Let's talk Intamin Prefabs

[kweiss]

Travel back in time with me. The year is 2006, and El Toro just opened at Six Flags Great Adventure to astounding praise. Reviewers raved that it was the most exciting roller coaster we have ever seen. All the charm and feel of a wooden coaster with all the benefits steel. And best of all, the revolutionary prefabricated design allowed for quicker, cheaper, and more efficient construction. And the parks needed less ongoing maintence. Everyone thought prefabricated wooden roller coasters were the obvious way of the future.

 

Fast forward to 2015, and El Toro is still widely considered the best roller coaster In the world; however, only one more prefab coaster exists, built 7 years ago. This roller coaster breakthrough, which we all thought would change theme parks forever, just hasn't taken off. Worse, it appears abandoned. What gives?

 

I had this thought recently, and I really have no idea the answer. I want more El Toros, Balders, and T Expresses damnit!

[CPmillenia94]

RMC's have become a more cost efficient and marketable version of the exact same thing. To me that is a bit unfortunate, because el toro and the other prefabs offer a slightly more powerful experience than RMC's. I think that there are bound to be parks in the future that invest in one, but who knows when.

[Superbatboy]

El Toro is an incredible ride that every enthusiast must ride at some point. I actually missed several coaster credits when I visited Gradv last year because I wanted to ride El Toro over and over.

 

That being said, I'm sure cost is the major reason why we don't see more. It's rumored El Toro ran Great Adventure more than $20 million, that's a lot of dough for a wooden coaster that doesnt have the marketing potential of a ride like say KK. Even if El Toro only really costed the $12 million that is listed, that is still like $4-5 million more than the avg cost of what GCI and GG were charging at the time.

 

Also, I've read that Intamin wasn't the sole producer of the pre-fabs. There were other sub-contractors involved (including RMC and Gerstlauer) so maybe all the pieces had to be in place (no pun) in order for projects such as these to come together. And we well know RMC went on to do other things

[RollerManic]

RMC merely vonstucted the ride, I believe. That is one of the services they have done quite a bit in the past.

[DirkFunk]

RMC's have become a more cost efficient and marketable version of the exact same thing.

 

RMCs also offer more things the rides can do. In pretty much every respect, it is a superior product and from everything I've heard, cheaper. And that's why no one is even rumored to be looking at that Plug N Play track tech.

[A.J.]

RMC's have become a more cost efficient and marketable version of the exact same thing.

RMCs also offer more things the rides can do. In pretty much every respect, it is a superior product and from everything I've heard, cheaper. And that's why no one is even rumored to be looking at that Plug N Play track tech.

Is that only based on Outlaw Run and Goliath? That's not a large enough sample size if you ask me. The I-Box coasters aren't really wooden coasters, so they don't count. That also doesn't prove why none were built between T Express and New Texas Giant.

 

Also, the Intamins were probably more expensive than the Rocky Mountain coasters because they're much more substantial rides. There's over a mile of track for T Express, 4,400 feet for El Toro and Colossos, and 3,500 feet for Balder (which is shorter in drop / height change than Outlaw Run).

[DirkFunk]

Is that only based on Outlaw Run and Goliath? That's not a large enough sample size if you ask me.

 

I think Outlaw Run, Goliath, and the early design that we know for Wildfire establish pretty clearly that RMC rides are doing things the Intamin rides (themselves a small sample set) aren't doing. I can't prove to you that a ride with Balder's trains and track can't do a dive loop, if that's what you're saying. But based on what actually exists and what's selling, I feel pretty comfortable in my position that they probably were not designed to do that.

 

That also doesn't prove why none were built between T Express and New Texas Giant.

 

Probably expense vs. return. Same reason other ride systems don't sell like hot cakes. Theme parks are in the business of making money, and if something clearly is a money making draw, parks will buy it. Maybe the answer is that they didn't justify their cost?

 

Also, the Intamins were probably more expensive than the Rocky Mountain coasters because they're much more substantial rides. There's over a mile of track for T Express, 4,400 feet for El Toro and Colossos, and 3,500 feet for Balder (which is shorter in drop / height change than Outlaw Run).

 

Maybe? Sometimes innovation costs a lot of money too. Six Flags got a ride that does stuff only dreamed of previously on a wood coaster instead of something with a more traditional layout. Assume you're right and I'm wrong then and the cost is equivalent. RMC has shown the ability to redo existing wood coasters and turn them into top rated steel rides. Intamin either hasn't sold themselves well enough to do that or hasn't shown capability/interest to do so. RMC has shown the ability to build wood coasters that are clearly at the cutting edge and more innovative in design than the preceeding 85-100 years of wood coaster building before it. Laser cut wood is nice, but it isn't as mind blowing as an inverted stall on a wood coaster. Why pay the same for a ride that can't do what the RMC does then?

[RollerManic]

I consider Topper Tracks fully wood, but to be fair, they use quite the thick "strip" of metal. Its not really a strip anymore as it is a "layer". This surely gives them an advantage structually in track shaping and ridablitly. For me, the laser cut wood gives a more tradtional feel (nothing against RMC).

 

Alan Schlike was talking about at IAAPA 2013 the verstitility of their topper track, stating they were able to twist three degrees / ft of track - another advantage they have in the market. I have no ways to conpare this as other statisitics are bot available, but from his excitement, I could tell it must have been a big hurdle previously.

 

If I can dig up my post comparing Gwazi and Balder then maybe you will see the extreme difference cost and value.

[JonnyRCT3]

That being said, I'm sure cost is the major reason why we don't see more. It's rumored El Toro ran Great Adventure more than $20 million, that's a lot of dough for a wooden coaster that doesnt have the marketing potential of a ride like say KK. Even if El Toro only really costed the $12 million that is listed, that is still like $4-5 million more than the avg cost of what GCI and GG were charging at the time.

 

I've read recently on the forums that SFGADV verbally quoted the ride at $25 million. Much more than the rumored price.

[fraroc]

Its seems as if RMC did to the Intamin Aquatrax, Megalites and Prefab woodies what video did to the radio star....At least in the U.S.

[_koppen]

I think the main reason to why the Intamin Prefab never really took of is that it does what steel coasters do, it dosen't have the characteristic of an wooden coaster. Parks who are looking for something like El Toro have gone with steel rides.

 

I don't think RMC coming along have had any effect on sales of potential Intamin Prefabs, nor do I think they are any cheaper. When RMC came along they kind of reinvented the wood coaster in a way never seen before, which is why parks are so hot for them right now, kinda like what Ben and Jerrys did with ice cream.

 

When the Prefab came along it was a big evolution in wooden coaster building technique and getting a smooth ride, but that's pretty much it. It never was that sensational reinventing of the ride.

 

I would really love to see more Prefabs built!

[Manic Monte]

I think it simply comes down to cost. I think that may be the reason we're not seeing very many Intamins built in the US at the moment. Amusement parks are still in cost cutting mode. Certainly Six Flags is.

[Paradox]

What ever happened to the Aquatrax? It looks like a great concept.

[A.J.]

When the Prefab came along it was a big evolution in wooden coaster building technique and getting a smooth ride, but that's pretty much it. It never was that sensational reinventing of the ride.

This seems like a good way to think about it, evolution vs revolution. I'm still in a bigger hurry to ride all the Intamin coasters though.

[Samuel]

In regard to the pro-RMC talk, there was never a cause-effect where RMC came along and put a halt to a buying bonanza on the Intamin prefabs. After each highly-rated Intamin woodie came out, enthusiasts kept expecting them to pop up all over the place and it never happened, years before RMC was an acronym in the coaster world. Explaining the relative lack of prefabs in terms of “well, because RMC is here,” is like claiming that dinosaurs died off because humans squeezed out their habitat through deforestation.

 

To add to the high cost speculation, Intamin’s reputation has also gone through the mud in terms of accidents, reliability, and engineering blunders. For as much as I love its creations, it’s only for Intamin rides that I’ve had to call multiple parks to ask if rides are running or have re-opened after accidents, structural modifications, cable snappings, motor meltdowns, computer glitches, never-ending rollbacks, etc. El Toro has been down during busy operating days for weeks on-end while “just waitin’ on that new cable.” It's frustrating. It’s like Intamin hits huge home runs and then accidentally doesn’t touch home plate and gets called out. RMC has certainly come along and seized the opportunity that we all thought Intamin would have realized years ago (and more), but RMC didn't cause a mass migration away from Intamin prefabs or explain why more weren't purchased.

[fraroc]

What ever happened to the Aquatrax? It looks like a great concept.

 

The demand must have dried up after the one in Korea was built, its a shame because it looked like an awesome idea for a coaster.

[viking86]

I remember after Balder opened I was sure we would see clones appear, considering the great ride it delivers in a small footprint.

[RollerManic]

My god. Thats an EL TORO clone.

 

 

Fingers crossed this goes through and this ride isn't cut.

[Nwstone]

If this park opens it will have one of the best coaster collections period.

[Superbatboy]

Intamin is planning on building another woodie?

[larrygator]

The problem is that the general public prefer steel coaster. Many in the general public refuse to ride any wooden coaster. It is a mental block telling them that steel is stronger than wood, therefore wood coaster are more susceptible to falling apart.

 

On the bright side, if the general public were rationale I would never have gotten so many rides on El Toro.

[boldikus]

^ Its surprising how many non-enthusiast folks Ive taken to GreatAdv that approach El Toro and say "Oh hell no, I don't do wood coasters" and after some prodding and explaining I get them on and after they all agree its the best ride they've ever been on.

[XII]

I feel that the expensive price tag along with what a lot of people said about wooden coasters is a good explanation as for why we haven't seen any more RMCs being built. It's a real shame cause Intamin Pre-Fabs are amazing. Rode 3 of the 4 built so far, and each of them provides a world class experience. RMCs are great too, but they aren't a replacement for Intamin Pre-Fabs.

[Password121]

My god. Thats an EL TORO clone.

 

 

Fingers crossed this goes through and this ride isn't cut.

Read the fine print. Copyright 2006, scheduled completion 2013. Things change very quickly as it is, let alone nine years after initial concept planning. Also... it's concept art. That alone says all that needs to be said.

[RollerManic]

^Yeah, I know that the place where I got it from was from 2010. Thats already outdated enough.

 

However, I simply found it interesting that Six Flags WOULD (at the time) consider El Toro 2. Now the Dubai project is funded by some very deep pockets (hence the load if major roller coasters) so it could still go through.

 

Funny, that dive machine looks a lot like Griffin.