Are American manufacturers doing all the innovating now?

[Superbatboy]

I just look at the last few years and what RMC, Premier, S&S, Chance, Sally Corp, Gravity Group, and Triotech have done vs. what B&M, Intamin, Mack, Gerstlauer, Vekoma etc have done and I find myself much more excited about what the American companies are doing. Seems like they're taking more risks and it's been highly successful as of late.

[JonnyRCT3]

I see it as more and more parks want the next big thing, but don't want to pay the price. In the 90's it was all about having the tallest, fastest, biggest, etc. Now it's all about uniqueness, which is MUCH better than the former IMO. Parks can spend $10 million, and still have a good, if not better, ride as a $20+ million megacoaster. And with the current-gen technology, coaster design is much more complex and can do more than what was once previously thought.

[Superbatboy]

I see it as more and more parks want the next big thing, but don't want to pay the price. In the 90's it was all about having the tallest, fastest, biggest, etc. Now it's all about uniqueness, which is MUCH better than the former IMO. Parks can spend $10 million, and still have a good, if not better, ride as a $20+ million megacoaster. And with the current-gen technology, coaster design is much more complex and can do more than what was once previously thought.

 

I agree! It amazes me how much they can do with smaller budgets these days. I hope this invigorates players like B&M to come out with some smaller, twistier, and cost efficient rides.

[Jew]

What do you mean by "innovating?" RMC is the only company on that list I would say could qualify as innovative, and even then Intamin did the "plug and play" woodie concept first. They just took it to the next level.

[Superbatboy]

What do you mean by "innovating?" RMC is the only company on that list I would say could qualify as innovative, and even then Intamin did the "plug and play" woodie concept first. They just took it to the next level.

Welp...the latter part of the definition qualifies innovating as making changes to something established.

 

Like take Premier Sky Rocket II coasters. It's a cross between a Maurer Shone Sky Loop and an Intamin Impulse. They took both those concepts to the next level. Now you have S&S who is taking Premier's concept and expounding on that.

 

 

How would you explain RMCs ibox track as similar to a plug and play?? If anything they are more like Arrow's hybrid coasters from the 80's (ie Gemini)

 

Sally corp and Triotech are taking dark rides to new levels we havent seen in the past as well.

 

Then you have Gravity Group and the wooden shuttle coaster, also never done before.

[A.J.]

How would you explain RMCs ibox track as similar to a plug and play?? If anything they are more like Arrow's hybrid coasters from the 80's (ie Gemini)

The I-Box track is nothing more than a steel coaster made from two I-beams. The Topper Track, especially on a new coaster like Outlaw Run, is similar to the Intamin track because it's prefabricated.

[Superbatboy]

How would you explain RMCs ibox track as similar to a plug and play?? If anything they are more like Arrow's hybrid coasters from the 80's (ie Gemini)

The I-Box track is nothing more than a steel coaster made from two I-beams. The Topper Track, especially on a new coaster like Outlaw Run, is similar to the Intamin track because it's prefabricated.

 

Well for one I was referring to the ibox track when I asked how they were similar to a plug n play. Second even if you factor in the topper track, RMC is still doing things with it that previously weren't done before. We're seeing zero g stalls, dive loops, zero g rolls, etc; I don't see any other wooden coaster manufacturers pushing the limits in this manner.

 

As far as the i-box track, yes RMC is using steel track but what other coasters have used this type of track before? Not trying to be sarcastic, I'm actually curious because Alan Schilke and Ride Centerline take credit for coming up with this particular track design. RMC is also the first manufactuer to take old rickety wooden coasters and turn them into smooth, popular, steel coasters. If that's not innovating then I guess the theme park industry is just stagnant, because I don't see any other companies (especially not the European ones) pushing the limit as much as RMC is currently.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Intamin is still the most innovative one I think. Who else can do something like Falcon's Fury, Gringott's, invent continuous launch (Cheetah Hunt), invent drop track (TH13TEEN), build the fastest roller coaster, fastest cable lift, crazy Giga coaster with twists that nobody else can do in 5 years?

 

Gerstlauer is doing fine as well, I think Kärnan's surprise element is the most innovate design of 2015.

 

Triotech is Canadian just sayin'

[DirkFunk]

What do you mean by "innovating?" RMC is the only company on that list I would say could qualify as innovative, and even then Intamin did the "plug and play" woodie concept first. They just took it to the next level.

 

I never can remember - Did Intamin actually create that or were they the broker for the technology?

[Superbatboy]

Triotech is Canadian just sayin'

 

Hey Canada is still on the North American continent

[Jew]

By the literal definition of innovative, almost every ride built qualifies as "innovative" in some way. My point was that within the amusement industry, I think of the term "innovative" to mean something truly ground breaking. in my opinion, the manufacturers you listed are just doing a good job building off existing concepts. It's technically innovation, but nothing that is really going to change the industry (with the exception being rmc---they've turned their concepts into the next big thing in the industry)

[temleh]

As far as the i-box track, yes RMC is using steel track but what other coasters have used this type of track before?

 

[coasterlvr]

As far as the i-box track, yes RMC is using steel track but what other coasters have used this type of track before?

 

 

LOL, but i understand what you're sayin'

[Comeagain?]

RMC track (in all flavors) is much more than just an I-beam being twisted around. Just sayin'

[Woodie Warrior]

Sally corp and Triotech are taking dark rides to new levels we havent seen in the past as well.

Eh. Justice League is a great ride but it isn't groundbreaking. Spider-Man at IoA is still a far better attraction. The Triotech rides are both huge let downs IMO.

[A.J.]

RMC track (in all flavors) is much more than just an I-beam being twisted around. Just sayin'

Every roller coaster is a set of beams and / or rails being twisted around. Just sayin'.

[jarmor]

Isn't Intamin responsible for Escape from Gringotts track system? It has the tilt track and the motion base feature in the track vs the vehicles.

[singemfrc]

What do you mean by "innovating?" RMC is the only company on that list I would say could qualify as innovative, and even then Intamin did the "plug and play" woodie concept first. They just took it to the next level.

RMC is far and away the leader, but I see what he's saying. Premier has really taken a big chunk out of the small footprint market cloning S:UF as well as their spaghetti bowl coasters and custom stuff like FT using multi-directional launches to get more bang for the track buck. S&S debuted the free spin 4D at SFFT which is certainly innovative and now it even looks like they took a page out of Premier's book with that new multi launch coaster they're doing in NJ which looks pretty fun.

 

I think Vekoma still deserves some credit though. They may not be doing head turning stuff like RMC, but if you follow them on Facebook theyre still doing quite a bit. They're always doing custom work that they don't get a lot of attention for in my opinion like their Disney installations, the family coasters they've been doing lately look pretty great and I LOVE the new cars they've been installing. Maybe it's not truly innovating exactly, but I feel like they're a lot more creative than B&M or even Intamin in recent years.

[Superbatboy]

What do you mean by "innovating?" RMC is the only company on that list I would say could qualify as innovative, and even then Intamin did the "plug and play" woodie concept first. They just took it to the next level.

RMC is far and away the leader, but I see what he's saying. Premier has really taken a big chunk out of the small footprint market cloning S:UF as well as their spaghetti bowl coasters and custom stuff like FT using multi-directional launches to get more bang for the track buck. S&S debuted the free spin 4D at SFFT which is certainly innovative and now it even looks like they took a page out of Premier's book with that new multi launch coaster they're doing in NJ which looks pretty fun.

 

I think Vekoma still deserves some credit though. They may not be doing head turning stuff like RMC, but if you follow them on Facebook theyre still doing quite a bit. They're always doing custom work that they don't get a lot of attention for in my opinion like their Disney installations, the family coasters they've been doing lately look pretty great and I LOVE the new cars they've been installing. Maybe it's not truly innovating exactly, but I feel like they're a lot more creative than B&M or even Intamin in recent years.

[Paradox]

Sally corp and Triotech are taking dark rides to new levels we havent seen in the past as well.

Eh. Justice League is a great ride but it isn't groundbreaking. Spider-Man at IoA is still a far better attraction. The Triotech rides are both huge let downs IMO.

Iron Reef was actually really good and I enjoyed WMG very much especially with the surprise drop track.

[Woodie Warrior]

Sally corp and Triotech are taking dark rides to new levels we havent seen in the past as well.

Eh. Justice League is a great ride but it isn't groundbreaking. Spider-Man at IoA is still a far better attraction. The Triotech rides are both huge let downs IMO.

Iron Reef was actually really good and I enjoyed WMG very much especially with the surprise drop track.

Even so, I wouldn't use "groundbreaking" to describe them. They're essentially cheaper versions of Toy Story Mania with half-baked theming.

[bill_s]

RMC's track is not just an I-beam. It is a manufacturing method that allows box tracks to be made with shapes that would be difficult to follow even with steel tubes, whilke being less tortuous to the materials. That's very innovative, but except for being able to rescue wood coasters from a maintenance nightmare and keep new ones running well, not in itself of great interest to the rider. The great news is this has inspired a surge of ride design creativity which is even beginning to influence longer established makers.

 

Intamin seems to have a problem now that no one wants to do business with them. Some of the other new innovators listed are interesting, but I see no substitute for a proper coaster.

 

BTW, drop tracks completely destroy any sense of pacing of a coaster, interesting gimmick at best. I've ridden Verboten, they replaced a perfect example of what to do and what NOT to do (stopping in the middle) and didn't learn a thing ... or maybe they figured the old coaster had that issue, so no one's losing anything and here we're gaining a new trick....

[A.J.]

Intamin seems to have a problem now that no one wants to do business with them. Some of the other new innovators listed are interesting, but I see no substitute for a proper coaster.

What are you on about? At least three new installations on the books for 2016 so far, six for this year, at least three per year since 2005 - Intamin is still making plenty of coasters.

[JonnyRCT3]

RMC's track is not just an I-beam. It is a manufacturing method that allows box tracks to be made with shapes that would be difficult to follow even with steel tubes, whilke being less tortuous to the materials. That's very innovative, but except for being able to rescue wood coasters from a maintenance nightmare and keep new ones running well, not in itself of great interest to the rider. The great news is this has inspired a surge of ride design creativity which is even beginning to influence longer established makers.

 

As A.J. already said;

 

Every roller coaster is a set of beams and / or rails being twisted around.

[AirMBTB]

BTW, drop tracks completely destroy any sense of pacing of a coaster, interesting gimmick at best. I've ridden Verboten, they replaced a perfect example of what to do and what NOT to do (stopping in the middle) and didn't learn a thing ... or maybe they figured the old coaster had that issue, so no one's losing anything and here we're gaining a new trick....

 

Drop tracks aren't for everyone, particularly those of us who like non-stop rip-your-face-off intensity. But most importantly, casual park goers seem to love drop tracks. +1 for variety.

 

With RMC, on the other hand... there is a trade-off for all that rip-your-face-off intensity and that price is being forced into an odd, uncomfortable "Z" riding position: the lap bar has to nearly crush you, and your legs can't move. To me, that takes a good amount of fun from the coaster.

 

Innovation, comfy or not, my vote still goes with variety. Variety in design and variety in manufacture. Nothing beats the freedom you get from an old Schwarzkopf coaster (except Revolution, that's a special and tragic case); the freedom of a classic woodie; the height and speed of a B&M or Intamin; the weirdness and "roughness" of an old Arrow mine train.