simon8899

The only Morgan I rode so far was the Pacific Coaster at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier - they never sell much overseas...

Glad you liked Hansa-Park as its my home park. They've good collection of rides plus the Fluch and Nessie....

Sounds like you had a very adventerous trip. And even if I love coasters - would never wait hours for a coaster - let alone a spinning coaster...

After 3 days of investigation the reason for the accident is clear - parts of the refit failed - so all Monster still running the original parts are pronounced "safe" again. I took this picture two weeks ago and it shows the new 4-spoke exenter attached to one of the arms. One of these spokes failed due to rust inside a hairline crack. If this was due to the fact that the stresses on the material was calculated wrong - or the part was already delivered faulty - will be part of further long-term investigations. During the initial ivestigations with a portable X-ray device another hairline crack was detected on another new support beam. The owner of the ride - showmen Uhse - claimed that he would like to keep the ride, even if that would mean another refit. First and foremost all were lucky that no was killed or seriously injured during the accident. The support beam broke as the arm was beginning to lift so the gondola didn't topple and was luckily stopped by one of the fence parts around the rides. This now rises the dicussion to completly fence-in the rides in germany like in the US. On the positive side the orignal security-system of the Monster worked and as soon as the control-box lost contact to the gondola the ride froze in position to do no further damage - this is similar to the loopingracer trains were the operater gets no green light unless all restraints are closed. Here a link to an article in german by a german newspaper: BZ Personally I'm very happy that no one was killed and that those injured get well very soon! Next to that I also hope that the reason for the failure could be found and the ride safed as I rode it three times and it was on a great programme. But what wonders me that an original Monster 2 - like I rode it in Slagharen - now runs faultless for 40 years now, while new parts not even 10 years old fail so soon...

The standup Pirate looks amazing. Reminds me of the german Hopser or Schunkler were you cling to your health...lol Great TR!

I lately rode a Boomerang with those new trains featuring "seatbelt"-otsr - and it was quite enjoyable...

If you have some time consider to also visit Park Asterix.

A gondola of the Monster 3 got loose and crashed into spectators. 9 were non_critically injured. Rode this 2 weeks ago and was a great ride... According to radio federal police and the TUV engineers are investigating. The ride owner is in trauma treatment. I'm now on smartphone - more later. UPDATES Radio: Spectators hear metallic grinding noises before the accident - so first assumption is material fatigue. The axis of the gondola broke. The state attorney is investigating against the owning showmen. The ride will stay closed but the fair will continue. This is the first accident with a Monster in Germany. After investigations it was not the axis that broke - it was destroyed later in the accident- but the arm holding the gondola gave in due to rust inside a hairline crack. The supports were renewed 3 years ago, now featring 4 gondolas. On another arm there was another crack discovered after X-Ray. Its believed that Monsters with the original arms are still safe.

S&S ElLoco or Screaming Squirrell are also good choices for limited space - also a Maurer-Söhne Skywheel. I pointed out the ZacSpin as the city-center parks Linnanmaki and GrönaLund both got one.... Another cool thing would be a Eurofighter running over the roofs midway with the riders hanging upside-down over it...or a B&M floorless like in Tivoli Gardens...

The Vekoma launched bike coaster at Knotts was quite smooth for a Vekoma - maybe cause its still quite new.... After riding one or two Frisbees with top linear engine I've to say I like the classic friction-wheel Frisbees a lot more - maybe because the gondola is swinging freely in the air - but the others simply "feel" like they're somehow running with some safety-brakes on....cant really put my finger on it....

I'd think an Intamin ZacSpin would be ideal for a park on a pier - small footprint. I'd also go with a Schwarzkopf Katapult but thats daydreaming....

At Hansa-Park they've the final brakes inside a tunnel - and its damn loud. Many poeple who know whats comming hold their ears shut.... Engineering has come quite a way - you'd miss the new B&M or Gerstelauer coasters if it wouldn't be for the screaming girls...

I guess its because the train is already breaking on the backward part - I know those Schwarzkopf brakes when I hear them....

Looks like a great city but I hate all temps over 30C / 100F...I take a month with freezing temps than one day hotter...

Honestly I dont like the idea of a darkride looper - the magic of the loop is seeing the world revolving around you like in that signature shot from the movie "Rollercoaster". As the loop presses the riders safely into the seats this sensation is lost when you cant see the world around you. But if enclosing means a way to preserve this ride - its better than nothing. Cant they put the loop into a soundproof glass-building???

I always like a Round-Up on fairs....sadly they are more and more seldom found. Also rare to have a strobe-light on an US ride as in my experience they were mostly removed in parks as some poeple got seizures from them. Here nearly all rides have strobe-lights for nighttime - love it when all other lights are switched off and the ride is bathed by a dozen or so strobelights!

Schwarzkopf coasters are still the best! And at Knotts the Shuttle Loop runs like a charm so they should contact one of the many companies still doing maintenence and repairs for the Schwarzkopf coaster like Intamin, Gerstelauer, Zierer, Maurer-Söhne. All those either have the Know-How from engineers that formerly worked for Schwarzkopf - last time I checked on the website Gerstelauer even had a completly refurbished Schwarzkopf train for sale. I guess they can even install a completly new launch-system including trains - maybe with LSM/LIM launch. Its more a question of money than ability to do. And yes: I'd love to see Turbine back in action again. Would even go to belgium next year!

I think the "Thrill Lift" isn't a bad idea as long as its well engineered and regulary tested by independent state-employed engineers like the TÜV in germany... Okay incidents can still happen - but I trust those TÜV engineers more than those employed by the parks themselves.

Loved De Efteling this September. De Vliegende Hollander and Joris En De Draak are also wonderfully themed and great coasters.....

So far they've only hired a wild mouse each year from german showmen - I'd not be surprised if they now buy one for themselves. I guess they won't buy another big coaster as its quite out of place... Kinda sad as the Invertigo at Sommerland Syd was quite smooth compared to the SLCs...

Now had time to go through this whole post with all the marvelous stuff inside. Big thanks! @Intamin Flight Trainer There was one years ago in germany on the carnival circuit. It had open, non-revolving capsules that could go up about 105 degrees. A quite boring ride after you got into the controls.... @Bembom Brothers Park That looks like an american version of Attractiepark Slagharen in the Netherlands. They still have a Looping Star and Weber Traumboot - but their Schwarzkopf Apollo was converted in a chainswinger.... Also love all the Schwarzkopf stuff - we still have a lot of his rides here in germany but as you said as negative point on the Shuttle Loop: Not enough installations.... @gisco But the same is true with airports. When they opened they were on the green fields way out of the city - now the city has expanded around the airport and poeple start protesting about noise. Well, then don't move near an airport I always say....

Final Part: Evening pictures Bumper cars. Airwolf in light-blue and pink. Rotor with the new changing LED sign. XXL-Swing. Die Krake in all colors. Very flashy and still with classic lightbulbs. I hope that some rides will keep those - but lightbulbs are soon to be forbidden in the EU... Frisbee in yellow, orange and red. Kiddies love the living ghosts... Wilde Maus and Höllenblitz - the later also with changing LEDs. Happy Traveller with Ferris Wheel in the back. Top Spin. Commander is very flashy after dawn - sorry that pic got a little blurry. An evening view down the aisle. Break Dancer No.2. Happy Sailor. Alpina Bahn up the zero G hill. Alpina Bahn station. Alpina ticket house. Tons of sweets... Before going home a good bavarian beer... Final view down the aisle...

Alpina runs great as always. Schwarzkopf invented several improvements for portable rides like the conic joint system were youu can - simply put - join track parts like Lego while using less bolts and supports.

Nice Photos! I actually think that the boomerangs are better than you average Vekoma coaster - at least better than the SLCs or MK-1200. Wondering about the Condors - in europe they now go to the smaller parks but never found one not operating....

Part 4: Ferris Wheel to Alpina-Bahn View from the 60meter Ferris Wheel over the fairground with the Alpina-Bahn in the back with the Log-Flume, Höllenblitz and Wild Mouse in the front. XXL-Swing and the beertent. As you can see the Ferris Wheel gondolas are except for the support-beams all open. Round-Up, Monster and Frisbee. Hustle and bustle as the musicexpress stops. As poeple can enter from all sides the changeover times are extremely short. Each rider buys a ride-"jetton" to hand to the circling ride-attendant as proof-of-purchase. Musikexpress in full swing and poeple waiting for their turn. The gondolas swooshing by not even half a meter away... Höllenblitz front gleaming in the sunlight. A classic Schunkler - a ride swinging on an asynchronous axis as well as hopping up an down. The riders - with no restraints whatsoever - have to cling to the metal bars in their back as their bodies are bounced around. The second Break Dancer on this fairground. Again standing right next to the octogonal rotating plate - and no one cares... Break Dancer in full sight. The massive log-flume going for the splash - this one is taller than some I've seen stationary in parks... A classic 70s ride... But this is no ordinary Peter Pan ride - on this ride made by Mack the boats can spin! The center of this ride features a wonderful fountain. And also some hot mermaids... ...and yes: this unique ride is named Happy Sailor - well if the Sailer meets those mermaids... Finally to the Schwarzkopf goodness: Alpina-Bahn on the first drop. A piece of the Alpina-Bahn track on display in front of the ticket-house. Alpina-Bahn on the zero-G hill.