Dinn, Summers Coasters..

Well this is a question about several of the Dinn Summers coasters, and the fact that more and more of them seem to be recieving the wreacking ball.

I heard Hercules in the opening year was absolutely great with a crazy tripple up and a drop under the station. So really of those who have ridden it how awesome.

Was Mean Streak ever good, it doesn't seem it to me.

Was Predator ever good?

Paul Ruben said Predator's second hill "deserves to be in the roller coaster hall of fame."

Then again, Paul Ruben has probably said that about every single coaster he's ever ridden.

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"Did I say 'corpse hatch?' I meant 'innocence tube.'"
- Montgomery Burns

Maybe he meant it physically deserved to be in the hall of fame and should be removed from the coaster?

mOOSH

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The only 2004 Wood Coaster Calendar still available, plus holiday & all-occasion cards. All at S&D Greetings.

You're probably right, Moosh. :)

coasterkid - it seems like D&S are batting about .500 with their designs. So far, Hercules is the only one headed for the firewood pile. The Texas Giant and Georgia Cyclone were products of their collaborative efforts, though, and both are still highly regarded.

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"Did I say 'corpse hatch?' I meant 'innocence tube.'"
- Montgomery Burns

I remember a Predator/Mean Streak thread just about a month ago...

Knowing Predator's track layout pretty well, I can tell you that the coaster can be silky smooth after it rains & the wood swells (no jokes, please)...
I was at SFDL earlier in the year after a rainstorm the previous day/night, and the track was still wet. That baby ran so smooth, I thought the re-tracked the entire ride in less than a month (being to the park 2 weeks prior, it was rough). It honestly felt like it was the day it opened.

Most wooden coasters run silky smooth the first month or so they open. I think even SoB ran smooth for the first day or so before falling to the bottomless pit of hell.

Mean Streak also ran smooth when it was new... and when it was wet! I rode Mean Streak when the day was really crappy... but man that bad boy ran REALLY really smoth and out-of-CONTROL (in a really really good way!!). It was probably one of the most fun wooden coasters I have been on (and yes, I rode it prior a couple years ago when it was rough again!)
BUT... just like the Preadator... it also ran into problems with design, which is why it incorporated the breaks on the first drop (which sucks... I could have named a couple other places that could have gone except there) and Predator's trims on some of their hills.

Alas... Dimm/Summers coasters are great if they work right... but man, you can't have maintaince hosing down the track every hour... or can you?

They can if they can somehow install these cars on wooden rides.

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"Did I say 'corpse hatch?' I meant 'innocence tube.'"
- Montgomery Burns

DawgByte II , I have heard that SOB was the absolute worst and most painful thing in the world on its opening day.Some people had bruises for weeks , an No one , Yes, NO ONE , came off the ride happy. That is why they closed it soon after to try to fix it.

Of course , it only got better from there.....

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Gotta(heavy breath) get myself(breath)funnier for(breath) offseason.(breath)So unfunny(breath) must.....try....harder.

Hmm, I thought it was good for at least ONE day...

I guess I was wrong. Well, there's no real saving that coaster unless someone's brave enough to re-profile that monster.

Predator was running great this last season. It felt like a new ride the entire year.

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http://coasterplace.web1000.com

Predator *used* to top the polls, and, in fact, there's an Inside Track plaque hanging in the station commemorating this (or at least there used to be). That was obviously before the trains had their way with the ride and maintenance slacked.

-Nate

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DawgByte II said:

Mean Streak also ran smooth when it was new... and when it was wet! I rode Mean Streak when the day was really crappy... but man that bad boy ran REALLY really smoth and out-of-CONTROL (in a really really good way!!).

I can vouch for that. On a rainy day in 1993, Mean Streak became my #1 wooden coaster. It used to be good- VERY GOOD- in the rain.

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

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thepinkdoomofmonkeys said:
DawgByte II , I have heard that SOB was the absolute worst and most painful thing in the world on its opening day.Some people had bruises for weeks , an No one , Yes, NO ONE , came off the ride happy. That is why they closed it soon after to try to fix it.

Of course , it only got better from there.....

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Gotta(heavy breath) get myself(breath)funnier for(breath) offseason.(breath)So unfunny(breath) must.....try....harder.

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They closed it down. I missed that. I had the sp with the special sp only opening night for SOB that year. I didn't find it that bad.

Geez, SOB was actually worse than it is now? Rode it for the first time this past July and I couldn't wait for it to end. Got off, and limped down the exit.

The Summers/Dinn coaster that is spectacular is Thunder Run at SFKK.

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Arena football has arrived in the Windy City. Go "Chicago Rush"

Fisrt comment.....Interesting something-I must be the only person in the world who can defend SOB and not get laughed at.:)

Last Comment....AMEN!!!1!11!!11!1!!!!!!!!

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Gotta(heavy breath) get myself(breath)funnier for(breath) offseason.(breath)So unfunny(breath) must.....try....harder.

Agrees with Chitown: "The Summers/Dinn coaster that is spectacular is Thunder Run at SFKK."

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Nashville needs a theme park!

My favorite Summers-Dinn

http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery59.htm

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Lyrically, I'm supposed to represent
I'm not only a client, I'm the playa president!

Pink Doom of Monkeys, I rode Sonny first day. I thought it was smooth, Matter of fact the smoothest of any coaster save Viper I've ever ridden.

There was a considerable UNATURAL jolt at the top of the second hill, Like the train just wanted to go straight and then was jerked into the turn. The rest of the ride was smooth to me.

Of course it reopened three weeks latter to washboarding all over the place and never really ran close to it's opening night until mid 2001.

I don't consider Sonny Rough, Not by a long shot, However I will say this, It can rattle your brains unlike Beast that generally shakes you in the back area.

Think what you will, Your mileage may vary.

Chuck, who only took about 5 rides on Sonny this year compared to about 50 on papa.

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

That's odd , I've heard completely different.Since you don't seem to hate the son though , you must have some tolerance of pain.

Well , okay. I think most people were just amazed by how much anticipointment they had , and it left them with very bitter feelings.

....Or maybe it was the second day....

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Gotta(heavy breath) get myself(breath)funnier for(breath) offseason.(breath)So unfunny(breath) must.....try....harder.

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coasterkid16 said:

I heard Hercules in the opening year was absolutely great with a crazy tripple up and a drop under the station. So really of those who have ridden it how awesome.

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Ask how many people on this board actually rode Hercules opening year and I bet not many could raise their hand but many would probably be quick to give their interpretation of the ride opening year based on a ride they had on it say 3 years ago. Hercules the first 4 years is different than the Hercules anytime after 1993. Since you asked what the ride was like opening year I'll give you my interpretation. Granted I was a whole 8 years old when it opened but I do remember it very well. It was "the ride" when I was a kid growing up going to Dorney Park. Anywho, I remember Hercules being a very powerful and fast ride all the way through until the final break run, it never let up for a minute. When it opened I would say Hercules was a good ride/borderline very good, certainly not spectacular or "OMG I just p*ssd myself." It was never comparable to most other wooden rollercoasters in that its thrills wasn't found in the traditional ups and downs because as anyone who has ever ridden Hercules can tell you, it is not a ride based upon large drops (but most Summers-Dinn coasters are like that.) The ride was mostly about power and speed.

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This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules at Dorney Park 5/89-9/03
*** This post was edited by DorneyDante 11/6/2003 9:39:21 PM ***

I do not find Son of Beast painful at all. I just think that the trains are poorly designed. I wish the seats are bigger. I agree that the trains can be bouncy through the tracks. Anyway, I find SoB intense; possibly the most intense coaster I have been on. Then again, this is my opinion. One I found overly rough was Coney Island Cyclone. I found that much more shakey and bouncy than SoB. I also found the back seat of forward Racer to be much more shakey than SOB. (BTW, this was not just my opinion.) Another one I thought was rougher than SoB was Gwazi at BGT.