Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[bonsaiisuperstar]

. The Beast is the same speed as it has always been. Instead of skid brakes, there are magnetic brakes. The magnetic brakes slow the train down more abruptly than the skid brakes did.

 

 

 

I always felt it went a bit faster with the old skid brakes in the rain. I assume i am correct. This is dating back to my first rides in 1980 with the lap bars and me weighing 50lbs and all.

[bonsaiisuperstar]

Check out the below video at 4:08. The drop into the helix has no trims as far as i can see. The trim there in 2013 seemed very strong.

[PhantomNick]

The (former) biggest, baddest, tallest, fastest wooden coaster in the world needs no topper track, updates or other such nonsense.

 

I'm just curious why you would be so against something like topper track, especially if it preserves this classic and lengthens its life even further? If down the road (as in, many years) the park was faced with the option to either invest in topper track for it or (gasp!) remove it.....yes, I realize this will NOT happen, but play along ......., would you still not want the topper track? Now granted, if the park is good with keeping up on track maintenance, I guess it wouldn't be a glaring need. Does anyone know about how often they do major retracking to Beast? I'm sure every year they at least are replacing some small sections.

 

I will agree that the ending double helix is pretty awesome. That was easily my favorite part of the ride.

 

After hearing that it was dishing out great rides in 2013, I'm curious to see how it rides when we return to KI this year (later this month actually).

[GayCoasterGuy]

The Beast is the same speed as it has always been.

 

I respectfully disagree. I would say your statement is true since around 1992... but ask someone who grew up riding the ride frequently in the 80s (or the lucky few who rode it in 1979). I know this discussion comes up every year somewhere in coaster forums. Someone even posted a 1979 POV video to try to debunk that the ride used to run fast. Problem is, that video was during initial break-in and/or after a wheel packing/greasing. It wasn't Beast 1979 full speed.

 

During the 1989 10 year anniversary party of the Beast (and the rest of that year), the ride was noticeably slower. It never ran very fast after that. Around 1991/92, the speed dropped even more. Somewhere in there, the ride was also painted a flat brown. That isn't significant to the rides' speed, but it was a memorable marker to me. The Beast I grew up on was out of control and sometimes downright scary; the colors of the ride were that red stain, new and old track wear colors everywhere. The ride looked wild. The new tamer Beast was that flat brown paint color. I never understood why they would waste money painting such a great looking ride with brown garage paint.

 

I remember those years vividly; my friends and I were working at Cedar Point (Blue Streak!), and we'd drive down to KI all the time. We kept thinking the old Beast speed would return, but it never did. Soon after came those silly ratchet bars and individual seat belts.

 

Never again would anyone get airtime on that 2nd drop :/

 

Don't get me wrong, the Beast is still a fun ride and very popular. But those early years established its reputation - the reputation that it still rides on today.

Edited April 2, 2014 by GayCoasterGuy

[bonsaiisuperstar]

I'm a huge fan of topper track. I just would prefer to keep it original as they do a great job of maintenance.

[WildStangAlex]

Topper track, untrimmed, would be incredible.

[bonsaiisuperstar]

Topper track, untrimmed, would be incredible.

 

It would be going about 95 mph into the helix.

[glucky11801]

I was one of those "lucky few" who got to ride the Beast in 1979, in October. Waited 3 hours in line! Obviously the coaster was WELL broken in by then. It was much faster than that Pre-Opening Video. We easily made WELL past the stairs on the second lift. The drop into the double helix was amazing. I can remember feeling like I was going to be pushed out of my seat; the forces were that strong! Keep in mind that in later years the Double helix was modified, with more banking to keep the trains tracking and from tearing up the track, so some of the forces have been neutered. (You can see that difference in the videos!)

One of the most vivid memories about that first year was the sheer "Hysteria" in the station after it got dark. I have never experienced that much excitement waiting to board any coaster since then!

[rcjp]

Topper track, untrimmed, would be incredible.

It would. The lack of trims plus the reduced drag due to the more efficient track should affect the speed greatly!

[adamico2]

Here is a POV taken circa 1999. The Beast does not travel as fast today as it did back then. Just look how fast it is moving as it exits the MCBR shed and how far up the second lift it goes before the chain catches.

 

[supertrooper]

Here is a POV taken circa 1999. The Beast does not travel as fast today as it did back then. Just look how fast it is moving as it exits the MCBR shed and how far up the second lift it goes before the chain catches.

 

 

How can you tell anything from that horrible video? It was like I was watching a really long animated gif.

[christianscoasters]

^Let's not be dramatic now.

[JonnyRCT3]

Flying through that double helix at nearly 65 mph sounds great!

[GayCoasterGuy]

We easily made WELL past the stairs on the second lift.

 

THIS. You could really see the Beast flex it's muscles on how far it got up that 2nd lift. Back of train at phone booth, or something like that. It seemed it went up over half way.

 

I can remember a couple frightening rides I was lucky enough to get. One was during the rain, and the other was at the end of the day. There were always rumors (urban legends?) about the crew/maintenance "turning the brakes off" (remember, this was in the 80s; not too many hoops to jump through to make something happen.) The train felt like it was going to rip off the track. It was relentless.

[Whodey]

I do miss the old restraints on the Beast and Racer. Makes me feel old since I remember when there was water under beginning of the ride.

[John Peck]

Of course it would run faster in the rain, the skid brakes would be too wet to slow the train to the "desired" speed. The magnets are more precise, and weather conditions don't affect them. (or rarely do)

 

It's still a great ride, think of how many other park operators could have butchered the Beast.

[GayCoasterGuy]

Of course it would run faster in the rain

 

I should clarify what I said. It was an unusually fast ride in the rain. Perhaps this was also a time when the brakes were lowered. I had ridden the ride in the rain, but the one time I was referring to was different.

 

It's still a great ride

 

It is a fun ride, I agree

 

think of how many other park operators could have butchered the Beast.

 

In my eyes, they have butchered the ride (via brakes and annoying restraints). What more could they possibly do? The track is mostly flat. Only thing left is to pour new footings and create a whole new path.

[Tanks4me05]

Here is a POV taken circa 1999. The Beast does not travel as fast today as it did back then. Just look how fast it is moving as it exits the MCBR shed and how far up the second lift it goes before the chain catches.

 

 

Actually, if you compare it to this:

 

 

Count the amount of railing posts from when the train slows down to lift speed to the top of the lift. I counted 31 for the old video and 30 for this one, so it's the same when factoring in human error in counting and estimating speeds. Also, in the new video, the time from the end of the covered brake run to the second lift was 41 seconds. For the old video, it was 41 seconds. Never having been to KI before, let alone both before and after the eddy current trims were put in, that would lead me to believe that the eddy current trims are actually set to the same speeds that the old friction brakes were set for, so under normal operating conditions, the rides should be the same. That being said, the eddy current brakes do decelerate much more quickly so although you reach the same speed you reach it in less distance (time) so it would feel stronger as the braking acceleration would be greater and more sudden, and it's impossible to either turn off eddy current brakes or to lessen their effectiveness in rain, so those lucky people who got wet rides on the Beast their rides were most likely more intense. Though I have heard that the rain would actually also slow down wooden coasters as the wood would soak up the rain, swell, and thus put more pressure on the wheels, but I don't have the capabilities to test that out for myself at this time to see how much of an effect that makes.

[adamico2]

^ Well, I stand corrected (and by goggles ). I guess it really does achieve the same speed under "normal" operating conditions as it did with skids. I cannot attest to the ride's performance in the '80s, however, since I was not born yet.

[GayCoasterGuy]

^It had skids in the 80s, calipers in the 90s, and now mags.

 

Every time this discussion comes up, the video links start appearing. It doesn't prove either point. The ride ran like a bat out of hell at one time. Hopefully one day a fast Beast video will show up. There are probably only a few videos even taken in the 80s. No digital stuff back then

[firewalk13]

So who's excited for media day? I received the email update from Don Helbig, he listed the schedule for the whole day and last minute stuff about parking. I'm quite excited and am going to stay overnight then get my season pass processed the next morning. It'll be my first KI opening day. I'm not sure if I'll have the dough for FLP but F it. I'll be there.

[supertrooper]

I'm excited. I noticed that nothing was mentioned about The Bat being open in the email though. Maybe they'll throw that in as a surprise...at least I'm hoping they will.

[Whodey]

We have to practice walking single file. Could be tough for some DBs.

[supertrooper]

We have to practice walking single file. Could be tough for some DBs.

 

Yeah, I thought the "single file" part was kind of comical. I mean, we can't even have a buddy, like in grade school?

[GayCoasterGuy]

So who's excited for media day?

 

Me! I'm B&Ms biggest critical critic, but I'm happy to be going, and looking forward to the ride!