rolercstrluvr Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Looks great so far! Does anyone remember how long Outlaw Run took to install? I'm just curious when it will open, and I'm not sure it will be ready by opening day... I've heard that they're aiming for Memorial day and they are on track to have it open by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Looks great so far! Does anyone remember how long Outlaw Run took to install? I'm just curious when it will open, and I'm not sure it will be ready by opening day... They are aiming for Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day 2014 is May 26th so probably May 24th is when it'll open. Brandon Bruce told me that they're planning on having a season pass exclusive opening like they did with X-Flight so it might open a week early just for season pass holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroGravity55 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hopefully the weather doesn't get too bad this winter and carries over into March and April. Would love to see them finish this on their goal date or maybe even sooner if they get lucky with the weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonni Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 ^ From what I understand, weather has to be significantly bad to slow down, or halt work on a Roller Coaster. They will work in wind, rain, and snow. I don't know any of this for a fact, its just what I've come to understand, but judging from the Gatekeeper Construction I'd say its pretty true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. M Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 ^I've never been to the park but I imagine anyone who would feel a sense of loss over the absence of a notoriously rough B&M stand-up when potentially one of the greatest wooden coasters ever built is being put in its place probably has a concussion. There's something curious about dismissing a ride that you've never ridden in favor of a ride that no one has yet ridden (and in fact, currently exists in the form of some footers and sticks sticking out of the ground). In all liklihood, Goliath will be a great ride, and it's no secret that Stand-Ups don't have a sparkling reputation among many coaster people- but I can think of a few coasters that I like, but might have never bothered riding if I just went by what people said. If I had never ridden a B&M stand-up, and if this was RMC's first coaster, I might agree with you. However, I feel I have enough information to make that determination without having ridden either of the coasters involved. Kind of like how we've determined that the Earth revolves around the sun even though we've never, you know, been to the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroGravity55 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 ^ From what I understand, weather has to be significantly bad to slow down, or halt work on a Roller Coaster. They will work in wind, rain, and snow. I don't know any of this for a fact, its just what I've come to understand, but judging from the Gatekeeper Construction I'd say its pretty true. That's a steel coaster. Were talking about working with a wooden structure that is 165 feet tall. It's a little more complex with the wind. I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason they're waiting until March to top the ride off. RMC doesn't tighten the bolts that hold the supports in the footers until they're finished with the track work. They probably don't think it's safe to do this with the tallest parts of the structure (lift and tallest overbank) until the wind dies down in the spring. If the wind doesn't die down in March or April, that's where delays in construction are going to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 They started putting bents up for the valley at the bottom of the over bank turn and the start of the floater hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Farmer Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 If I had never ridden a B&M stand-up, and if this was RMC's first coaster, I might agree with you. However, I feel I have enough information to make that determination without having ridden either of the coasters involved. Kind of like how we've determined that the Earth revolves around the sun even though we've never, you know, been to the sun. I think a more accurate comparison would be not bothering to watch Pulp Fiction or Inglorious Basterds because you've seen Jackie Brown and Django Unchained and not liked them, but to each his own. We'll just have to agree to disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willthegolfer Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Construction is moving really fast today!, supports are going up quickly at the downslope of the overbank. Looks like the area between the overbank and airtime hill could provide some great forces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TW4ever1978 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I feel I must make a correction to an earlier post in this thread. The station that will be used for Goliath was built NEW for Iron Wolf in 1990. The station originally used for Z-Force was moved to Rolling Thunder in 1989, and was scrapped after that ride was moved to The Great Escape after the 1995 season. This misconception has appeared in various forums and must be corrected. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonni Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Well thanks for the info! I always understood it was the same station used for Z Force. Nice to know the facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedirtyspaniard Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I'll be driving by the SFGAm area later today, I'll try and take a few pictures if anything can be seen from the road or if I can get in the entrance of the employee lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I feel I must make a correction to an earlier post in this thread. The station that will be used for Goliath was built NEW for Iron Wolf in 1990. The station originally used for Z-Force was moved to Rolling Thunder in 1989, and was scrapped after that ride was moved to The Great Escape after the 1995 season. This misconception has appeared in various forums and must be corrected. Thank you! I got that info straight from the park. They said the base of the Z-Force station was recycled and then the Wolf station was then built there. Perhaps they mean the queue line was reused for Iron Wolf or they're wrong altogether. Thanks for the correction though. I corrected my earlier post. I wasn't born in that era so I never got to see Z-Force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerstlaueringvar Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^ You are only 18, you can't see Z-Force in there even if you were born in that era Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^ You are only 18, you can't see Z-Force in there even if you were born in that era You know what I mean. I didn't mean born in that era but was alive to see that era of the park. Here's the latest image of the construction site today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAMTABSFGAm Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Actually GoBears is right. This is the same station that Z-Force and Iron Wolf used. You can clearly see that it is the same station just with a few minor adjustments. The operators booth is the same for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmerleeberry Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I'm planning to visit Wisconsin Dells in 2014 which include flying in and out of Milwaukee, and I will definitely be visiting Six Flags Great America. Goliath looks like it'll be one wicked coaster, plus it'll be the first coaster of its kind that I've ever rode on ( Hades 360 will become #2 ) Just like X-Flight was the first wing coaster I've ever rode, Goliath will be the first RMC I've ever rode. And I want to ride Whizzer one more time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedirtyspaniard Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 So.. I drove by SFGAm today, and I've got to say that what's been built of Goliath looks a lot bigger in pictures than it does in real life. That isn't to say it isn't actually big or isn't going to be impressive. However, the only place outside the park where you can see the ride from is the employee lot, otherwise it's not distinguishable or visible. I'm excited for how much the skyline is going to change in the back corner of the park once the overbanked turns and the first hill go up. It will stand out for sure then, but for now it's a work in progress. Driving up to the park off Washington St. While this isn't a great picture of progress so far, I think it gives a fair idea of the relative height of what's been built. What looked like some of the concrete footers were still sitting off to the side in the storage area, not sure if these are spares or have yet to be placed. Stacks of wood presumably for Goliath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndCamSS Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 About the Iron Wolf discussion above, I believe people think they are the same station because they are in the exact same location. If you look at those pics though, the Iron Wolf station is clearly taller, and the stair case is different. I believe they reused the foundation from the Z-Force station for Iron Wolf, but the actual station was reused for Rolling Thunder. Unfortunately the only picture I can find is this one.... Here you can see how the station is the same as Z-Force, just painted in different colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TW4ever1978 Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Let's look at the timeline here. Z-Force opened in July 1985, closed after the 1987 season and was moved to Georgia. Rolling Thunder, moved to Great America from Great Adventure, opened in 1989. The park moved the entire Z-Force station to serve for Rolling Thunder which lasted through the 1995 season. Iron Wolf opened in 1990 with a new station. I was 35 when Z-Force opened and was going to the park nearly 20 times a season and personally witnessed all of this action. Please know that park employees are not always knowledgeable on history of the park. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard park employees misquote on park history. I have been going there every year since the park opened in 1976. As a sidelight, Whirligig was originally in the spot where Goliath is going, and was moved to Yankee Harbor to make room for Z-Force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonni Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Those pics of Z Force were really cool, regardless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandallDuell Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Let's look at the timeline here. Z-Force opened in July 1985, closed after the 1987 season and was moved to Georgia. Rolling Thunder, moved to Great America from Great Adventure, opened in 1989. The park moved the entire Z-Force station to serve for Rolling Thunder which lasted through the 1995 season. Iron Wolf opened in 1990 with a new station. I was 35 when Z-Force opened and was going to the park nearly 20 times a season and personally witnessed all of this action. Please know that park employees are not always knowledgeable on history of the park. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard park employees misquote on park history. I have been going there every year since the park opened in 1976. As a sidelight, Whirligig was originally in the spot where Goliath is going, and was moved to Yankee Harbor to make room for Z-Force. This is interesting stuff, and makes a lot of sense. I don't recall walking past the former Z-Force site and noticing the station sitting there, by itself, for those two years now that I think about it. Seeing Iron Wolf's station sitting there, as it has, does make me think that I'd have noted the empty Z-Force station sitting there.....and looking at pictures of Rolling Thunder's station, it all seems to add up. It's fascinating that you're the first guy I've seen bring this up. As far as Whirligig being over there, I did post this picture earlier in the thread (that's the rides stripped down "stalk" in the background): You'll remember that they had to not only remove Whirligig but also LITERALLY scoot the train station down a bit to make way for Z-Force's station and track! Anyway, interesting stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willthegolfer Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Here's today's webcam update, it looks like supports are starting to go up for the other side of the overbank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I can't wait to ride this coaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yay101 Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 ^^Progress is now being made! I'm so excitedddddd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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