Collossus on the chopping block?

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DantheCoasterman said:
A couple questions:

1- What was the "accident" on Colossus?

2- Why did they put all of the brakes, OTSR, and headrests on the Revolution?

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The main accident that I'm aware of on Colossus 12/26/78, a woman was ejected "like a rag doll" at the bottom of the 2nd drop. I'm assuming they meant the speed bump at the bottom of the second drop (it was much taller and 'sharp' then, soon after reprofiled).

I always thought the Revolution got shoulder bars to keep people 'back' against the seat upon entering and exiting the loop. There is a kinda sudden 'down' force on those parts. Sometimes people would lurch forward or their heads would go forward (or backward before the headrests were put in). There are pictures of this happening out there, even remember pics of kids riding the Tidal Wave at Great America and this happening.

I also heard a story that the Revo got harnesses b/c there was some gang that had a "change your seat during the ride" initiation. As far as the brakes? I dunno, but they're pretty bad before and after the loop.... Anyone know more?

There was also an accident in July '78 where the Revolution rolled backwards until it hit some brakes (taken from Rollercoaster Fever! book). *** Edited 12/2/2007 11:59:30 PM UTC by J7G3***

The breaks before the loop are obviously there to decrease the forces in the loop.
The shape of Revolution's loop, while being teardrop-shaped (or double-clotoid) in design, is is still much flatter at the bottom than more recent designs.
Next to the strong vertical Gs at the loop entrance, this also results in a strange jarring in the inverted section if it is not taken with approprate speed (one of the reasons why Revolutions loop feels so unsmooth).

I think the engineers of Revolution calculated with maximum G-forces of up to 6, while more recent coasters set the limit to 4.5-5.

In the end, the brakes are there to ensure that the rider's necks are safe in the loop.

I am not so sure about the brakes after the loop - the brakes definitely destroy the rhythm and dramaturgy of this coaster.

*** Edited 12/3/2007 7:39:10 AM UTC by superman***

I just looked up "dramaturgy" and I'll be damned if that isn't the perfect way to describe what you're getting at. I'll be using this all the time, thanks. :)

Nice word.

Outside of the pre-loop brake, perhaps the added trims are to decrease the headbanging due to the stupid OTSR's. ;)

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Acoustic Viscosity said:
Nice word.

Outside of the pre-loop brake, perhaps the added trims are to decrease the headbanging due to the stupid OTSR's. ;)

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Probably! thank you! Look at the vids from the movies "rollercoaster" or "vacation" that is a top ride!!!

P.S. (Sorry - I don't mean to thread-jack)
I just looked at the Rollercoaster movie segment (it's on Youtube, btw)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTm9nOIiqt0&feature=related

It seems that the breaks where already in place back then -
they just look a little more funky these days.
I think Revolution has so many breaks also because it was designed to run several trains at once -
but I could be wrong.

Revolution originally had five trains, but it's also a long ride. It has three run blocks: first drop to brake before loop, ramp into loop to track through loop, and last turn and spiral. It wasn't unusual to design a coaster with three run blocks back then. I don't know if they ever ran all five trains on it at once. Surely someone else on here knows all about it.

Regardless of what people like us think, I can't see them ever tearing down Colossus. It's a trademark ride for the park, even with all the bigger stuff around it. It's an old favorite, even if no one likes it. Does that make sense?

I really wish the park would put some money into Revolution, it's a beautiful landmark ride.

I couldn't see them tearing down Colossus either. It's like for years there were rumors of the American Eagle coming down. Both these rides can still be pretty good.

Now Mean Streak? Doesn't seem to me to have too much of a legacy. When it was built, the Blue Streak was still the better ride (arguable now thanks to the overloaded trains.)

Also, when did Colossus ever have 14 hills? Press releases said 14 hills, I count 12 before the double down was removed... Anyone have old pics? *** Edited 12/4/2007 2:49:40 AM UTC by J7G3***

No love? Is it really better than American Eagle? Geez, I think our Eagle would be ok with plastic trains ;)

When the ride opened one side had 11 drops, one side had 10 drops. Since it is not a mobius coaster the tracks have to cross near the end of the ride, hence one side has an extra drop.

Maybe the press release considers the 'slide' outta the station a 'drop'.

I rode Colussus the very Summer that it opened. It was the first of two bunny hops after the second drop that the heavyset girl shot up like a missile straight up into the rafters. I remember the sensation as the train pulled down and your body was still going up. The forces on both the bunny hops were greater than Freefall. The first bunny hop had a name and it was called "Mother F____er." I kid you not.

No way! Anyone have a video of this? "Mother F-er" huh!? Geez, would love to have ridden that with the old NAD trains. Did it race back then? I don't think I've ever seen that ride race...

I have to say that Revolution is one of the roughest and most uncomfortable coasters I have ever ridden. The only thing i enjoyed about this ride is getting off of it! Honestly I would not ride this piece of scrap metal if there was no line and it was free. I am sorry but I dont know how it could be a landmark. Unless you are angry and want to punish the sides of your head then I would recommend not ride this coaster. Time to bring this puppy down.

I think Corkscrew at CP feels like a new Intiman steel coaster next to Revolution!

^It's rough mainly due to shoulderbars. The ride opened with just a lap bar and no headrests. Also, lack of maintenance and harsh braking.

After the girl died on Colussus, Channel 7 ABC Los Angeles had a report saying that sandbags were put in the train and they flew straght up and out. They also mentioned the name of that first bunny hop as being mother "F."

I was lucky enough to ride it three times before the accident and I've never experienced anything like it except for Freefall and Desperado (Stateline).

Did they actually secure the sandbags?

^Desperado? The Arrow coaster? I don't remember anything special about that ride. Pretty inert, did I miss something?

Would be great to see some of this old footage, etc., of the ride when it was new :)

The sandbags were not secured.

Desperado has two bunny hops towards the end and I was sitting in the rear. It wasn't as intense as Colossus but it came close. Still, Colussus' two bunny hops came as a big surprise, never in my life did I expect a roller coaster to behave like that.

I'm assuming when you say Colossus' 2 bunny hops, you mean "mother f-" and then the first part of the double up (that is still there?)

I always assumed it was just that first (now very spread out and almost 'flat') bunny hop was the one that used to be very 'sharp' and tall.

Would be great to find some old pics! I think there is one in a WNYCC newsletter from the 80's. Geez, I'm gonna tear up this place lookin for it!

Found a couple, but you can't see too much:
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dcolossus%2Bmagic%2Bmountain%26sz%3Dall%26ei%3DUTF-8%26ni%3D20%26fr%3Dmoz2%26b%3D201&w=375&h=478&imgurl=americacoasters.com%2FSFMMGuide%2Fimages%2Ftour%2Fcolossus1small.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Famericacoasters.com%2FSFMMGuide%2Fhistoricalphotos3.php&size=56.9kB&name=colossus1small.jpg&p=colossus+magic+mountain&type=jpeg&no=215&tt=287&oid=0ec9bc2cbfdfced2&ei=UTF-8 *** Edited 12/12/2007 9:40:44 PM UTC by J7G3***