KCForce

The only thing that would have made that awesome video from the chopper better is if they had lucked out and caught a test train. Awesome video, makes the ride look even better with views we haven't really seen before. Great fine, thanks for sharing!

Wow. I had the original article from National Geographic World when it came out. The Arrow train they are working on is the Loch Ness Monster. Because the article said it was now open (The Loch Ness) I'm assuming they got the pictures for the article several months if not the year before they published it. I didn't see the year it was published, but I think it was 1978, when I was 10. I had yet to ride an Arrow coaster and could not figure out how those restraints worked - that is how you got behind them. I envisioned you either slid behind them, or they opened similar to the Togo stand-up coaster restraints. I was really surprised when I rode my first Arrow, the Screamroller at Worlds of Fun in 1979 and saw that they lifted up! It was new technology in 1979 that was only 4 years old at that time. Other rides didn't use them yet, it wasn't until some time later that rides other than Arrow corkscrew coasters used them. Something that is a lasting legacy from Arrow. I *think* if I remember correctly Intamin *might* have been the first to use shoulder harnesses on their first generation Free Fall....details from back then are bit fuzzy these days.

I love the picture of the Corkscrew at Flamingo Land...it looks twice as tall as the 75 feet it really is. Seems to kind of be a thing with adverts in the U.K., not that it isn't done anywhere else, exagerate things without straight out lying. Camera angles are every thing. Oh well at least in the U.K. and Europe they open some of their parks year round, so that makes up for it.

I thought so too when I first saw them. They are actually 12 cars long (24 riders per train) which is the same capacity as the PTC's they replaced and is the most common train length for MF's. (I don't actually know of any MF trains that aren't 12 cars/24 passengers....does anyone else?) I think the bright colors of the trains (aren't they great?) add to the illusion that they are longer. Peace!

I guess I'll let him know. That video was posted 3 pages and 6 hours ago. But thanks (no sarcasm intended). I do agree with you, it looks fantastic. Really looking forward to doing this (or will it be doing me?) coaster. Peace!

Now, that's niffty. Now I'm waiting for someone to point out that lots of track sections are misaligned!

Okay, you the the award for best BGT Update E V E R! Awesome pictures, I almost peed myself when I saw the "This is where the train will ramp off the track", just funny and I really needed a laugh this morning. Lot's of great, well done pictures. Good thing you disclosed it was what's-her-name Jen's camera or something bad would have happened. Thanks for the update. Even more excited for this ride. Peace! KC

Yes, Prowler at Worlds of Fun has individual seat belts for each rider. However, in all the time that Prowler has been open, when I've visited (about twice a week) they hardly ever stack the trains. The crew on this coaster knows how to be efficient and safe. They check the belts and bars at the same time. This coaster has gotten a bit faster as time has gone on - it takes barely 40 seconds (about 10 second's faster that from when it opened) from the time you leave the lift until you enter the magnetic reduction brakes, from there it's about 15 second's to the "stack" brake before the turn to the station. So when you factor in the time from station to top of lift, (it's about 48 seconds), so you're looking at 93 seconds to prevent a stack. Now the total ride time is a bit longer as you have to travel from the stack brake to the station (about 10 seconds), but it doesn't factor into preventing a stack. That's NOT a lot of time, but they do it, pretty consistantly. I hope this continues, but this coaster seems to be the exception at the park.... I know that one of the leads is not coming back next year on this ride, but I have my fingers crossed. Perhaps we should send them to train Gwazi's Crew? I have not been to BGT since Montu was new, and am going this next winter and really looking forward to trying Gwazi and Cheetha Whatchacallit out. Oh, and SheiKra too! And any other rides I can whore around on like Air Grover and Cheetha Chase, of course, cause I'll do anything with a chain lift!

I got it from the official construction page for Six Flags Over Texas. http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx Under January 2011, second picture down shows the MCBR and says, "Electro-magnetic brakes are installed high above on the safety brake section.", And in the December 2010 update, it says "A modern electro-magnetic brake system is installed in the brake run.", next to the second picture down. Although, they do look like the Dynabrake's which according to their web site are permanent magnets.

I *hope* that the MCBR electro-magnetic brakes are adjustable. I wonder if they are going to use the brakes at all times (ala Titan or even Mamba at World of Fun) to slow the train there, maybe not as dramatic as Titan. I hope not. Then again the MCBR on Diamondback at KI was used all the time in '09 when I visited and was not detrimental to the ride in the least, but it was gently applied and not all out as on some other coasters like Titan. I would be a bit surprised to not see a clamp brake installed at the end of the MCBR after the electro-magnetic brakes, but not blown away - new technology and ways of doing things rarely surprise me anymore. (I remember the days when no one had a PC at home, there were no cell phones, debit cards, CD's, hell the VCR hadn't been invented yet either let alone DVD's, etc.) I guess I'll find out in person when the ride opens. I'm going to guess/speculate and say that there will be a clamp brake at the end of the MCBR and that they will trim the train there, but not in a way that will have an effect on the second half of the ride - for now.

^Magnetic

^ I'd "guesstimate" about 70 or 75 degrees.

I just watched the animated POV video again for this ride. I am going to assume the speed will be very close to what it is in the video. They've gotten pretty good with the promotional animations being pretty spot on. The figure 8 takes about 5 seconds to get through. I would "guesstimate" about 15 m.p.h. I'm looking forward to this element with its quick transitions. The train is going at a good clip down the exit drop from the "tree". I don't think that drop needs to be any steeper. I think the air into the figure 8 and out of the figure 8 are going to be one of the main highlights of this ride.

I've been on The SCBB Giant Dipper, Adventureland Outlaw, and the Yankee Cannonball. Yankee Cannonball wins, hands down, er hands up!

Yes, the old Giant did indeed have airtime on the first drop, particularly in the last car....my memory is foggy about any other seats, there was some air in the second to last car also. I never rode this one up front much.

I wonder if it is feasible for SDC to move the Ozark Wildcat to the park? A medium sized woodie would be a good fit for the park. They'd just have to find a spot for it. The three major steel coasters they have are very good rides and this would just round out their offerings. It does appear to be in decent shape. I think the idea of moving the Ferris wheel over to SDC mentioned above is a good idea too. Perhaps they could fit in to their Grand Centennial Exposition area. Peace, KC

^^OMG that was so bad it was hysterical....

I visited this park in June of 2007. I liked the park, it's coasters (eh, well maybe not so much T2), found the staff to be friendly, the park clean and had a good time. I am glad they are going to reopen Twisted Twins and giving it new trains. I gathered from the video discussing this they are going to do some re-profiling. I personally don't care much for the style of Gerstlauer trains they used, on this coaster or on the Boss at SFSL. Not very comfortable. My personal hope is for Millennium Flyers, I think they are the "Cadillac" of wood coaster trains. It's like a love seat on wheels, and the restraints still allow for some good negative G's. I'm going to try out the Timberliners at Holiday World, so who knows, after I try them, they may be my personal preference. This park has so much potential, and had a good variety of rides when I last visited. I look forward to returning when they reopen! Peace! KC

Prowler, hands down. I've been on lots of coasters in the dark. This ride is insane to begin with. At night coming down the second drop, you are blinded by the on ride photo strobe, which if you've never been on it really adds to the disorientation. With it's rapid directional changes on the return leg and lack of lighting near the coaster it's one of my favorite coaster experiences. Peace!

^^ Well, yeah, math was never my best subject. Okay, I apologize for accusing you all. But I know secretly you guys had something to do with it.

I had never heard of City Museum until I saw it on the original trip report several weeks ago. We live in KC and have season passes to SFSL and went to go to SFSL October 9th. I had reservations about going on a Saturday. It was very crowded and we got one ride on EK (20 minute wait) and Mr. Freeze (30 minute wait). I'm spoiled, I admit it. We usually go on weekdays when it's not busy and wait maybe 5 minutes for most things or walk on. I suggested we go instead to City Museum. This place is off the hook crazy and fun. We're 43 and 42 and we had one of the BEST times ever. There were a lot of people there, but you didn't have to really wait to do anything. We also got the roof pass (it's 5 something dollars extra) and totally worth it. What I want to know is WHO broke the rope swing on the roof? (and by WHO I'm convinced it happened when the TPR group passed through. A staffer said it happened about 2 or 3 weeks before, which if I did my math correctly places you all there. ) I'm terrified of heights - go figure, I'll ride a 400 ft tall coaster. I went through the entire Monstro City outside, it was by far the most terrifying, yet fun thing I think I've ever done non-coaster wise. I freaked quite a bit going through the highest point out there. And the bus off the roof was unsettling, but cool too. The Cave Slide is fun, but the "Praying Mantis" slide on the roof is my favorite. It goes so much faster than any of the others. Seriously, if you go to St. Louis, there are 3 things to do if you haven't been before: Six Flags, The Gateway Arch and City Museum! Don't miss it. Thanks posters for letting me know about this treasure. Peace! KC

^Okay, I admit it, I really like it. When we heard of this, those who commented were afraid it'd look tacky. It does, but in a cool way. Definitely the most unique trains on a coaster in the world. Anyone else notice the saddle horn on the restraints? (Saddle horn is oval shaped and black, yeah just like you'd find on a horse saddle).

^ It did just work for me. Try it again and see.

That's what was odd to me. Since when has a coaster car ever had four rows? Not unheard of on a few wooden coasters, to have a four row car. The Coney Island Cyclone, the Nickelodeon Streak (FKA Roller Coaster) and Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach both have four row cars and when the Beast first opened, it had four seat cars. However, I'm not aware of any 4 seat steel coasters. Peace! KC

^I'm going to vote for looks cool (in a kitchy, yet seriously cool way). *crosses fingers*