Coaster modifications...for the better?!!?

Direct to you from Dave's rollback:

"3/31/2001 - Flight of Fear opens to the public at Paramount's Kings Dominion. It's the same ride that opened in 1996 as The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear but for the 2001 season, the over-the-shoulder restraints were removed from this electrically launched indoor looping coaster."

EVEN Jeff Siebert, the most laidback of all PR people ;) couldn't help but show his excitement when showing off the train modifications. First thing I said when gettng off was "Wow, that ride was virtually unrideable before, now it's ERT material"...

MOST of the time, enthusiasts (justifiably?) complain about modifications made to coasters...Revolution, Colossus, Zonga to name a few. I just wanted to give a shout-out to PKI for initiating this change, which led to a domino effect that has dramatically improved Premier coasters as a whole.

Can you think of another time where a coaster was IMPROVED? I'll throw one out for starters - Tx Cyclone removing the headrests....come on, it's a chance to show parks how much we *appreciate* the little things that DO mean alot! :)
*** Edited 3/31/2005 3:04:08 PM UTC by rollergator***

You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)

I think you kinda gotta go with Legend switching over to PTCs at Holiday World, sir.

Brian, who wonders if you gotta take minus points from Raven for switching FROM buzzers to ratcheting lappers. ;)

Putting upstop wheels on Magnum, and moving the trim brake from the top of the third hill to the entrance of the pretzel dramatically improved that ride.

The obvious... Steel Phantom to Phantom's Revenge.

[url="http://www.livejournal.com/users/denl42"]My blog[/url] You said, "I'm gonna run you down." I heard, "I'm an orangutan."

I second Den with all of my seconding powers, Kennywood really made a good move in remaking the Phantom.

- Josh

When you give, you begin to live... - Dave Matthews

I'll probably get bashed for this one, but the Rose Bowl on SOB. It is much improved even though people still hate it. I, personally, love it.

<sarcasm>I just love how the removed the double-dip from Colossus</sarcasm>

But to stay on topic, I'm hoping that Space Mountain Anaheim will be better (not that it was bad in the first place).

"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

So long as the infamous "chocolate chip cookie" asteroid is still there I'm happy, Erik!

Not really a coaster modification as much as an attraction modification, or, more specifically, a coaster addition, but I have to mention PKD's big-ass concrete mountain, which housed three very mediocre-at-best attractions for 20 years, and now is the volcano for...um...Volcano. Since '79 I'd been saying they should gut the thing and build a coaster in it.

Does removing Viper at SFGADV count as a modification? ;)

I will definitely agree with the removal of the OTSR on Chiller as being a great improvement. I rode it last year and was blown away by the way the Robin side did not hurt anymore it was a great improvement over the bashing I got with the OTSR.

Watch the tram car please....

trim on locosumo?

SFGAdv lover said:
Does removing Viper at SFGADV count as a modification?

If it does, then I nominate removing RC-48 at Moreys Piers as well as Hurricane at Rye's Playland.

Other than that, as stated before, the obvious... Steel Phantom being turned into Phantom's Revenge.

(As well as Vekoma deciding that their boomerang coasters work best only running ONE train.)

actually, PKD led the change gator, not PKI...if i remember correct, PKD opened the "new and improved" FoF first. hey..its my home park..i gotta represent, foo;)

still trying to think of a good signature...

Tim....assuming you're correct, don't tell Siebert...;)

SLFAKE, those NY/NJ steelies that were removed were two of the five worst steel coasters I've EVER ridden....but with better trains, I don't think either one woulda been THAT bad...;)

After the recent trip to BGT, I'll throw in that what *the Canadians* did to Gwazi was "nothing short of miraculous". Shoot, I'll even forgive them for inflicting Bryan Adams and Celine Dion on us...;)

The OTSR's on Flight of Fear were the most painful restraints (as in I thought my ears were going to bleed and I was going to puke) I have EVER experienced. SO painful that I had to leave early and even considered going to Urgent Care. :-/

After the modifications FoF quickly went from the coaster I hated the MOST to my fave coaster (at least in the top 20 at this point).

I really can't think of a better "improvement" unless it is Magnum. I am not sure what they did but it has been running VERY smoothly for the last two seasons. :-P

Now if they would only tweak X a little.....JUST a little. :-P

-Tina

OTSR's off Mr. Freeze as well. That was a real ear-banger.

rollergator said:

After the recent trip to BGT, I'll throw in that what *the Canadians* did to Gwazi was "nothing short of miraculous". Shoot, I'll even forgive them for inflicting Bryan Adams and Celine Dion on us...

Are you sure about that? Bryan Adams and Celine Dion were awfully powerful shots fired at our society!

But I agree that Gwazi is a fantastic ride. Granted, I've never ridden it when it was running bad, but all the times I've ridden it, I found it to be an outstanding ride. It's a lot like Hershey's Wildcat when its running good- only better!

I actually liked what they did to The Comet at The Great Escape too.

Is it true its always happy hour here? If it is I'd like to stay a while....

I think both Raging Wolf Bobs and Thunder Run at KK both had their trailered trains replaced.

:)