Did I miss something? Shockwave at SFGAm.

Olsor- I know repainting it wouldn't have changed anything. But at the same time, it could be painted and themed and sent SOMEWHERE... As for the huge footprint, it looks pretty empty in the "infield." I'm sure someplace had room for it and could've built a themed area inside. A kid's area, or maybe put a building similiar to SFDL's Batman Stunt Spectacular with a show inside... I dunno. I never rode it. I've never even been to SFGAm. But I just find it hard to believe there wasn't a home ANYWHERE for this thing, especially in a chain (SF) in so much debt.

I actually liked it, if only for the first drop which I thought was 100% spectacular. (I feel the same way about Sfgadv's and SFMM's and I bet I would about Phantom's Revenge, which looks similarly shaped. Does it feel roughly the same?)

Basically, I could brace my self for the turn o' death before the MCBR and tolerate the rest enough to enjoy the first drop.

Roughly is always the word I think of when I think of Shockwave, Matt. ;)

Besides, how good can a coaster be if it has a "turn 'o death" and you have to "tolerate" it?

---

However, keep in mind that a Shockwave car lost an axle (without any publicity outside of enthusiast boards) in early August 2002 just before Whizzer was announced to be spared.

---

The accident that happened with Shockwave ended up being what eventually saved Whizzer. Somehow the media never found out about the Shockwave accident, and Great America was able to switch the plans around at the last minute claiming Public Outcry saved the whizzer, when it was really the Shockwave incident that saved it.

Here's a TR from when the accident happened. Shortly afterwards it was announced Whizzer would be saved. http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=24225

It was more or less a great PR coverup then a publicity stunt.

I just think all the giant Arrows days are numbered. Especially since the price of scrap is so high these days. :)

Dave, I think there was a little more to it than that. My understanding is that Oklahoma City wanted to replace the Whizzer and Gurnee did not. The incident made it easier for Gurnee to make its case for yanking Shockwave instead.

Another case for NOT micromanaging parks from the central office...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

i admit i likes shockwave. it was the best of the arrow multi-loopers. draken fire on the other hand was a real headbanger. i rode it before and after the reprofile (they took out a corkscrew). you got banged at busch with this one.

Never had a problem with Drachen Fire--in fact it's still one of my favorite loopers. And although I never rode Shockwave, I enjoyed GASM a lot. Seems I have a higher tolerance for coasters deemed rough by your average enthusiast. Especially since I like Togos.

*** Edited 11/24/2004 7:43:57 PM UTC by Vater***

Steel Phantom, Drachen Fire, Orient Express (WoF), and now Shockwave - I wonder what Ron Toomer's thinking now, living to see four of his creations being torn down (and he doesn't even ride them)?

So let me ask....why has Vortex aged so well in comparison? Is it park maintenance, better installation, weather, or some other factor?

^Maybe it's an Ohio thing?

When I rode Anaconda this season it was truely a rough experience,those Arrow OTSR's really hurt.

Now DF on the otherhand wasn't painful at all.....the only thing that hurt was being booted off just after getting on in the evening due to an approaching storm back in 97 resulting in me getting just one ride in earlier in the afternoon,which was to be my first & only ride ever taken on this once great coaster which is now just scrap metal somewhere.

---

LaMarcus said:

Even if all of this is true, Six Flags still may have pulled a stunt if they decided to remove Shockwave prior to late July 2002. However, keep in mind that a Shockwave car lost an axle (without any publicity outside of enthusiast boards) in early August 2002 just before Whizzer was announced to be spared.

---

I was at the park the day it (the lost axle) happened. It was on the blue train, and as fate would have it, I had ridden that train earlier in the day. About an hour later, I saw the train on the MBCR and thought to myself: Thank God I wasn't on the train at the time.

---

fanofwood said:
i admit i likes shockwave. it was the best of the arrow multi-loopers. draken fire on the other hand was a real headbanger. i rode it before and after the reprofile (they took out a corkscrew). you got banged at busch with this one.

---

You obviously have not ridden Viper at Magic Mountain - not only taller, faster and longer, but it improved upon a few of ShockWave design errors making it a lot less painful to ride.

Shockwave was my favorite ride. I rode it 7 times in a row in 2002. No announcement was made of the scrapping. *** Edited 11/27/2004 12:58:19 AM UTC by X Somebody***

Shockwave has a new home in SFNO.

Care to explain what you are talking about?

Last I heard was that Shockwave was cut up into scrap. I did not see this with my own eyes, however I'm not crying over it either (just crying thinking about the pain inflicted on me when I rode it...).

Crashmando what are you talking about? Where did you see that?

---

Crashmando said:
Shockwave has a new home in SFNO.

---

As a big block of steel? Seriously, the ride is gone.

I think he meant that SFNO needed airgates for some of their rides...;)