Screamin' Eagle at SFStL

Could anyone here provide me with pictures of The Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags
St. Louis(formerly Six Flags Over Mid-America) from the '70's or '80's? I would
love to see what this coaster was like in its earlier days, as I am only 15 and
wasn't able to enjoy it during its pre-butchered days. Also, could someone
please explain to me why SF would feel the need to bank the turns, take out the
"mini-double-up", change the color of the cars from blue to red, and reduce the
capacity of the ride by 6 people per trainload by replacing the original trains
twice? I've heard that Jeff King knows alot about SFStL and its past, is he here? Thanks alot!

Hi, sorry STLBlues but I don't have any pictures, I have never been to the park. I am going next summer(the good lord willing). I am over here in Indiana and when I was a kid there were only 4 parks that you heard about around here besides Indiana Beach and that was Mariot's Great America, Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Six Flags Stl Louis, and Screamin Eagle must have been great at one time, it held office with the Beast and Cedar Point's Corkscrew when it was new. God bless that park, although I rarely hear of it anymore.
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www.geocities.com/urbanaindiana
Your Guide to Indiana beach

I was there when i was a baby, with my family. I've never made it back yet but my older brother told me how it droped you down a real high hill and then took you ever a whole bunch of little hills.  And made you fly out of your seat on every one, i hope to ride it one day.
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Montu, God Of Coasters

Try Roller coaster database, i found some on coastergallery.com.
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Montu, God Of Coasters

What are you talking about? Unless the Eagle has been modified in the last month I can't see what you are talking about. I rode the Sreamin Eagle in 76, the first summer it was open and have ridden it at least 2 or 3 times a year every year since. It was my first real coaster(I was only 6 when it opened) And the trains have been modified to change the restraints from a single bar across to dual side bars and a center devider was added when they did this, but they are still the same rolling stock as far as I know. They have been painted several times over the years. They used to have 1 red and 1 blue train at one time. The track has always been in the same configuration as far as I remember,the only difference is it is MUCH rougher now than it was 25 years ago. The last time I rode it, a few weeks ago I noticed no banking, as has been the case for 25 years. The turn around is virtualy flat and still has a decent amount of lateral G's. It is still a very good ride and I look forward to every ride, although my body won't take the multiple ride days like it used too. I have pictures SOMEWHERE taken in the 70's and 80's but haven't seen them in years. Wish I could help you. And I wish they would paint the whole ride, it looks so much better with pristeen paint!
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Just a couple of G-force junkies!

Ok, you are killing me now, I am wanting to take off immediatly and drive to St Louis to ride it. Sad that I may get fired from my job. Second job this year. I lost the first one because of Blue Streak at Cedar Point. Yea, I like the old woodies.
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www.geocities.com/urbanaindiana
Your Guide to Indiana beach

Just looked at the photos from rcdb.com and it is beautiful. There is no dought that I will be there next spring. I will may have to get a second job over the winter for my Pennsylvania trip also. Oh man, I am so excited already and only 8 months to go!!!!!!!
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www.geocities.com/urbanaindiana
Your Guide to Indiana beach

Wow, people consider the way it runs now butchered?!?! I rode it this past summer, and I thought it was wonderful! Great airtime, especially one drop that gives you TWO launches of airtime. Constant speed throughout make for a wonderful, out of control ride through the woods. I can't imagine how much better it was back in the day if people say it's not as good now.

In response to angnjc, I live about 30 miles away from the park and have had a season pass at SFStL since I was around 4 I think. I go alot every year, although this year has to be my personal record, 23 and counting. Don't ask why, but when myself and my friend go, we like to hang around The Screamin' Eagle most of the day, partly because we love the ride, and partly because we've become friends with the ride ops there. Because of this, we average around 15 rides per visit or more. Multiply that by 23, and you've got a whole lotta rides in one season. That said, I can tell you that I know alot about the layout. I've read before that right after the turnaround(which is now where The Boss' lift hill and turnaround into the first drop is located), John Allen, the designer of the coaster, didn't want to have a plain old flat piece of track after the drop, so he raised the track about 5 or 6 feet to give riders more airtime. For some reason, Six Flags decided to remove this element and instead flatten out the track. They also decided to bank the turns, and change the train configuration from the 5-car, 3-Bench train, to the now 6-car, 2-bench train. Honestly, I do not know if it is the same rolling stock, but I'm sure it would have had to have been modified in some way to match the loss of 3 "spots" , or 6 riders. I agree with you that the ride is definately rougher than it was even a few years ago, and that the track certainly needs painting again. If you plan on visiting SFStL again anytime soon, you can stop by the store located next to Colossos and Kettle Korn and see one of the "original" cars, with the single lapbar and no seat divider. If you're interested in looking, I found alot of information about The Screamin' Eagle's past at the following link: http://history.amusement-parks.com/users/adamsandy/allenmega.htm#scream

In response to CoasterSaurus, that third hill on The SE is wicked! After the first drop, you speed past the station in a classic John Allen "big-small-big hill" configuration, right into what I call "The Ravine Drop" because you're dropped into a large ravine loaded with airtime. Easily my favorite part of the ride. Hope you get to ride it soon! ;-)

To Wabash Cannonball- you really should come out here and take a ride on the ol' wood. Even though she has her rough days, she's still a great coaster. Good luck finding another job! :-)

Oh, forgot one last thing, when I said I hadn't ridden the SE in it's "pre-butchered days", I meant before SF decided to change so much about the ride, as noted above and in the link. I did not mean in any way that it's not a great coaster now. I love it...

I'm a regular rider of Screamin' Eagle and I think it gets better with age personally.  Woodies are rough and that's the flat out truth.  Yeah, there are days when it seems like it's going to jar your guts out but then there are days when it seems to be sliding on glass.  I rode that coaster in it's inaugural season when I was about 4 or 5.  I was actually too little to ride it but they let me on anyhow.  I came dangerously close to falling out because of the airtime.  That's what made me the coaster nut I am today.  The Eagle has the absolute most airtime of any wooden coaster I've ridden yet.  And not only is it fun to ride, it's a beautiful thing to look at against the backdrop of dark green trees on the hillside.  I remember when I was little and we'd pass SFSTL on the highway, I'd be looking for the first sign of the white lift hill and just be overjoyed when I spotted it.  About the only thing I can think of that the Eagle needs is a little bit of cosmetic work and that's it.  Maybe some extra greasing too.  Long live Screamin' Eagle. 
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God please let SFKK get something this year. ANYTHING!!

OK, I need to be callled into The Boss's Office - been wanting to go since I first read about Boss in ACE mag.  I didn't realize the great topography there, an excellent John Allen too.  I guess I could fly in and get WoF on the same trip, maybe next year's SRM...hmmm.  Something to think about while I ride the winter months away at BGT, Wild Adventures (also open year-round, in GA!) and IOA.  (Apologies for evil laughing in the background).
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you

I'll try and find some of my old pics for you. I don't have any on-rides, but should have a few of the overall layout. Does anyone still have the button they gave out the 1st month it was open? We went there on our school picnic and for the next week half the school was wearing "I'm no chicken - I flew the Eagle" buttons.

When they last repainted the structure a commercial was filmed. They put out a call for riders to be in it. My girlfriend got to go and rode it for almost 2 hours while they filmed from various angles. Maybe they will do that again.

Jeff

Thanks alot Jeff! Yeah that would be awesome to be in a commercial featuring the Eagle...

I visited SFStL during the 2001 ACE Spring Con and  found the Eagle to be my favorite coaster at the park.  Loads of airtime, especially off the turns.  And one has to love how much power it has at the end of the ride when it finally hits the brakes.  Definitely a gem of a ride.
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Scott W. Short
mailto:scott@midwestcoastercentral.com
http://www.midwestcoastercentral.com

I never thought there were so many SE fans around.  I really enjoyed reading this thread.  SE was my first real coaster.  I was 9 back in '76 when I first rode it.  I was tembling as I sat down in the train staring a the record breaking 110 foot lift.  At the end of the ride I was hooked.  The double-up needs to be put back, I really miss that element.  Other than that it still runs great but it is very tempermental.

Steve

Yeah, it is very tempermental, but at least now it can only get better with the colder weather(which I've found it to do). I wish I could've been there when it still had the nice double up feature. The flat track that replaced it just hurts(at least in the back)...

I will stand corrected on the changing of the cars, but if they banked the corners it was so slight that I didnt notice it. And for the life of me I can not remember any changes to the layout of the track. If they did I appoligize for the lack of attenion I apparently have paid to this ride . But the ride is still incredible to this day. I will take a lashing with a wet noodle for being so un-obsevent. They always say the mind is the first thing to go, and lord knows lately its going faster than my hair!!! :)
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Just a couple of G-force junkies!