RMC Introduces New Website that Features New Ride/Track Models - Topper Track and T-Rex dead?

[swfan1988]

Hi Everyone!

I'm new to this whole "Create a thread" thing, so please bear with me as I figure it out.

As a side note, if this thread/post breaks any rules or there is a better way to do it please let me know! I looked in the TPR Rules thread and couldn't find anything, but I want to respect the rules of the forum above all else!

Today, RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction) introduced a new website! While that may not seem newsworthy on it's own, what is notable it this introduction of two new ride/track models and a new standard Raptor layout!!

First up is the new "Hybrid Family Coaster": https://www.rockymtnconstruction.com/family-hybrid-coasters/

"RMC began its journey into the amusement industry through traditional wooden roller coaster installation.  In an effort to improve the ride experience, RMC developed the patented Ibox track system.  These rides have been thrilling park goers across the world for over a decade.  However, these rides may be too thrilling for some guests.   Family coaster passengers will enjoy the smooth ride of the Ibox track system while experiencing family friendly elements.

 RMC offers (3) standard layouts with different elements and footprints to best fit the available real estate.  There is also the ability to develop a custom layout.

 The family hybrid coaster utilizes the same state of the art Ibox track technology as RMC’s award-winning hybrid coasters, but with a more modest ride layout.  This allows patrons to enjoy a smooth ride as a family with a thrill level more suitable for those who are may be too short, or just not ready to ride an extreme RMC hybrid roller coaster.

 Family coasters are all designed and manufactured by RMC at our facility in Hayden, ID."

This appears to be an extension of the company's I-Box track what we have seen on their hybrid coasters, just with tamer layouts and no inversions. Kinda an interesting concept, although I don't see a park really ordering one of these being as that their are similar options available from Gerstlauer, Zamperla, etc. But you never know I guess...? (I got to be honest, that layout in the concept art looks super fun for a family coaster!!!)

 

Next is the new standard Raptor layout! https://www.rockymtnconstruction.com/steel-coasters/

 

And before anyone asks...no this is not Stunt Pilot's layout. Stunt Pilot has the standard layout that Railblazer has (see below).

This layout looks like it has a few extra elements (namely the "Fakey Airtime Hill" and a pre-lift section), and a little more track. Also, notable both standard Raptor designs on their website feature 2 trains, instead of 3 so I guess that's the new standards for cloneable Raptors? They still offer a custom version as well for parks who want it.

Here is the first standard layout for comparison (which looks like Stunt Pilot's, although I don't know where the 180 degree stall and overbank turns came from?):

 

Lastly (and perhaps most interesting), is a new track type they are calling "208 RetraK" (And...that's the actual name...I didn't make it up...): https://www.rockymtnconstruction.com/wood-coaster-refurbishment/

"RMC has been successfully upgrading traditional wood track with steel track for decades, which improves the ride and dramatically reduces maintenance.

208 RetraK is our latest innovation in track replacement and is based on our proven Ibox and Topper track designs. 208 RetraK will last for years and eliminate the need for continuous inspection, repair, and replacement of traditional wooden track. Additionally, 208 RetraK is able to utilize a rides existing trains, mechanical system, and controls to deliver a smoother ride, reduced downtime, and improved wheel longevity at a reasonable price.

 

Custom 208 RetraK is precision manufactured utilizing RMC’s laser measurement system, CNC plasma cut, and patented semi-automated welding technology. 208 RetraK is manufactured with premium grade weathered steel to match the existing coaster profile and installs effortlessly to existing structure.

208 RetraK can be utilized as a small track upgrade in a troubled area of a coaster, or even as a full coaster renovation. Simple track upgrades of 150’ or more can be installed throughout a ride and added onto year after year. A complete circuit replacement at one time is also possible.

208 RetraK can be installed turnkey by RMC’s factory team or by the park with RMC providing technical support.

208 RetraK is designed and manufactured by RMC at our facility in Hayden, ID."

     

 

I'm not an engineer, so I don't know the difference between this 208 RetraK and I-Box track, but they seem similar albeit slightly different in how they attach to the support structure. I'm (of course) biased that this is the most important development, since this is what was installed on Tremors (at my homepark) this past off-season, and apparently more is on site to be installed for next season. I am intrigued by this RetraK as it seems to be RMC's response to GCI's Titan Track, and I'm curious to see how the RetraK vs. Titan Track battle might play out. Personally, I think RMC has the upper hand, but we shall see...

 

This leads me into the sadder (for coaster enthusiasts) part of the update, and that is that there is NO REFERENCE ANYWHERE of the T-Rex (and believe me I scowered their site). On the "Steel Coaster" page only the Raptor is mentioned. Also, aside from the Goliath, Outlaw Run, and Lightning Rod pages these is no mention of Topper Track either. So I am going to officially guess (I have no inside info of any kind this is just my opinion) that the Topper Track has officially been discontinued, and the T-Rex officially shelved... I don't think the Topper is a huge loss, but thinking that the T-Rex might be officially dead certainly is a disappointing thought...

Other than that...Iron Gwazi is listed as "Coming Soon" (Stunt Pilot is as well) so no spoilers there...

I wish RMC luck with the new track type, coaster model, and standard layout. They seem to be facing increased competition from GCI and Intamin, so we will have to see how this plays out! I like that they are moving away from just converting the Mean Streaks of the world into amazing rides, and trying to (further) cement themselves in the industry by offering a wider range of models for parks to choose from. Cheers to them!

[IronWolfman]

Interesting that they gave the new track that went on to Tremors a separate name, I would have thought that they'd just use it as an example of the versatility of normal Ibox. Unless, of course, it's actually different from Ibox in gauge as well as the shape of the track structure, which I always thought Ibox was near identical in those aspects to the traditional wood stack track. Maybe with that new method of attaching it to the structure, it's varied enough that they felt the need to differentiate with a new name. 

New family option would be fun, but not sure of the market for it in comparison to family rides already available, unless it's cheaper in some ways. The layout pictures would certainly be a good moderate-thrill coaster.

Also interesting they're listing both the original and extended Standard Raptor layouts with 12 car trains, as even Stunt Pilot is only 10. Might make up for the loss of the third 8 car train that the prototypes had. 

 

[sdcfan88]

Interesting on the first one. Looks like they are looking to build smaller less intense versions of NTAG. (A well known example of a non-inverting I-Box coaster) I really liked its airtime and bunny hills so if they can do more of those I'm for it. Simple yet effective.

[MoeKitsune]

I do recall someone at RMC saying that for T-Rex track to be viable, they would need to sell a few really large coasters. Wouldn't surprise me if that's why it got shelved.

[bill_s]

I see wood ledgers on the 208 Retrak instead of the steel of IBox. Topper track looks to be gone. 

IBox may be smoother than any tubular track. It could be time to push its inherent advantage seperate from crazy designs.

[grsupercity]

Gravity Group is the king of fun little family coasters. Hopefully this does not step on there toes

[rachelmadcow]

After watching the Arrow Documentary on Youtube I realized that the trex would be unviable bc of the amount of steel. The smaller Raptor is the perfect size where it can be built fast, make RMC money and be well priced for the park. 

 

The smaller focus is probably so they can continue making money 

 

The TRex would make sense if it was purchased in triple like the Six Flags Arrow multiloopers in the late 80s 

[ricklap77]

I think the TRex is still possible.  They just need one buyer.  It might just be me but with all the effects the pandemic has had and still has, combined with the price of steel increasing, I think the main focus is probably concentrating on smaller coasters and coaster refurbishments forthem to be profitable and stay alive.  All parks have lost a lot of money lately and things might not be exactly like they were used to.  So I think RMC has a lot and the right products to offer.  And they are extremely talented at doing what they do!

[bill_s]

^- yes, even if the advantages of TRex were clearer, it might never really be the best thing for the company, much less now. They are surely aware of the role of huge projects in the demise of Arrow.

I doubt the Trex track that the test track section has been shown takes any more steel than B&M spine track, but contrary to claims the narrow track is less suitable for inverts or 4-wide seating due to the twisting stresses of that weight distribution. If scaled up even larger, comparably to B&M wing coaster track, it would use more steel. In either case it could have a greater span between supports but this is essentially due to the relative limitations on the trains. Even with 2-wide seating it doesn't have the track-straddling, closer center of gravity to the track advantage of Raptor.    

I don't think a website is for selling to TRex-sized customers. It is as much for increasing public interest in their creations -- indirect selling -- as directly selling coasters. And T-shirts.

 

[ricklap77]

I believe if a customer wants them to build a TRex they will build it.  They are capable  of a lot of things.  

[Manic Monte]

3 hours ago, ricklap77 said:

I believe if a customer wants them to build a TRex they will build it.  They are capable  of a lot of things.  

But that's a big "if", especially after an economy shifting pandemic. Raptors are far more sustainable for the foreseeable future.

[Dar]

I seem to remember an interview somewhere with the guy that runs the show at RMC and he said they didn't have the manufacturing capacity or technology for the T-Rex yet, and were focusing on the Raptor's while they worked on getting that technology up to scale. 

[swfan1988]

The T-Rex is an interesting one. I think it's kinda like the Intamin Xcelerator in that because that model is all about the height and big launch, only park's with big budgets bought one (Knott's, Cedar Point, Hershey, Thorpe, and (at the time) Six Flags for example). There's a reason no smaller park built one, they were too expensive and if thoose parks wanted a launch they could easily go to Premier, Gerstlauer, and (now a days) Mack. I think the T-Rex is the same story, because it is designed around a tall height and speed, the pool of parks that would be interested in buying one is too small. And those that would want a single rail, can go with the less expensive Raptor model. I think if the Jersey Devil and Stunt Pilot layouts are successful than I think we could see significant interest from smaller parks in the Raptor, and the T-Rex will be shelved until some park really says they want a bigger ride than the Raptor can provide or they need a higher capacity that the Raptor just can't muster.

I think the 208 RetraK has more potential for RMC. Unlike Titan Track it doesn't need new trains or controls (I think the Titan needs the GCI trains if I'm not mistaken) whereas RMC advertises the RetraK to work with existing trains and control systems, plus it can be installed by the park's themselves if they want. I think this could be really cool, and have a wide appeal to parks that just need a little help with maintaining their wooden coasters.

[ricklap77]

If parks can retrack their wooden coasters and keep their trains and control systems, we should expect a lot of wooden coasters getting this technology.  Plus the parks can do it themselves.  

[CP_RULES]

34 minutes ago, ricklap77 said:

If parks can retrack their wooden coasters and keep their trains and control systems, we should expect a lot of wooden coasters getting this technology.  Plus the parks can do it themselves.  

The Boss. The Boss. The Boss.

The layout could be improved by RMC, but it doesn't need it! It just needs to be smooth again. I-box was great for rides like Mean Streak that were terrible even if they were smooth, most of those layouts needed revision one way or another.

I can see how this is different than I-box which needs new ledgers, trains, equipment, etc. If they can essentially use this in place of the wooden re-tracking/maintenance most parks do in small sections on a yearly basis anyways, this is a no-brainer technology for RMC that should certainly sell well. 

[ricklap77]

It seems this might be the future of "wooden" coasters!  Old or new from the ground up! If it is smooth and low maintenance, the parks will absolutely want this instead of a traditional wood track.  I agree that Ibox track is more to make an old coaster a totally new different coaster and that RetraK is simply to improve an old rough coaster while bringing down maintenance costs.  But again I could easily see brand new coasters with the Retrak technology!

[southpuddle]

I'm totally fine with most every wooden coaster in the world getting either this new 208 RetraK (god, RMC needs to come up with a catchy name for this) or the GCI titan track. A few parks can manage to maintain their woodies properly, but for any park that just can't seem to get a handle on it, I'd much rather enjoy a smooth coaster that's technically a steel coaster than have to pretend to enjoy the "rough and tumble" experience (i.e. pain) of a true wooden coaster. 

[ricklap77]

7 hours ago, southpuddle said:

I'm totally fine with most every wooden coaster in the world getting either this new 208 RetraK (god, RMC needs to come up with a catchy name for this) or the GCI titan track. A few parks can manage to maintain their woodies properly, but for any park that just can't seem to get a handle on it, I'd much rather enjoy a smooth coaster that's technically a steel coaster than have to pretend to enjoy the "rough and tumble" experience (i.e. pain) of a true wooden coaster. 

Totally agree!  

[prozach626]

 ^I definitely don't have to pretend to like wooden coasters. It's the charm for some of them. The more notable  wooden roller coasters I can remember being exceptionally enjoyable, despite characteristically a little shaky, are Screamin' Eagle, Comet (Hershey), Mine Buster, The Beast, and almost any GCI. I agree though, we don't like them too jarring. Outside of GCI, we almost always have the best experiences in the middle of the train on a non wheel seat.

Ffk Holiday World, though. RMC track it all.

On 5/13/2021 at 6:14 PM, MoeKitsune said:

I do recall someone at RMC saying that for T-Rex track to be viable, they would need to sell a few really large coasters. Wouldn't surprise me if that's why it got shelved.

Maybe a combination of that and the price of steel currently being very high.

  

1 hour ago, prozach626 said:

Heh. The family clone kind of looks like an iron horse American Thunder.

 

On 5/17/2021 at 3:52 PM, CP_RULES said:

The Boss. The Boss. The Boss.

 

Did we just become best friends? I'd much rather see this than Ibox, but it would be less marketable. Do the reTrack and bring back the Helix.

Heh. The family clone kind of looks like an iron horse American Thunder.

[southpuddle]

On the topic of the topper track being dead: I’m at Silver Dollar City for my first visit today and rode Outlaw Run as my first topper track RMC. First ride was in the front row, and it was great - a little bumpy but definitely nothing this 34 couldn’t handle. Then we rode in the back row (row 12). Holy eff. That ride hurt me in a way I’ve never in my life been hurt on a coaster. It was brutal. Several pot holes that I swear compressed my spine a quarter inch or so. It took me by complete surprise to the point that I didn’t really even remember most of the ride because I was too focused on it being over. 
 

I’ve done several other RMCs - Steel Vengeance, Twisted Colossus, New Texas Giant, Twisted Cyclone - all obviously IBox, and Lightning Rod this year, which is mostly IBox now (and you can tell a different in the sections that were redone). But Outlaw Run today was night and day when compared to every other RMC I’ve done. It was unpleasant in the back to say the least. I did give it another try in a non-wheel seat in the middle of the train, and it was tolerable again, but yikes - if this is how topper track RMCs are going to age, it makes complete sense that no park would want anything to do with installing a new one. I also wonder if Outlaw Run being the first topper track had anything to do with its roughness, and if Wildfire, their most recent installation, will age better, but damn. I’ve always considered myself “not a wimp” when it comes to roughness - Magnum is one of my all time favorites,  I’ve never been put off by a B&M rattle, and usually find traditional woodies fun when they jostle me around a bit. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. 

[ricklap77]

With the IBox being popular now I think there will be a lot more coasters with this type of track.  The general public sees them as smooth wooden coasters although they are "steel" compared to the traditional ones with wood track and in the near future parks will have to maintain their wooden coasters very well in order for the general public to appreciate them over the IBox coasters.  

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^^ Yeah Outlaw Run is rough in the back. I always tell people to ride in row 11 (front row of the last car). Super smooth there and you still get that good good hangtime in the barrel roll.

[sdcfan88]

On 5/26/2021 at 3:37 PM, southpuddle said:

On the topic of the topper track being dead: I’m at Silver Dollar City for my first visit today and rode Outlaw Run as my first topper track RMC. First ride was in the front row, and it was great - a little bumpy but definitely nothing this 34 couldn’t handle. Then we rode in the back row (row 12). Holy eff. That ride hurt me in a way I’ve never in my life been hurt on a coaster. It was brutal. Several pot holes that I swear compressed my spine a quarter inch or so. It took me by complete surprise to the point that I didn’t really even remember most of the ride because I was too focused on it being over. 
 

I’ve done several other RMCs - Steel Vengeance, Twisted Colossus, New Texas Giant, Twisted Cyclone - all obviously IBox, and Lightning Rod this year, which is mostly IBox now (and you can tell a different in the sections that were redone). But Outlaw Run today was night and day when compared to every other RMC I’ve done. It was unpleasant in the back to say the least. I did give it another try in a non-wheel seat in the middle of the train, and it was tolerable again, but yikes - if this is how topper track RMCs are going to age, it makes complete sense that no park would want anything to do with installing a new one. I also wonder if Outlaw Run being the first topper track had anything to do with its roughness, and if Wildfire, their most recent installation, will age better, but damn. I’ve always considered myself “not a wimp” when it comes to roughness - Magnum is one of my all time favorites,  I’ve never been put off by a B&M rattle, and usually find traditional woodies fun when they jostle me around a bit. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. 

Glad someone else sees it. SDC is my home park and Outlaw Run has not aged well at all. I wasn't the biggest fan of the RMC train design as its not hip, shin, and shoulder friendly but how brutal the ride can be in some seats lately has me to the point of skipping it more and more when I go to the park. Its gonna need a retrack done to it soon I think. (it is almost 10 years old) Maybe it will be a candidate for the new RMC track design.

[CP_RULES]

^At least it only takes cutting down the nearby forest and a simple track replacement to go from topper track to I-Box!