Arrow Mega Loopers - Height Restrictions and the future

[GayCoasterGuy]

 

Probably not but it would be nice to get vekoma to build some new trains using the same setup as on carolina cobra.

 

Has anyone actually ridden those? They are horrible. There is no headbanging but it is replaced with you being HELD DOWN and BACK and shaken to hell. I have no clue why some people like them; perhaps less painful in one way, but more painful and restricting in another way.

 

File with the "It's new so it MUST be better" ethic that people seem to fall into.

 

I personally prefer a little head banging to what those new Vekoma "vest" trains have to offer. I've ridden them on at least 3 different coasters and ... Uck

[Geauga Dog]

I've ridden Carolina Cobra and loved the new Vekoma trains and didn't feel any pain at all. The only downside, though very minor, was how the vest felt against my shoulders. I also like the Vekoma bullet trains you'll find on Darien Lake's and SFDK's Boomerangs.

 

I really wish Arrow was still in business. It would have been very interesting to see how they would have competed against B&M and Intamin as well as what new styles of rides they would have developed along the way.

[A.J.]

Has anyone actually ridden those? They are horrible. There is no headbanging but it is replaced with you being HELD DOWN and BACK and shaken to hell. I have no clue why some people like them; perhaps less painful in one way, but more painful and restricting in another way.

 

File with the "It's new so it MUST be better" ethic that people seem to fall into.

I have, and they're nowhere near as bad as you're making them out to be, at least on Sidewinder and Nor'Easter - and I am NOT in the "it's new so it must be better" crowd - If the Knoebels Phoenix lost its buzz bars, I would release all of my ginger fury on the world.

 

Back on topic, the three mega-loopers (Great American Scream Machine, Shockwave, Viper) all use what appears to be different kind of shoulder harness than on Arrow's other coasters. Perhaps the mega-loopers have a different train design (but the same body) than the regular coasters, that requires a taller minimum height requirement?

[GayCoasterGuy]

I have, and they're nowhere near as bad as you're making them out to be

 

They are to me We can differ in opinions, I respect that.

 

If the Knoebels Phoenix lost its buzz bars, I would release all of my ginger fury on the world.

 

Yikes! Shudder to think... I am actually surprised so many great rides have been "converted" to the dark side with those PTC ratchet bars. Us coaster geeks didn't know how great we had it until those awful ratchet bars came along. PTC was once revered as wooden coaster trains, mainly because the alternative were Morgans (think Colossus, Riverside Cyclone...).

 

Back on topic, the three mega-loopers (Great American Scream Machine, Shockwave, Viper) all use what appears to be different kind of shoulder harness than on Arrow's other coasters. Perhaps the mega-loopers have a different train design (but the same body) than the regular coasters, that requires a taller minimum height requirement?

 

Those orange shoulder bars with the huge "Dolly Parton" HOOPS out front - you can thank a 1987 Great Adventure ride operator for those things. After the Lightnin' Loops death (

), all Six Flags shoulder bars and lap bars were either painted or "re-dipped" with bright orange padding. All Arrow trains had those crazy HOOPS added - to make sure NOBODY would ever sit in front of an Arrow shoulder harness again.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^And this was the one thing I really liked about the new vekoma train...the grips are placed far enough out in front so that your elbows aren't being banged around against the inside of the car at every turn as that hurts far worse than the headbanging on the ride.

[DenDen]

 

What IS the minimum restriction for an arrow 7-looper?

 

I believe Arrow manufactured all of it's OTSR's to accommodate 48" or taller, as was stated in a roller coaster documentary about them in the 80's.

[GayCoasterGuy]

^I wonder if Demon (Great America, Gurnee, Illinois) was lowered at some point to 42" so more kids could ride. I first rode in 1982 at the age of 8, but I have no clue how tall I was then. Tidal Wave had the same 42" requirement (as do all classic Anton loopers.

Except Revolution - probably due to the high G's entering and exiting the loop - causing kids to lurch forward. Oh yeah, and the addition of nasty shoulder bars )

 

My baby cousin rode the Demon 3 years ago at the age of 5 or 6, and he was so small in that seat. Here is a picture from this year, he still looks pretty small - 3 years later and almost 48" tall

 

[Commando]

 

What IS the minimum restriction for an arrow 7-looper?

 

I believe Arrow manufactured all of it's OTSR's to accommodate 48" or taller, as was stated in a roller coaster documentary about them in the 80's.

 

I'm 6' 1'' and I hardly fit in the car. I have to slouch down a bit in order to put the harness down and not have it dig into my shoulders. I can imagine anyone much taller then me riding it. Still a fun ride, great airtime in the back car going over that first drop.

[DBru]

^I'm in the same boat. I'm almost 6'1" and I can't hardly enjoy an Arrow coaster anymore because the shoulder harnesses press down uncomfortably on my shoulders. I rode Viper for the first time on Tuesday and found it to be pretty horrible...

[bottom_feeder_13]

^ & ^^ Really I'm also 6'1" but I've never had issues with arrow OTSRs but I also have really long legs (I have more trouble getting the seat on standups high enough than my friend who's 6'5") I actually find that I'm the ideal height for those restraints because all the bashing is going into my neck as opposed to my ears (Revolution) and so it's actually pretty comfortable, at least there's leg room.