SOB New Trains from Myrtle Beach

[Masked_Maverick]

After riding Villain last season and thinking of the pain I can't magine how SOB is gonna be with Gerstlauer trians. I freaking hate Villains trains. I really think that G-trains were created by the devil as a type of torture device for coaster fans. You know these trains hurt when a Vekoma fan is saying It is too painful.

[Scaparri]

the trains are just so light that they are easily thrown around and tear up the track.

 

What? How is any of that remotely true?

 

I can see how heavy trains (Psyclone's B&M trains) can do that, but light coaches tear up the track? If anything, lighter coaches create less wear and tear on the structure.

 

Exactly. That's the whole point of KI getting the lighter trains.

[Carnage]

the trains are just so light that they are easily thrown around and tear up the track.

 

What? How is any of that remotely true?

 

I can see how heavy trains (Psyclone's B&M trains) can do that, but light coaches tear up the track? If anything, lighter coaches create less wear and tear on the structure.

 

Exactly. That's the whole point of KI getting the lighter trains.

 

It's a catch-22. Might not tear the track apart as much, but it will tear the riders apart.

 

Hopefully they move the on ride photo so that people can buy pictures of them swearing in pain.

[PKI Jizzman]

Why cant they just do something right and spend some good money on new trains that will make people happy, not cry! Ughhh thanks alot, Kings Island.

[snuggles]

They could be making some sort of monster out of the premier and G trains. Just think of the pain then!

[Carnage]

Why cant they just do something right and spend some good money on new trains that will make people happy, not cry! Ughhh thanks alot, Kings Island.

 

Well I'd guess that the amount it would cost to make the ride good is more then they want to spend.

 

So in the meantime they'll just spent as little as possible to get it running while they fire up the wrecking ball.

[ginzo]

Why cant they just do something right and spend some good money on new trains that will make people happy, not cry! Ughhh thanks alot, Kings Island.

 

Well I'd guess that the amount it would cost to make the ride good is more then they want to spend.

 

So in the meantime they'll just spent as little as possible to get it running while they fire up the wrecking ball.

 

If they're planning on redoing ALL the track so that the gauge matches new trains, I'd say that the wrecking ball isn't in their immediate plans. That can't be a cheap job; retracking 7,000 foot woodie.

 

Does anyone know anything about accounting? Is KI still depreciating a woodie they built in 2,000?

[Carnage]

If they're planning on redoing ALL the track so that the gauge matches new trains, I'd say that the wrecking ball isn't in their immediate plans. That can't be a cheap job; retracking 7,000 foot woodie.

 

From what I understand retracking it is actually cheaper than the amount to remove the ride.

 

Buying used trains screams a temp solution.

 

Maybe they want to keep it running for a year or two until they can get a decent coaster built. Burning SoB to the ground will make less of an impact in a year where there's some new big attraction. (and X-flight doesn't count)

[ginzo]

From what I understand retracking it is actually cheaper than the amount to remove the ride.

 

Buying used trains screams a temp solution.

 

Maybe they want to keep it running for a year or two until they can get a decent coaster built. Burning SoB to the ground will make less of an impact in a year where there's some new big attraction. (and X-flight doesn't count)

 

Hey, it's just a second hand kinda year over at KI!

 

I don't see the point of barely patching up SOB. The park did fine with it down for half of last season. I went to KI several times during the early part of the season, and there was never too long of a queue for it. If they're not going to fix it properly, they should just SBNO it until they get the budget to rip it out. The thing has proven to be a liability, and half measures won't help matters. In fact, if they barely get it working, and it has another accident, they're going to get creamed in court.

 

Though, I guess they do get brownie points for not leaving it SBNO for years on end. Nothing screams ghetto park more than abandoned rides sitting around rotting for years on end.

[dr.gumbo]

Why did they get RCCOA to build this ride, have you seen Rattler and the way it sways and they still got RCCOA to build it, that was proberbly the biggest mistake in human history, they should of went to a company that atually knows how to build a rollercoaster like Intamin. But enough moaning and onto the topic...

 

It seems to be hit and miss for this coaster lately (mostly miss) and getting second hand cars from another rough coaster is just another nail in the coffin

[ElToroExtreme]

^ My thought exactly!!! Intamin Woodie trains are nice they are soooo comfortable!!!

[Carnage]

^ My thought exactly!!! Intamin Woodie trains are nice they are soooo comfortable!!!

 

Part of that comes from the prefab track though.

 

Put an Intamin train on a poorly built ride like SoB and it's still going to hurt a bunch.

 

Though much less then those damn G-trains.

[snuggles]

I think they should take out any and all lateral supports on the ride, snip some cables, and let it fly. Like in RCT.

[Reality15]

http://www.rcdb.com/ig595.htm?picture=18

 

There's a good photo of the Hurricane's G-trains. They look to be similar to what used to run on Legend (now one of Raging Wolf Bob's trains) as compared to the ones that run on Villain and Cheetah and a few others.

 

I give Cedar Fair props for trying to fix it and get it open, but this isn't the way to fix it. They're going to take a bad ride and make it even worse. I give it one season, maybe two at the most before this sucker's done for.

[CoasterFanatic]

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned this little nugget of info ...

 

The Premier trains that were on SOB since opening have dampening shocks on all four wheels. Has anyone even begun to imagine what this ride will feel like without them?

 

Another biggie is the Premier Trains hold 30 (Used to be 36) people per train while the G-trains 24. With only two trains on the track, the capacity will be affected. Good thing that nobody will want to ride it.

 

Why would you need a padded lapbar anyways? SOB has no airtime

 

I counted 20 moments of airtime on the first hill the last time I rode it .... wait ... that was jackhammering. Sorry.

[PKI Jizzman]

If you sat in the back before theaccident in the 06 season, there accually was some airtime! It was a good coaster, then....

[dr.gumbo]

Put an Intamin train on a poorly built ride like SoB and it's still going to hurt a bunch.

 

Take Coaster Express for Example

[verticalzero]

These cute cars could be used ono SOB. Joking

Some padding, no lapbar

[coastermaniac1]

I hav'nt been on SOB but I say no matter what type of trains they get it will still be painful.

 

Coaster Express has Intamin trains and that is supposed to be just as bad or even worse than SOB.

[cjeagle35]

Why did they get RCCOA to build this ride, have you seen Rattler and the way it sways and they still got RCCOA to build it, that was proberbly the biggest mistake in human history, they should of went to a company that atually knows how to build a rollercoaster like Intamin. But enough moaning and onto the topic...

 

It seems to be hit and miss for this coaster lately (mostly miss) and getting second hand cars from another rough coaster is just another nail in the coffin

 

Except Intamin had never built a wooden with its prefabricated wood system before 2000 when SoB was built. Colossus was their first and it was built in 2001. Plus I don't think Intamin could build a coaster at Kings Island that year, considering Cedar Point was opening Intamin's Millennium Force that year. CCI and GCI were totally against building a 200ft woodie, and S&S and GG had not gotten into building woodies yet. So to install the concept of the worlds tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden coaster, Kings Island was forced into a second rate manufactorer.

 

I agree with everyone else on here, if Kings Island doesn't seriously modify these trains, Son of Beast of 2007 will not be an improvement. As previously stated, Gerstlaurer trains are known for their uncomfortable design. Although there are some G-trains that seem to run well, Legend (when it had them) and Raging Wolf Bobs. I wonder how the retracking on Villain will help that ride.

 

I kind of wonder why these trains were selected for Son of Beast. Does anyone know of any G-trains that go above 80mph? I just wonder my KI went with trains that had never experienced anything like what they will run like on SoB rather than go with a custom job from better quality manufacturer. Obviously these trains will have to undergo some kind of reprofiling to fit SoB's track guage. One thing is for certain, if they don't change more than that, SoB certainly won't become a more comfortable ride.

 

I also wonder about the capacity issue. 2 24rider trains is quite drop for the 3 30(before 36) trains that it used to run with. This really makes me wonder, because with 7,000+ feet of track, and seat belts, capacity on SoB will probably be in the 600 people per hour range. That just seems a little strange to me.

 

Some people at the kicentral forums have posted the idea that these trains could possibly only been sent to Kings Island on route to another park, specifically Geauga Lake. Raging Wolf Bobs and Villain both only run 1 Gerstlaurer train so its possible they could be sent there to give these coasters 2 trains or used for parts. Or they could be used for parts on KI's coasters. Some of this all seems to be wishful thinking to me, but I'll admit I do have some doubts as to 2 used Gerstlaurers being the next trains of Son of Beast.

[Reality15]

Some people at the kicentral forums have posted the idea that these trains could possibly only been sent to Kings Island on route to another park, specifically Geauga Lake. Raging Wolf Bobs and Villain both only run 1 Gerstlaurer train so its possible they could be sent there to give these coasters 2 trains or used for parts.

Villain has two Gerstlauer trains and Raging Wolf Bobs has two (one being a former Villain train, the other being the former Legend train). I'm pretty sure they're not going to Geauga Lake, they have enough of those darn trains there.

[dr.gumbo]

Except Intamin had never built a wooden with its prefabricated wood system before 2000 when SoB was built. Colossus was their first and it was built in 2001. Plus I don't think Intamin could build a coaster at Kings Island that year, considering Cedar Point was opening Intamin's Millennium Force that year. CCI and GCI were totally against building a 200ft woodie, and S&S and GG had not gotten into building woodies yet. So to install the concept of the worlds tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden coaster, Kings Island was forced into a second rate manufactorer.

 

I see you point and it proves perfection comes to those who wait.

 

(Unless they were desperate for a gimmick woodie for the millenium)

[ginzo]

Except Intamin had never built a wooden with its prefabricated wood system before 2000 when SoB was built. Colossus was their first and it was built in 2001. Plus I don't think Intamin could build a coaster at Kings Island that year, considering Cedar Point was opening Intamin's Millennium Force that year.

 

If exclusivity contracts really forbid Intamin from building a woodie at PKI in the same year they built a big steel coaster at CP, then those contracts are crap. I can understand them not wanting another hyper/giga type coaster built in the same state, but a wood coaster is a totally different thing.

 

CCI and GCI were totally against building a 200ft woodie, and S&S and GG had not gotten into building woodies yet. So to install the concept of the worlds tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden coaster, Kings Island was forced into a second rate manufactorer.

 

Gravity Group is just ex-CCI engineers. The story I heard was they went with RCCA because they were the cheapest bid. This could be BS though. That concept of "tallest, fastest, only looping woodie" didn't turn out so great. They should have built a hyper- B&M if Intamin couldn't do it.

[cjeagle35]

Some people at the kicentral forums have posted the idea that these trains could possibly only been sent to Kings Island on route to another park, specifically Geauga Lake. Raging Wolf Bobs and Villain both only run 1 Gerstlaurer train so its possible they could be sent there to give these coasters 2 trains or used for parts.

Villain has two Gerstlauer trains and Raging Wolf Bobs has two (one being a former Villain train, the other being the former Legend train). I'm pretty sure they're not going to Geauga Lake, they have enough of those darn trains there.

 

My mistake, I thought Raging Wolf Bobs was currently running 2 trains, one of the orginal PTCs and one Gerstlaurer from Legend.

 

If exclusivity contracts really forbid Intamin from building a woodie at PKI in the same year they built a big steel coaster at CP, then those contracts are crap. I can understand them not wanting another hyper/giga type coaster built in the same state, but a wood coaster is a totally different thing.

 

But did Intamin really want to build KI's concept as is? Do we now if there was a block with CP? Was Intamin capable of building a woodie like SoB at the time? I guess we'll never know. But I wouldn't say KI's concept was all that different than CP's, each wanted the biggest and tallest coaster, and there was a bit more competion between those two parks back then.

 

Gravity Group is just ex-CCI engineers.

 

Of course I know that, but it doesn't change the fact they didn't exist yet. Who knows, maybe GG could have tried something like SoB with enough money. They 2 installations seem to be a much higher level than the old CCIs. Hell, then maybe the ride could actually be good.

 

The story I heard was they went with RCCA because they were the cheapest bid. This could be BS though. That concept of "tallest, fastest, only looping woodie" didn't turn out so great. They should have built a hyper- B&M if Intamin couldn't do it.

 

I think we are all in agreement here. This was obviously the stupidest Paramount installation of all time. I can only imagine how much better the park would be without SoB.

[ginzo]

But did Intamin really want to build KI's concept as is? Do we now if there was a block with CP? Was Intamin capable of building a woodie like SoB at the time? I guess we'll never know. But I wouldn't say KI's concept was all that different than CP's, each wanted the biggest and tallest coaster, and there was a bit more competion between those two parks back then.

 

Yeah, it's all just speculation really. I kinda doubt Intamin would turn down the SOB project had they been given the opportunity. PKI's money is as green as everyone else's. Their new woodie system would probably have been the best hope of a massive woodie like SOB working well. Colossos and El Toro are almost as big, and are top rated coasters.

 

Though we have to wonder how Intamin woodies would stand up to designs with a lot of curved track like SOB? GCI's Millennium flyer trains are designed specifically to do just that. Then again, SOB is twice as tall as anything GCI has built.

 

I think we are all in agreement here. This was obviously the stupidest Paramount installation of all time. I can only imagine how much better the park would be without SoB.

 

Yeah, a friend and I were going through old 70s/80s era pictures of KI the other day. I think it's safe to say that the park has gone downhill. From clear cutting all the trees to removing classic flat rides like the flyers to letting formerly great coasters like the Racer and Beast fall apart. Remember when the Racer didn't cause you to need a kidney transplant? And what happened to all the characters they used to have? I hope they can bring some of the old charm back now that Paramount is out of the picture.