Extreme coasters that have been redesigned or taken down?

[chrisj0509]

Hi everyone!

 

I am a TV Production student at the University of Leeds (UK), and I'm just researching roller coasters in general, ie. the reasons people ride them (the psychology), how the industry competes for the 'ultimate' new ride etc.

 

I have heard of a particular roller coaster that had a particular inversion that people found too intense and had to be removed or redesigned. Does anybody know which I'm talking about? (or maybe I have a false memory!)

 

If anyone knows of any other rides that have had to be redesigned or even decommissioned because of their intensity, I'd be really interested to know about it!

 

All the best,

Chris

[UrbanLegend]

Well I know of Maverick's heartline roll being removed before its opening due to stress on the track and trains. There's also Intimidator 305's first curve being reprofiled to reduce wear and tear on the wheels due to the strong extended G's. Hope that helps!

[Skycoastin Steve]

Steel Phantom at Kennywood near Pittsburgh was completely reprofiled to take out its four inversions because of how rough they were. The result was a much smoother (and better) ride. It's now called Phantom's Revenge.

[RoCo]

Kings Island's Son of Beast, the only modern wooden coaster with an inversion, had that one loop removed so that it could run lighter trains, a move to cut down on its roughness.

 

Six Flags Fiesta Texas' Rattler had its once-world-record-holding first drop shortened to reduce the intensity of the forces on its structure (I believe, yes?)

 

Six Flags Magic Mountain's Colossus had a double-dip reprofiled to cut down on the severity of the negative G-forces there.

 

So many more...

[Fooz]

Drachen Fire had one corkscrew removed as well.

[Schotcher]

Drachen Fire had one corkscrew removed as well.

 

And then BGW killed it....

[harper83087]

The infamous Crystal Beach Cyclone opened 1927 and closed 1946 had a nurse standing by for the riders getting off. This is probably the most famous ride removal that I'm aware of.

[oriolat]

Moonsault Scramble. The contraption at Fuji-Q pulled something outrageous like 6 Gs during the pretzel inversion.

[ernierocker]

The Bat at Kings Island. No banked curves on this suspended coaster prototype led to forces that literally tore the trains apart.

[larrygator]

I would say the original Flip Flap coaster at Coney Island which had a tendency to break rider's necks is another good example.

[QueerRudie]

Sigh:

 

Thriller/Taz Texas Tornado/Zonga: In 2003, Zonga had the first and second inversions' entries raised by almost 10 feet each to reduce the G force loading on the riders. (The ride lost has lost it's mojo...)

 

Rattler, SFFT: This ride has had more reprofiling than just about any other ride- particularlay the first drop which has been raised numerous times due to stress on the trains and rough ride.

[Someotherguyuser]

Six Flags Magic Mountain's Colossus had a double-dip reprofiled to cut down on the severity of the negative G-forces there.

I KNEW IT!!! Airtime in California is illegal after all!

[Homeboy23]

Didn't Boulder Dash get some re-design around 2006?

[larrygator]

Didn't Boulder Dash get some re-design around 2006?

 

Just too save a little wear and tear, not because it was "too" intense.

[netdvn]

Six Flags Magic Mountain's Colossus had a double-dip reprofiled to cut down on the severity of the negative G-forces there.

I KNEW IT!!! Airtime in California is illegal after all!

 

I think someone getting thrown off the ride had something to do with it.

 

Colossus also had it's first drop modified.

[vacoaster09]

Cyclone at Six Flags New England was had its first drop reprofiled and the last year had several segments of track re done with steel topper track.

[larrygator]

If anyone knows of any other rides that have had to be redesigned or even decommissioned because of their intensity!

[Troll]

PMBO at Blackpool is currently being re-profiled in various places and has been at least once before - I'm not 100% sure whether it was because of the coaster being too rough or too intense but either way, it was redesigned - maybe someone else can shed a little light on this one

[larrygator]

PMBO at Blackpool is currently being re-profiled in various places and has been at least once before - I'm not 100% sure whether it was because of the coaster being too rough or too intense but either way, it was redesigned - maybe someone else can shed a little light on this one

 

It might be rough and crappy, but it is not intense.

[cal1br3tto]

Wasn't there a compact steel coaster so intense, it was moved to at least three different parks, each one deeming it too dangerous to operate? I'm having trouble remembering any other details.

[UrbanLegend]

PMBO at Blackpool is currently being re-profiled in various places and has been at least once before - I'm not 100% sure whether it was because of the coaster being too rough or too intense but either way, it was redesigned - maybe someone else can shed a little light on this one

Do you know when it will finish up with being re-profiled? I was planning on going for the first time in early March, but if both this and Valhalla are still closed then I'd have to make other plans

[Legoguy1395]

Chiller at Six flags Great Adventure. Inversion removed and then the entire ride was removed. I never rode it

[Ed Farmer]

Steel Phantom at Kennywood near Pittsburgh was completely reprofiled to take out its four inversions because of how rough they were. The result was a much smoother (and better) ride. It's now called Phantom's Revenge.

 

My unrealistic coaster dream was that Shockwave at Great America could get the Morgan treatment rather than be scrapped.

[Troll]

Do you know when it will finish up with being re-profiled? I was planning on going for the first time in early March, but if both this and Valhalla are still closed then I'd have to make other plans

 

As far as I know, the work is all meant to be done for the start of April so probably won't be open in early March - It might be worth emailing the park to find out how work is progressing and also if the opening is being moved forwards though

[Bear92]

Wasn't there a compact steel coaster so intense, it was moved to at least three different parks, each one deeming it too dangerous to operate? I'm having trouble remembering any other details.

 

Bullet at Flamingoland had a history of being ferried around and not operating for very long at places because of the insane wear and tear on the launch mechanism (it had about 60 sets of drive tires), it ended up being partially rebuilt and totally overhauled simply because of the horrendous amount of noise it made, before it arrived at Flamingoland.