about Gemini - CoasterBuzz

I was "talking" to Dan Northover yesterday about Gemini but he made me think. Why do we enjoy Gemini so much? Would be enjoy it as much with wood tracking like Colossus or is the smoothness half the fun? What if we took away the wood and made it a steel tracked ride with steel mine train supports. Would it be just as fun or is smoothly flying past the wood supports half the fun?

Just a few random thoughts.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

Flying through the wood supports is half the fun.

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SFDL- the worlds roller coaster capital

Yep - the combination of the visuals of a wooden coaster and the feel of a steel coaster is what I enjoyd so much about Gemini. You can literally ride it all day (the Gemini 100!). Plus the obvious - Cedar Point always races it, which makes it twice as fun, and withous any bumps, rattling, or jolts, you can enjoy the racing aspect of the ride to its fullest. That's why Gemini is my #11 coaster, even 27 years afer it opened!

Ha - did you convince himn that Gemini isn't a wooden coaster?

I agree that part of the uniqueness of Gemini is that you get the visual feel of a large wooden ride with it actually being a nice smooth steel coaster. They made good use of that. However, on the flip side wood coasters like Great White and Villain didn't try to make them look like steel, they still tried to make them look like wood while theyhad to use steel for various reasons.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Handslapping and racing are the things that make Gemini unique. Even after 25 seasons, these are two experiences that are not found in many other places. Also the fact that the line is always short and moves faster than practically any line in the world doesn't hurt either. :)

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-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew

I didn't like Gemini as much as I thought I would have. It isn't really anything special...

The handslapping was awesome. When I go back to CP, I'm getting another ride on there just for that.

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« adix@nedesigns.com »

Yes the handslapping is incredible, especially down the big drops. If someone grabbed your hand while travelling at 60mph it would really hurt. I think the speed helps quite a bit also.

I like Gemini because it's the only smooth Arrow coaster. ;-)

-Nate

I liked it simply because it was fun, is there anything wrong with that? Plus it was a lot more thrilling then I anticipated. After riding some of the other rides, I guess I just wasn't expecting a whole lot.

In fact, I just really like racing/dueling coasters in general. Dueling Dragons and Lightning Racer are two of my favorite rides. Too bad they can't get Gwazi going.
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We invite you, if you dare, to step aboard because in tonight's episode you are the star, and this elevator travels directly to...The Twighlight Zone.

wouldn't it be great if they made it possible to put arrow wood coaster trains on Mean Streak and Hercules
It definitely would improve both coasters.

Daniel Northover
"][url="mailto:djnorthover@earthlink.net" target="_blank">djnorthover@earthlink.net

If ain't an Arrow Wood It ain't anygood

*** This post was edited by Daniel Northover on 1/5/2003. ***

Yea that'd work aside from the fact they don't make wood trains. Arrow has never built a wood coaster get over it ;)

Why don't you get it? There are no Arrow wood coasters wood coasters or trains. Seriously, man!

Gemini's trains are steel coaster trains, nearly identical (sans cosmetics) to Magnums. Unless those wood coasters are getting tubular steel coaster track like Gemini has, it would never work.

If I tied a piece of wood to your leg does that mean you are a wooden man?

Do you like pancakes?

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

*** This post was edited by Peabody on 1/5/2003. ***

Dusa65 said:
Plus the obvious - Cedar Point always races it, which makes it twice as fun,

When I was there in July, my ride didn't race. I am not bashing on purpose. I am just saying, don't say always. Things do change.

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Rob

"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985

ALF, sure sounds like your just trying to pick a fight but who knows, maybe not.

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Don't Fight It, Ride It, RAGING BULL!!!!!!- SFGAm

I am not trying to pick a fight. I just don't like when people say something is always done, when I know for a fact it isn't.

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Rob

"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985

Suspended Andrew said:
"Yea that'd work aside from the fact they don't make wood trains. Arrow has never built a wood coaster get over it "

Oh, yeah?

I'm pretty sure Arrow built at least one train for a wood coaster. It ran for a while...er...I think it was the SCBB Giant Dipper. :)

Guys, this is Dan Northover we're talking about here. Please, don't poke the troll, good natured one though he be...!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I've never heard that, Dave. I'm only familiar with the originals and the Morgan's it has now. Can you poitn me towards any info? Thanks!

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

The design of the steel supports for some CCI's is not just a desire to make the strucrture look like wood. It is also the economical way to provide the closely spaced supports that wood track requires. With a normal type of steel structure you would neeed a continuous steel spine under the wood track such as you see on the loop of SOB.

Peabody said:
Gemini's trains are steel coaster trains, nearly identical (sans cosmetics) to Magnums.
Do you like pancakes?

I believe they are more identical than a lot of folks realize. The wheels on Maggie are bigger (I believe 8 inch vs. 12 inch, but don't quote me on that), but I believe that is the only major difference.

Also, the trains on Cedar Creek Mine Ride are the same basic structure (as are all Arrow non-inverting, non-wild mouse, non-4D trains).

And, yes, I like pancakes.

*** This post was edited by Michael Darling on 1/5/2003. ***