Hercules Remembered

Well I am surprised at the news; like I mentioned in the "news" section under this topic, I don't check the CBuzz site for four days and look at all the crap that happens! It pays to keep abreast of things, I guess.....

I was surprised that the new attraction will be a floorless coaster (also that Talon's train only carries 24?????). This is similar to an inverted, but not quite; I do appreciate the park's financial decision to remove the Hercules attraction though and think the wisdom of doing so need not be heavily debated. It wasn't popular, they were sinking millions into it (which could be put to better use at Dorney - it has a lot more potential than that), and for some strange reason they were really interested in the coaster being "totally within park limits" (which is another thing I didn't know about Hercules).

Regardless, I hate to see the end of any rollercoaster. Sometimes I think it would be a good idea for a ride to be removed, like I do with Disaster Transport (it blocks out so much of the good lake view at Cedar Point!), but although I did not like Hercules, its long drop into the water was dramatic.
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"That's DOCTOR Evil. I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called 'Mr. Thank You Very Much.'"

Talon's trains carry 32 passengers. For anyone looking for it, you can still find the POV video at http://www.dorneypark.com/_upload/videos/hercules.mov
Get it quick, because I don't think they'll have it up much longer.

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For me, this is a sad story because of memories I hold of Hercules in its prime. It was 1989, and waiting in line you could still smell fresh southern pine. Towering over Centronia was the tallest drop in the world on a wooden roller coaster. People would wait an hour to ride Herc! (I did a few times) Back then, it was a single position lap bar, with a singe seatbelt both riders shared. View-blocking headrests were nowhere to be found. Know the air you can catch sitting in the back seat of Steel Force? Sitting in the back, Hercules delivered that same kind of whip over the top too! When the train released from the chain, there was some speed built up as the train crested the drop. The first drop used to be steeper than it is now, before the drop and transition into the banked turn was reprofiled. Back then, Herc actually went 65mph, and the ride was actually pretty smooth at those speeds. Trim brakes were not part of Hercules vocab. (imagine that!) After the drop, the climb to the 2nd drop used to be higher than is now. (again, reprofiling killed that) From under the station, the two turn arounds were never that exciting, but for the longest time, there was one last treat for those sitting in the back--some good slammer airtime on the last drop before rising into the station. In the first season or two, the control booth was at the back of the station on the loading side of the platform. Ah, those were the good ol'days--before the bright lights of Thunder Creek Speedway were installed, and while going up the lift, all you could see of the structure were the trace lights following the drop and banked turn.

When I talk about Herc, I find a lot of past tense being used. The way the first drop USED to be, the way the second drop USED to be. BEFORE the trim brake was installed. BEFORE the head rests. BEFORE the speedway lights. BEFORE the trains used to crawl thru the last turn around. The problem is Hercules has been beated into submission. The strong and wild young man he used to be, is now a ghost of its glory days. It's time has come and gone, and now it will fade into coaster history.

With that said, DP/B&M better have great ride (ala Talon) to fill Herc's shoes. (something to compete with/beat Medusa) I wanna see some originality and creativity. I'm talking about new inversions never seen before on a B&M. I sure hope someone had enough sense not to repeat Talon's inversions in floorless format! A 170' drop sure would be sweet.

I'm sure I'll have more to say later....but for now, I'll say "Thanks for the memories Herc!"

-SteelForceGuy
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PUSH the gates open! Exit to your LEFT! Oh, this ride has seatbelts? (Duh) Never under estimate the supidity of people in large groups!

I just posted this in the news section but the 1st drop's angle was never modified, not sure where you got that info from.

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This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules-R.I.P. 1989-2003

I just did a search on Hercules and found some pretty cool pictures on Onride Central. 
Hercules Pics 
Hercules did always have an awsome view right before the first drop!
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Signature will be closed today. Sorry for the inconveinance.
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		I must say, I'm happy to see this one go.  It's great that some people, including the general public, liked the ride.  I didn't care for it at all.  Sorry for those that liked it.  I'll be cheering on the replacement, however.
Now if anyone can get some footage of the removal, that would be sweet ;)
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		Is there an aerial pic of the complete Hercules layout anywhere on the web? If anyone knows about one, I'd love to see it.
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		I think maybe, just maybe, a ride like Herc did more damage than good to people's impression of wooden coasters.
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		crazy horse's avatar
    
	

		Yea, it will be missed...but out of the many coasters I have riden, its near the bottom of my list. It was a ruff ride with a interesting layout.
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		Thrillerman, here is an excellent pic of Hercules layout from an aerial POV.  Its the very last pic at the bottom of the page.  
http://ridezone.com/oprides/coasters/talon/talon20010420.htm
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This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules-R.I.P. 1989-2003
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		
Peabody said:
I wish I had ridden Herc in its first year or two. I rode it for the first time a few weeks ago, and it ranks in the bottom few of the 100 or so woodies I've ridden :( Man I wish I had been there opening year!
It was a great ride in the first few years of service.  In probably season three or four it started to get really rough, the coaster was using those trailored PTC's (possibly PTC's only bad product), and they were just tearing up the track.  Also, the design was not good, leading to the stucture really getting beat up.  By this time, CF had taken over, and in order to try to save the structure, they added trims, lots of trims.  This resulted in the coaster you rode a few weeks ago, a massive, slow, boring, jackhammering hunk of wood.  I will not mourn the loss of this coaster that could not be saved, and quite possibly was not worth saving.  I just wish that a wood coaster would replace it.
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Ask yourself; When was the last time YOU visited Conneaut Lake Park?
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		
Black 7 said:
By this time, CF had taken over, and in order to try to save the structure, they added trims, lots of trims.
number of trims =1
http://www.alexsplace.com/Photos/Dorney-Park/Hercules/Hercules-11.htm
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This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules-R.I.P. 1989-2003
*** This post was edited by DorneyDante 9/8/2003 8:27:31 PM ***
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		
DorneyDante said:
number of trims =1
I think there are more then that, but then again, I would rather forget the last time I rode it (Opening day), I know I was in pain after getting off the ride.
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Ask yourself; When was the last time YOU visited Conneaut Lake Park?
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		Opening day of the ride or opening day of DP?
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This space will forever be dedicated to Hercules-R.I.P. 1989-2003
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		Sorry, opening day this year.  Of course, those wern't there on the opening day of the ride ;)
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		I'm pretty sure that there is more than just one trim on it now. Seems like you're half the way down the hill before it lets loose. Don't forget the picture on Alex Nagel's website was taken in 1999.
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		I am pretty sure there was more then one set of calipers on the drop when I rode in 2002.
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		Mamoosh's avatar
    
	

		There were at least three sets of trim brakes on the first drop when I rode in 2000 and 2001.
mOOSH
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DragsterFAN said:
I think they remove the footers because they are going to have to put new ones in for the coaster that is replacing Hercules.  I would imagine that the old ones will get in the way.

You've obviously never seen the many The Bat footers in the Vortex ride area, then.

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- John
Homepark: Cedar Point
Home-away-from-homepark: Paramount's Kings Island
	

	

	

		

			
		

		

	





	

		
		
			
		
	

    
	

		...On, the other hand, there are a heck of a lot more footers for a wood coaster than a steel one.  I'll bet they get taken out.
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