Old National Geographic Explorer Segment (1990)

[nannerdw]

I guess it's not so rare since it's up on Youtube now, but I saw a picture of the Termite a few years ago (I think on the cover of an old ACE newsletter). It showed a drop off of the roof, but I have not been able to find any more information about the ride since then.

 

4:57 - 6:40 in the second video shows footage of the backyard coaster

The rest of the video shows the Arrow Pipeline prototype, some obligatory shots of Colossus, and a few really old ride concepts.

Check out 4:49 in the first video.

 

 

 

[themeparkman25]

Thanks for posting! Those videos were awesome, I just have a couple remarks I would like to say.

 

-What is the coaster at 4:49 in the first video?

-Sadistic names like ninja and vortex? Haha, that is pretty funny if you ask me.

-Maybe it was just the movie, but they sure were quick to throw people on that pipeline coaster, and what someone could argue as the first "Norwegian loop".

[Chris Benvenuto]

I'd honestly like to see the onride footage of the Crystal Beach Cyclone, even if were little bits and peices of it I'd LOVE to see it...I can't believe someone took a camera on that wild beast!!

[FitchCoaster]

Nice find!

I haven't seen footage of that backyard coaster yet, looks cool. Looks like it's a pain to get the car back to the starting point, since from the looks of it, you have to push it all the way back.

 

I also want to know what the heck that was at 4:49 on the first video. I've seen it on an old roller coaster VHS I have, but they never really said anything about it.

Whatever it is, it looks interesting.

 

Thanks for posting these videos!

[Olsor]

Howdy - those are some of the videos I posted last year. There are more clips from the early '90s (including a Pipeline prototype) here:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42736

[megamatt]

4:49 in the first video was "The Top" at Luna Park, Coney Island.

[rosscoe]

Did arrow ever put a pipeline coaster in a park?

 

The Top at Coney island looks insane!

[themeparkman25]

^I could have sworn they did, but after browsing rcdb for awhile I couldn't find any built by arrow or ron toomer.

 

Togo has built some in asia however. They are more the rct style pipeline.

[Devious]

^ No.

 

The only pipeline in existence i know of is an intamin in the middle east, arrow went under before being able to build a pipeline coaster anywhere i believe

 

Edit: http://www.rcdb.com/id1604.htm

[atem122]

This makes me miss Arrow although it did look like you got R'd in the half twist to half loop segment

[themeparkman25]

^^ According to rcdb, there are four pipeline coasters operating currently, all of which are in asia.

 

http://www.rcdb.com/ir.htm?location=26371&type=1&design=73&status=9

[rosscoe]

The Togo ones work differently than the Arrow ones, yes? It would seem by the video that the arrow train spins independently, while the Togo trains do not...

 

I hope that makes sense.

[themeparkman25]

I am pretty sure they spin differently and are not exactly the same coaster, but I think they have the same concept.

[Olsor]

The TOGO Ultra Twister and the Arrow pipeline were both based on the idea of spinning the riders around the heartline. That's why each design featured the car sitting in between the tracks instead of riding on top of them--it made the heartline parallel to the tracks.

 

Intamin made a "spiral coaster" that most closely resembles what Arrow was attempting to do with the pipeline.

 

http://www.rcdb.com/id1604.htm

 

Of course, placing the cars between the tracks presented its own set of problems and limitations. Once computer-aided design entered the picture in the '90s, this design strategy became obsolete.

[Homer]

Did arrow ever put a pipeline coaster in a park?

 

The closest Arrow came into doing a Pipeline installation was 2 failed attempts with Alton Towers back in the early 90's (SW1 and SW2). Many technical errors, comfort issues, and local protest (then again, Alton has ran into this a lot) halted the projects. That, and the park was more impressed with the inverted coaster rather than the pipeline coaster, thus Nemesis was built.

 

As for the videos, really interesting finds and footage, thanks for posting.

 

EDIT: Further reading,

 

Towers Almanac blurb of the "SW"

Shane's Amusement Attic on the Arrow Pipeline

[USCoaster]

I know there has been a lot of talk of the Arrow Pipeline Prototype here so far, but I was more impressed with the footage of Colossus pre-modifications (first 4 minutes of video 1). After riding Colossus again at WCB, this video really shows the difference between the "old" Colossus and the current version. I can just imagine how much more thrilling Colossus was before the lift was slowed down and the track was re-profiled.