All American Triple Loop rolls back fully loaded

Caia 's avatar

https://x.com/JoeMelba/status/1814694821296029967

It's such a shame to see the ride in such a state like this. I remember the rollback during media day. Sad to see Indiana Beach hasn't tinkered with it much more.


Coaster? I hardly even know her!

I'm not going on All American Triple Loop - It isn't safe.

As much as I like classic Schwarzkopfs, it's time to let this one go.


Definitely at the end of its “service life” and ready for retirement. I’ve not heard one good report about those trains and how uncomfortable they are anyhow. I’m sure that plot of land could hold a Premier Sky Rocket quite nicely.

TheMillenniumRider's avatar

Why is everyone so quick to scrap?

The trains would be much better without those dreadful OTSR’s.

There isn’t much to go wrong with the track, and install an anti rollback.

Last edited by TheMillenniumRider,

Caia :

It's such a shame to see the ride in such a state like this.

Richard Bannister:
As much as I like classic Schwarzkopfs, it's time to let this one go.

Gunkey Monkey:
Definitely at the end of its “service life” and ready for retirement.

TheMillenniumRider:
Why is everyone so quick to scrap?

I think what you all meant to say is, "TAER IT DOWN."


Failed drive tire causing a lift rollback > Rip Ride Rockit

Fun's avatar

If this ride only has one train, is this roll back more of an inconvenience than it is a safety issue?

hambone's avatar

I watched the video of an earlier rollback, and nothing *appeared* to be nothing unsafe for the riders - it was fairly slow, and everyone onboard seemed a little amused by it.

If operators or any customers on the platform were being careless it might have been an issue, since they wouldn't have expected the train to be coming from that direction. (There probably wouldn't/shouldn't have been customers on the platform at that moment.)

Not sure what the effect of the train going backward through the tire drive would be from a mechanical standpoint - that would explain reports of burning rubber smells.

Is it possible that there are no anti-rollbacks because the tire drives are not powerful enough to start a train from a standing position? In that case you'd have to winch it up over the hill, which wouldn't be ideal.

Last edited by hambone,

I think a lot of that makes sense. And if we’re looking for a possible reason/excuse, I think that having trains converted to nothing but a string of lead cars might mean added weight and strain on the tire lift. The train seems shorter than the trailer type, but I’d bet it’s heavier.
The last good, classic Schwarzkopf I rode was Colossal Fire Dragon at Lagoon. It was thrilling, vintage fun all right, but the entire time I couldn’t help but fear one of those trailing seats would somehow separate.

ApolloAndy's avatar

Is there a reason there's no anti-rollback system?

Last edited by ApolloAndy,

Hobbes: "What's the point of attaching a number to everything you do?"
Calvin: "If your numbers go up, it means you're having more fun."

LostKause's avatar

I ran Woodstock Express at Cedar Point when it was new. It has a similar pinch wheel lift hill. It did not have an anti-rollback of any kind. Woodstock had a timer for the lift that would only run the pinch wheels for a certain amount of time, long enough for the coaster to make it over the top. Sometimes when the lift was too wet, the train would slip as it was going up and get stuck halfway up when the pinch wheels stopped.

Maintenance showed me how to reset the pinch wheel timer to get the train all the way to the top via a hidden switch under the control panel, but that's another story...

So if the pinch wheels or fins on Triple Loop were wet, or something oily got between the fin and the pinch wheels, that might be the cause of the rollback. Burning rubber and smoke makes sense because the speed the coaster was traveling backwards might have caused friction between the pinch wheels and the fin.

That's my guess. My experience on the subject is limited though. On Woodstock, I normally just checked lapbars and/or pushed a button to start a coaster with a similar lift to the one we are talking about.


Rick_UK's avatar

I am not a scientist ...

When I rode this as Magnum Force it ran 5 car trains (it did as Quimera too). When Barth operated it as Dreier Looping it ran 6 car trains .... How does running 3 car trains impact the probability of this happening? With 3 car trains, you presumably have less contact between the fins and the wheels and therefore, less friction - but also less mass ?

Last edited by Rick_UK,

Nothing to see here. Move along.

BrettV:
I'm not going on All American Triple Loop - It isn't safe.

lol Loved it!!!

Schwarzkopf76's avatar

I can't wait to ride, but know it will probably be a one and done. Not good with restraints and headbanging (exept on Gurnee Demon, I seem to have that one mastered), hope they replace with shoulder straps like in Mexico. Also, anti-rollbacks would be nice, these lift-rollback videos are scary. Get that 2nd train ready!

RCMAC:

I think a lot of that makes sense. And if we’re looking for a possible reason/excuse, I think that having trains converted to nothing but a string of lead cars might mean added weight and strain on the tire lift. The train seems shorter than the trailer type, but I’d bet it’s heavier.
The last good, classic Schwarzkopf I rode was Colossal Fire Dragon at Lagoon. It was thrilling, vintage fun all right, but the entire time I couldn’t help but fear one of those trailing seats would somehow separate.

Colossus the Fire Dragon has the older style wheel assemblies. I think all of the Schwarzkopf derailments have happened with the newer design assemblies with the exposed wheels.

They will have to seriously look at this coaster quickly because most of all comments from riders are negative. It had a bad reputation and now it is getting worse. The coaster is old, aggressive and with a fatal accident in the past. I wouldn't be surprised if that coaster ends up being scrapped. It's possible it could have reached the end of its service life. I mean most of Schwarzkopf loopers are quite intense and put a lot of stress on the trains, track and structure, so I think they have to be kept in top shape. The West Edmonton Mall retired their Mindbender for a reason; the stress and fatigue analysis showed multiple tiny cracks all over the tracks. I wonder if the track is in good shape on All American Triple Loop!?

Schwarzkopf76's avatar

Seems like they need anti-rollbacks. That and a change to the restraint system. I think the shoulder straps worked well in Mexico, why not get them here? And a second train, don't make your guests wait that long. IB has gone seriously down the tubes - to the point I won't even drive the 2.5 hrs to get to a former beloved park "a tiny Knoebels on the lake!"

I'd think guest service should be high on their priority list. I haven't ridden Lost Coaster since 2011- a one of kind unique and wild experience - because it's either been closed or running one train with an hour plus line. I sure do miss IB. Even the Hoosier Hurricane - a *family* out-and-back had turned into a pain machine. People have been getting hurt on that for years; steel structure with bad track = ouch, too much stiffness.

Schwarzkopf76:
People have been getting hurt on that for years; steel structure with bad track = ouch, too much stiffness.

Reading your quote here - and I must admit that I haven't been there since 2004 now - makes me very reluctant to stop, even though I drive by there quite often. This sentiment maps to what I have for Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park. It looks like it should be a great and promising visit, but overall is not.

Schwarzkopf76's avatar

The 2 places that have operated below a Six Flags level.. so sad. I'm glad I rode the heck out of Cyclops before they put in new lap bars. No reason to go back the place is a hole with attitude on top.

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