GuruGuys Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 The top speeds still haven't even been published (maybe because they are not much more than the old?) The drag, etc, on the new trains/track seems to be much greater, it may not even be possible to refurbish a coaster with iron horse without drastic redesign? -GG GG.... Actually, I think you'd be interested to know that in a typical wooden coaster it takes 3 ft of rise to 100 ft of run with regards to the track for the effects of gravity to make the train move involuntary. Our newly designed flat steel track accomplishes the same movement with only 6 inches of rise to the same 100 ft of run. Hence the drag is significantly reduced in this new system. I believe what you may have felt is extra grease in the bearings. Contrary to some peoples hopes or wishes.... Lol... grease to slow things down is a good thing! Coasters are designed to run within certain specifications as so not to hurt anyone. If this ride, as probably others were allowed to run unrestricted.... well.. we may have seen Robb in his video get completely ejected and land in the theater next door. T Thanks for the AWESOME reply to my question/theorizing, and thanks for being an active member here at TPR! -GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuruGuys Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I rode it today! Really Kickbutt ride, cant wait to get out and do it again. The line was about 2.5 hours, but there was only on bullpen section (inside the chapperall cars old station, and it had AC) and offered a great view most of the time and wasn't to bad. The Ride of course was great, I haven't seen anyone mention that the second rave tunnel was misted? Felt great to cool down it. Everything else I want to say has already been said. My only complaint was, about an hour into it, the cycled all three trains twice, anyone know a possible reason for this? When the ride had an issue during media day and they had to restart the lift they usually cycled all the trains empty afterwards a few times. It may just be SOP. Or perhaps someone hurled and they wanted to dry the train out. Who knows. Glad the fog was working today, they said it probably would be. -GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) TPR Made it to YouTube's "Most Viewed Today" with Six Flags Over Texas New Texas Giant Video! http://www.youtube.com/categories?c=19&p=1 Watch it now and "favorite" or "like" the video! We have also made these other YouTube honors today: #9 - Top Favorited (Today) - Travel & Events #15 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Germany #15 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Netherlands #16 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - France #21 - Most Discussed (Today) - Travel & Events #21 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events #22 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - United Kingdom #24 - Top Rated (Today) - Travel & Events #33 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Italy #35 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Australia #35 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - South Africa #40 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Sweden #43 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Jordan #61 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Canada #64 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Brazil #71 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Czech Republic #73 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - New Zealand #79 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Israel #82 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Mexico #83 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Argentina #85 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Ireland #97 - Top Rated (This Week) - Travel & Events #102 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Hong Kong #109 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - Spain #119 - Most Viewed (Today) - Travel & Events - South Korea Thank you to everyone who watched the video!!! --Robb Edited April 23, 2011 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 The top speeds still haven't even been published (maybe because they are not much more than the old?) The drag, etc, on the new trains/track seems to be much greater, it may not even be possible to refurbish a coaster with iron horse without drastic redesign? -GG GG.... Actually, I think you'd be interested to know that in a typical wooden coaster it takes 3 ft of rise to 100 ft of run with regards to the track for the effects of gravity to make the train move involuntary. Our newly designed flat steel track accomplishes the same movement with only 6 inches of rise to the same 100 ft of run. Hence the drag is significantly reduced in this new system. I believe what you may have felt is extra grease in the bearings. Contrary to some peoples hopes or wishes.... Lol... grease to slow things down is a good thing! Coasters are designed to run within certain specifications as so not to hurt anyone. If this ride, as probably others were allowed to run unrestricted.... well.. we may have seen Robb in his video get completely ejected and land in the theater next door. T So it wasn't my imagination that the ride got a bit faster as the day went on and warmed up a bit... the first ride of the day (around 5am) seemed really sluggish and many of the hills didn't have much airtime to speak of. It hadn't cycled much before we rode and it was COLD! We were supposed to smile for the camera, but I was frozen by the time we got to the midcourse and the best smile I could manage probably looked like one of those botox models with lockjaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonR Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I rode it today! Really Kickbutt ride, cant wait to get out and do it again. The line was about 2.5 hours, but there was only on bullpen section (inside the chapperall cars old station, and it had AC) and offered a great view most of the time and wasn't to bad. The Ride of course was great, I haven't seen anyone mention that the second rave tunnel was misted? Felt great to cool down it. Everything else I want to say has already been said. My only complaint was, about an hour into it, the cycled all three trains twice, empty, anyone know a possible reason for this? There could be several reasons for cycling a train empty. As a general rule, if the ride gets a trouble light that needs resetting or some other issue comes up, they usually cycle a few trains. Someone could have also gotten sick and they needed to dry a train off after cleaning. Were the ops running the ride pretty efficiently? Any stacking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeDog Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) ^^ No... Certainly not your imagination. As the grease warms with cycles and temps it will thin and create less friction. AKA More Speed. Coaster maintenance crews will adjust the grease in the bearings several times a day on the trains to compensate for temperature changes and cycle counts to help keep the coaster speeds more consistent. BTW with this new track system because of the less drag and smoothness, crews will better and more easily be able to keep the ride to ride experience more consistent. This is also why you may see one train at a time not be in the rotation. Or they cycle trains empty, so they can measure speeds and warm up the new grease. Funny everyone wants to be the first..but the best and fastest rides of the day could possibly be in the later afternoons. T Edited April 23, 2011 by TreeDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen G Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 NTG is my new #2 "Shock Wave will always be #1" favorite, the back seat is pure joygasm and the front is just amazing. The park was fairly crowded today by the time I got there but the Line never got more than a hour and half wait so I managed to get six rides in before I left, theme on NTG is quite well done and I hope every one will make it out to ride this beast at the bash or any other time, well any ways on to the Pictographs! lines Did Manage to fill the que house but never got much further than that. I love the Tool box themed control panel NTG and all her first drop awesomeness! for some reason this sign makes me horny "bad pun?" Off on another ride of awesome. but the best new of the day was that flume one was open! and this one just made my day! a little honk every time a train leaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braztaz Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Say, Robb, were you paying attention to what records your i305 video got? I'm sure it got plenty considering how popular it is! And the airtime looks completely insane on this ride. It'll probably be a few years until I ride it though...what a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercrutchfield Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Here is a off-ride video I filmed today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcdllr Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 This really looks like a great ride and I think its fantastic that someone from the constuction company that installed this modification is taking the time to comment and answer questions on here about it. Thank you very much for that! I'm very curious about the sideways turns, besides being an extra fun thing to experience, was there a specific reason those were designed into the layout? What problems had to be overcome to be able to implement such a unique layout for a wood coaster? Is this something that would be specific to older wood coasters as a retrofit or would it also be used on new "wood" coasters? I wish I could get out there to try this, maybe someday, it looks really amazing I'm jealous of all of you that get to experience this incredible ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeDog Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I'm very curious about the sideways turns, besides being an extra fun thing to experience, was there a specific reason those were designed into the layout? What problems had to be overcome to be able to implement such a unique layout for a wood coaster? Is this something that would be specific to older wood coasters as a retrofit or would it also be used on new "wood" coasters? I can't really speak for Allen our engineer, however no wooden structured coaster has had this series of such overbanked corners before and so I'm certain that between SFOT and our designer after taking into consideration the existing layout they certainly felt that the overbanks fit into the first, biggest and baddest mentality. With the new found, structural capabilities and strength of this new track design we feel the possibilities of design are limitless. The overbanks are certainly not going to be specific to Retro fits, every project will take on its own characteristic, and depend mostly what the existing layout presents for design opportunities. Alot will depend upon what the customer is looking for. Do they like the layout they have and just look to help save maintenance and liabilities, or are they looking to market a full blown new ride such as the way SFOT has done. Sorry to be so vague.... but every project really will be its own to fit into what the customer is looking for. This would include new designed ground up builds. Thank you for the question. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin55 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Were the ops running the ride pretty efficiently? Any stacking? They stacked it by at least two cars everytime I was close enough to see. There was never a moment when a train wasnt between the first drop and the brakes though, so they were running it alright. The line moved at a fairly quick pace, even though it was pretty long. Perhaps the stapling slowed them down a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 ^ You just answered the question I was going to ask about whether you guys would do a from-scratch design as well as retrofits - psychic much? But since you answered that part of the question, here's the second part: on a brand-new coaster, would/could RMC do a complete turn-key project (survey, design, construction, etc) or would you just be the construction portion of the project, leaving the layout design, theming, etc to other groups? I think I read somewhere that Alan Shilke of Ride Centerline LLC designed the layout of NTG. Also, I've noticed that topper track seems to be implemented (so far) by parks on just the roughest parts of their woodies. How does it ride compared to the wood track? Is there a noticeable difference when the train goes from wood to topper and back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exzantia Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Having never been to SFOT before I can't say what the original ride was like, all I know is the new one if frickin' fantastic! Pity they didn't open it until 10:30 *mutters* Great airtime throughout (even if you're welded to the seat by the lapbar), keeps the speed up, love the turns and the Chicken Coop Going back for more on Sunday. Hopefully Shockwave will be open then too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Well crap, stupid slow speed internet wiped my entire post. So, let's try this again. Spend 12 hours at the park today and ran with the bulls at the opening (btw, I will be at the park tomorrow morning and will film the running of the bulls for everyone's enjoyment!). As mentioned before, test runs didn't start until 10:30 and the ride was cranky the first few hours. If yo discount the fact the ride didn't open until a little after 10:30, I waited 1:15 to ride. Big Mike and the hotties showed up around 1pm and we got back in line (BTW where was everyone, we didn't see any TPR shirts!!) We had about a 2 hour wait to take the Texas Giant in the rear, awesome, much better than my first ride in the middle. Around 8:30 we got back in line, total wait would have been 1 hour had we not waited for the front. Tack another 15 minutes on for the front. The ride crew was doing great, very efficient. Any train stacking was due to the GP not putting stuff up, taking to long to get on the train, too big, etc. Shockwave was schedule to open, but did not due to missing required paperwork we learned. Judge Roy didn't appear to ever open either, but has been running. I watched a few test runs, and it was done. Bottom line, I won't recount my ride experiences as there are some really good descriptions posted here. But, I will say the ride is even more awesome at night and the you really need to sign up for NTGBash, it will do a body good! Had a great time with Big Mike and the smoking hot interns, can't wait to see them all again soon, and to ride the NTG again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcdllr Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 TreeDog, That competely answered my question, and I thank you very much. Looks like you guys did a fantastic job and I'm really hoping to see more of this in the future so I can ride a coaster with this treatment. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuruGuys Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I looked up a few media videos and news segments: Channel 4 Fox Nighttime (morning) and Daytime rides. Crystal is fun to watch in the daytime ride, its the video link on the right. Fox 4 Rides new Giant WFAA TV's Doug Boehner reviews the NTAG and says one of the best he's ever ridden with several hundred under his belt. WFAA Tv Review WFAA On Ride Segment One of the better ones. The 33 TV Segment 33TV Segment and On Ride Video Star Telegram Article and Video Another Star Telegram Video Both of these have articles if you click on the article link below the video. 103.7fm Audio segment NBC DFW Rider Reaction Segment Brother Van 96.3FM Rides Giant (Live radio with video), was told no loose articles so DUCK TAPED the headphones to his head! 96.3 On Ride Segment -GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sportsdude360 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 'll start my review by saying that TNG has become my new #1 coaster! In fairness, I have never ridden El Toro so I won't try to compare the two. Instead I'll compare it to rides I have been on. At CP I have ridden the likes of Millennium Force, Magnum XL 100, Maverick, Mean Streak, Blue Streak, Gemini, Wicked Twister and Top Thrill Dragster. I've also ridden Ghostrider at KBF (back when it was still smooth enough to ride!), as well as both Titan (SFOT) and Goliath (SFMM). I've also ridden both Psyclone and Colossus as well as Riddler, Talon and Superman Escape From Krypton. But X was closed the day I went. At SFOG I rode Georgia Cyclone, Georgia Scorcher, Superman Ultimate Flight, GASM, Mind Bender and Deja Vu (before it was removed). SFOG's Goliath did not exist at the time I visited the park. During my trip to Kings Island I rode The Beast and Son of Beast when it still had the loop. At Geauga Lake I rode The Villian, Raging Wolf Bobs, Batman Night Flight and X-Flight. At Universal I rode The Incredible Hulk, Dueling Dragons and The Mummy's revenge. I've ridden both the classic as well as the re-vamped Space Mountain at both Disney parks. Last, but not least I've ridden the Texas Giant back when it first opened in 1990. During which time it was considered the best wooden coaster. I can say, without any hesitation, that New Texas Giant blows all the fore mention coasters out of the water. I arrived at the park three hours early. When the park gates opened I made my way down to where park security was holding everyone back behind a rope. The gathered crowd was escorted to the NTG queue entrance. I was near the front of the pack, I managed to ride on the second train leaving the station that morning. The trains are really cool looking in person, I just love the black Cadillac because it's so sexy. But, more importantly, the seats were roomy and comfy, and the lap bars very giving. They were stapling guests most of the day, but on the last two night time rides I took I wasn't stapled at all. Let me start by saying that the front seat gives a great, airtime filled ride. The middle seats give outstanding, airtime filled rides. But the back seat is OMG!! OMG!!! OMG!!! Riding near the back on the second train out of the station, we made our way up the lift hill- which, BTW, runs quite fast and smooth. The first drop nearly threw me out of my seat, even though I was stapled in!! I didn't think anything could beat the first drop on Millennium Force, but the first drop on NTG makes it seem tame! Intense, stand up, ejector air all the way down! Then comes that extraordinary double up which tried for all it was worth to break my restraint and send me hurdling skyward!! Next the train went up into an over banked turn that had good intensity and a tiny pop of air. A slight bit of air as the train came down out of the over bank and then up into another. However, this second over banked turn is easily the best of the three. I had extreme lateral airtime on this over bank which, once again, tried hard to beak my restraint send me hurdling to my doom!! Extreme air on an over banked turn- UNBELIEVABLE!! Next comes a swooping turn up into the third and most over banked turn at 112 degrees. This over bank did not have the intense air of the second over bank, but it did have a tiny bit of air and GREAT head choppers!!! Next comes what is perhaps the most insane airtime hill of all!! My thighs were aching as once again the ride tried hard to break me out of my lapbar and send me skyward. Or, at the very least, bruise my thighs- badly!!! The trim breaks were completely off, which is understandable for a ride this smooth! The train didn't slow down at all, but instead continued down the drop into the second half of the ride. I've heard some reviewers say they didn't get good air on the next hill after the drop, but I'm going to have to disagree. No matter where I rode on the train throughout the day and night, I kept getting good floater air on that next hill right before the dive through the structure. Then, as the train turns through the lift hill, what happens next is positively insane!! The train dives down so hard and fast that if your thighs weren't bruised before, they will be now!!! This hill had me wondering if my keys were still in my pocket it was so intense!! Then comes a small turning hill with good floater air as the train heads into the s-turn and starts it's run towards the tunnels. Let me say one thing about those tunnels on the magic carpet finale. They are always good, but are best experienced at night time when it's dark out. Those tunnels were unbelievable during my night rides on TNG. Ok, now where was I? Oh, right, the train was headed for the tunnels. Anyway, after the train goes through the s-curve, which was fun BTW, it then comes to the first tunnel. The train then drops down fast and hard yet again. This provides more of the same ejector air as before, but this time you are treated to a flashing light show underneath the track itself as cool mist hits you from all sides of the tunnel!!! Next you glide upwards and into a second tunnel which treats you to yet another light show, this time on the ceiling. This is accompanied by a nice bit of floater air. Next the train turns into the third and final tunnel. Here you will be ejected once again causing your thighs to ache once more- only this time on complete darkness!! After the train leaves this tunnel it hits yet another ejector airtime hill!! Oh Lord- not another one!! Yes, ANOTHER ONE!!! By now my thighs were screaming at me for getting on this ride!!! But the fun wasn't over yet, as the train enters the end brake run you catch one last bit of floater air as a sort of going away present from the NTG. That's right, you float your way up onto the end brake run. For the record, you also floated your way onto the end brake run on the old Giant- only your thighs didn't ache so bad!!! As soon as the train came to a stop on the end brakes another rider sitting in front of me exclaimed "My God Mark! That hurt my thighs!!!" You can always tell you've been on a good ride when other riders start complaining about their thighs hurting!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcdllr Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Maybe it was answered already but who are the trains made by? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuruGuys Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Maybe it was answered already but who are the trains made by? Many many times, Gerstlauer The most informative article for statistics and information from a credible source seems to be at Amuesement Today. There doesn't seem to be a rcdb.com page for New Texas Giant yet. New Texas Giant thrills like never before April 21st, 2011 amusementtoday The New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington opened today to the media and coaster enthusiasts, delivered a ride like never before. The hybrid coaster wowed riders with its ultra-smooth ride that was full of airtime hills, overbanked turns and special effect tunnels. The 4,506 foot long steel tracked coaster was a product of Rocky Mountain Construction. It features a cutting edge design profile from Alan Schilke, Ride Centerline LLC and themed trains from Gerstlauer to resemble the 1961 Cadillac Deville car line. With the makeover from the old wooden coaster, the New Texas Giant now sports a taller lift at 153 feet, a longer and steeper drop of 147.5 feet at 79 degrees that reaches a new top speed of 65 mph and a maximum overbanked curve of 115 degrees. All total, the project took 17 months for the makeover at a cost of $10 million. The hybrid coaster opens to the public tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 There doesn't seem to be a rcdb.com page for New Texas Giant yet. There is one, but it's the same page as the old Giant. The stats haven't been updated, though, as it still lists the previous height, speed, etc and it also says the trains have headrests. However, it lists the coaster as steel and mentions that it's a hybrid with an explanation at the bottom of the page. I emailed Duane a few days ago, letting him know that the name has officially changed to "New Texas Giant" and that the ride now has a different serial number, and that it should have its own page, separate from the now-gone Giant. He emailed back saying that he disagrees that it's a new coaster and the current page will remain. I'm betting that once he actually rides it, he won't think so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I was annoyed by all of the news outlets regurgitating "steepest drop on a wooden coaster" because it was fed to them by SFOT and they didn't bother to fact-check. Worse were the people who said "steepest drop of any coaster"... but this here is just epic fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sportsdude360 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 OTSR's!!!! What the hell!!!! What ride is that anyway!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sportsdude360 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Well, I'm off to SFOT for yet another day of riding the New Giant!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiveMachine Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Robb, it must have been really painful going over those bolts, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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