GCI Coasters in 2008

I know this sounds like an odd question, but besides EK is GCI building two other coasters for 2008?

Nothing announced at the moment, at least according to rcdb.com

Great America in CA is getting one as well, similar stats to Renegade IIRC.

^Not 'till 2009 though

Check out www.greatcoastersinterns.com for the most up to date news on Great Coasters Intl. and their latest and greatest projects.

I was under the impression that GCI was building another wood coaster somewhere in Europe in 2008 but I could be wrong. Maybe I'm thinking about 2006 and 2007 when they built wood coasters across the pond.

The rumored GCI woodie for Europe was for Tripsdrill in Germany, but it turned out it was a new project called "Mammut". It will be designed by Stengel, built by Cordau (the company that build the track for the Plug n Play woodies) and the trains and mechanical stuff will come from... Gerstlauer. So, it could very well be the first plug n play woodie that doesn't involved Intamin.

That's interesting. I always thought the "P-n-P" technology and Intamin would always go hand-in-hand. I guess that kind of wood coaster originates from Stengel and not Intamin?

Stengel's office seems to be the one holding the various patents regarding the Plug n Play technology. So, Intamin could be the one only in to provide the trains, brakes, etc.

I guess so, but I never really thought much about it. The more you learn about coasters, the more it becomes apparant that it's a "Six Degrees of Warner Stengel" thing since most modern coasters seem to lead to his office door in some way.

^Stengel - "He's the John Miller of steel"... ;)

GCI makes some pretty good wooden coasters, considering that they have made plenty over the last few years, it seems that this might be an off year for them. No offense here but this year im looking forward to the Gravity Group offering at Waldameer, plus it seems that many of the major corporations that own parks are going with steel this year as evidenced by Cedar Fair with Pony Express, and Behemoth, and then six flags with their Dark Knights and what have you.

The bad thing is the industry has been fairly receptive to woodies the last couple of years with some great new ones across the country. However, for whatever reason this year they have mainly stayed away.

Don't forget that GCI didn't build a wood coaster at all in 2001 and 2002, so this isn't exactly an "off" year for them. It seems that there is a market for wood coasters that remains pretty much the same every year, with about a half dozen or so being built throughout the world.

^^ Which means that GCI is building the same number of coasters for CF in 2008 that they have every other year so far. :)

In 2009 that will change. Just because we aren't seeing any construction doesn't mean its an "off year." There's still design involved for the 2009 coaster.

As of right now GCI is at Lake Compounce retracking Boulder dash which they started when the season ended. I saw their constuction trailers on site the last day of the season. I am sure it will take them a while since they still had about 60% of it left to do.

If I remember correctly, in 2002, GCI built the support structure (made of wood!) for the relocated Big Bad John Arrow mine train at Magic Springs.

B-Dash is going to take a little work, LOL. While the intensity was definitely where it belonged (rode pre-PPP), there was some pretty serious banginess that was NOT where it belonged. Plus there's the issue of *whatever* happened to the original two trains (the trains themselves will probably be fixed by PTC or done in-house), but the ride itself will probably need some overhauling, because *something* happened that wasn't quite right.

Makes me wonder....what about RWB being up for sale, what's BEEN done since the incident, what's left to do, and how much would the price/cost be affected by the incident. Layout-wise, RWB always struck me as kinda GCI-ish....maybe they COULD add that to their '08 plate (if asked)?

Of course, we still don't know what ELSE might come up for '08 that has yet to be announced...aren't there a few European and Asian parks that have yet to close up for the offseason?

That banginess may have been a relatively recent development. I didn't get down to LC for the last bit of the season but my summer rides on BDash were probably the best I've ever had.

^^^ You're right, they did build the wood structure. They also did work on Magic Springs' Arkansas Twister and Visionland's Rampage around the same time.

^ Agreed. Even in September, Boulder Dash was running perfect. Besides, I'll take a "bad" BD over most "good" coasters any day of the week.

---

Rob Ascough said:^^^ You're right, they did build the wood structure. They also did work on Magic Springs' Arkansas Twister and Visionland's Rampage around the same time.^ Agreed. Even in September, Boulder Dash was running perfect. Besides, I'll take a "bad" BD over most "good" coasters any day of the week.

---

Not me, If WIldcat wasn't so washboardy when we rode it at LC in 2001. I much prefered it's wild style of ride compared to BD's Speed and nothingness but visuals.

Chuck