Zonga at SFMW

[Bush985]

One of the reasons it uses those terrible restraints is because it has some very low clearances. Without the bulky restraint, it may be possible for someone to reach out and hit a support.

 

Actually the new restraints were maindated by the state. California has some pretty strict inspectors. There were also other modifications made to the ride after the move from Texas including shortening the drop by a few feet to reduce the G forces in the first loop.

 

As far as the ride sticking around, I don't think it will run at all this season. It was rumored when the ride was first put in that it wasn't expected to last at the park more the 3 or 4 seasons because of it's mechanical problems, and was just a quick attendance fix at the time. But you never know. I think the coaster will be sold to an outside invidual. Old rides do cost a lot to maintain, and whats the point of keeping an old ride that costs as much to maintain as a brand new flat ride would? Save up and add a new coaster. I don't blame SFMW if they remove this pile.

 

BUt hey.. What do I know?

 

-RD

[Shockwave]

One of the reasons it uses those terrible restraints is because it has some very low clearances. Without the bulky restraint, it may be possible for someone to reach out and hit a support.

 

If anyone did reach out and touch the structure at high speed then they're asking for trouble, and the blame for any injury would lie with the person.

[coaster1]

If anyone did reach out and touch the structure at high speed then they're asking for trouble, and the blame for any injury would lie with the person.

 

Problem is .. the USA is sue happy .. so Marine World, SF Inc and the ride manufacturers (Wieland Schwarzkopf, Premier) would all face lawsuits regardless of who's fault it was.

 

Stupid America.

[kingdanny]

Why can't they just put in lapbars? Wasen't it originally built with lapbars/ Who came up with that dum law saying all looping rides need OTSR's? It's a Schwarzkopf, it isn't supposed to have OTSR's. Montezumas Revenge still has lapbars. If lapbars are added, SFMM might learn a lesson and change Revolution(again).

[speedracer]

^^ Because it's no longer the same coaster as it originally was in Europe. When the drop and first 2 loops were raised, it created clearance issues that weren't there before. So it unfortunately can never run again in it's present form without OTSR's.

[irondraggon]

There was nothing wrong with it until they started trying to fix it. That's why the old saying goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I rode it dozens of times when it was here in Houston, before they started trying to fix it.

 

Yes, the accordian restraints were very uncomfortable on the shoulders, but that's mostly because I'm 6'4" and my knees were practically under my chin because there wasn't enough leg room either. But it really wasn't that bad, once you learned how to ride it. I only had one bad ride on it, and that was only because I got the very stupid idea to try and get some airtime on it. So I left a few inches of freedom between my shoulders and the accordians. Big mistake. By the time we got out of the double loops, the G's had slammed the accordians down on my soulders way farther than they would've been if I had ridden it like I usually did. So it was pure pain the rest of the way, and trying to make it better only made it worse.

 

Perhaps Six Flags could learn alot from that last statement. "Trying to make it better only makes it worse!" This couldn't be more true for this ride. You don't try to fix a Schwarzkopf by trying to modify it. Because there's nothing wrong with it that needs fixing. It's like trying to modify a B&M. No one in their right mind would ever modify a B&M. And no one in their right mind should ever try to modify a Schwarzkopf either. Period.

 

Anyhow, it's sad to see such a great ride get butchered to death because some greedy American corporation thinks that they can improve on it. It should've been sent back to Germany after it left Houston. God knows the Germans wanted it back. They never wanted it to leave. And now look what they have to endure. They have to watch one of their most beloved coasters die a slow horrible death at the hands of a bunch of ignorant Americans. Anton must be rolling in his grave. I hope he haunts those responsible for the mutilation of one of his finest masterpieces. Best first drop on any Schwarzkopf I've ever ridden. And I've ridden quite a few.

 

P.S.: The back seat was the best on this ride, before they ruined it. Killer G's and intense speed. After the double loops it was nothing really out of the ordinary, except for the odd shape of the final loop, but the first three elements were some of the finest ever on any coaster. You just had to love the spiral double loops. I thought that the back-to-back double loops on Shockwave at SFOT ruled all, until I experienced those double spirals.

[redunzelizer]

...

You don't try to fix a Schwarzkopf by trying to modify it. Because there's nothing wrong with it that needs fixing. It's like trying to modify a B&M. No one in their right mind would ever modify a B&M. And no one in their right mind should ever try to modify a Schwarzkopf either. Period.

 

Anyhow, it's sad to see such a great ride get butchered to death because some greedy American corporation thinks that they can improve on it. It should've been sent back to Germany after it left Houston. God knows the Germans wanted it back. They never wanted it to leave. And now look what they have to endure. They have to watch one of their most beloved coasters die a slow horrible death at the hands of a bunch of ignorant Americans. Anton must be rolling in his grave. I hope he haunts those responsible for the mutilation of one of his finest masterpieces.

 

YES! YES! YES! You definitely hit the nail on the head. I doubt anyone could have worded it better! Thank you so very much.

 

redunzelizer, watching the state & fate of this very coaster with quite some anger.

[Bush985]

I hate taking sides with Six Flags, but if you only knew the California State regulations. The coaster was modified for one main reason, to appease the state, not the company.

 

I agree it sucks, but it's reality in the states.

 

-RD

[redunzelizer]

I hate taking sides with Six Flags, but if you only knew the California State regulations. The coaster was modified for one main reason, to appease the state, not the company.

 

I agree it sucks, but it's reality in the states.

 

-RD

Your logic seems a bit twisted to me.

 

Please tell me why did SF place Zonga in a state with just these strict regulations??? There are other SF parks in other states with different laws. I doubt very much SF managemenet is not well aware of these varying "settings".

[kingdanny]

I heard that New Jersey has a law on a maximum amount of G- force. Who comes up with these laws? I meen, if you don't like a ride with alot of G's, DON'T RIDE IT!! It's as simple as that. That's sad though. Modifying a great ride untill it's better off scraping it instead ofkeping it in its original form. At least there aren't any laws like the "maximum G force" in GEORGIA

[Bush985]

How is my logic twisted? I'm simply stating the facts. Maybe their logic is twisted, but California had Six Flags modify the ride before it was installed. Zonga was placed at SFMW because there was a market for it there, and it was a quick easy fix, or so they thought, for hurting attendance. They were willing to put in the money to fix it. DO you really think Six Flags cares about it being a classic coaster. They are looking for money, and this was the best option for SFMW.

 

As far as laws. The United States is a place where anyone can sue anyone for anything. It's called Risk Management. Its the real world.

 

Take it for what you want.

 

 

-RD

[Old Crow]

It's true, the ride had to meet OSHA standards and the drop, loops and harnesses were modified to meet code. The Gs were reduced with the shorter drop and smaller train car count and the restraints prevented riders from touching supports that were VERY close. The ride is a total head banger now and isn't worth riding. It's up for sale if you have around $70,000.

[chaos]

Where did you find out it was being sold for 70,000 dollars?

[V2-dude]

http://www.amusementtoday.com/irm.html

 

Look at the very last item.

 

I'm not a Schwarzkopf expert, but I don't think there are any other Schwarzkopf coasters with four loops... that is portable... at a Six Flags park... built in 1986.

[kingdanny]

At least the ride wasen't sent to SFMM. It could have been worse if it was sent to SFMM. Most of the rides there have been modified. Here is a list.

Revolution: Shoulder harnesses, trim brakes on every hill.

Collosus: MCBR added on top of double-dip. Morgan trains replaced PTC.

Viper: Trim brakes after loop 1 and after the batwing.

Who knows what would have happened to Zonga if it ended up at SFMM. It probably would have been worse than it is now. Maybe the Germans will by back Zonga and restore it to its former glory.

[Freefallbestrideever]

At least the ride wasen't sent to SFMM. It could have been worse if it was sent to SFMM. Most of the rides there have been modified. Here is a list.

Revolution: Shoulder harnesses, trim brakes on every hill.

Collosus: MCBR added on top of double-dip. Morgan trains replaced PTC.

Viper: Trim brakes after loop 1 and after the batwing.

Who knows what would have happened to Zonga if it ended up at SFMM. It probably would have been worse than it is now. Maybe the Germans will by back Zonga and restore it to its former glory.

AAAAMEN!

[adept]

Maybe the Germans will by back Zonga and restore it to its former glory.

 

Before "Thriller" went to the USA as Zonga it was known all over Germany for being dangerous. I say "all over germany" because some of the injuries have gone through the yellow press for weeks. From that time on even modifications on the train or the closing of the last car for the passengers did'nt help the ride to find back to it's former glory. While people where still fascinated by the beauty of this ride they stopped riding it as often as they did before.

[kingdanny]

I didn't know Zonga was dangerous. I knew some people blacked out on it but not dangerous. Unfortunatly, I can see this ride being scrapped in the future. So many changes have been done to it that it's preety much better scrapping it instead of keeping it running. It's sad when a nice coaster is butchered to death.

[adept]

I didn't know Zonga was dangerous. I knew some people blacked out on it but not dangerous.

It wasn'nt just people blacking out. If i remember right there were a lot of people with whiplash injuries and problems with their neck and back. Some people also had to be treated in hospitals. But as stated above it was the yellow press. And if they make a story on the front page out of it you never know how much truth is in it and how much money they paid the "victims" to whine in front of the camera while telling about their pain and "trip to hell". In the history of travelling rollercoasters in germany i remember no other case you could compare this to. In other words, no rollercoaster was treated by the yellow press like "Thriller". So this coaster in itself became a victim.

[kingdanny]

O.K, I understand now. If Thriller was in the U.S. before modifications, God knows what the press would do. Someone who got whiplash would sue for lots of money and try to melt the ride. The U.S is a country where people will sue over anything. I remember a guy sueing McDonalds because it made him fat. Maybe Thriller/Texas Tornado/Zonga was a ride that was never meant to be built.

[I_am_Em0_0]

I was at the park yesterday. Red train was in the station. I think they took the shoulder harnesses off. There was nothing on the train. Just seats and caustion tape. I am trying to design new restraints that are like lap bars mixed with shoulder harnesses. They would go up to right about your neck but not over your shoulder. Rduces head banging and keeps hands from touchong track

[V2-dude]

They're probably just testing it to show it off to buyers.

 

Again, it's being sold here (second section, bottom item).

[Sean Menefee]

I was at the park yesterday. Red train was in the station. I think they took the shoulder harnesses off. There was nothing on the train. Just seats and caustion tape. I am trying to design new restraints that are like lap bars mixed with shoulder harnesses. They would go up to right about your neck but not over your shoulder. Rduces head banging and keeps hands from touchong track

 

Zonga's closure is a done deal. The park isn't doing anything with the ride other then packing up the trains and spare parts and placing them next to the station. The ride structure and signage are still intact but It's only a matter of time at this point before stuff starts being broken down and packed away.

[kingdanny]

Zonga is already being removed. I think Zonga's removal was inevitable from the beginning. Maybe SFMW was a holding point for it. Instead of letting it rust in the parking lot, they let some people ride it.

[SLUSHIE]

Did'nt it operate in teexas or something before marine world... and before it was modified?