Is it possible?

DawgByte II said:

Woah woah woah, dude...

Great Escape's Comet is one of the smoothest woodies still out there.
I know... I was just out there towards the end of August.... I think you better do a little research before you conclude anything, dude...

Going on my limited experience with Steel Framed Wood Coasters (Morey's Great White, Martin's Silver Comet, Great Escape's Comet), I found Comet to the "roughest" of the three (also during a late August visit). In particular, the last turn before the run into the station was very jarring. I can also name a few wood coasters with wood frames that I found to be smoother than Comet.

Bottom line, I can think of smoother wooden coasters (both steel and wood supported) and I can think of rougher wooden coasters. The supports make no real difference. Trughthfully... blindfolded, could anyone really tell if a wood coaster has a steel or wood supporting structure?

------------------
Half of the people surveyed agree, half disagree and another half are unsure.
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE 9/12/2003 3:58:47 PM ***
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE 9/12/2003 3:59:48 PM ***

Trughthfully... blindfolded, could anyone really tell if a wood coaster has a steel or wood supporting structure?

Absolutely! Wanna test me? ;)

------------------
2004 Coaster Calendar now available. Order before Oct 5th and save. See S&D Greetings for details.

Okay, earplugs too! ;)

------------------
"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Earlplugs? No problem!

------------------
2004 Coaster Calendar now available. Order before Oct 5th and save. See S&D Greetings for details.

Okay... beware of "always" and "never"...

Should have said... "blindfolded, could the vast majority of people really tell if a wood coaster has a steel or wood supporting structure?"
------------------
Half of the people surveyed agree, half disagree and another half are unsure.

LOL SLFAKE...just having some fun w/ya.

mOOSH [still willing to accept the challenge]

------------------
2004 Coaster Calendar now available. Order before Oct 5th and save. See S&D Greetings for details.

---

RideMan said:
SOB's loop has standard laminated wooden track all the way through it.

---

Thought I'd seen somewhere that the wood used on the loop was cypress while the rest of the track was Douglas Fir. Anybody know for certain if that's the case? Would that make any difference in the ride?

It's The Thought That Counts...

When it comes to trackage and superstructure, it really doesn't matter what track type you throw onto what superstructure. The results may be just a little unewxpected.

Dale, when you refer to "B&M supports" i'm assuming you mean supports used on B&M rides like Kumba and Batman?

If I'm right, placing a wooden track on a "traditional" steel superstructure (like that of Magnum XL in CP) isn't a bad idea. In fact, it would probably be a better idea because it would be smoother.

If you're using traditional B&M supports (albeit much closer together then they would be if they were used in a steel ride), then there really is no difference. Some sort of support spine will be needed to keep a solid foundation beneath the wooden track, however. SOB's loop is a good example of wooden track on steel. Better yet, CP's Gemini is a perfect example of a wooden coaster on a steel structure (a traditional lattice structure, that is).

Track types are defined by what the track is made out of. Wooden track is, well... umm... wooden track. And the same for steel. It really doesn't matter what you throw the track on top of.

-----------------------------------

"For your safety, please do not sit, swing or hang from the hand rails."

I would love to see a pic of the joint connection at the loop on SOB. I mean exactly the point where the loop steel begins and the wood structure ends. If anybody has a close-up shot of that, please post.
------------------
Nashville needs a theme park!

Umm, krazy pete, I think you have Gemini backwards. The rails are steel and the structure is wooden, making it kinda the reverse of what people here are talking about.

------------------
I want to live where it's all the same.
I want to live where it's all just like today.
I want to live where it's always Saturday.