Buzzbars

This came up in another topic:

Which woodies still run with PTC trains with Buzzbars? And how much difference does it make?

I know on Phoenix it's pretty much everything. That air is super insane, in large part because of the buzzbars.

I think! That "Cornball Exxpress" has them!

It pops you pretty well on those little hillies!

Cornball, Skyliner(with the old style PTC that you sit deep under the bar), Hoosier Hurricane, Rolling thunder. Not sure but I think sky princess.

Chuck

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ApolloAndy said:
And how much difference does it make?

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Like I said in the other thread I think it makes a massive difference. I'd give anything to go back in time to ride Raven with the old buzz bars.

^Add to that, Adventureland's Outlaw and Tornado, Arnold's Legend, SFoG's GASM, Lake Winnie's Cannonball, all the junior woodies, Kennywood's Racer, Silverwood's Timber Terror. Can't remember if either of the racers at PCar or PKD do or not, but I doubt it. What about Swamp Fox?

IMO, it's not so much that they increase the airtime, but rather don't cram you into the seat as much, i.e., force your outside leg inward. It makes for a more comfortable ride.

What are buzz bars?

Comet at Hersheypark and Thunderhawk at Dorney have them as well

Both Beast and Racer at PKI still have theirs. I guess neither of those are big airtime machines though anyway.

I love American Eagle's buzzbars.

^Some coasters still have the buzzing lock mechanism, but don't use the single position lap bars that Andy is talking about, rather they have individual ratcheting lap bars.

Related question...has anything been built *in N. America* with single-position buzzbars SINCE Cornball Heaven....er, Express? ;)

Beast and Racer at PKI no longer have buzz bars. Unless they went back to them last year...? They have the annoying orange individual bars that indeed force the outside leg toward the interior.

I still dont understand why people refer to buzzbars a "single position bars" when clearly, they are *dual position* (open/closed). Kennywood's Jackrabbit, OTOH, has single position (fixed) lapbars.

Anyway, I dont have any prefference to buzz bars other than I like the sound. In fact, back in da day, as a little skinny kid, I used to abhor the dual position bars as i never felt secure enough.

They're certainly single position in the sense of having only a single locking position. I'd probably refer to the style of stationary lapbar you mentioned as a fixed lapbar for the purposes of clarity.

^What he said.

And how could we forget Cyclops!?! :)

Bill, I think Cornball is in fact the last new woodie with "single-locking-position" buzzbars. :( *** Edited 6/9/2006 4:52:00 AM UTC by Acoustic Viscosity***

Predator at DL has buzz bars. I think that there is a little metal piece on the side of the cars that is hit very rapidly, to 'pump' the restraints and unluck them, hence the loud buzz noise for about 3 seconds. But they ARE ratcheting and they ARE individual restraints.

SFNE's Thunderbolt also uses buzz bars.

Lets not forget the NAD's

Camden Big Dipper/Little Dipper
Kennywoods Thunderbolt.

Honestly, The way a wood coaster was ment to be ridden and the bar, no matter what size you are, If you can lock it, is over the thighs, Not on your gut, Not in your groin.

Chuck

Racer at Kennywood has them too.

I wouldn't mind lapbars if ptc would redesign them, their orange bars are so awkward and often make for an uncomfortable ride.

Canobie's Yankee Cannonball also has them.