Flashback at SFMM Re-Opening???

[Turtleggjp]

Wasn't Flashback the work of B&M, but before they actually became their own company?

[azbob19]

I rode it in october of 2004, during fright fest! I love that ride. People scream on it because it feels like it will break apart, that is probably what they are trying to fix. Hopefully.

[DegoRed]

To my knowledge, Flashback is a product of one of the better coaster companies, Intamin. In fact isn't the model type of this coaster an Intamin Space Diver?

 

So here's my thoughts on Flashback. It's kinda like Psyclone, you just have to ride it every now and then to laugh at the pain it dishes out at you, though it's no where near as painful as Psyclone. It is a unique coaster and I think it's a fun coaster to ride. I personally wish they would re-open it, and like someone said before if you practice defensive riding techniques like rolling your head with the drops, the headbanging is not that bad. I have no clue why the ride has been closed for this long, but I think the post about the trains being unsafe to a certain degree may be a substantial claim. Whatever the reason, I hope the new brass over at SFMM do find a way to get Flashback up and running again

[DerekRx]

Its no worse than a Volare (if that's saying anything). I'd usually give it a courtesy ride if it was opened. Every once in a while I'd ride it and have a good ride. I'd come back into the station all happy and cheering and the ops would allow me to reride (since there wasn't a line in the offseason). Coming back into the station the second time I'd usually have sore ears and a headache.

 

It'd be interesting if the whole reason it was closed was for it to receive new trains. Maybe Premier could come up with something if Intamin, Giovanola, or B&M wouldn't want to touch it with a 10 foot pole.

[UberBeavis]

I think Flashback would rock with cars/lapbars like Revenge of the Mummy.

[SharkTums]

You want a Flashback POV?

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/videos/volume4.htm

 

Come on now, support the site! We can't give away everything for free, do you know how much it costs to run this place!?

[Jim1013]

I hardly ever post, but have to on this one. I rode Flashback last in 1999, unsuspecting of what was to come: a truly miserable ride experience. Noisy as ****, jerky, and yes, painful. Walking away from the monster, a friend of mine (who is African-American) said "Damn, they should call that the Mama-whupped-me-upside-the-head-ride!" It does kind of fit.

[trustkill22]

All I have to say is I can see it being used for one thing nice.

Flashback At Halloween

[smells_like_team_disney]

Like many others who have posted, I too loved Flashback. The trains were horrid, no doubt, but it was such a unique riding experience that I couldn't help but appreciate it. I never experienced head banging due to a head-positioning trick my cousin taught me before my first ride. For such a compact coaster, it definitely packed a punch. I continue to look forward to its return.

[rollermonkey]

To answer the question posed up there, Mr. Bolliger and Mr. Mabillard used to work for Intamin. This was indeed one of the rides they created before forming their own company. To complicate matters, Giovanola, a former contractor for Intamin, built Flashback.

 

Simply put:

B&M designed it, Giovanola built it, and Intamin AG sold it.

[socalMAN123]

I've always wanted to go on Flashback. I mean, it just looks so unique. As I've been told by many of you, the ride was fun, despite the trains. I mean, if SFMM opened it, I would be happy. But, the chances of that are very unlikely. Usually, before they reopen something, there are people actually on the ride fixing stuff and testing trains. If it's gonna open for Tatsu, they better start doing things to it, quick.

Brent "I just hope it runs again" Shenton

[waterviper]

Flashback I actually one of my favorite coasters! Because it is so unique and I just love those tight dive turns!!

[captain_dl]

I guess I was one of the luck ones that got to ride this when it was "Z Force" at SFoG. Back then it was an awesome ride. My biggest complaint is that it was only there for 2 or 3 years. The dive loops and the helix were awesome. I miss that ride.

[XII]

I'll be there the bulldozers come and tear the damn thing to the ground!

[iZak]

 

Ok, so the reason why Flashback is still closed is because OSHA demanded that all 3 (yes, THREE) trains need to be rebuilt, and the PLC needs to be updated. So, until those two issuses are resolved, I don't think we'll see it opening anytime soon...

 

The reason why it is so rough is a combination of the OTSRs and the wheels on the train. There was an experiment that was started on that ride while I worked there that would have seen old Goliath wheels replace the old Flashback wheels, giving the ride the same smoothness as Goliath (in theory). Unfortunately, the money for that project ran out due to it being diverted to the construction of Scream and the "beautification" of Colossus for it's opening.

 

As for the OSTRs...I would love to see them replaced along with the wheels (re: a continuation of the Goilath wheel project). However, they will not go away due to insurance regulations.

 

Hope that helps...

 

PS - There's also a POV on ACN's premium site...

...and here's a pic from the storage track looking under the train below the station...

Here's a little present from Flashback's last season in 2003...The panel...

[stormrider]

I am posting in responce to the message about B&M working for Intamin. It may in fact not be B&M who made the Shockwave ride because when you look at the standup patent for Giovanola:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4700632.html?highlight=giovanola%20freres%20sa

You see that the inventor was Bernard Schmutz; no mention of Walter Bolliger or Claude Mabillard. Perhaps an employee for them, or just patented in his name, or was B&M not involved in the Intamin standup?

[arlen23]

I really wish that ride would open one day, then i would complete.

[colossus]

just the other day i walked up the lift.the gate for the lift hill was open and no one is around so i decided to walk up it.i also walked up the employee exit and checked out the station to be surprised that everything was in a great condition the train just needed to be emptyed out they were filled up with water.And the panel look just the same as the pic posted on the preveous page it just had some water damage.

 

~Chris-O

[iZak]

Well, I wish the park and Cal-OSHA would listen to you...Unfortunately, like I mentioned previously, there really is a lot of work to be done if Flashback is to reopen...

[a7x4ever000]

well, i haven't been on it since 2003 but trust me, those of you who have been on it will understand me when i say

 

WHIPLASH!

[colossus]

this says flashback and the metro will be opening in the near future.

 

 

~Chris"BETTER THEN NOTHING"-o

[Blazen_AZN]

^Very cool!

 

I hope that's all legit, though.

[colossus]

i think its true.

i hear the operations manger keep running his mouth about flashback and how its going to re-open in the next year but i will not belive it untill im on that train.

 

~Chris"wishing he could ride flashback 1 more time"-O

[The Cheat]

Im pretty sure thats just a list of the rides that are down right now.

[colossus]

It says scheduled ride refurbishment. Six rides on that list are going to re-open for sure within the next year. The two that no one is are sure about are Flashback and the Metro. I'm hoping that Dan Snyder will have these rides fixed to their old condition.

 

~Chris"Dan Snyder fan boy"-O

 

EDIT: Made post readable. Please use proper capitalization and punctuation.