donating my models by setting up a display at a Children's Hospital though, someday. Thank you sir. The CoasterDynamix kits are also great (I just wish they had more HO Scale varieties...presumably a manufacturer would have access to the equipment needed to make the miniature components (upstop wheels, etc), but I recognize the challenge that's for sure). Thanks again everyone. Be sure to check out my Facebook link / Blog for more updates over the next few months!

Hello everyone. One of my hobbies is to build miniature, HO-Scale (1:87) amusement rides (dorky I know...but I'm an engineering grad student and enjoy the puzzle!) I'm working on a model layout, but for now am just building and collecting them. Here are a few pictures of my latest project, an HO Scale, scratch-built, Vekoma Boomerang. After 16 months working on it (grad school tends to consume most of my modeling time lately), I am somewhat pleased with the result and am excited to move on to something else. Just thought I would share on this website as well. YouTube video: Also, more pictures of this model and the others are on my model "park's" Facebook page: Mattyparkminipark. A few from the construction process: I used CAD to draw the track ribs and had them laser cut. They then were glued onto plastic styrene tubing and then the track was glued in place. Thanks for looking! Matt-

Yes I am working on trying to build an entire layout...I would say about 70% of it will be inspired by HP, but it will be more of my own creation than a replica of HP. I did work on a replica of the "Conestoga" but it's being refurbished right now. I will take a few pictures when that is complete. A bit off topic, but is it me, or was that ride awesome? I was sad to see it go! Almost makes me want to take a trip to Lake Winnie to go on it again. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you all for your comments. Unfortunately this is just a static model. I can raise or lower it by hand if I want, but creating a working model of this type is out of my level of skill or knowledge - not to mention wallet. The tower is about 13'' high (100 feet in HO Scale) and platform approximately 11'' wide.

Hello all, I thought I would post some pictures of a project I have been working on, and finally completed not too long ago. I scratch-built an HO Scale (1:87) replica of Hersheypark's "Flying Falcon" ride, a Huss Condor. Here are 2 videos of the original I found on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE05QDm2W1g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfx8dpsOahU And here are pictures of my project: Boarding position ready for riders: Starting to climb the tower: Up, Up, And Away: At the top, side view: Closeup of the center assembly: Climbing down the tower: Nobody is in line! "2 Riders Per Car, Regardless of Size:" Here we go again: Still a work in progress, but it's time to move on for now. Thanks for looking!