doublestufforeo Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 ^Wow, that is a pile of trash! Honey, the ride was a pile of trash before they tore it down. *snap* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stashua123 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 umm it would have worked if they used better quality wood not the cheap wood they used in construction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamez Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Better wood does not make better design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anarexia Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 These pictures make me wonder why they are being so careful tearing it down, or I should say dismantling it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 These pictures make me wonder why they are being so careful tearing it down, or I should say dismantling it... So, the bonfire won't reach Adventure Express. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theonetheonlyJT Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 ^ Close, they're actually going to sell SOB as fire wood to pay for Knott's to finally get it's giga coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lareson Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 A wooden structure that hasn't had any proper maintenance on it for the past 3 years and many sections of it are over 100ft tall, the way they're taking it down is the safest and most "constructive" way to do it. The design of the support system and the way that timber had aged, it just wouldn't hold up very well if they were to do a normal demolition on it, meaning tearing small chunks out of the structure using a giant claw machine. With the way that structure was designed and put together, it always worried me that something bad was going to happen to it, and look what happens in 2006. I've noticed that all of the RCCA coasters that were built, the cross support boards are very far apart. The structures for them don't look very dense, as let's say CCI's or GCI's were, and they built smaller coasters. Son of Beast is an extreme example though, and since RCCA's other coasters don't experience the same forces and height, their other coaster are much better off than SOB ever was. Now I'm not saying that the structure itself was unsafe, just that it was pretty much designed to support what it was expected to do, nothing more. It's no wonder why during the investigation of the 2006 incident that they wanted a forensic investigator to come out and do a CAD model of the coaster to measure the forces on it. Having a support beam break and actually splinter during normal operation, and only 6 years after it's open, means that something isn't right with the structure. I know they added to the structure after 2006 in the "weak points" where the structure experienced the most forces, and even did the switched to lighter trains. I think after doing the math after this last 2009 incident, the cost of keeping this coaster for much longer wasn't possible. This also gives me to believe that an Iron Horse conversion was not even possible without major support modifications and the cost would probably be the same as adding a completely new coaster. All I know is that in 2000, all the technology to build Son of Beast like it should of been was there, and it should of been used. The ride probably would still be running, with loop and original trains. Sorry for the babbling, it's just that everything fits together in my mind on why Son of Beast ended it's operations prematurely and is now being taken down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomman295 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I really am sad to see this go down. Although it was poorly ridden, it looked really cool and dominated the coaster skyline at King's Island (which is rare for a woodie). It can only make me hope that another wooden coaster goes in its place. I, although I know the chances are slim of it actually happening, am hoping to see a Gravity Group woodie similar to Holiday World's The Voyage pop up in its place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrocoasterkid Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 (edited) Another twitter pic from the KI PR department: Edited October 8, 2012 by pyrocoasterkid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyfreak92 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Well, there was nothing you could do to save son of beast, because, it's the owner of the park choice to do what ever he wants with it, but I will miss everything of the SOB, & I guess King's Island will do better off without it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRACHEN_FIRE_FAN-BOY Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I think SOB was one of those "looks great on paper" type of things. I have to agree with everything Lareson said. I think back when the park was PKI, they wanted something to draw the crowds away from CP. A looping wooden coaster would do just that. also, from what I gather RCCA wasn't known for smooth wooden coasters. The only reason I am sad is because it is the credit I never got. Now I get to wonder what will be put on that nice big plot of land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millionaire2K Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Now I get to wonder what will be put on that nice big plot of land. Well clearly it will be SOB 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Peck Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Remember folks..... GCI, CCI and many others were considered for building this ride.... NONE of them wanted anything to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locostitch Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Skip to 1:45 to see footage of The Bat roller coaster at Kings Island. Now defunct Arrow suspended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyV Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Let me first say I never had the change to ride SOB, but it certainly sounded brutal, and there is no denying ride certainly looked the part. I've been reading up on it the last several weeks and when it opened it was intended to break and set all kind of records, which it did. However, I'm not sure I agree with the statements that if CCI or GCI had built it whether or not it would have survived. I use The Boss at SFSTL. That's a CCI that is by far the worst wooden coaster beating I have ever experienced in my very long coastering career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millionaire2K Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I only ever rode this ride once. I thought I had internal bleeding afterwords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
805Andrew Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I always wanted to ride Son of Beast back when it had the loop, mainly out of curiosity. I was bummed when they took out the loop. I guess I wasn't missing much after hearing it was such a horrible ride. But I am mainly bummed that a ride that looked so visually appealing turned out to be such a dud. What a waste of all that wood and what could of been an exciting ride through scenic woods with record breaking heights if it were designed correctly. Hopefully Kings Island makes good use of this now vacant space with well thought out planning and a quality coaster/attraction design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I know most enthusiasts hated SOB, but it constantly drew massive lines. The GP ate it up. From that standpoint, it was a winner for the park until the accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voxelmatic Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 (edited) Skip to 1:45 to see footage of The Bat roller coaster at Kings Island. Now defunct Arrow suspended. That looks like a fun ride! Too bad it was a maintenance nightmare... It looks like it would have a chance to have topped Eagle Fortress. Edited October 6, 2012 by Voxelmatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRACHEN_FIRE_FAN-BOY Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Skip to 1:45 to see footage of The Bat roller coaster at Kings Island. Now defunct Arrow suspended. That looks like a fun ride! Too bad it was a maintenance nightmare... It looks like it would have a chance to have topped Eagle Fortress. If Arrow had a tiny bit of foresight perhaps.... Those cars look like a wolf was throwing around a rag-doll. But yes, if the turns had been banked, and a number of other variables were under control, I think it might have been up there with Eagle Fortress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibumpaul Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Let's look at the layout objectively. Outside of the first drop, which was okay, it was two helixes to the left, straighten out for an inordinately long brake run, drop into the loop (smoothest part of the ride) and then two more helixes to the right. The grand finale was a forceless extended right turn with drops that provided no air time. All the way through the ride, you're getting sledgehammered, particularly in the "rose bowl". In other words, boring layout while being extremely rough. No nostalgia from me at all. Sadly, I logged a little over 30 rides on the blasted thing, convinced that maybe I was approaching it wrong. Every time, the ride brutally reminded me that my perceptions were not in error. Here's hoping a nice wooden coaster from TGG or maybe a giga from Intamin or B&M takes the area over. I rode Voyage, Legend, and Raven at Holiday World and lamented the fact that each was superior (by a long way) to the SOB for a fraction of the total cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Went to the park yesterday; Madam Fatale's Caven was very dissapointing and short. I heard so many great things about it! Very sad. Also this. So long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollin_n_coastin Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Massive section down in 8 seconds.... What a sound! As entertaining as Space Spiral? Thoughts? Video link http://www.digtriad.com/news/national/article/248576/175/Kings-Island-Son-Of-Beast-Comes-Down- Gannett News ServiceFILED UNDER National & World Written by Rachel Richardson October 4, 2012 Eight seconds. That's how long it took to reduce Kings Island's Son of Beast roller coaster into a twisted heap of metal and wood. You might say the troubled coaster, once a signature feature at the park and the only looping wooden coaster anywhere, went out with a bang. Crews brought down the $10 million coaster with cables Tuesday a little more than a week after work began to dismantle the ride to make room for future park expansion. Son of Beast was heralded as the world's tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster when it opened in 2000. The track climbs to a 218-foot peak, followed by a 214-foot drop; its trains would reach speeds of 78 mph. But its history was troubled from the start. A string of accidents, closings, repairs, five lawsuits, settlements and one trial would ultimately shutter the ride. Officials from Kings Island's parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. and park management spent three years weighing all possible alternatives before ultimately deciding to raze Son of Beast, said Don Helbig, park spokesman. "We weren't satisfied with the ride's performance," he said. Son of Beast will be taken down "the same way it went up" - in sections, Helbig said. He is unsure what will happen to its parts. It will take several months to fully dismantle the ride, which includes 53 concrete pilings, about 6,000 feet of steel track, 50,000 pounds of nails, 225,000 bolts and 1.65 million board feet of wood, he said. Officials don't yet know what they intend to do with the 12 acres that Son of Beast will vacate in the park's north end. "We're going to have a lot of room to work with for future expansion," said Helbig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFOGdude25 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 ^^So much space to work with, so much potential! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrocoasterkid Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Lots of work to do still! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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