Great Coasters to build 1st GCI in Europe!

If it does get the MFers, I don't see why it won't. I'm guessing we will probably start building them around this time next year. I guess it depends on when the ride is going to open in 06. We started to build the trains for Thunderhead in early December and shipped them in mid March.

I think if I went to Finland it would go to see a black metal show instead of parks. I just don't know if I'd survive a show over there though. Good music but some of those guys are nuts. Just read my signature.

*** Edited 11/19/2004 8:40:49 PM UTC by coasterpunk***

Yes!, finally we´ll get some new wood up here to Finland. The last one is only, what 53 years old. Now I´ll finally have a good reason to visit this park.

I believe the park is owned or co-owned by a former Formula One driver. I guess the main reason to visit the park is (still) the carting track that they have. *** Edited 11/19/2004 8:42:12 PM UTC by Kari***

The Millennium Flyers are on:

Roar West, Lightning Racer, Ozark Wildcat, and Thunderhead

I didn't know they were on that many coasters. But than again, I think I can trust you. :)

From what I understand, GCI said they wouldn't use anybody elses trains ever again and thats one reason for them only building one coaster per year.

I could be wrong but If im not. I can't blame them one bit. IMHO The PTC's are everything thats wrong with Gwazi and Wildcat and vibrates something fierce. The MF Trains did not do this on Lightning Racer or Thunderhead however I even noticed the vibration a bit on OUTLAW. I don't know why they do this on GCI's only. Weather its guage or techniques but I've not expereinced that on any other coasters except GCI's.

Anyhow the MF trains are much more comfortable and roomy to ride in. Keep up the good work GCI.

Chuck, who's not bashing PTC but don't think they work well on GCI coasters

PTC's won't work on the newer GCII's like the Ozark Wildcat, Thunderhead, and Lightning Racer. The transitions in and out of banking is so great a PTC would not make it.

The differance in the trains is the number of articulation points.

A two bench PTC train with 6 cars can move in 5 places.

A Millennium Flyer train with 13 cars will articulate in 12 places. (Thats counting the lead car too)

I don't know how the PTC's and MF's differ in how the cars connect but that could affect the range of movement too.

Actually its the ability of each individual car to articulate in a shorter wheelbase that makes tracking and turning radius possible. Combined with the articulation points.

I imagine a two bench PTC could take most of the curves GCI builds however the length between articulation points would put excess stress on the chaisis and track.

Having just ridden Thunderhead two days ago (One great ride) I feel though that this is the way wooden coasters were always ment to be. Somewhere between the 40's and 60's the single bench, articulating car wooden coaster got lost in favor of mass producing the same parts for several diffrent coasters.

Economically sound, but the ride exprience suffered.

Chuck

Now if only SFA would just buy some M-flyers for Roar....that thing is becoming almost unridable with the PTC's.

The reason M-flyers track so much better than PTC's is pretty much the same reason behind the smoothness of an average B&M,the cars have a much shorter wheelbase & as a result have much better articulation.

CPunk 2:24pm: The differance in the trains is the number of articulation points.

Chuck 3:26pm: Actually its the ability of each individual car to articulate in a shorter wheelbase that makes tracking and turning radius possible. Combined with the articulation points.

Batwing 7:39pm: The reason M-flyers track so much better than PTC's is...the cars have...much better articulation.

You guys are all wrong! The reason they perform so well is that they have better articulation! Get it right...SHEESH!

*** Edited 11/20/2004 3:45:04 AM UTC by Mamoosh***

Thanks for *articulating* the difference in the trains Moosh....I was getting a little confused....:)

The major *benefits* to using MFlyers...ask for Hershey's maintenance logs on their respective GCI-designed coasters....then do the math! ;)

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The major *benefits* to using MFlyers...ask for Hershey's maintenance logs on their respective GCI-designed coasters....then do the math!

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Especially Lightning Racer, which I had heard as of about 2002 had not had any track work done on it. Or it may have been any major track work. Either way, I rode it that same year and it was glass smooth.

I can't wait to ride Thunderhead again, I really want to get some night rides on it one day.

RCDB lists this coaster opening in 2005. Could someone (Jeff most probably) confirm the year? 2006 is a lot more probable as the work should probably be underway already if they planned to open it for 2005.

Edit: RCDB also lists its length at slighly below 1000 metres (3300ft). That's roughly same size with Thunderhead. I didn't expect it to be that big. I'm not complaining though. *** Edited 11/22/2004 1:38:52 PM UTC by Drift***

It is going to be built for 2006. GCII is building nothing for 2005.

Question about GCI and coaster trains...I understand that GCI remains committed to building MFlyers only for GCI costers....don't LIKE it, LOL, but I understand...;)

So here's the question portion....wondering if anyone with an *existing* GCI coaster that currently runs "non-MFlyer" trains (HP's Wildcat, SFa's Roar!, etc.) expressed an interest in *re-training*...seems the maintenance savings alone would help offset the cost difference, ESPECIALLY for a ride with the twisty-turny layouts of those rides....

First Drop has the layout of the Power Park's GCI:
http://granat.es.lth.se/~olofsrnm/nyrc/rchq.php?page=login/forum/viewtopic&t=156
(the link in the fifth post)

Two words: looks sweet. *** Edited 1/9/2005 1:07:19 PM UTC by Drift***

The layout on that GCI looks incredible. I am jealous cause I know it'll be a very long time before I can make it to Europe to ride. I still have a lot of new coasters to ride in the US.

I'm hoping things fall into place for me this week. ;) :) :)

A Finnish construction magazine 'Rakennuslehti' had an article on Thunderbird. Nothing special, but a nice read anyway. I thought I would translate the main parts:
- GCI was chosen purely because the park wanted the best wooden rollercoaster manufacturer.
- The Finnish construction crew and the park officials were most impressed by the two Mexican GCI construction experts whom they referred to as monkeys (in a positive sense) as they always took the most straight route on their way to the construction point.
- The GCI CEO Clair Hain Jr. comments on the importance of the finishing touches that are based just on how the construction looks to the designers' eye. Due to these 'on the spot adjustments', it's not yet known how close to the planned one kilometer mark the track ends up at. Hain wasn't afraid of the challenge of building world's most northern wooden coaster as most of their construction is done during wintertime anyway. He also spoke highly of the Finnish carpenters and their amazing skills with chainsaws.
- The construction of Thunderbird eats up roughly thousand cubic meters of timber. Most of it is Finnish, but as the trackwork requires dense yet flexible wood, GCI also brought southern pine with them. Other parts that are needed are 750 000 bolts and 1,8 million nails.
- Thunderbird would really need just 20 metres (~65 ft) of height to operate, but the park wanted to show off and asked for a height of 30 metres (~98 ft).
- Hain also commented that after 20-50 test rides and adjustments based on them, he'll feel good but the first test ride is always the most stressful part of the whole project. He also commented that he wouldn't be surprised if Thunderbird would snag away Thunderhead's award as the most beautiful wooden coaster in the world.

Personally I could care less how PRETTY they are as long as the ride is outstanding.

Hopefully GCI has done both here.

Chuck