First looping woodie?

Is the Son of Beast at Kings Island really going to have a loop and on an engineering standpoint how is it possible? Any experts out there to clue me in on this? Later coaster junkies!!!!

*** This post was edited by Jeff on 2/13/00. ***

Yes, it is going to have a loop. I do not know much about the engineering of it except that the supports for the loop are steel. The cars may have something special but I don't know.

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Matt Bly
http://www.geocities.com/sfohio

It's also worth noting that it's not the first looping woodie, but it will be the only operating looping woodie.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I was just about to post that it is not the first. :) I have a roller coaster book that has stuff about the first looping wooden coaster. But i can't seem to find the book right now. Wasn't it called loop-di-loop? or something like that...

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Bryan, AKA CP-god
http://www.themeparks.nu/CPIH

That's what I thought after I saw PKI's ad on their web site saying that SOB was the first looping woodie because I rememeber seeing a show on PBS or Discovery showing an old video of a looping woodie. I remember this because it used to break bones and snap necks!

Bryan your thinking of the Flipp Flapp that was located in Atlantic City in the early 1900's. It didn't last long because people would blackout on the loop because it was an actual circle not egg shaped like today.

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I can't wait for the 2000 season to start!!

Yeah, thats it! thanks! I knew it was a funny name, just couldn't think of it. I found my book about it, just one car would be a whole train. The car held 4 people. I don't think it had any seatbelts either, i'm pretty sure it said that people didn't fall out of the car because they were smooshed in the car very tightly.

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Bryan, AKA CP-god
http://www.themeparks.nu/CPIH

In the book "Roller Coaster" (with a subtitle that I can't remember) by a David something (sorry for lack of specific info) There is a picture of a very early looping woody at Olentangy Park in Columbus Ohio (Which is incorrectly labeled as located in California even though the picture is from a postcard that is clearly printed with Columbus Ohio - one of many weird errors in this book but that's another topic).

Is that the one with Mantis on the cover? That thing is full of errors!

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Yeah, that's the one! I had heard that it was a good book. Yeah, it was interesting but full of errors. The Olentangy Park error was really pretty amusing because the postcard CLEARLY says Columbus. There is a California Street nearby which is probably the reason for labeling it California. Maybe this should be its own thread - pick out errors in the book!

So with all the past nightmares of looping woodies are we going to see future blackouts and snapped necks? After the first 1000 guinee pigs rides this coaster with no medical emergencies let me know and then I will ride it. (heh!heh!)
LATER COASTER JUNKIES!!!!!!!

They fixed the loops in the 70's with the steel loopers. The problems were due to the loops being truely round not eliptical like today. I'm sure PKI checked into this. SOB will be as safe as any other coaster. The designers did plenty of research to even consider adding a loop on a woodie.

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I can't wait for the 2000 season to start!!

The loop will be awesome the whole ride will be awesome.I will be there on april 9 to find out. hope i can wait that long.

Actually coasterpunk, the smaller the loop is the more egg shaped it gets. Take in point the shuttle looper coasters such as the Viper at Six Flags Georgia (Formally the Tidal Wave at Six Flags Great America). The loop is much bigger and poses a round structure. You are right though about perfection of steel loops. Even the corkscrew was perfected in the 70s. Hopefully that will be the case with wooden coaster loops. If this coaster is a hit we will see alot more within the decade. Hopefully at my home park.
LATER COASTER JUNKIES!!!!!!

Your right Scott. If I recall the two loops on the Lazer at Dorney Park are nearly perfect circles. When I go thru them I noticed my sight gets a bit fuzzy.

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I can't wait for the 2000 season to start!!

Also, the loop on Revolution at SFMM seems pretty round to me. Seems almost to be a perfect circle. Certainly doesn't look that tear drop shaped. By the way, can someone explain to me the problem with circle loops versus tear loops?

It is all due to the g forces in the loop the round loops tend to have a bit more g's then the egg shaped loops. So round loops tend to give a more intense ride. If anyone else can help me explain please help.

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I can't wait for the 2000 season to start!!

Has any one been on the Ring of Fire at a fair or carnival? That is a perfect circle and when it gets rolling at full speed you can actually feel a ton of g's at the bottom to the point you feel your face being pulled down. Thats why the exit and enterances to most loops are more gradual to lessen the g's.

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I can't wait for the 2000 season to start!!

The most elliptical loop i can think of is Mantis. That first loop looks nothing of a circle. Just thought I would chime in.

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Matt Bly
http://www.geocities.com/sfohio

Most of the B&M inverts have very non-round loops. Looking at Dueling Dragons' vertical loops they look like a pair of giant upside-down tear drops.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com