Wood Coasters w/ Steel Frame

You've also got to consider that some parks, like Jazzland, must use steel structures because of termits. Besides, I think steel supported woodies look different, that is in a good way.

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"I must not be a coaster enthusiast!
I actually look for the good things in parks & coasters."

Hoosier Hurricane @ Indiana Beach is a steel woodie.

Schwartzkopf-style steel, too. I don't like the look of it as much, and the effect when passing through the structure isn't nearly as good.

It is firmer than wood, though. It feels a touch different, but not as different as you'd think.

I personally don't have any problems with the steel frames as long as we get more coasters out of the deal that can be maintained for a lower price.:)

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2001- the year of flight!

Good Lord! Another one you guys went way back to dig up. Neil was still Seven-of-9! ;)

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Matt Lynch, who thinks this thread has been on CoasterBuzz slightly longer than he has...
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com

Besides being a two-track racing coaster, Cedar Point's Gemini was so named because of its "merger" of wood with steel. It was hoped that it would make a whole new kind of coaster experience. It didn't, and the "experiment" has never been heavily promoted.

The one thing that bothered me with the Villain was that if you were in the picnic area under it that the sound traveled right through that steel. It may have even been amplified by it. I didn't think that it effected the ride experience that much. The Hoosier Hurricane was the first CCI to use it, and the Corn Ball Express uses it too. In this case as well as the Villian it was space. None of those coasters as well as most of the steel structured ones was space. In the case of MegaZeph, it was because the land is very swampy, and the steel helps to stablize the structure so that it won't settle that unevenly. The area is also full of termites so that keeps the wood away from the ground where the little buggers can get to it.

Steel is used as a function of economics, as well as engineering. While I am certain that everyone knows that wood is the same price as a galvanized structure. There are reasons that steel is used, especially when space is limited. It is the less is more theory. I am not an engineer, but it is an industry rule of thumb, that you can have less supports when steel is used.

Also, especially in the Great White and the Hurricane, the need for steel is great the prevention of deteriation from the saltwater elements. Can anyone imagine what that saltair does to the nails holding the wood together. Even if they are galvanized, they need help. Steel saves extra carpenters from changing lumber all day long. Extra carpenters means extra payroll.

If it was up to me, I would build all new mid to large size woodies on a steel structure. It makes huge financial sense when you are paying for a ride over $2 million dollars.

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Lynch said:
"Good Lord! Another one you guys went way back to dig up. Neil was still Seven-of-9! ;)
"

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I was curious about the topic, used the nifty search function, and found this thread. I just didn't want to start a repeated topic. ;)

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Mamba--One of the Tallest, Longest, Fastest Roller Coasters in the World

Adam Rentchler

Good man! People should look up to you for that! ;)

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Matt Lynch, who is serious for once...
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com

I think the main difference is cost and shape. The cost comes from the maintance more than anything. On the steel structure parks save a lot of money on the maintance because they don't have to replace the steel as much as they have to with the wood structure and tracked coaster. Also the steel structure is easier to make into tighter and more akward place like on the hoosier hurricane. IT works a lot better for parks when they have to build a rollercoaster on top of everything like on the hoosiers hurricane at Indiana beach and I think cornball express will be to. This way you save more space and can easily add rides if you need to.

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The Shy One said:
"You've also got to consider that some parks, like Jazzland, must use steel structures because of termits.""

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Actually, the original all wood Zephyr stood at Pontchartrian Beach for many years. Wood coasters are probably less vulenrable to termites than most wood structures because of their open visible frameworks and frequent inspections. Dry rot could be more of a problem. While termites are definately a problem, tens of thousands of wood frame structures continue to survive in New Orleans. (I grew up in one of them.)

If they haven't already answered the question, the Villain was made with steel supports for space reasons. I myself like the look of an all wood coaster too, but steel is just fine for me.

The Villain is my #1 woodie and I have ridden quite a few big ones. I think that it doesn't take anything away from the ride, it only adds to it by making the lifthill of Villain look like it is going to fall down!

Anyone also notice something really awesome on the Villain? When you go to the turn above the station, where all the steel branches out until it makes a semi-circle? It looks really awesome, and there is one lone tree standing in the middle of it, lol. ;)

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"Villain-Once You Drop, The Fun Don't Stop!"~SFWoA Rules In 2001~X Marks The Spot In 2001(SFWoA)~With SFWoA ANYTHING Is Possible!

I think that Twisted Sisters is a great ride that feels just like a woodie should feel. The ride its self looks great (too bad you cant say the same for the area around the ride!), but I think SFKK decided on steel for cost and maintanence reasons.

Personally, it does not matter to me. Whatever is holding it up is holding it up. It is all the track.

The Silver Comet (i live about 1 mile away from it) is as bumpy and jerky as any completely wood coaster. It feels the same to me, and I think if it doesn't shudder and is a bit smoother, maybe more people who think that wood coasters are dangerous because they move around so much would be inclined to ride, and like, a wood coaster with a steel frame.

I'm okay with the idea of having steel supports because you really don't notice it while riding. My major problem is with the bright silver color. If they would paint the track and supports white, then these less-expensive woodies would have that same classic look that defines wooden coasters.

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"If we built a ride that everyone wanted to ride, it would be called an elevator, and that's not an amusement ride."
-Stan Checketts, S&S Power

They could also paint them brown if that park doesn't want every coaster white. I think Villain would look totally awesome if they painted it brown!;)

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"Villain-Once You Drop, The Fun Don't Stop!"~SFWoA Rules In 2001~X Marks The Spot In 2001(SFWoA)~With SFWoA ANYTHING Is Possible!