Rocky Mountain to build a new track manufacturing facility

[robbalvey]

^ My feeling is that if Alton ever DID get a wood coaster (and you know it's been seriously discussed in the past), I think it would be something Outlaw Run or Goliath style.

[DonGeorge]

You guys bring up good points. A Boulder Dash style coaster does seem relatively logical for Alton Towers, yet so does a spread out coaster like Outlaw Run. Alton Towers actually did try to build a wooden coaster for 2005, but local problems prevented this. It's too bad, because this was going to be an incredible hyper woodie(presumably an Intamin pre-fab) that would have swooped down into Cross Valley. John Wardley always wanted to get a wooden coaster into Alton Towers, but now that he's retired, I begin to wonder what's in store for Alton. An RMC would bring lots of people in.

This coaster would have gotten many enthusiasts coming in hordes to Alton Towers. I think RMC has what it takes to build something great for this park.

[coasterchitchat]

Did Chad from the Gravity Group say at IAAPA 2013 that he wanted to build a woodie for Alton Towers? I'll try to find the video.

[Morgan]

From what I understand, one of the biggest issues with the wooden coaster at Alton Towers wasn't the planning restrictions (the plans were pulled by the park before any decision was made), it was the marketability of such a ride.

 

With the UK only having 9 wooden coasters in total, and the only major ones that are a major park are those at BPB (I'm not including Megafobia at Oakwood, even though it's a great coaster it is too far out of the way for the majority of the UK to even know about it). The BPB coasters are all old rides, the youngest is the Wild Mouse at almost 60 years old, so Alton Towers/Merlin did at least hold the opinion that the majority of the UK public viewed wooden coasters as old, rickety and 'unsafe', which would therefore make marketing a wooden coaster much more difficult.

 

Whether this opinion has changed since then, I don't know, but RMC have definitely made a very marketable product and as Alton Towers like to have a USP for each of their coasters they could go down the 'most inversions on a wooden coaster' route, which would no doubt appeal to the general public.

[thedazza]

From what I understand, one of the biggest issues with the wooden coaster at Alton Towers wasn't the planning restrictions (the plans were pulled by the park before any decision was made), it was the marketability of such a ride.

 

With the UK only having 9 wooden coasters in total, and the only major ones that are a major park are those at BPB (I'm not including Megafobia at Oakwood, even though it's a great coaster it is too far out of the way for the majority of the UK to even know about it). The BPB coasters are all old rides, the youngest is the Wild Mouse at almost 60 years old, so Alton Towers/Merlin did at least hold the opinion that the majority of the UK public viewed wooden coasters as old, rickety and 'unsafe', which would therefore make marketing a wooden coaster much more difficult.

 

Whether this opinion has changed since then, I don't know, but RMC have definitely made a very marketable product and as Alton Towers like to have a USP for each of their coasters they could go down the 'most inversions on a wooden coaster' route, which would no doubt appeal to the general public.

 

I think if Alton Towers get a woodie, and it is widely speculated that their next coaster will be one (either that or a B&M 4D), then it will most likely be a launched one, which will give them the USP that they like to have for their big coasters. And the strongest current rumours is that their next major coaster in 2017 will indeed be an RMC launched wooden coaster, which may or may not use the terrain of the valley.

 

John Wardley did want a Woodie and said that the cross valley woodie wasn't the only one they designed, and yes Gravity Group did say that one of the projects they had which didn't get off the ground but they wish they had was something they did with Alton Towers. But Merlin had done surveys and found that the general public's perception of wooden coasters was that they were unsafe, so they went for alternative options.

Although I think with the amount of new wooden coasters that have been built in the last 10 years or so, and the advances in technology i.e topper track from RMC, (which I know some people say aren't really wooden coasters due to the top layers of the track being steel, but don't all wooden coasters actually have steel rails that the wheels run along in the middle of the top layer of wood?). I think public opinion will change to be more in favour of them.

[KarlaKoaster]

It's sad Merlin aren't willing to prove the public wrong by building a good wooden coaster. It's not like the public have many modern wooden coasters to make a fair comparison.

[thedazza]

It's sad Merlin aren't willing to prove the public wrong by building a good wooden coaster. It's not like the public have many modern wooden coasters to make a fair comparison.

 

Well there is an inverting woodie opening this year in Ireland, and strong rumours of Flamingoland building a woodie for 2016. So hopefully the publicity for those will help Alton market theirs if they do indeed build one. I think if we are going to see an RMC in the UK then the Merlin parks are our best hopes, and with Thorpe building a big new Dark ride next year Alton Towers is the most likely to get one. And with Paramount London edging ever closer Alton may need to add something pretty spectacular to keep ahead of the game.

[maverickpoint]

There seem to be a lot of rumors circulating of RMC do a launched woodie for Alton Towers and some people are thinking Dollywood might get one. I'm really curious to see what will happen and who will get one if any.

[StealthFan]

There seem to be a lot of rumors circulating of RMC do a launched woodie for Alton Towers and some people are thinking Dollywood might get one. I'm really curious to see what will happen and who will get one if any.

 

I think the whole Alton Towers woodie rumour has worn far too thin. The park really doesnt need one it need more flat rides first in my opinion. Ireland are getting their GCI which is nice and Flamingo getting a medium sized woodie would be great for the park but I don't think any Merlin park needs one or would benefit from it as much as other parks in the country.

[Superbatboy]

Has anyone seen the RMC single track concept? There's a video on youtube, not sure if I can post here. Looks like RMC is about to foray into all steel coasters, can't wait to see how this turns out!

[rcjp]

^It does look interesting and I wonder what all the benefits are (what it'll be able to do)

[coasterkid124]

That's definitely interesting. I hope that now seeing RMC is a big company, they will come up with more innovative and quirky designs like this. Seeing that they have built the 4D coasters for S&S, maybe they will come up with their own version of the wing rider soon.

[Coaster Hero]

^^According to the video of the tour to the manufacturing plant, the advantages include less bolting, simpler assembly, generally easier construction, more structural strength, and the ability to need fewer supports

[rcjp]

^^According to the video of the tour to the manufacturing plant, the advantages include less bolting, simpler assembly, generally easier construction, more structural strength, and the ability to need fewer supports

Yes, I did get that. What I meant was if this track will be able to do things others couldn't before (not that there's that much left to do but still), in other words, the result of aspects like increased structural strength.

[Superbatboy]

So with less footers, supports, connectors etc; can't help but wonder if this will make big rides more affordable. Maybe a park that wanted a hyper or giga in the past but couldn't afford one will now be able to install one...

[gerstlaueringvar]

Great design! I get it about easier fabrication process, but how does it make a difference on construction? The coaster wheels are at the outside of the track like the majority of steel coasters so they don't need to install tracks separately anyway.

Edited September 19, 2015 by gerstlaueringvar

[coasterkid124]

I'm thinking that if this design would go away with wood/steel lattice supports, this new track would be able to do more inversions like loops, cobra rolls, and more

[Comeagain?]

Less lifts compared to their own track. Much larger distance between supports. And considering the demand for their products, anything that takes less time in the shop is a good thing.

[canadianparkfan]

Well, one thing's for certain with this new single track coaster type.... We will never have to worry about RMC building another coaster as short as Goliath ever again!