Idora Wildcat

So you have been to Pioneer Waterland. Big whoop. You want a cookie?

I think the Idora Wildcat is one of the "great" lost coasters, along with the Crystal Beach Cyclone, the Rye Playland Aeroplane and the Riverview Bobs. Wish I could have ridden it.

I wonder what people would think of it today. How would it compare to the modern crop of woodies? I also assume that it was in terrible condition during the last few years it was open.

I understand it was in dismal condition. The coaster was probably tearing itself apart those last few seasons.

I'm curious to find out how the great lost coasters would compare to coasters like Voyage, Boulder Dash and Tremors. I guess all we can do is wonder if the Idora Wildcat was THAT much better (if better at all) than a coaster like the Phoenix are try to compare things that way. But I have a feeling that the great lost coasters were more about scaring the crap out of the rider than a well-balanced collection of elements. Riding was probably more about "surviving" than anything else!

People would complain about the roughness, there would be a trim brake on the first drop, the trains would have ratchet bars and rock hard seats with headrests...

Oh wait, this isn't Cedar Point. ;)

I didnt think it was in bad shape the last time I rode it,the only thing everytime I was there,that it sounded like it needed was some track grease.

It would hold its own against some of today's coasters,it was that good.Should be in the top ten of most everyone lists.

It was kinda like the Voyage in a way,it didnt let up from beginning to end,no dead spots.

I get the feeling that it was a coaster much like the Voyage- extremely intense from beginning to end. I wish someone would rebuild it, but if they did it would probably end up like Wolf Kabobs at Geauga Lake, which was a pale imitation of the original Bobs at Riverview.

^^ agree totally.

Maybe Knoebels could rebuild it without taming it down too much.

I met people who drove to Idora in the 1970s and 1980s from California to ride the Wildcat.

The Wildcat was in disrepair in 1984, after the fire that destroyed it.

To whomever asked do blue prints still exist. Yes they do and the people that would be able to do something with them, have them. All they need is a customer who wants it built. I wouldn't hold my breath.

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coasterp said:
To whomever asked do blue prints still exist. Yes they do and the people that would be able to do something with them, have them. All they need is a customer who wants it built. I wouldn't hold my breath.

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Do you think they could rebuild it exactly the same or would have to build a tamed down version because of insurance?

Never having ridden it and not truly knowing what the ride dynamics are, I really can't answer that factually. My guess however, would be that some profile changes would need to be made to keep it in line with todays standards, based on what others have said about it.

It's just a shame that a good Schmeck had to be destroyed because of carelessness. I wish I could have ridden the ride, but being born in 1988, there was nothing that I could do, except look at the remnants. On the old Idora grounds today, all that can be found are a few pieces of wood and track and a lot of rusty metal. I hope someone does rebuild the ride, wooden coasters aren't as expensive to build, especially since it isn't an Intamin.

Mr Fetterman is sometimes on this site,that would be a good question for him to answer,if the Wildcat could be built exactly like the original.I'm sure he has looked at the blueprints.

Having rode it many times,IMO I would have to say no,some of laterals were too strong,they would have to add some banking to some of the turns.The fan turn after the first drop is the one they would have to change the most,it slammed you pretty good going into the 2nd drop.

The Wildcat was by far my favorite coaster. It just seemed to go on forever... it went in and out of itself in a rather compact spot, if I remember correctly.. and it always seemed as though you were going to lose a vital body part on a piece of support timber. It was tight!

The Racing Whippet was awesome, too... I don't think that one could ever be duplicated, even with blueprints, because it was built into the terrain. That one wins hands down on the most rickety, feels like it's gonna self destruct any second coaster I can ever remember! (Which added to the fun of it, considering the park closed when I was 16).

It would be hard to rebuild for the reasons you said.

It did sort of"self destruct" one time.This was during one of the biggest picnics,carpenters(ironic).One of the wheels froze up and the train stopped on top of the second hill.Being that there was no catwalk,they had to have the fire department come in and get the people out of the train with one of their trucks.I think I ran the flying scooters for two days till they got it fixed.

I remember the older man who ran the flying scooters quite well...and how he used to yell at us for "jumping" the cables.

Heh heh. I wonder how many times I inadvertantly ticked you off and had no idea.... PS ... how old were you when you worked there? The park closed when I was 16.... so who knows, we may have even went to school together! (North Hills 1979)

The blueprints for this ride exist, courtesy of the marvelous cache of Schmeck's and Allen's work lovingly kept by PTC. I have had a copy ever since the year the Phoenix was rebuilt. A proposed park in Indiana was to have the rebuilt Wildcat as their premier wooden coaster.

My thoughts about the wisdom of trying to recreate the Wildcat would fill a book and is beyond the scope of this reply. Consider, however, that much of the "personality" of the Wildcat was likely in the relaxed level of maintenance that the ride had recieved in its final years, and it can be seen that a faithful recreation of the ride already starts from a difficult standpoint.

However, as a learning tool, the ride will live on, inspiring certain aspects of new rides (while certain other aspects show an aspiring coaster designer exactly how NOT to do the job!). It was the end of one design era for Mr. Schemck, and later, after years of the Great Depression and money was once again available for the building of coasters, Schmeck's approach had subtlely changed, leaving the Wildcat as the greatest expression of his talents from that wild design period.

Thanking you for your interest!

John

KG

Thanks John,was hoping you would reply.

Did Knoebels ever consider rebuilding the Wildcat?If they did,what was the biggest change that was going to have to be made to it?

Thanks for taking on the task of rebuilding the Flying Turns,I think you will show people with that coaster bigger is not always better.

Thank god for Knoebels,nice to have a park that cares about classic rides from the past,and brings them back to life again. :)

Chooch..I was 16 yrs old my 1st year(1976) on the Whippet.I didnt go to North Hills,l lived about 10 miles from the park.