Vekoma theory

[dr.gumbo]

Lately I have seen that many of the new vekomas have new track style

 

For example

 

Are vekoma changing there track style completly

[Hurricane]

It seems that way doesn't it? with the booster bikes, Splash Party and Expedition Evererst, and now this? I wonder if they will be smoother or not?

[LOVE SFKK]

Looks like they are trying to be B&M

But you will never win Vekoma!!!!!!!!!!

[viking86]

The Vekoma coasters with outside-wheel design seems to run alot smoother than those with inside-wheels. Makes me wonder why Vekoma didnt use it more considering they started using outside-wheels already in the late 1980's. I have ridden Megablitz @ Prater Park, which was designed by Stengel and built by Vekoma in 94, and its still really smooth. If Vekoma had spent more time and money on their coasters Im sure people would have though of them as a 'quality' company. But instead they have offered cheaper coasters and thats probably one of the reasons why Vekoma have sold so many coasters.

[pvcoasterguy]

In my book, it seems like Vekoma has to shape up with the competition in the industry now. Gerstlaurer's rides cost about as much as Vekoma's (or sometimes even less), and this ups the competition between the two companies. Also, Intamin and B&M cause competition for Vekoma.

 

Vekoma probably sat down one day and thought, "Either we need to advance our technology, or we'll be toast." Vekoma's new rides are very nice, and hopefully all their new rides will be as good.

[CoasterFanatic]

They are just engineering all the forces out of their new rides. Just like at the lines of a ride like Kumali, Booster Bike and the pics your referenced compared to those of old.

[DerekRx]

I think its all in the original design and transitions that make the older Vekomas so much rougher. Even the newest SLC still uses the old design and is rougher than the other competitors rides. Combine that with the trains with gaps between the wheels and the track and that just amplifies the roughness.

[peteb]

Most of the Arrow/Vekoma rides that everyone complains about were based on the old Arrow chassis/track style that was develped in the 70's. All calculations, designs were done by hand or outright guesses. Everyone uses sophisticated modeling and CAD for building rides today where you can accurately predict the ride's performance before it's built; most of the dynamic and fabrication problems have been solved beforehand. Powder Keg, which is a new Arrow track/chassis style is a very smooth ride.

[Jumboshrmp]

Lately I have seen that many of the new vekomas have new track style

 

For example

 

Are vekoma changing there track style completly

Hm... that looks different than the Expedition Everest track...

Actually, it kinda reminds me of Premier.

YEah, I rode Expedition Everest, it was SO FREAKIN SMOOTH!

I couldn't believe it!

 

Also, when the guide wheels are one the outside of the track, it prevents the rails from being mishapen over time.

[Jon Sabo]

Also remember the changes in ownership and management at Vekoma. Jac Houben and a couple of others have bailed ship to form their own company. The fabrication shop and materials (purchasing) has been completely revised and, as some others stated, advanced engineering (team) has done its homework in revamping their design philosophy. Computer technology and advanced material design/fabrication has also come a long way in recent years as well. I hope to see good things come from the company in the next few years as they strive for a stronger product line and smoother ride quality.

Some may remember Arrow really was making strides when they designed TT at Dollywood. That was after Dal Freeman left and Steve Okamoto (now at Morgan) left the company.

[RCoasterny]

Powder Keg, which is a new Arrow track/chassis style is a very smooth ride.

 

 

Not quite... it's more of an S&S Power design, after they acquired the Arrow company and made it into thier own coaster department.

[viking86]

Also remember the changes in ownership and management at Vekoma. Jac Houben and a couple of others have bailed ship to form their own company. The fabrication shop and materials (purchasing) has been completely revised and, as some others stated, advanced engineering (team) has done its homework in revamping their design philosophy. Computer technology and advanced material design/fabrication has also come a long way in recent years as well. I hope to see good things come from the company in the next few years as they strive for a stronger product line and smoother ride quality.

Some may remember Arrow really was making strides when they designed TT at Dollywood. That was after Dal Freeman left and Steve Okamoto (now at Morgan) left the company.

 

But why havent Vekoma made more quality coasters in the last 10 years when they built quality coasters in the early 90's?? Of course there werent many of them, but there were some. Megablitz @ Prater Park is very smooth. It was built in 94 so its wrong to say that Vekoma only has started to build quality coasters the last few years.

 

http://www.rcdb.com/id1094.htm

[weeow]

I remember reading somewher that Vekoma was going to have new restraint systems. The would have those rubber vest-like thingies that B&M flyers have. They also came up with an ingenius idea. Lap bars on a non inverting suspened coaster. Your feet would dangle but you'd be safe. The new SLC trains would have the rubber vest restraints too. I'll try to find a link.

[Jon Sabo]

Vekoma had money troubles for awhile also. I don't believe it was a Chapter 11 type of thing, but I believe there was a long article written about the troubles both on Amusment-Business (not in service anymore) and several articles from Amusement-Today, ACE-issues, and Themepark magazine.

 

There appeared to be internal issues with materials processing, manufacturing, engineering...etc. After Jac Houben left, the company partnered with another vendor/supplier and they infused alot of cash to update alot of management-procurement and other items to bring the company back on its feet. Marketing became a 'back-burner' issue, because the they generally felt that parks would come to them-rather than they needed to cater to the parks and listen to their clients.

 

I would venture a guess that the company over-spend (especially on R&D) and became complacent with its clients. Similar to the experience with Arrow's 4D coaster, Vekoma developed a massive debt-load from its R&D-Flying Dutchman product (former Stealth-PGA). I believe now they are turning it around and new management/engineering/marketing is in place and I really believe they will suprise some people/park analysts in the near future.

[coasterguy618]

Looks like they are trying to be B&M

But you will never win Vekoma!!!!!!!!!!

 

The new track doesnt look like B&M's track desing at all. It looks more like an exact replica of Premier's track.

[runnerodb83]

^money troubles i think were due to SixFlags suing them for the "Deja Vu" rides' unreliability

[Jon Sabo]

^That could have sealed their fate for awhile (during the changes that were already being made within the company), but the "Stealth" design and R&D really put the company in deep debt.

[runnerodb83]

^yes that too...its unfortunate that both arrow and vekoma, which probably created two of the most revolutionary prototypes in the history of rollercoasters (stealth and x), have suffered financially. However, vekoma is making a turn around and s&s will hopefully begin to produce improved arrow rollercoaster products.

[christianscoasters]

It was sorta mentioned earlier in this topic, but it is not necessarily the track configuration that makes a ride rough. If you noticed on most Vekoma and arrows, the wheels can freely spin. I think that vekoma might just be wanting a new kind of track that looks more like a 'modern day' track.

[Shavethewhales]

mmpft. Looks like they are copying Premier and S&S, but who can blame them? This is very nice of them, maybe they'll pull of some half-way decent rides with this, but I still would much rather have S&S do the job.

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

It was sorta mentioned earlier in this topic, but it is not necessarily the track configuration that makes a ride rough. If you noticed on most Vekoma and arrows, the wheels can freely spin. I think that vekoma might just be wanting a new kind of track that looks more like a 'modern day' track.

 

 

Yeah i remember while waiting in the sation for canobie corkscrew, when it would go over the bayern curve into the corkscrews i could see the front wheel assembly "Swivel" left and right near the apex.

 

 

mmpft. Looks like they are copying Premier and S&S, but who can blame them? This is very nice of them, maybe they'll pull of some half-way decent rides with this, but I still would much rather have S&S do the job.

 

They did it becuase it's light it cheap it's strong and it's smooth.

[BDG]

Vekoma are not copying anyone, but themselves.

 

Why is it so "shocking" that they use that same track on a launched or inverted family coaster ? They've used the very same track on non-launched or non-inverted family coasters many times in the past.

 

http://www.rcdb.com/id1460.htm 1985 mouse

http://www.rcdb.com/id915.htm 1987 suspended

http://www.rcdb.com/id2215.htm 1988 family

etc.

[IceDragon]

i hope they are trying to do better, but i dont mind going on an old-school Corkscrew clone once in a while, just to bring back the nostalgia of looking at inverted rollercoasters and thinking 'wow'