Confirmed: G-trains from Villain and RWB at KI--What is CF thinking?

Granted, my experience with those trains has always been rather limited, but I think if you remove the bodies of Gerstlauers and PTCs and ran them on the same coaster, there'd be no difference.

Having had the PTC versus Gerstlauer argument with my brother for the last two years (I like PTC, he likes Gerstlauer), it's all in how you sit in the saddle.

He ends up with black and blue legs on a PTC, where I don't. But with me, it's just the opposite...as far as I'm concerned riding a Gerstlauer feels the same as taking a crow bar and whacking me in the sides of the legs...even with the padding on the bars.

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Rob Ascough said:Granted, my experience with those trains has always been rather limited, but I think if you remove the bodies of Gerstlauers and PTCs and ran them on the same coaster, there'd be no difference.

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Rob, In this case we are talking Non articulated PTC's vs any newer articulated train, Gonna be a hell of a difference! Expecially in maintainence.

Chuck

In tracking, I'd give the nod to the (newer) PTCs by the narrowest of margins, and that is largely due to the fact that the Gerstlauers, to me at least, seem to have trouble turning. It *feels* to me that the Gerstlauer train tends to bang into the side rails, and create worse tracking down the road...which is probably why I don't mind them as much in a traditional O-n-B layout.

But in rideability, even the "hard foam" PTCs seem to beat me up WAY less...

Well... I dunno what G trains you guys been riding! Legend was great with it's G train.

But most parks don't maintain (including proper grease, etc.) like Holidayworld.

I was on Cheeta a couple months ago, 10 times. Great layout, guess I was lookin for punishment though! The amount of screeching (not the same as an unlubed ptc wheel) from the side wheels was deafening.

Twisted Twins was probably even lounder. The vibration comes right through that seat.

I think the G trains track OK, as long as those side wheels are greased (or graphite or whatever) cuz that stuff hurts - the bones and the ears!

It also depends on the condition of the side rails. It seems a lot of parks overlook them and focus on the road rails because they think that's the reason for roughness. I think bad side rails can make a coaster ten times worse than bad road rails.

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J7G3 said:
Well... I dunno what G trains you guys been riding! Legend was great with it's G train.

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So why did they get rid of it after one year? Because a lot of people probably got beat up on it, and Holiday World wanted to please its customers.

I can see the black and blue on my body now. Horrid Idea.

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rollergator said:In tracking, I'd give the nod to the (newer) PTCs by the narrowest of margins, and that is largely due to the fact that the Gerstlauers, to me at least, seem to have trouble turning. It *feels* to me that the Gerstlauer train tends to bang into the side rails, and create worse tracking down the road...which is probably why I don't mind them as much in a traditional O-n-B layout.But in rideability, even the "hard foam" PTCs seem to beat me up WAY less...

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Gwazi? Wildcat? RWB, Ptc's shuffled and rattled like crazy. The G trains on RWB tracked just fine.

Hum? My nod goes to Gerstlauer.

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Intamin Fan said:

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J7G3 said:Well... I dunno what G trains you guys been riding! Legend was great with it's G train.

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So why did they get rid of it after one year? Because a lot of people probably got beat up on it, and Holiday World wanted to please its customers.

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Uh, They got the two PTCs because one they were having problems getting parts for the G trains. Two They were adding capacity. Three they wanted the same product for all their coasters.

If it was such a improvement among enthusiast, Why didn't it rise in the poles with the PTC. Same result 7th last year with the G and first year with the PTC.

Chuck, who seen none of the GP having any problems with the G train and a former mechanic said he loved the way they ran on it. *** Edited 10/17/2007 11:14:59 PM UTC by Charles Nungester***

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Intamin Fan said:

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J7G3 said:
Well... I dunno what G trains you guys been riding! Legend was great with it's G train.

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So why did they get rid of it after one year? Because a lot of people probably got beat up on it, and Holiday World wanted to please its customers.

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I agree! Holidayworld cares bigtime. My point was that Legend with the G-train was still a great ride, and not near as painful as like Boss, Cheetah, etc.

Now if the parks start moving towards the eradication of those nasty shoulder bar... They're gettin there!

Charles, I hate to call you out on something, but you've admitted it yourself--you're a big guy and it's also evidenced by your picture. That means you've got plenty of padding that "protects" you from the vibrations of the G-trains.

I've 5'8" and currently around 158 lbs. Except for a little bit of weight around my gut, I don't have anything to protect me from vibrations or being uncomfortable unless the train is cushioned. If I get trapped on a PTC due to the lapbar falling down (like on The Beast or The Voyage), I've still got padding behind me and on the sides to keep me safe.

But if what happened on The Boss happens and I get trapped, there's nothing I can do to stop any vibrations or shocks from traveling through my spine.

Are PTC's always the answer? No, but don't even get me started on the Millennium Flyers. They may track great, but if I can't keep the lapbar from eating into my stomach, then it becomes very uncomfortable. I shouldn't have to ride defensively to keep the lapbar up. This has been my experience on Lightning Racer and Kentucky Rumbler.

If I had an ideal (new) train design that ran on every wood coaster, it would be the Intamins (surprise, surprise for anyone who watched Gomer Pyle). You've got a bucket seat that keeps you in place, and the lapbar is extremely comfortable, even when stapled.

The only problem is would it run as well on a traditional wood track and would the purest call it a real wood coaster if it ran with the polyurethane wheels?

YUCK... poly wheels do not belong on a wooden coaster IMO. They just wouldn't have as much of that uncontrolled wooden coaster feeling. You said it yourself, the MFs track really well, the lapbar just needs to be fixed.

I'm a little late to the argument here, but I think the G-trains do not seem to track as well. It might be the lack of weight from the body of the car that makes them feel light, but I agree with 'gator that they absolutely do not corner the same as some good PTCs. RWB didn't track well with the PTCs because they were the flawed trailered design, so it would stand to reason if GL had not gone with trailered PTCs it would have probably never switched to the G-trains.

The main problem I can see with the G-trains is if they are run on a coaster designed for heavier trains. People who rode the Arkansas Twister when it was back in Florida (running PTCs) say that now with the G-trains it doesn't have nearly as much steam at the end of the ride. Granted I don't have any evidence to support this other than the few claims I've heard, but it does make sense.

Lost 60pds and goal is 100 :)

I had a kid with us in 2001 that while all of us were winded on Legend, He kept riding. Over and over and over. Probably 40 rides he got the sunday after SRM. He was a bean pole.

I heard very little complaining from the GP and most of my visits were durring GP days and not SRM's. At SRM there were a bunch of wimps holding the side rail trying to keep the coaster from doing what it did best and a ton of (TRADITIONALIST) enjoy. MOOSHING!

Chuck, who came off that ride in fits of laughter, Every single ride. With the G train. In 2003 Jeff had it running insane with the PTC's. It was great fun but It was still missing them SPECIAL moments.