simon8899

Great PTR! Wanted to visit Djurs - and Faarup - this June but then opted for Rheinkirmes. Your report makes me wanna go next summer. Sadly Denmark parks are mostly closed in Sept and Oct.

Here the general public is very at ease with rides at carnivals and parks. Mostly because everyone knows and can see that every ride - but also elevators, cars, trains, etc. have to be tested independently. A TÜV plaque is placed yearly on every ride. The TÜV also is responsible for any accident investigation for rides they cleared as "safe". The charming part of the TÜV is that it is not connected to showmen, park owners or manufacturers. You can find the TÜV plaques on any ride mostly at or near the operators cabin - they have to be placed easy visible to the public. Of course we also have accidents - but most rides run again after having been fixed and the TÜV cleared them. Next to the annual in-depth test carnival rides need a visual inspection by a TÜV engineer each time they are arrected - here a German article from the newspaper Ruhrnachrichten. The TÜV is around since after the war and is one of the most trusted institutions here. I've seen their plaques on rides in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, so they also do foreign service for countires who don't have such an organisation.

^The video shows the Zierer Starshape is also running. But no clue to the "big" coaster...

^I think Vekoma had a license from Arrow to begin with. I don't know the current status as Vekoma developed coasters based on the Arrow system that were Vekoma's own invention like inverted coaster, boomerang that a lower percentage now goes to the license owner for current Vekoma coasters using new evolutions of the Arrow track system.

^already miss it But am sure happy to have been there last week when temps were a little lower. ^^at least some Whirlwinds look as if they are portable: Source: rcdb

^Please report if SooperDooperLooper is running

Maybe restraints like on X-Cars or Timberliners are the future

A personal observation from Hansa-Park a few weeks ago: The old Schwarzkopf looper Nessie has seats with no seat divider and I saw a quite big woman taking place in the middle and put one lapbar over each of her legs - she wouldn't have fitted into a single lapbar. The attendant only checked if both lapbars were locked and allowed the woman to ride this way. I doubt if this was intended by the ride manufacturer. IMO adding seat dividers would be a better idea and they wouldn't slow down operations as much as seatbelts.

^Would be great to see! Also wondered if Vekoma ever considered making a portable Boomerang?

^^Gerstlauer trains/cars mostly use LED that light green if the restraint is locked. Schwarzkopf used orange/green lights (Nessie) or a security circuit were the operator can only launch the ride if all lapbars are locked. But like riding a train or flying a plane accidents can always happen and we accept it every day as we use different kinds of transportation. Now it's time to wait until the investigation is done to determine: - if the rider was able to ride and behaving properly during fasten of the restraint and during the ride - if the attendant / operator checked the resteaints / systems correctly - if all maintenece schedules were fulfilled and spare parts were bought according to manufacturers specs - if a single part of the restraint failed due to a single production/material error - this would be the definition of a "tragic" accident - if the part failed due to wrong/faulty calculations during initial planning/construction - this would be a design error Most accidents here in the last years were due to single material or production faults - like a refurbished Schwarzkopf Monster III two years ago in Bremen were a gondola broke loose due to a welding error. This even happened despite our regular TÜV tests of the ride. After the ride was fixed it is again on the carnival circuit.

German news are now picking up the story but those items that I checked don't name Gerstlauer or RMC. It is mostly headlined "Tragic accident at Texas amusement park".

Heard of this now - sad day! So far this isn't news here - even if a German manufacturer is involved. For the coasters: On the Hansa-Park Webcam I can see that Fluch - Launched Eurofighter - is running normally right now.

^Except for kiddie coasters we hadn't any brand new coasters since Euro-Star which went quite fast as it got rough very fast. The last *new* coaster we had was showman Steiger Teststrecke - the used Schwarzkopf Double-Loop Laser. After Euro-Star I think no showmen wanted to take the risk of buying a new non-Schwarzkopf portable coaster - which are proven to run smooth and reliable after 30 years. After Laser I hope - even if those hopes are small but no one thought an old Double-Loop would return from the US - that Thriller will return someday and will be restored to its original layout. Finally returning to the fairs after being neglegted so many years in the US and Mexico...

The Mississippi Paddle Boats at Heide-Park were made by the park themselves - but are now defunct. www.freizeitpark-welt.de

PhotoTR Part 4 - Rheinstrasse Rheinstrasse is the second midway on the bank of the river Rhine. Located here were the two big coasters as well as two popular beertents - Füchschen and Erdinger. View down Rheinstrasse Standard Mack Wild Mouse built around a tree. Large Break Dancer 2 located to the right of Olympia. First drop goodness Newly painted loops The plaza before the Füchschen Brewery beertent offered a Waveswinger, Olympia, Break Dance 2, Zamperla Jumper and the Mondial Observation Tower View into the Füchschen beer tent Those foxes are very naughty Footers in the grass Anyone up for some sweets? Found the good beer! Bavarian beer garden Happy Sailer from Bremen - Mack Peter Pan variant with spinning boats Alpina first drop goodness! Floating airtime hill The entry portal alone needs 2 trucks to haul. This answers a previous question on this thread... If beer isn't kicking enough here you get Schnapps Ghost In A Shell? Mandial Shaker "Shake&Roll" is themed to the heyday of the 50s Hmmmm.....this is not Olympia??? Barth also had a Mack Himalaya here Shortly before joining the Radschlägerstrasse at the TopScan stood this Huss Magic Ran a way better program than the Magic at Heide-Park. Stay tuned for some videos next week.

oh my....

Remains to be seen if this will get a launch or a tower...

Having no experience with this make but Funtime HighFlyers seem to run every time I visit - Prater, Tivoli, Hansa-Park, Holiday-Park - while I often read here that the Windseekers are not very eager to seek some wind...

A Boomerang with the new Rubber-OTSR trains from Vekoma is actually quite fun. But as said - only with a new train.

Not only seeing an Enterprise lifting without spinning but it's also seldom to find a HUSS Enterprise with double compartments.

PhotoTR Part 3 - Historic Kirmes Rheinkirmes featured some of the oldest still operating carnival rides in Germany. Most of them were located on Radschlägerstrasse near Rheinkniebrücke. Highlights included a 1926 music express without restraints and a 1950s wooden bumper cars. 1948 mirror maze Crystal Palace. Like all classic rides most got of course refurbished or extended at some time. Having come with me from Hamburg is the 1950 Siemens Rotor. The portal building is of course newer and already updated to LEDs. A classic chair swing. Those are mostly from the 60s and many of them are still travelling. The 1910s Toboggan slide. 1950s bumper cars "Der Selbstfahrer" - could be translated into "The Drive-It-Yourself". The building was self-made by the showmen while the cars are from the early 1970s by Ihle. Self-Operated swings called "Looping The Loop" It takes some strength and coordination to make the swings flip over. 1926 music express "Raupenbahn". Not only the theming but the music here is still a vinyl. Needless to say this ride got it's last theming in the 1950s. As there are no restraints the ride attendants liked to ride while standing. In more prudent times the closed Raupe was one of the few opportunities were lovers could kiss while parents could not watch. Finishing the classic ride with two story merry-go-round.

Someday I wanna do SFOT and SFOG mostly to visit the two classic Schwarzkopf coasters but this park actually look good overall. Like most parks SFOT only has a small Breakdance 3, while those are fun they don't have the forces of the larger carnival variants.

^^The Wildwasser 3 by showmen Löwenthal needs 60 long standard containers to transport. Trucks are only used for transport to the nearest cargo train station where 2 trains take it to the next location. In addition there are 5 trucks hauling the caravans and service-container. ^On larger rides like the coasters, water rides and most inversion rides you buy a ticket and then have a regular queue were the tickets are collected before getting into the ride. All flats - even some inversion rides - you buy a plastic token, then head onto the open platform as soon as the ride stops to secure a seat. This can get quite stressful at popular rides - a Break Dancer can re-start within half a minute, there're mostly loud honks signaling that the ride is full and the ride-cycle begins immediatly but ride-attendants, who also collect the tokens, shove you off the plattform. And yes, it's cash only - make sure to have enough coins and small notes. Notes over €50 are generally not accepted, many showmen look angrily at you if you pay with a €50 note. If you're a first time visitor go to the fair as soon as it opens as crowds will be lower.

^this anually only happens at Oktoberfest - Düsseldorf has both only every 3-4 years. But in Düsseldorf you can book a 3*** hotel for around €50 during the carnival while prices in Munich skyrocket. Then you'll be riding Olympia - Alpina will go to Anakirmes next.

PhotoTR Part 2 - Radschlägerstrasse Rheinkirmes has two midways the Radschlägerstrasse facing the Düsseldorf district of Oberkassel and the Rheinstrasse facing the river Rhine. Mondial TopScan running an insane 4+ minutes program At least 2/3 of the ride cycle was on the highest speed setting Happy riders!!! Huge Mack log-flume. 3 drops - 2x forward, 1x backward. 2 turntables. Darkride section with animatronics. The smaller Break Dance 1 by showmen Bruch themed to Gremlins In Las Vegas Crows in Radschlägerstrasse slowly picking up at about 2pm. 1970s giant ship swing, self-made by showmen Kalbfleisch - now owned by showmen Markmann. Enjoying the view before the drop. A ride cycle consisted of at least 5 drops. Even a darkride ghost has it's thoughtful moments... One of many places to get beer and all other booze. Mondial Turbine - BoosterMaxx variant with spinning compartments. More beer... Schwarzkopf Monster III Funtime HighFlyer, Hawaii Fruits and a guy smoking on a ride's painting next to a bikini girl. Ready to drive some carts? Bertazzon bumper cars Double action on a Maurer spinner Spinning Racer offers a short but fun ride. Coming next are a lot of historic rides.