Can Mean Streak be saved?

Heck, you might be able to see smoke from here in Milwaukee.

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The top 3 all time cobrarolls.

1)Raptor's
2)Deja Vu's (times 3)
3)Batman Knight Flight's

I think Mean Streak's real problem is a concept far more than any of us would ever understand. Some say the structure was designed too poorly for the speeds that the coaster attains. I highly doubt this due to the fact that if this were really the case, a simple solution such as steel supports would have already answered that problem a long time ago. If you really wanna know what the deal is with this ride I'd suggest becoming friends with one of guys on the full-time mean streak carpentry team. I'm sure they could help ya out. The fact that this ride needs its own carpentry team should tell ya something, and I'm not even sure what it is. It's probably just overall poor design in and out, in every aspect of the ride. What I really think the main contributing factor is that the rides tracking is very poor, just as in Hercules. If you look closely on Hercules there are parts of the track that are clamped down. Dinn just didn't have the right solution for tracking a wood coaster that goes 65+ mph. Can it be saved? Let's just say I think it will someday. I know it will. The day will come when they can let the ride run all out full force like it was designed to without ripping the track apart and without having to have a carpentry team to hit every nail back in at the end of every night

*** This post was edited by DorneyDante on 10/30/2002. ***

Mean Streak really isn't that bad. It has some moments of airtime. And is the tallest coaster I rode so far. I think it is one of those coasters that were for the family to enjoy. That might be the reason why they put trim brakes on the ride. Anyway I still think it's a great woodie.

DorneyDante said:
.......The day will come when they can let the ride run all out full force like it was designed to without ripping the track apart and without having to have a carpentry team to hit every nail back in at the end of every night

And here I thought walking the track on a daily basis was part of the norm for a wooden coaster. I am such a jackass.

Derrick whitset said:

I think it is one of those coasters that were for the family to enjoy.

Cedar Point used to (and ocasionaly still does) make a big deal over Mean Streak as one of their main thrill rides. It was never intended to be a family ride. If they wanted that, they wouldn't have built the tallest wooden coaster in the world (at the time). And, anyway, that's Blue Streak's niche (although now it's a LOT more thrilling than Mean Streak on most days).

As far as maitenance is concerned, I would expect a lot of loose nails on a track that endures speeds like that! But that's okay, As maitenance guys walk the track for over two hours every day, nailing in loose nails, on EVERY wood coaster. To find out if Mean STreak is particularly bad or not, one would have to compare the morning inspection time with another coaster of at least somewhat comprable length, but of a different manufaturer (i.e.: The Beast, American Eagle, Son of Beast, Shivering Timbers, something like that). If anyone happens to know any of those statistics, please enlighten us.

*** This post was edited by (SF)Great American on 10/30/2002. ***

I got a ride without any trims right after they took off a train and it was so much better. I guess the trims are on their to lower the wear and tear but they really need to find a way to support it better if thats the problem. Turn those trims off and I think its fine.

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The cleveland browns suck, if its brown flush it down, Go Bengals!

Yes we all know that every wooden coaster gets the daily walk around the track deal everyday but the point I was trying to make was that Mean Streaks maintenance walks every morning are far more extreme than any others. Im talking in terms of what they must do just to keep the coaster running. Things like HOW MANY nails must be hit back in, how much track needs to be worked on, stuff like that. In Mean Streaks case(and any Summers/Dinn megawoodie) these procedures are far more extreme than your average woodie. And that is due to the fact that, what I said previously, Dinn didn't find a very effective way to track a wooden coaster that excels in speeds of 65mph. And that is what I said ophthodoc, dont twist my words around or try to make me look foolish, you know what I meant. And yes, hopefully one day someone will save these woodies and find a way to track and support them more effectively.

*** This post was edited by DorneyDante on 10/30/2002. ***

How do you know Mena Streak's maitenance time is so much more than other coasters'? And even if it is, keep in mind that we're talking about over a mile of track here, and a literal mountain of lumber. You really need some comparative stats. to say whether or not Mean Streak's maitanance time is outrageous. If the ratio of length to time taken with inspection is the same as on any wood coaster, then it would still be a rather long process. You've got to compare it with others, like The Beast to prove your point. And if you have inside information as to the details of Mean Streak's maitenance, then, by all means, tell us! You can't just say "Mena Streak's a maitenance nightmare" and automaticly have everyone believe you.

after experiencing Legend and Raven at HW I hate MS even more...only one word sums it up:

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I think a nicely placed lit match would be doing that coaster a favor. It sucks and its too freaking long! JMHO of course-let the flaming begin

Dave

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O&A Rock! WOW!

DorneyDante said:
Dinn just didn't have the right solution for tracking a wood coaster that goes 65+ mph.

I am not sure if Dinn ever had a solution for tracking a coaster, period. The Predator at SFDL is terrible. It is very rough even though it only attains speeds of 50 mph.

ophthodoc said:

And here I thought walking the track on a daily basis was part of the norm for a wooden coaster. I am such a jackass.

Whoa...maybe I shouldn't have put money on the hickory stick after all!

-'Playa

(who once laughed so loud at the Happy Gilmore vs. Bob Barker fight sequence that the neighbors called the cops)

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya on 10/31/2002. ***

I remember riding MS early on in 91 and I really liked it. Since then I can't remember a single time when I didn't feel like it had just shaken every nut, bolt, and screw loose in my whole body. I think part of it was the lack of speed allows time to think about what the train is doing to your body rather than just enjoying the feeling of speed. I was at CP this past weekend but choose to go the Gypsy Fortune Tellers rather than ride MS with one of my buddies. That has to be at least somewhat telling.... I wish MS could be the ride that I remember it to be, and I would be willing to give it another try, if CP tried to make it at least a little better. Well enough of the ranting. Time to see more about the new coaster at CP.... Mark

Thewoodster99: you have nuts bolt, and screws in your body?

lata, jeremy

1) I eat pieces of $#it like you for breakfast!

2) You eat pieces of $#it for breakfast?!?

Hmmm... my family loves Adam Sandler movies and hates the Mean Streak. BTW Opthodoc, I saw your movie this weekend and loved it. It must be pretty cool to have a movie named after you.

Point Man - ha ha! That's just the story of my life, I'll tell you....Do you know what the term "projection" means?

'Playa, See - I'm not the up-tight bowl of oatmeal you made me out to be - I am as big a bastard as you are.

*** This post was edited by ophthodoc on 11/2/2002. ***

Take all the trims off and it'd run great, simple enough!

...and rip itself to shreds in the process.

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

I'm all for a mysterious lightning strike, but you would have enough smoke to blanket the peninsula. Not a good thing, earthquake (aka midnight bulldozering and dynamite) would be a more viable option.

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How many rides must a man go on, before you may call him a fan?

Or a tornado. Those usually bring good things to the point like Gemini.

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The top 3 all time cobrarolls.

1)Raptor's
2)Deja Vu's (times 3)
3)Batman Knight Flight's