Arrow's Pipeline Coaster

[Twister II]

Ive always heard some stuff about Arrow's pipeline coaster. Truthfuly I never even knew it existed until I saw this pic. http://rcdb.com/ig25.htm?picture=9

 

In the chat I got a few links like: http://www.coasterglobe.com/features/history-pipeline/arrowpipeline1.jpg

 

But dose anyone have any pictures or images of the coaster?

[Wes]

http://www.amusement-point.de/rides/history/acoast3.jpg

 

http://search.eb.com/coasters/images/ocoastf003p4.jpg

 

If you search Google for "pipeline coaster" I'm sure you'll find more.

[Gnome]

0 arrow pipe line coasters exist in the great RCDB. SO it makes me wonder, is the RCDB really all that great? :shock:

[ncf]

That is probably a prototype and it's not at an amusementpark...

[ShoubraStreet74]

So what is the advantage of the cylindrical-looking track as opposed to a regular arrow track? :?

[Wes]

The Pipeline was a FAILED (read: FAILED) prototype built by Arrow in the early nineties. It was never installed in park. It was apparently terribly rough and designed poorly.

 

Ah! Google comes to the rescue:

The next company to design a pipeline coaster was Arrow. After working on the design for much of the late eighties, they finally built a prototype. This coaster was ready to carry it's first passengers by the summer of 1990. The first four people to ride the pipeline prototype were Michael Smith, Dal Freeman, and Larry Miller from Arrow; and Randy Geisler, then president of ACE. The trials were very successful; however, Arrow still had problems, such as the pipeline loading problem, the weight of the trains, the cost, and the roughness. Because of these problems, no Arrow pipeline coasters have ever been produced for a park. Since 1990, Arrow has reportedly reduced the train's weight by about 50%, and fixed various other problems. Hopes of seeing a full production Arrow pipeline coaster were ended in December of 2001 when Arrow filed for bankruptcy protection.

 

http://www.coasterglobe.com/features/history-pipeline/index.cfm

[robbalvey]

Ive always heard some stuff about Arrow's pipeline coaster. Truthfuly I never even knew it existed until I saw this pic. http://rcdb.com/ig25.htm?picture=9

 

In the chat I got a few links like: http://www.coasterglobe.com/features/history-pipeline/arrowpipeline1.jpg

 

But dose anyone have any pictures or images of the coaster?

Two things:

 

1. Like everyone else said it only existed in the Arrow backlot. From what I have heard from talking to some of the original designers at Solace, it wasn't the best idea in the world, and it never quite worked. The closest thing you'll probably see to it, I'm guessing, is an Ultra Twister.

 

2. "dose" is not how you spell "does." I only point this out because I've probably seen you make the mistake about 1,000 times, and I felt it's finally time to let you know!

 

--Robb

[AznShortBoi8021]

Didn't Alton Towers plan to install an Arrow pipeline coaster in the early ninety's? What happened to it? Was it the damn locals complaining again?

 

Does anyone have any pictures or can describe what an Intamin pipeline looks like? I've been dying to see more pics other than this one at coasterglobe.com.

[Fry]

Yes, Alton Towers did plan on building one, but I believe John Wardley then saw Batman: The Ride, wanted it and so ditched the Pipeline for Nemesis.

[waterviper]

Intamin's design is an ideal one: it loads easily, it has a very strong track system, and unlike Arrow's, runs very smoothly.

 

LMAO!!! I just had to laugh at this!!! Not only did Intamin sucsessfully build a pipeline but it was also smoother then arrows pipeline that failed!!!! Boy this just continues to prove it!!

[niiicolaaah]

Yes, Alton Towers did plan on building one, but I believe John Wardley then saw Batman: The Ride, wanted it and so ditched the Pipeline for Nemesis.

 

 

john wardley is a SMART MAN! (for that move anyway)

 

nemesis has been on my to-ride list ever since i saw it on tv back in like 1995. sadly, the only b&m invert i've ridden is raptor (i rode it in 1994 and then again in 1996). heh i am so deprived!!

[socalMAN123]

Wow, I wasn't even alive when it failed. It looks interesting, but I would defenitly ride the Intamin one rather than the Arrow one.

---Brent 8)

[Canobie Fan]

the intamin on is still around but it has been moved from where it first opened. Its in a few coaster books I have.

 

More info on the Intamin one....

http://rcdb.com/id1605.htm

[peteb]

There was a coaster show I saw back in the 90's that aired on public TV (maybe WGBH Boston)that had a segment on the design of this ride with interviews with Ron Toomer, Dal Freeman as well as an on ride POV of the prototype. It certainly looked pretty interesting at the time. The trains had a dual lap/horsecollar restraint system as well as these pop up windows that kept you from sticking your hands out and touching the rails which was pointed out in the show that forced Arrow to put a small rear canopy on the car. The POV shows the train banging around pretty well in the tracks and I remember watching the off ride slo-mo where you can see the wheel assembly shuffling back and forth on the rails. In the show they describe this ride as a concept Arrow was exploring and it was pretty apparent that there were a lot of technical obstacles. The most unfortunate thing about this ride is it left Arrow without a new product and the the old designs were no longer competitive against B&M and Intamin. Combine these factors with the problems with Drachen Fire at the same time and it's easy to see why Arrow fell out of favor. I had recorded this show on VHS; I'll see if I can dig it up.

[WillMontu]

I think the real reason why the pipeline failed was because it required Ron Toomer to bend TWO pieces of wire to design the track.

 

The attached video (from AGRCT shows an interview with Ron Toomer and some footage of the (not functioning) prototype.

arrow.wmv

Ron Toomer and his coathangers

[AznShortBoi8021]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting video. The incomplete prototype looks scary because its imcomplete and made from Arrow.

[CoasterFanatic]

the intamin on is still around but it has been moved from where it first opened. Its in a few coaster books I have.

 

I think I have seen that one before. Is it the one that is located in a mall above the top level? If so, isn't it tire-driven?

[Gnome]

Immel Man showed me that video! ALthough I didn't see that part, I saw the parts after, I didn't really want to have to rewind it. But yes, Warner Stengle is this centuries Traver/Miller/ect. And I hope whoever replaces him does a darn good job at it too, as a world without a Stengle type person is not a very good world.

[BiCoastal Kid]

This was a post from CoasterSims recently about the Intmain Pipleine coaster. The video on the site is rather small, but you get the basic idea.

 

Link:http://www.shaabpark.com/rides/adults/spiralcoaster.html

 

This is the Intamin Pipeline coaster, which is rarely photgraphed. The parks official site has a small video showing the rides inversions, which are in a pretty interesting arrangement. Click on the video link to see. I know this isn't the most amazing of discoveries since it's the official website in all, I just figured people would like to know.

 

Also the homepage has the best music ever

Link:http://www.shaabpark.com/

[Cerberus]

I think I have seen that one before. Is it the one that is located in a mall above the top level? If so, isn't it tire-driven?

 

For the most part it is driven by tyres, yeah.

It is basically a rectangle track layout with a station at one of the shorter ends, and a weird corkscrew-exit-into-corkscrew-first-half at the other end. Which is the part where it rolls freely.

 

That centre also has an Intamin shot tower up the middle. I really want to know more about that place.

 

The Arrow one looks really crude. There's a certain corner in one of those photos that just looks like it was bend AFTER the track was formed. Like a knex coaster or something :?

 

Cerberus

[waterviper]

Ok I just noticed something on that Arrow Pipeline prototype. Now wouldnt you think there should be an end piece that goes up at the end after the break run instead of down pointing to the ground. Just incase the breaks fail that up piece I think they should of added would keep the train on the track and prevent major injuries or death. Sheesh I know its a prototype but my god wouldn't ya think they would of thought of that precaution??!!!!

[MattJackson]

Hopes of seeing a full production Arrow pipeline coaster were ended in December of 2001 when Arrow filed for bankruptcy protection.

 

Yeah, I heard they filed for bankrupcy protection after X was built at SFMM.

[peteb]

The pipeline prototype did not have a lift hill; the train was lifted into place on a removable track section which. The downward end section was probably there to attach to this. This was a prototype so it is really pointless to criticize and bash it; it's a test bed for ideas good and bad not a finished product.