packfanlv Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) I just got back from the Great Wall of China at Badaling and believe this ride to be a roller coaster. To get up to the wall you take the car up a lift hill and to descend to the bottom they hook several cars together and run them down the mountain. A few points: The cars run on a coaster style track. There is someone in the front car who applies brakes to keep it from going too fast, but the cars run down the hill completely on gravity. Here is a YouTube video! Let me know what you think! My credit count depends on you! Edited July 6, 2012 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) Shawn - It looks similar to other mountain coasters, but with attached cars and a very slow speed. There is one on the East Coast at Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts. I say count it. Personally, I consider it a coaster even though it's is not currently listed on RCDB. It's gravity powered and runs on a track. Then again Freefalls also are gravity powered on a track but I don't consider them coasters. Edited March 21, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packfanlv Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^Thanks Larry. I pretty much agree with your points and do consider it a coaster myself. I just thought it would be interesting to see what other enthusiasts think. To help you make a decision here are a few pictures that I took. BTW does anyone know if this is listed on RCDB? I looked, but couldn't find it. If not I will email Duane to see why it isn't listed. Thanks! Back of my head on the way down! Heading out of the station at the top. Getting ready to go down. The track. Lift hill going up to the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Looks like an alpine slide on rails. I believe this would be considered a gravity powered railroad, though, not a roller coaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packfanlv Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^and what would be the distinction between the two? In other words what makes it a gravity powered train and not a roller coaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^ Not much difference, but I'd say a "roller coaster" should have some amount of uphill travel & variation in speed along the run. My personal feelings only, I don't care what other people call it, and I'd ride it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rousfv Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Yes i would say, this is not a flat ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vekoma Fan Boy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Looks like an alpine slide on rails. I believe this would be considered a gravity powered railroad, though, not a roller coaster. By definition all roller coasters ARE gravity powered railroads. Roller Coasters are specially built gravity powered railroads, strictly for amusement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liseberg4ever Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It's look like a roller coaster! So i say YES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 So this is at Badaling??? Is it new? We were planning on heading over to the Mutianyu area of the great wall where they have a 'traditional' alpine slide. But knowing the true credit whore nature of some people on our China Trip this may now be a better alternative! A few questions before I make the decision to change it... - How long was the line for this? I know that Badaling is the most famous area and usually VERY crowded. - Did you notice if small children were allowed on (aka kidtums)? - Cost? Thanks for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdstrom Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It has a chain lift. It is powered by gravity. so YEP! It is a roller coaster. You should contact RCDB to get this added if it isn't listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASA Guy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 In My book, a Roller Coaster should: Have Rails or Track of some sort Have Trains traveling around the Track Have Trains that End (Which Means No Himilaya Rides) Have Some Elevation Change of some Sort Have a Definate Load/Unload Area Must Return to Said unload Area (Which Means like Water Slide type rides don't Count) And this ride fits all that criteria. I say go ahead and add it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 While I would personally not count this as a credit since it's more of an Alpine Slide than a coaster, there are plenty of arguments out there why you could. Your count is YOUR count and you can add to it whatever you want. There are not official rules on what you count as a coaster. I know some people who add Alpine Slides to their count and this would be no different. But for my own personal count, I do not consider this to be a "roller coaster." That's my opnion and I'm sticking to it! --Robb "Thanks for posting this though, that looks awesome!" Alvey ps. RCDB does not consider the Alpine Slides or Alpine Coasters either so I doubt Duane would list this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPDave Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It has a chain lift.It is powered by gravity. so YEP! It is a roller coaster. You should contact RCDB to get this added if it isn't listed. So rides without chain lifts aren't coasters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdstrom Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It has a chain lift.It is powered by gravity. so YEP! It is a roller coaster. You should contact RCDB to get this added if it isn't listed. So rides without chain lifts aren't coasters? Sorry, I should have elaborate a bit on this. One of the pictures has a chain lift so it makes it more obvious that it should be considered as a roller coaster. Yes, I still count LIM, Flywheels, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASA Guy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^^No, He's saying that since it has a chain lift it's a coaster, not roller coasters have to have chains. Like Jets are Airplanes but Airplanes aren't Always Jets. And I've seen these discussions many times, and in the end it's never one or the other. Do You count this as One Coaster or 2? Kings Island Counts it as One Do you count this as a Roller Coaster? Kings Island Does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillgeek Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I agree with what Rob was saying. It's up to you to add it to your "unoffical" coaster count. I'm saying this is a coaster because it runs on rails and uses gravity. It sure is a slow mother f*c*e* though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Thriller Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 The only reason I count that as a coaster is because of the design. I usually don't count it as a coaster if RCDB.com doesn't, but in this cause, I have too. I don't count Alpine slides as credits, if I did, I would have many more credits since those "Rotterbahns" as the Germanys say, are all over Germany. But yes, that is more in coaster style than anything else. (But still, it's for credit whores) --James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packfanlv Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 So this is at Badaling??? Is it new? We were planning on heading over to the Mutianyu area of the great wall where they have a 'traditional' alpine slide. But knowing the true credit whore nature of some people on our China Trip this may now be a better alternative! A few questions before I make the decision to change it... - How long was the line for this? I know that Badaling is the most famous area and usually VERY crowded. - Did you notice if small children were allowed on (aka kidtums)? - Cost? Thanks for any help! Elissa, We actually booked the tour to Mutianyu because of the luge and it being less crowded, but were told at the last minute this morning that they weren't going there today and we would have to go to Badaling. As for the lines, we waited around five minutes going up and ten minutes to go down. It was very crowded today, but like so many other places in China it was with domestic tourists. They also have a cable car, so not everyone uses this method of transport. (Basically I have been told to avoid the weekends at the Great Wall which is why we went today.) There weren't any height requirements, so KidTums should be able to ride with you. As for the cost, it is 60yuan for anyone over 1.2meters or just shy of $9USD round trip. (Less than 1.2 meters is free). If you have any more questions let me know. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 If a gravity railroad counts as a coaster, this should. The only problem is that there's a discontinuity -- there are no original gravity railroads left, and probably no riders thereof either. So are we free to change the definition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^^Thanks so much! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your TR's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liseberg4ever Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I smell new credit for KidTums! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kraken613 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Those are in RCT3! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 ^^If you see how I voted in the poll it's NOT a credit! However, with her having such a low count, perhaps I will count it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liseberg4ever Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Do you think Jeff count this as a credit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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