2002 dark year for the rainbow ride

kpjb did a nice job summing up; let me add just a little...

The Zierer "Flying Carpet" is my favorite of the bunch. Very noisy, four support arms, extremely violent ride.

Hersheypark's Conestoga was a unique ride in that it was a Rainbow but with the seats facing center instead of facing front. So it rode like a Flying Carpet.

Knoebels and Geauga Lake both have the 1,001 Nacht...Knoebel's ride from Weber, Geauga's ride from Huss. The size and ride is the same as on the Conestoga, but these two have individual hydraulic ball-crushing lap bars.

SFKK and others have the Huss Rainbow. The Huss Rainbow, Ranger, and 1,001 Nacht are all built on the same frame, support arm and counterweight; the differences are in the ride vehicles. I have heard, but not verified, that this ride frame is somewhat underbuilt in the main hub at the center of the ride. I find it hard to believe that any Huss ride could possibly be "underbuilt" but I have heard stories of sun gear cracking and bearing problems at the top of the tower. True? I have no idea.

The remaining variation, seen at SFGAm and Indiana Beach and once at Holiday World is the Chance Falling Star. Holiday World reported reliability problems last year with theirs, and as it is an older ride, and as Chance just came out of bankruptcy and merger, I question how good the support is for that model. (again, anybody know for certain?).

It is interesting to see how whole classes of rides seem to come and go all at once, sometimes...!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

One I don't think anyone has mentioned, probably because they are not too common in parks, is the A.R.M. Ali Baba. The ride racks on one trailer, stands about 50 or 60 feet tall and seats riders in two rows, usually 2 rows with 12 riders each. The drawback is the restraints, which are metal and usually unpadded OTSR's, similar to the ones Moser has used on rides like the Star Force. On my one ride I nailed my collarbone in the restraint.

A pic is at: http://makeashorterlink.com/?V26C43D93

Adam

Did SFGAm have a Chance falling star at one time? The ride they have now (Trailblazer) is a Zamperla Joker, not Chance.

-Nate

SFA has had their chance falling star since day one & I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon.

I just want them to bring back my beloved enterprise for god's sake,that & a shiny new B&M would really make my day at SFA.

kpjb said:

Zierer is currently also manufacturing an inverted carpet, where you're hanging below the ride, similar to a Zamperla Hawk. Instead of going upside down like the Hawk, however, you'd stay upright while circling like a traditional carpet ride does.
------------------
If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division

I don't want to sound stupid, but I thought Zierer has been out of business for years!?!?

------------------
Brenton

Aissistant Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard

They went bankrupt, but that never means they're out of business (like Arrow, Vekoma, Chance, etc.)

I should have phrased it a bit differently: when a Zierer tech came to Kennywood two summers ago, he said that this ride was in development (and of course suggested we replace ours with one.) As far as I know none were ever sold, but I imagine either a restructured Zierer or whoever owns their assets would still have the ability to build one.

------------------
If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division

kbjb, do you think Kennywood will ever get a Inverted Carpet?? If they ever did that would pretty darn cool to be the First park to have an Inverted Flying Carpet:)

FLYING CARPET'S RULE THE EARTH!!!:)

------------------
Brenton,

Assistant Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard

Is the ride at Hershey Park which was removed the Cowboy old time wagon looking ride? If it was im so sad becuase my friend, and I had such a great time riding it a few summers pack. If there was any ride they should take out it should be that ride that spins around, like the mexican hat ride that Sixflags Great Adventure had, becuase that ride made me feel very sick, and was not as good as the wagon ride.
*** This post was edited by WoodenCyclone 2/28/2003 9:34:38 PM ***

WC...yep, that's the HP ride.

While it's a shame that these rides are leaving (they *are* good moderate-thrill family rides), the reason seems to be that they've run their life-span, and are requiring too much maintenance...kind of like the vehicle you trade-in...;). Hopefully, even though most will be replaced, a few parks will see fit to keep rides of this type operating, for nostalgic purposes...
------------------
Never go unarmed into a battle of wits...;)

"As far as I know none were ever sold, but I imagine either a restructured Zierer or whoever owns their assets would still have the ability to build one."

One was built at a European Park, I believe it was the Prater.

Adam

KpExpress said:
kbjb, do you think Kennywood will ever get a Inverted Carpet??

one rug is plenty ;)

------------------
If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division

*** This post was edited by kpjb 3/3/2003 6:39:56 PM ***

kpjb....what, you never heard of *wall-to-wall* carpeting...;)

I apologize, that is probably the worst pun ever...but someone WAS gonna say it....

kpjb said:
one rug is plenty ;)
Awww I got all excited for nothing, LoL. Well truthfully I rather stick to the Carpet that we already have, besides you just can't have a carpet with out a hundered E-Stops;)------------------
If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division
*** This post was edited by kpjb 3/3/2003 6:39:56 PM ***

------------------
Brenton

Assistant Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard

Reading through my Amusement Today...today...I saw that Holiday World is selling theirs for $139,000 (or so as I don't have the copy in front of me). Makes me wonder if someone would pay that much or not?

It is nice to see that SFEG still has theirs and isn't doing anything with it. It is one of the few rides that still remains from the original park. Not to mention it may look weak, but it isn't. It also has probably close to the best lighting display in the park at night.
------------------
"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem