ComfyNAD Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 OK classic out 'n back fans, whats your #1 John Allen woodie and what do/did you love about it, whether it be defunct, SBNO or operating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Here is a list of John Allen coasters for people who don't know. http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&pe=6850&page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBru Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 I would have to say Screamin' Eagle at SFStL. It was probably my first "major" coaster, and it is still running smooth, fast, and airtime-filled to this day. I hope I have the chance to ride it in the dark, sometime. Blue Streak is a close second, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jds03 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 I would have to say Rebel Yell. I'm not a huge fan of these coasters though. They're always a bit rough IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie200330 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Well, if you are going with out and back, definitely the Kings Racers(Rebell Yell, Racer). I think out of that list RY was the first one as a kid. It has been a few years since I've been there and I always found it to be an enjoyable ride, especially backwards(RIP). For the twisters, Skyliner is a decent ride for the shape it is in, and you gotta love the junior's at KD, KI, and Carowinds!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreditCrazy Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Blue Streak! Has some great airtime in the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Starliner at Miracle Strip...not Allen's biggest, fastest, whatever, but I always had such a blast on it. The dragon tunnel with the hidden, insane, ejector onto the seat divider air was always a favorite and still ranks as one of my top 10 fav airtime moments! I never got to ride it once it was relocated to CG, so I can't vouch for how it rode there. My earliest memory of seeing a John Allen coaster was at Fair Park (aka Cumberland Park) in Nashville when my older sisters got to ride Skyliner. Unfortunately, I was too little and intimidated by big wooden coasters then. It sure was amazing to watch them ride it from the sidelines though. Skyliner is not very well documented on the internet if at all, so I would love to see any photos of it if anyone has any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pufferfish Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 For me it's either Swamp Fox or Cannonball. Cannonball is slightly more nostalgic for me but Swamp Fox gives more airtime. Anyways, both are excellent rides and stars on my list of woodies. Other than those 2 I have also been on Blue Streak, GASM, and Fairly Odd Coaster at Carowinds. Blue Streak I found slightly underwhelming, but still a good ride and a classic. GASM is also a good ride but only in the proper seats, otherwise you are in for the beating of your lifetime. Fairly Odd Coaster is a junior woodie with a couple nice pops of airtime, other than that, there's not much to say. Overall, I love John Allen's works. I believe him to be one of the best designers of wooden coasters and I have made it my goal to hopefully ride every one of his creations that are still operating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capitalize Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Swamp Fox or Screamin' Eagle @ SFStl I found Swamp Fox to be really entertaining. Smooth enough with a couple moments of good airtime and a great location by the beach. All around a lot of fun. Screamin' Eagle was a real surprise to me. I wasn't expecting much from it but found the setting really make it a great ride. It starts out towering over the surroundings then seem to just disappear into the woods where the trains fly through the dense trees with a good amount of speed. Although it was a bit rough and didn't have a lot of air I thought it was a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Thriller Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Screamin Eagle is mine. Just because I love the feeling of flying through the trees. --James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComfyNAD Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 OK, so Screamin' Eagle at SFStL seems to be getting mucho thumbs up... I'll add my vote to that one. It's the best big John Allen I've ridden. When you get to the far end turnaround, you just feel like you've travelled a long way from the station, plus it's a great setting. As far a small John Allens go, I'm tempted to say Skyliner, but really it's all about the killer back seat first drop for me, there's not much else going on. So I'd have to say, of the ones I've done I'd go with Zingo. Good allrounder, couple of pops of floaty airtime and if I remember right, fun laterals in the final turnaround. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 ^ Did you mean STARliner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montezooma Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I vote for the Screamin' Eagle also, it also gets extra points for a classic great coaster name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edboxer Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Wow, this is hard, so I'm going to cop out and give a qualified response. My favorite - Cedar Point Blue Streak - but with the old trains - no seat divider and a lap bar! That ride was a blast - the new trains took away the fun of being plastered against your seat partner on the turn-around. It still has the great layout with lots of hill variation and lots of good airtime, but the original trains were so much more fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electerik Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Cannon Ball is my current favorite, though that probably has more to do with Lake Winnie and the way they operate/maintain it than it does any particular design advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComfyNAD Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 @ Mark, No i did mean Lakemont's Skyliner. When I rode it ages ago in 97 it was giving sharp ejector airtime on the 1st drop in the back seat even with just a 3 car train. Found it quite scary with the amount of movement the buzz bars allow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbear30 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I am going to agree with Eric^^ and say Cannonball. It has really awesome airtime, especially that last hop into the station is awesome! Although I have GASM at my home park and I love it dearly (it would be my 2nd fav JA) it just can't beat the airtime on Cannonball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 ^^ Ahh I was just wondering if you meant the JA Skyliner that was in Nashville. ^ I love LW's Cannonball too but have never experienced a whole lot of air on it...just mild moments. It is certainly a fun ride though and still running great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeelTheFORCE Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I've only been on Blue Streak (CP) and Racer (KI), and I honestly don't really care for either. If I had to choose, I'd choose Racer, but it went way down in my book since returning the one side back to forward. I really liked backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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