American Eagle at SFGAm. Dueling or racing?
Nevermind the fact that they dont usually race both the red and blue trains. Aside from that, I hear on this site and others that a "Dueling coaster" is defined as two tracks that go against eachother like "Dueling Dragons" that dont have the exact track. "Racing coasters" have the exact same track.
However, the "American Eagle" seems to have both of these characteristics. The lift hill, drop, out bunny hops, and turnaround helix have the "racing" coaster category.
As soon as both tracks exit the big helix, they take on a different return run. The red side has more small bunny hops with a big bunny hop before the final helix.
The blue side has 1 big bunny hop, alot of straight track and a 2nd big bunny hop before the final helix.
Also the final helix on both tracks goes in a different direction.
To me this would put this woodie in both categories. Is this far fetched or am I making a case here?
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"The Peoples Elbow" or "The Spinaroonie?. Cant decide which is the most electrifying move in sports entertainment!!! LOL
However, the "American Eagle" seems to have both of these characteristics. The lift hill, drop, out bunny hops, and turnaround helix have the "racing" coaster category.
As soon as both tracks exit the big helix, they take on a different return run. The red side has more small bunny hops with a big bunny hop before the final helix.
The blue side has 1 big bunny hop, alot of straight track and a 2nd big bunny hop before the final helix.
Also the final helix on both tracks goes in a different direction.
To me this would put this woodie in both categories. Is this far fetched or am I making a case here?
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"The Peoples Elbow" or "The Spinaroonie?. Cant decide which is the most electrifying move in sports entertainment!!! LOL
*** This post was edited by Chitown on 11/2/2001. ***
I wouldn't consider it dueling. Most dueling coasters like Dueling Dragons or Gwazi have prtions where the train goes head to head with another. The Eagle just mirrors itself with slight variations on the bunny hills. On the topic of racing, red will more than likely win each time because blue has the outer track and therefore more distance to cover.
You are right Chitown. Also, did you notice anything about the red train right before you enter the helix, i mean besides the brake?
Nope. I cant figure out what the red train does before the helix that the blue doesnt do.
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"The Peoples Elbow" or "The Spinaroonie?. Cant decide which is the most electrifying move in sports entertainment!!! LOL
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"The Peoples Elbow" or "The Spinaroonie?. Cant decide which is the most electrifying move in sports entertainment!!! LOL
I think it needs to be retracked there, the top wheels come up of the track by about 3 inches. We sat in the middle of the train and we could see AND feel the front cars come up and slam back down on the track, no lie. I was like wow, So this leaves me to believe that maybe either they don't care about this ride because of the age or maybe they are going to retrack it? Just a thought.
Even though the sides are diffrent. I believe they both have the same amount of track for both sides.
But they could get around the track length differences and make the races fair by putting huge brakes right before the helix…
But anyway… probably not dueling – no "near misses". Racer at PKI would also fall into this category.
It is a racer. Actually since blue gets that straightaway after the helix, it makes up for any difference in track length by having more speed and less hills on the return. When I worked on that ride, we definitely tried to race it as much as possible. Sometimes you just cannot, but we tried.
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Any resemblance to living or
dead people is purely coincidental.
stoogemanmoe said:
I think it needs to be retracked there, the top wheels come up of the track by about 3 inches. We sat in the middle of the train and we could see AND feel the front cars come up and slam back down on the track, no lie. I was like wow, So this leaves me to believe that maybe either they don't care about this ride because of the age or maybe they are going to retrack it? Just a thought.
Same thing happened 2 years ago on that section of the blue side and it was retracked for the next year so they obviously do care. Also the worker at Fright Fest on Sunday said that there were track problems with the red side and it wouldn't be open til next season. So if he wasn't lieing I would say that, that section of the ride will be retracked for next year.
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"WHATS UP WIT THAT" The Hurricane
My Top 5 Coasters:
1. Raging Bull 2.Millenium Force 3.V2 (SFGAm) 4.Viper (SFGAm) 5.Cornball Express/Raptor
Cool! Maybe they will race both sides then. That would be awsome. I know that they care about the ride. It's just after all the rumors I've been hearing about them taking it out I was starting to wonder about it's future as it is one of my favorites.
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In general, racers go "side-by-side", duelers go "head-on"...however there are coasters that do both. Lightning Racer from what I understand has a short stretch of dueling track. Gwazi was great in that it ONLY dueled, no side-by-side runs of track at all. That's pretty rare...oh well, another fantastic idea ruined by poor operations...
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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
::throws in two pennies::
its not racing because it has different tracks. it doesn't matter if the first part of the rides are the same, with variations at the end it makes them two different tracks.
its not dueling because there are no near misses.
sorry if I'm being vague by only analyzing what its not.
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Jay and Silent Bob have left the building ~Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
IMO, it is racing but not dueling. My opinion of dueling is near miss twists and turns. AE just goes sisde by side, racing. There are no near misses,
Actually, CP's Gemini is the only racing coaster where the trains stay side-by-side while changing direction. And it certainly wasn't the first racing coaster or even the first modern racing coaster. It's the exception to the rule.
American Eagle is as much a racing coaster as PKI's Racer or PKD's Rebel Yell is.
-CPlaya
The American Eagle, which premiered May 23, 1981, was (and is) advertised as a racing coaster. In my opinion it is still the most beautiful racer, regardless of the park's lack of enthusiasm to operate it like one. I'd kill to go back to '83!
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Moxie: Not quite Cola, not quite Root Beer, not quite Asphalt!
Scale model rides: www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173
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Moxie: Not quite Cola, not quite Root Beer, not quite Asphalt!
Scale model rides: www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173
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