Stand-Up coasters= A failed concept?

[ericthewanderer]

In Japan there was a TOGO stand-up that ran one sitting train and one stand-up one.What if that were done to B&M stand-ups?One ain could be standing,another would be sitting and BACKWARDS !

[thrillseeker4552]

Aside from Riddler's Revenge, which I LOVE, I'm not the biggest fan of the other Stand-Ups I've ridden. I don't think they're a failed concept, just more of an "outdated" concept that is past its prime. Although I really like the layouts of most of them (and is probably the reason I love RR). Most of the ones from the mid-late '90s have awesome and unique layouts that would actually make solid Floorless or Sit-Down coasters. I think Cedar Fair is making the right move with converting theirs to breed new life into them.

 

I would even be alright with RR getting converted since I mainly like it for the layout, but I don't see any chance of that happening in the near future, especially with Scream in the same park. Just some of my thoughts.

[Nrthwnd]

In Japan there was a TOGO stand-up that ran one sitting train and one stand-up one.What if that were done to B&M stand-ups?One ain could be standing,another would be sitting and BACKWARDS !

 

The one I'm thinking of, was in Yomuiriland. It was a single track, but the sitting and standing trains shifted back and forth,

with a transfer track system in place. Two separate gp entrances and exits for each. With one loop. And it worked! Somehow.

 

Then there's the pair of tracks with standing and sitting running parallel, in Mitsui Greenland, also in Japan. Sometimes

we lucked out, and the ride ops ran them as racing coasters, which was very cool to experience. And there was actual

AIR TIME on the standing coaster! It was great!

 

P.S. I have no idea if either of these coasters were TOGO. Just a hunch.

Mitsui Greenland. The StandUp/SitDown coasters are way in the back, there. TPR 2011 Japan Tour.

[sirloindude]

I don't think that stand-up coasters were a failed concept. I'd argue that they were rather successful in their day. However, they just lacked the staying power of other concepts. As new styles of coasters have come out, the stand-up coaster concept basically rode off into the sunset. I'd say that in the days before inverted and floorless coasters, among so many others, they were a radical and exciting alternative to your average looping coaster. Their time in the sun just drew to a close when newer concepts that combined innovative riding positions or train designs with comfort hit the market.

 

Where we all got lucky was with the ability of B&M to convert them to floorlesses, even if only two have received that treatment so far.

[Steely Dan]

P.S. I have no idea if either of these coasters were TOGO. Just a hunch.

 

According to RCDB, all of the stand-ups in Japan were built by TOGO.

 

 

 

Here's a list from RCDB data of every stand-up coaster that has ever operated, broken down by manufacturer and year first operated:

 

 

TOGO:

 

1. 1982 - Dangai - Thrill Valley (Japan) - retrofit - removed in 2002 - DEFUNCT (built prior to 1982 as a sit-down, stand-up trains added in 1982)
    
    
   
2. 1982 - Momonga Standing & Loop Coaster - Yomiuriland (Japan) - retrofit - OPERATING (built in 1979 as a sit-down, one stand-up train added in 1982, still has one sit-down train)
    
    
   
3. 1984 - King Cobra - Kings Island - removed in 2001 - DEFUNCT
    
    
   
4. 1984 - name unknown - Otaru Expo (Japan) - moved to Rusutsu Resort (Japan) in 1985 - OPERATING
    
    
   
5. 1985 - Star Jet - Tsukuba Expo (Japan) - moved to Brazilian Park Washuzan Highland (Japan) in 1986 - OPERATING (has one stand-up train and one backwards sit-down train)
    
    
   
6. 1985 - Skyrider - Canada's Wonderland - moved to Cavallino Matto (Italy) in 2015 - OPERATING
    
    
   
7. 1986 - Shockwave - Kings Dominion - removed in 2015 - DEFUNCT
    
    
   
8. 1991 - Milkyway - Greenland (Japan) - OPERATING (double tracked coaster has a stand-up track and a sit-down track)
    
    
   
9. 1992 - Fujin Raijin II - Expoland (Japan) - removed in 2007 - DEFUNCT

 

 

Bolliger & Mabillard:

 

1. 1990 - Iron wolf - SFGAm - moved to SFA in 2012 - OPERATING
    
    
   
2. 1991 - Vortex - CGA - converted to floorless in 2017 - DEFUNCT (as a stand-up)
    
    
   
3. 1992 - Vortex - Carowinds - OPERATING (assumed to be getting a floorless conversion soon)
    
    
   
4. 1996 - Mantis - Cedar Point - converted to floorless in 2015 - DEFUNCT (as a stand-up)
    
    
   
5. 1997 - Chang - Kentucky Kingdom - moved to SFGAdv in 2011 - OPERATING
    
    
   
6. 1998 - Riddler's Revenge - SFMM - OPERATING
    
    
   
7. 1999 - Georgia Scorcher - SFOG - OPERATING

 

 

Intamin:

 

1. 1986 - Shockwave - SFMM - moved to various SF parks, last removed in 2006, in storage at Darien Lake - DEFUNCT
    
    
   
2. 1988 - Stand Up - Skara Sommarland (Sweden) - moved to La Ronde in 1995 - SBNO (fate uncertain)
    
    
   
3. 1994 - Shockwave - Drayton Manor (UK) - OPERATING

 

 

Arrow:

 

1. 
   1983 - EXT - WoF - retrofit - DEFUNCT (built in 1976 as a sit-down corkscrew, stand-up trains added in 1983 for only one season, ride eventually removed after 1988)
    
    
   
2. 1984 - Rail Blazer - SFSTL - retrofit - DEFUNCT (built in 1971 as a sit-down mine train, stand-up trains added in 1984 for only one season, ride still operates as a conventional mine train coaster)

 

 

Please correct any errors or omissions I may have made.

 

 

So that makes 11 Stand-ups left gloablly that are still operating (5 in NA, 4 in Japan, and 2 in Europe). And with Carowind's assumed Vortex floorless conversion, that would bring the global number down to 10 (though there is that super-wacky screamscape rumor of a new B&M stand-up possibly in the works).

Edited June 13, 2017 by Steely Dan

[Steely Dan]

double post, please delete.

[Ed Farmer]

Well, this is completely unexpected stuff out of left field, but screamscape has a rumor about a possible new B&M stand up in the works.

 

It's only been 2 decades since the last one, so why the hell not?

 

This seems WAY too freaking weird to be true.

 

http://www.screamscape.com/html/industry_news.htm#BM

As a huge fan of B&M Stand Ups, this would be frigging fantastic. I think they are far and away the most intense rides B&M has designed. However, I agree with you, looks too good (or weird) to be true. If not, though, I could see this being for China- since they appear intent on achieving a 1:1 coaster to person ratio.

[Steely Dan]

I could see this being for China- since they appear intent on achieving a 1:1 coaster to person ratio.

yeah, if hell has indeed frozen over and there's any truth at all to this very odd rumor, China would be my first thought as well.

 

With the eye-poppoing rate that China is building new B&M's (there are currently 8 B&M's under construction over there!), I suppose it was only a matter of time before a stand-up or two snuck in.

[snapfordakids]

 

 

 

[*]1984 - Rail Blazer - SFSTL - retrofit - DEFUNCT (built in 1971 as a sit-down mine train, stand-up trains added in 1984 for only one season, ride still operates as a conventional mine train coaster)

 

Wow Never knew of this.

 

[SixFlagsAstroworld]

^Someone flew out of that ride during the season that it was standing up. The ride is still operating today as a normal mine train but I really wonder if the stand up trains would still be on that ride today if someone hadn't flown out

[VCXfreak]

Personally it’s the public who make their ride experience bad. I've waiting in line for RR and seen how they bounce on the seats and then it locks or they sit down and it locks. Making it an awkward ride!

 

I am 6’2 and I never had a bad ride experience. Yes I have felt the famous B&M rattle but I don't let that bother me.

[Steely Dan]

The ride is still operating today as a normal mine train but I really wonder if the stand up trains would still be on that ride today if someone hadn't flown out

Regardless of whether or not that tragic fatality occurred, I HIGHLY doubt that River King Mine Train would still be running stand-up trains over 3 decades later.

 

I never rode the stand-up incarnation of RKMT, but I simply have to believe that the ride makes a million times more sense being operated as the conventional mine train coaster it was originally intended and designed to be.