Great America's triple wheels

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows what the 3 armed Intamin claw wheel at the now Paramount's GA was called? I know the one at Six Flags GA was called Sky Whirl when it closed. What were the wheels called when the parks were owned by Marriot? And was the name of the California one changed when Paramount bought it? I'm just asking because I'm trying to search out pictures of them on the net. Chad

To my knowledge they were both Skywhirl until both were taken down. :( stupid Deja Vu

Stupid Deja Vu!? I personally would much rather have Deja Vu than the Boring Baskets. But too answer your question I am almost sure they were both named sky whirl.

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My Top 5 Coasters:
1. Raging Bull(SFGAm) 2.Millenium Force(CP) 3. Deja Vu(SFGAm) 4.V2(SFGAm) 5.Cornball Express(IB)http://coasterworld.cjb.net

wasn't the one in paramount called the triple wheel?

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TiM Schroll
gocubs7@hotmail.com
LED ZEPPELIN

Yes, until it was dismantled, the PGA one was simply called "Triple Wheel." I believe the name changed when Marriott sold the parks in.... '84? Paramount opted to change the name while Bally kept the name.

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Tidal Wave... Sky Whirl... what's next... Whizzer?

"Boring baskets" give people of all ages something to do at a park. Great America has lost some of its greatest attractions thanks to time, technology, and one-track minded people.

Scraperguy99: SFGAm's was Sky Whirl throughout its entire life. It is painful to hear people say that they will not return because of certain rides that have been removed. My parents, for one, have little respect for this place which used to be our primary destination every year....more than CP, more than Disney, more than Fun Spot!

Here's some links: http://members.aol.com/interama/wheel.htm
http://www.geocities.com/RVNRDR2/SFGAM/Skywhirl/SFGAM-Sky-Whirl-1.html
http://www.angelfire.com/my/jcpics0/sfgam/skywhirl.html
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Don't.....look.....back! The Headless Horseman awaits you in 2002!
Model coasters and rides

I do believe Hershey Park has a three armed ferris wheel. Or maybe its a two armed version?

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Jon-Give me a dollar-Visit my bands website-http//www.geocities.com/wildcardska/home.html

*** This post was edited by WCS4488 on 3/12/2002. ***

WCS4488, that is a Double Wheel, and strangely enough it has been using a couple parts from SFGAm's! It is identical to the one that operated at Kings Island, and simply teeter-totters to load each side. The barrels on this model spin as well (which is terrifying when you're 120' in the air!). You can see it here:
http://members.aol.com/interama/wheel.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173/favrides.html
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Don't.....look.....back! The Headless Horseman awaits you in 2002!
Model coasters and rides

khyron2014 said:
To my knowledge they were both Skywhirl until both were taken down. stupid Deja Vu

you wont be saying that after you ride it, you will be saying "that was amazing"

Thanks for the help and links everyone. I know 2000 was the last season for Six Flags Sky Whirl. Anybody know what year Paramount took theirs down?

As far as I know the double wheel at Hersheypark is the last operating claw wheel in the U.S. I've always been afraid of it and have never actually been on it. I'm more fascinated with the look and design of the wheel than actually riding it. But, I plan on riding it this summer, as I'm afraid once Hersheys Giant Wheel is gone, there will be no more of them in the U.S.

The reason I've been looking for pictures is that I'm going to have an HO-scale model built, either a double like at Hershey or a Triple like at Great America. What does everyone think I should go with, the double or triple?

Go with the triple! It'll be more fun to construct imo. As for PGA's Triple Wheel, it's last season of operation at the park was the 1997 season. I believe it closed close to the time of Labor Day that year.

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"Life is too short, so love the one ya got, cause you might get runover or ya might get shot." -Sublime
www.greatamericanthrills.com

*** This post was edited by Great American Thrills on 3/12/2002. ***

Actually, I'm not building it myself, it will be built by John Hunt(www.RollerCoasterModels.com) I would never try to scratch build something like that. Faller and IHC kits are fine, but I don't scratch build.

WCS4488: Just to do a follow up on what Arrow Guy has stated. The double wheel at Hersheypark is named the Giant Wheel. For the past few seasons, it has been sporting the word "GIANT" in orange lettering in the hub's of each wheel. With the Giant grocery chain doing a lot of sponsering at Hershey (including naming rights to the new GIANT Center), I guess this was only a natural choice. However, the name Giant Wheel goes back many years before this. Prior to the name "GIANT" appearing on ride, the hubs were decorated with the colorful pinwheel design of Hersheypark.

Now my speculation is that the removal of triple wheels at the Great Americas may have actually given a few more years of life to Hershey's Giant Wheel. Two seasons or so ago it had been speculated that Giant Wheel would be be removed because repairs were expensive and spare parts were hard to find. However, Hershey's model remains in place (with both arms off the ground to form a " T " shape during the off season). When parts from the removed rides are gone, who knows what the future of the Hershey model will be.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

They probably took down the one at PGA because everyone was afraid to ride it after watching Beverly Hills Cop III. LOL. Seriously though, I was actually afraid of riding the one at SFGAm after watching that movie. I will dig through my Great America pics and see if I have any SkyWhirl snaps and scan and send it to you if I have it.

Cheers,

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Bob Hansen

Marquette a five seed? They were robbed!!!

Drop208 said:
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khyron2014 said:
To my knowledge they were both Skywhirl until both were taken down. stupid Deja Vu

you wont be saying that after you ride it, you will be saying "that was amazing""

I have ridden Deja vu and it is quite fun, but Skywhirl was unique, and despite it being a bit of a maintenance issue, I would think Vu could have been placed elsewhere so that Skywhirl could still be with us. Oh well, it's the price of progress I guess

I was lucky enough to operate the "Barf-buckets" in Santa Clara. It was an amazing ride to run. To make such a huge piece of machinery move at the touch of a button...wow!

And the innerb workings were pretty neat!

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"I'll bet that thing hits 5 Gs going through that loop.....faaar ooouut!"

Funny you say barf buckets! It always amazed me how many people would get sick on this ride. I think everytime I did ride it at SFGAm they were cleaning up barf on it. If my wife can ride this and call it tame people shouldnt be barfing on it but they do!

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Bob Hansen

Marquette a five seed? They were robbed!!!

Deja Vu may be a fun ride, but I don't believe that it should have been installed at the expense of the Sky Whirl. I may have only rode the Sky Whirl a couple times, but the times that I did ride it I had a great time and I know that other people enjoyed this ride as well. the only reason that ride should have been taken down is if it became unprofitable due to low ridership or maitenence. and even if it had to come down due to maitenence, it should have been replaced with a newer model. that was one of the rides that made Great America Great America and I was sad to see it go, but I look forward to the rumored Ferris Wheel that could replace Power Dive.

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-Bob
Knott's Berry Farm Cuba ~South Park
"Your proctologist called, he found your head!" ~Jerry "The King" Lawler

scraperguy99: I've had a Double on the drawing boards for awhile. I am doing a model too, but want to make it operating. It will probably be around H.O. scale or a bit larger. Has John already agreed to this? I assume he is doing a static model, like his coasters? LMK if you want to butt heads on some ideas! I pretty much have the Double figured out, but there are more ways than one to do it. It's a matter of whether or not you want the mechanisms completely internal. An operating Triple Wheel model would be fantastic, but I haven't tackled that yet....that's a whole different ball of wax! Also, PGA's Wheel was removed at the end of the '97 season.

janfrederick: I bow in awe at your amazing achievement! That must have been great....wow!
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Don't.....look.....back! The Headless Horseman awaits you in 2002!
Model coasters and rides

Yes it will be static. He's pretty sure he can build one, but he wants to photograph the one at Hershey first, when he goes there in May.