Arrow 4D headed for Japan!!

http://www.coastersandmore.de/rides/iaapa2004/iaapa1_e.shtml

Currently the second roller coaster on the basis of the Arrow 4D coaster concept X is being built. Two seats are mounted on each side of the vehicle, being rotatable for 360 degrees perpendicular to the direction of travel. The rotation is produced by a mechnical system and controlled by the track. "Higher, faster and with more ride elements" is what Quin Checketts promises for the Japanese version. For that purpose the pioneering prototype built for Six Flags Magic Mountain, California was completely reworked. Instead of an axle the engineers incorporate an Ackermann steering as it is used by B&M, Intamin and - recently - Vekoma. For the average rider the differences won´t be perceivable. The trains with their gigantic span width of over 6 meters will inter alia negotiate a new ride element, the so-called "Full Full": While the train negotiates an element similar to a zero-G roll, performing a 360 degrees roll around the longitudinal axis, the seats do a full backwards rotation. Full, full, so to say...

Wow. I can't believe it. This is great news. Anyone know more?

"Higher, faster and with more ride elements" - This one could take a while to open.

A full-full? Damn ... that's an element and a half (well, two ... but ... ). I doubt it'll work reliably enough to keep the Japanese happy, they seem to be very leary of breaking down coasters, see SD2K. And that right there is probably the #1 reason SF never entered the Japan market ...

Wow. I'm happy we're finally seeing another one of these built. I hope this time around there won't be any kinks.

Hmmm. If this is true, I hope it's ready before September 2005... ;)

Don't we all!

I thougth this coaster was announced in 2003 at IAAPA? I could have sworn S&S/Arrow were touting it then. I was wondering why all mention of it vanished until now. I remember seeing a picture of the new track configuration in First Drop. It looked like the rails that are responsible for the rotation of the seats are now located in between the main running rails.

Greg,

Not that this means anything at all, but rumor has it the new coaster will open in 2006. =:^(

-Sean *** Edited 12/8/2004 6:03:28 PM UTC by Sean Flaharty***

That's what I heard as well. Bummer for those heading there in 05 :(

The one thing I haven't heard is which park it's heading to. I would guess either Fujikyu or Nagashima, as they are the two "biggies". I wonder if this could replace SD2K, but Fujikyu is more "The extreme park" of the two.

Wow, I really thought parks weren't interested in 4D designs because of the problems with X ;) (end sarcasm).

If they can fix the capacity issues of the ride, I'm all for seeing more of these rides pop up. The possibilities for the 4D are just too numerous for Arrow/S&S to give up on it. But it sounds like they went back and took the time to do things right, which is what I supected.

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DWeaver said:
Wow, I really thought parks weren't interested in 4D designs because of the problems with X (end sarcasm).

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5 years later seems like a general lack of interest to me.

Well a few changes needed to be made to the ride first. Besides, Arrow could not afford to make them regardless until they were purchased by S&S. I thought we knew all this already? ;)

Anyway, the ride sounds awesome. Too bad I'm visiting Japan for the first time next year instead of 06! *** Edited 12/8/2004 7:45:01 PM UTC by DWeaver***

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DWeaver said:
Wow, I really thought parks weren't interested in 4D designs because of the problems with X (end sarcasm).

DWeaver followed up with:
Well a few changes needed to be made to the ride first.

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Well, I guess you answered it yourself then. There was a lack of interest because of the problems with X, they made changes to the ride, now 5 years later someone else is willing to try it again.

Even if 20 of these are built in the next week, there was still a 5 year lack of interest due to the problems with X. Now those problems are gone and the interest may or may not return.

LOL! Saying there is/was a lack of interest requires a HUGE presumption on your part. If parks were waiting for S&S to fix the intial problems with the *prototype*, that cannot automatically be written off as non interest. I may be totally interested in the new Nissan poduct, but that doesn't mean I would just throw common sense out the window and not make sure it's going to work first.

Listening to the chatter at IAPPA 2 years ago. People were still very interested and intrigued by the 4D. I specifically heard someone mention that they wanted to see X run problem free for 1 year. Irionically, 2004 was that year. *** Edited 12/8/2004 8:02:14 PM UTC by DWeaver***

It's just as big an assumption to presume there are others waiting in the wings.

One park in Japan has waited until the problems were fixed - that cannot automatically be interpreted as 5 years of patiently waiting interest.

I think you're arguing semantics more than anything.

There was a lack of interest in the former 4D design.

There is currently at least one park interested in the revised design.

Quite simply, parks were not interested in a technical design the same as X's as it was flawed at best.

I do understand what you're saying and even agree to a point, but I think your taking liberties in comments that were meant to imply the lack of interest in the current 4D design. Of course S&S was going to try to save the idea and another park was bound to bite once they did. The real interest in the 4D coaster will be determined after this is built.

Actually, I think your the one arguing semantics, but whatever.

The fact is, there IS one being built, and many people said the design was dead and that there was no and *would be* no interest. I doesn't take a genious to figure out that the *prototype* was flawed, and that changes would have to be made in order to sell another one. But I maintain there the interest never waned, either in X or it's possible future instalations. *** Edited 12/8/2004 8:23:07 PM UTC by DWeaver*** *** Edited 12/8/2004 8:23:56 PM UTC by DWeaver***

Fair enough. :)

Look how long it took for another B&M drop coaster to be built....

Or S&S launch coaster....

And look how many of those have gone up since ...

O points for DWeaver.

3000 points for Everyone else...

:)