A question for coaster purists out there
Does anyone have a problem with coasters being retrofitted with lapbars? I was talking to a guy the other day who said something to the extent of "just leave the classics the way they are"..
This boggled my mind. Frankly, I DO consider myself a purist. Oftentimes, I visit the older coasters in the park first before heading towards the newer ones. However, I think I'd give up getting a new coaster for a couple of years if I could get some of the older coasters retrofitted. Not to mention what it could mean for BGW and the big "DF".
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I rode "X" and never went upside down.
This boggled my mind. Frankly, I DO consider myself a purist. Oftentimes, I visit the older coasters in the park first before heading towards the newer ones. However, I think I'd give up getting a new coaster for a couple of years if I could get some of the older coasters retrofitted. Not to mention what it could mean for BGW and the big "DF".
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I rode "X" and never went upside down.
*** This post was edited by Homey G. on 10/1/2001. ***
I consider myself a "purist", and to me that means the elimination of all unwanted OTSR's, and the use of minimum restaints necessary for all rides...
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you
Coaster modification gets some people's panties in a bunch. Some of that excitement surrounds the ACE criteria for classics. I for one don't equate "classic" with "good ride."
Anyway, I don't have any real criteria myself for what makes a good ride, so if some kind of modification improves a ride, cool, I'm all about that. I think the Premier Rides that got the lap bars this year are a good example of that.
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How many classics would be refitted. No woodies, so there is a whole bunch to not figure in. All hypers have lap bars already. I don't think B&M will/should change their setup. Definately change all the Vekoma standard coasters and Premier coasters, but are any of them considered classics by anyone. I wouldn't think so. That leaves the Arrow loopers and then the Schwarpskoff's. Didn't all the Sch's open with initially lap bars only. So therefore the classics have already been ruined and a retrofit would be restoring the ride to it's former glory. I guess some people would be upset with redoing the Arrows, but some of them could use it. The OTSR's are absolutely unecessary on suspended coasters. But do to the rather cheap cars that run on most Arrow coasters, I don't see a refit being done unless brand new trains are bought. And by cheap I'm talking about the rather thin fiberglass body and the no-frills innards of the coaster trains. I just don't see it ruining any classics save some of the very oldest Arrows ala the original Corksrews and the single and double loopers. But these are also the Arrows in the least need of lap bars, it's the mega loopers that should/could be changed.
A few rides are so historic that we probably should not change them. Rides such as Leap the Dips and the Coney Island Cyclone are almost operating museums.
Otherwise, I'm in favor of anything that makes the ride better. Eliminating OTSRs in many cases is a major improvement. I'm in favor of just about anything that converts last year's Robin, The Chiller in to this year's Robin, The Chiller.
What really gripes me is modifying a ride to make it worse by adding poorly engineered trim brakes instead of maintaining the ride, or adding OTSRs just to keep your insurers happy.
The reason I hate the Premier lapbars is because they are very uncomfortable for tall people, some not being able to ride. If they came up with a better design, I'd be all for it!
Lap bars on rides is a regression to the older days of Schwarzkof when almost all rides had lapbars. While I do not agree with ACe definitions of "Classic coasters", I guess I call myself a purist who is obssesed with the new breed of steel. I really did not like when SF smoothed out Cyclone at SFNE. It was such a thrilling and extremely intense ride but now it is toned down but still good.
I guess we should eliminate air bags from cars, take all of the lightning rods off of houses, put lead back in paint. Who really needs penicillan anyway?
saviourmachine said:
The reason I hate the Premier lapbars is because they are very uncomfortable for tall people, some not being able to ride. If they came up with a better design, I'd be all for it!
Crumbs! How tall do you mean when you say tall people?
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I rode "X" and never went upside down.
Homey G., I am NOT tall at 5'10", but I have reasonably long legs - nothing major. Had I been ANY taller, SoB would have been a "pain". (Not that it didn't hurt a bit anyway, LOL). Not ALL Premiers seem to be quite as bad, but the "boxy" fronts don't allow all too much leg room in some of their trains...
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you
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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you
I was disappointed when CP added the head restraints and individual lapbars to Blue Streak, not so much because it changed the ride, but because it no longer qualified as a "classic" coaster by ACE rules. I still find Blue Streak to be a real classic and I've been riding it for 33 years. I do miss the wide bench seats and single lap bar...but being at the mercy of the person's size next to you could be scarey. I remember covering my son's legs with one of mine to be sure he didn't "slip out" when he was a skinny little 8 year old.
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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dea
Homey G....I am 6'6" and I fit on Flight of Fear, but I was rather uncomfortable. My brother, who is 6'11", suffered the humiliation of having to get out of the train because he didn't fit... :(
Geez. I hate to hear that. I'm 6'2, so I think I should be ok, but my problem is I'm mostly legs. I'm almost to the point where I can't ride certain mine trains without pulling a Houdini act getting them in there.
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I rode "X" and never went upside down.
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I rode "X" and never went upside down.
I guess parks should issue press releases to enthusiasts every time they make changes to a rollercoaster. That way we could tell if their changes are legitamate or just done to annoy us (end of sarcasm).
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What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowman. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary. -The Talmud
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What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowman. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary. -The Talmud
*** This post was edited by DWeaver on 10/2/2001. ***
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