SeaWhippet

I miss the Carowinds monorail. It added a little something extra. I wonder how many know why it went all the way out of the park toward I-77? Well, because originally it was supposed to lead to a park hotel that was never built (much like the Disney World monorail goes through the Contemporary Resort). Like the long-gone sky ride, it was the perfect attraction for older visitors and great for park photography. RIP.

Yes, the Vettel clan was rather imaginative in wooden coaster design. Just as West View was entering the last decade of its life, Andy Vettel (across town at Kennywood) was using that same creative energy to transform the Miller Pippin into the Thunderbolt. I agree with you about the old coaster stations. The box platforms are boring. The Whippet's station was a whimsical affair. Nice and big and all-wood. I especially liked the the way the trains swooped up out of the valley and into the parallel brake runs (you can see them in one of the shots). The Whippet trains did swoop out of the station rather quickly, a lot faster than KWood Racer though the latter run is MUCH longer (and the starboard track much darker). The best tunneled start ever was the Rocky Springs Wildcat. I'll get to that one in a bit. It was 500+ feet long and all downhill! The Morecambe Cyclone is one I missed But I've ridden PBB's Roller Coaster, though without the cool roof you described. Sorry to hear they replaced those classic trains with the Dippers old ones. THAT was coaster freedom. We share an obsession for the wooden coasters of yesterday. That's not odd; that's refreshing!

Hehe -- I'm looking for more. I know I have more on the Whippet (The Dips will be next!) but the Closet is a HUGE place and I've a lot to got through.

Ok, just to keep the mobius racer theme going, I thought I'd toss out a few Racing Whippet pics. The West View Racing Whippet (another Vettel wonder) is, in my opinion, one of the most inventive racing coasters every built. It wasn't huge but it was wonderfully paced. Perched astride a narrow valley with the coaster's station built on a bridge that spanned the ravine, the Whippet was unlike any other racer ... ever. I've spoken to a former operator who knew the ride so well that he could manipulate the trains ... releasing them at different intervals so as to make them meet up at various sections along the course. Sadly, I never rode the Whippet. It closed three years before I even knew it existed. But I did climb all over it in 1980. Armed with my Kodak 110 Instamatic, I shot the hell of this beautiful, silent creature just before it was destroyed to build a shopping center (yet another crime against history). Aside from a slick layout that split apart after the first drop and then rejoined for the race home, the Whippet sported a one-of-kind railway-style turntable used to move trains from the transfer track to the main line. Never seen that before or since. The trains also had fixed lap bars and only a leather strap for restraint (much like the Kennywood Jack Rabbit until recent years). I have a few more shots of the ride in operation that I will dig out later, but for now, I hope some of you enjoy this glimpse of one of the world's greatest racing coasters. -S

MP- Glad you could appreciate what I wrote about the Racer. Now a few comments about what you said: I, too, like the crazy color scheme. It just screamed MEXICO! That block brake leading into the second (station) turn has always been there. Well, it was there and in use when I first rode the Racer in 1988. This is prior to CCI's overhaul. On my first circuit, I was disappointed that it was on. But after we dropped off that turn and tore through the next run of three lower hills (that pass through the lift hill), I was SOOOO glad that brake was in use. The trains, structure, nor the riders could not have endured this section at top speed. It was THAT violent. I believe CCI redid the braking system, including replacing/updating that block/check brake on the station turn that was originally there. I recall back when the CCI rehab went down, there was discussion about what was changed. The work DID include altering the profile of certain hills to some degree, but I'm not sure how much. After reading your post, I contacted two of the engineers who worked on the CCI project as to how much of the profile was changed. I'll post here when I get a response. Whatever the case, the ride as it stands today is NOT the same as it was before CCI was involved. I agree that the 'old geometry' is reliable, whatever the weather. The Racer really took advantage of that fact. It always gave a good (intense/sustained violence) kind of ride. And the Grand National is one of my favorite all-time woodies. Though quite different from the Mexico ride and the Kennywood Racer, it's still wonderfully unique. I would love to have ridden its original trains. BTW, I suppose you're aware that these three rides are the only continuous-track racers in existence, right? -S

I rode the Racer repeatedly, both before and after the rehab. Besides the loss of the classic trains, the tamed version is far cry from its former self. I'll comment on that when I answer the post above. -S

Actually, it was my post about Aurel Vaszin. In my Closet, I've just posted a letter from Aurel as well as a few other items you might find interesting: Mexico City Racer/NAD-IAD letters. Drop me an e-mail and I'll give you a contact for the last person that I know who knew Vaszin. -S

The Mexico City Racer (aka La Montana Rusa) is a ride that had intrigued me from the moment I first read about it in Robert Cartmell's New York Times article, "The Ultimate Roller Coaster." I immediately wrote to the builder - National Amusement Device – asking for information. To my surprise (I was a just a wee lad at the time ), NAD founder Aurel Vaszin responded with a letter (see below) and a number of brochures and photos. He also gave me contact info for NAD’s successor – IADI. That letter is included as well. The photos that follow are from Vaszin and my own camera. I was fortunate enough to ride the Racer in 1989, before CCI tamed the ride’s excessive negative-Gs. Sadly, during the same period, they also butchered several of the six (!) beautiful NAD Century Flyer trains. Someone should pay dearly for that crime against history… Enjoy this look back at one of the most impressive racing coasters every built. Cheers! -S

Cathy, thanks for sharing. OVP must've been something to see back in its heyday! I still can't believe I stood on the Rocket's platform and never got to ride it. Cherish your memories! -S

Wow, look at the outside-the-station queue for Gemini on the first page! Speaking of Gemini, I just found a construction shot of the ride. I'm guessing this was in early '78. -S

My favorite part of this TR is seeing that the coaster still uses skid brakes. Anyone know what they did with the Century Flyers they got from Mountain Park? -S

That two-car train looks so bloody strange! I can't recall if the film featured other footage of the Rocket aside from what this clip showed. Anybody?

No, I don't have a copy but would love to see it again. As bad as that TV movie was, it contains the very last filmed images of the park in operation. They changed the Rocket's train from three-cars to just two. I often wondered if that was done to reduce stress on the structure, or to make sure the train hits its mark when it 'crashed' ... -S

I've ridden Scat, Scat 2, and Cobra (MANY years ago) ---- and they were all equally awful. Never again. We saw a Scat and an Eyerly Loop-O-Plane last summer at a local Charlotte fair. Both looked great, but we admired from a distance.

Yes, Shane, I agree about the Rocket's speed bump after the first drop: it must've been quite intense. You can easily see that in one of the off-ride shots in 'Rollercoaster.' I think they gussied the old girl up for her Hollywood premier, but she was still one mean b**ch according to people I know who rode at the time. That crash scene was WAYYY more gruesome than what made it into the final cut. The producer's (?) wife saw it and asked that it be tamed a bit. I've heard that stunt people were injured in that scene. I'd love to see the Director's Cut ... That one pic is all I have left of the Playboy nudie layout (go figure!!!). If you have others that show the Rocket, please post! -S

Ocean View Rocket The Rocket (formerly Skyrocket) at Virginia’s Ocean View Park was a spectacular seaside thriller that rose to fame in 1977’s ‘Rollercoaster.’ I was quite young then, and unable to drive, but once I saw the film’s ride sequences (especially the nighttime POV prior to the ‘crash’), I vowed to somehow experience the amazing coaster in person. During a family vacation in 1977 (that included Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens!), I finally convinced my Mom to stop at Ocean View. It was an early weekday afternoon and crowds were very light. I sprinted right onto the coaster’s platform with a ticket in hand … ready to ride. But other than the lone operator – and older man who seemed half-asleep – I was the only one there. He perked up and told me that he couldn’t send the train unless he had at least twelve riders. What!?! I tried and tried but I could not convince anyone to ride with me … even complete strangers I accosted on the vacant midway. It was my worst nightmare. In the end, I never got to ride the Rocket. My last image of it is burned into my memory: an empty three-car train sitting silently in the station with the lap bars up and ready for passengers ... that never showed up. And as we all know, Ocean View Park closed the following year, and the Rocket was destroyed for a deplorable TV movie called ‘The Death of Ocean View Park.’ It was a sad ending to a classic ride. -S Here is the video clip of the coaster being destroyed for the movie: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oT5NESydaso Here is more video from that film: * These photos come from a variety of sources including my personal collection, Playboy magazine and OVP fan Doug Garner.

The Lakeside Cyclone itself is worth a trip to Denver, just make sure you are there to catch the park after dark. Lakeside is a completely different park from night to day! So true. Cyclone is the last Vettel coaster still operating (Conneaut's Blue Streak is SBNO), and it's one sweet ride. Those big roomy wooden trains with fixed lap bars are real treat. For those into photography, Lakeside is an incomparable neon kingdom at night! Just beautiful.

Yep, and Lakeside celebrates its centennial season this year! I feel a need for a spin on the Cyclone and Wild C'Munk!

Glad you liked them ... and yes, it appears that something went all wonky with the orange ink ... (':?:')

Yes, the new Elitch's does seem quite sterile. It's among my least favorite parks for a variety of reasons. I feel those who designed it really didn't understand what made the original so special in the first place. At the very least they should have relocated the existing (and proven) wooden coasters instead of trying (and failing miserably) to build a 'modern' version of Twister. It's rather sad ... -S

As Shane said in his recent Attic post, Elitch Gardens was a wonderful traditional park. The new Elitch's is nothing like the original. That's especially true when comparing Mister Twister with the newer downtown version. So, here's a little add-on to Shane's thread ... I've noticed that not much is ever said about the Wild Cat. I was surprised what a great little ride it turned out to be. Below are a few pics of both coasters. The B&W images (courtesy of PTC) illustrate the WC's original low-profile second hill and show what the ride looked like prior to Twister's construction. *Note: The color shots came to me in the early 90s when I was editor of ACE News. I found them on a disc, and have no idea who the photographer is.*

I can see how the Dips turnaround freaked you out. I walked the track and was amazed that a train with only a fixed lap bar didn't toss riders out on every circuit. Too bad you missed the Whippet. I climbed all over that sweet machine. It was a brilliant Vettel design. Oh, and it had fixed lap bars as well. I can only image what night rides were like ...

Hey Kevin, Glad you enjoyed the Comet pics. I have others of the ride in operation but I'm still looking for those. Where were the trains/Bug tubs located in your pics? Though they look rather bad, I'm glad to see they weren't dumped in a landfill. BTW, I'll have West View shots up soon. I climbed all over the Dips and Racing Whippet the last year it stood. So sorry I never got to actually ride those beauties. -S

It could be painful, especially after a storm when the branches were heavy with rain and hanging low over the track. Paul, for the most part, kept the track clear but there was SO MUCH forest to deal with. I've ridden no other ride that was as concealed in the woods as was the Comet. I was digging through the Closet today and found a few more pics of the Comet. See below. That's me in the train, which is at the bottom of a dip. Sadly, it never ran again. The train had been pushed out of the station by delinquents and remained there until it was hauled away and junked. The third pic shows a workman during the ride's demo; he's cutting the steel track from the laminates. I believe this was the drop that occured after the turnaround beside the park's swimming pool. It was an awful end to a strange but entertaining coaster. -SR

I agree about the beauty of the lattice structure. It was quite expensive to build compared to the box beam. I guess that's why we only saw it used on Revolution, Hershey's SDL, Carowinds' White Lightnin', Kings Dominion's King Kobra and ... are there any others? Can't think of any at the moment.