Namtab 2013 at Great America

I am. I am not bored about kindly fixing your comments on the subject though. :)

You didn't fix anything. You got mad because I made a joke at your expense.

I'm not mad, although that's not very nice.

Dude seriously, it was a joke. I didn't make a personal observation or call your mom a name. I poked fun at this thread. I swear sometimes I wonder how people make it in the real world.

Your conversation is better suited to PM. No one else cares to read it.

GayCoasterGuy said:

Touchdown said:

Forget Musik Express, what about the Matterhorn. Best backwards ride ever.

When did those 2 stop running backwards?

When did they ever run backwards? Except at the State Fair, maybe.
Well,...Ok, what Music Express and Matterhorn rides are we talking about, anyway? I'm pretty sure Cedar Point's Matterhorn and Super Himalaya have never run backwards. Kennywood has a Music Express, as does Hershey, maybe one of those is the one Bunky remembers. Hershey's ride was so rinky I didn't pay much attention.
Speaking of CP's Super Himalaya, when it made it's 1970 debut it was near the Marina gate where the IMAX eventually went. It was so super fast back then you wouldn't believe it, much MUCH faster than it is now. After a couple seasons it was toned down- a ride op told me the motor kept burning out.
I'll be in Orlando in a couple of weeks and one of my stops will be at the Florida State Fair in Tampa. Its kind of a crappy fair, but has a fabulous independent midway. Ray Cammack Shows usually books on their Hit in 2000, (<? a strange name for a standard Mack Music Express if there ever was one). It's always a high grosser there, and the reason to ride is its incredible speed. From the observer's point of view it's just a blur, and when I rode I hung on for dear life and was sore in the arms and shoulders afterward! I forget now, - I'll have to look and see if they continue the torture by reversing the direction mid-ride.

When I was at Seabreeze in '11, not only did they run their Musik Express backward and forward...backward was first. Way cool. Be awesome if KW were to run the Bayern Kurve backwards.

• Running Batman backwards? Bad.
• Running Racer forward? Bad.
• Running spinny rides backwards and forward? Good.

And thus concludes what I've learned from this thread.

RCMAC said:

When did they ever run backwards? Except at the State Fair, maybe.
Well,...Ok, what Music Express and Matterhorn rides are we talking about, anyway? I'm pretty sure Cedar Point's Matterhorn and Super Himalaya have never run backwards.

I was kinda sure they both ran backwards until the early 90s at least, when I worked there. Of course that could be wrong.

I dont know if CP ever ran their Matterhorn backwards, but I do know Canobie Lake used to (when they had one.) They also had the back half of the ride be in near darkness, and it was amazing.

You can't run a Musik Express backwards in the state of PA.

GayCoasterGuy said:

Touchdown said:

Forget Musik Express, what about the Matterhorn. Best backwards ride ever.

When did those 2 stop running backwards?

At Dorney, Musik Express has not been going backwards for...? A loooong time.

The only Matterhorn I remember is the one at Trimper's, which as far as I know still goes backwards.

kpjb said:
You can't run a Musik Express backwards in the state of PA.

Not true...the Cosmotron at Knoebels is just like Musik Express and goes backwards.

I remember that the enclosed caterpillar at DelGrosso's used to go backwards.

So, is the danger of flat rides going backwards because when they are changing directions, riders may think that the ride is over and attempt to disembark just before the ride moves in the opposite direction?

"Please remain seated. Your ride is not over! PLEASE REMAIN SEATED! YOUR RIDE IS NOT OVER YET!!!"

I remember riding a few flats backwards in my lifetime, but I can't remember where. I know I have rode a Casino, Matterhorn, Bayern Curve, backwards.

Didn't a few flats at Kennywood go backwards at some point? It seems like I've rode Bayern Curve and the Wipeout (Casino?) backwards there before. Possibly the Turtle too, but that doesn't count.

I don't think the Kangaroo would work going backwards. LOL

I know I've rode a few rides backwards at WV fairs a few decades ago.

The Cosmotron has a totally different restraint system.

Hrmmm...so that makes it somehow safer or something? I don't get it.

Cosmotron's restraints come from behind, and if it becomes unlocked will still restrain you while in reverse. A Musik Express restraint comes from near your feet, and if it comes loose while going backwards will let you fly out of the ride.

That's why you can run a Cosmotron backwards and not a Musik Express... at least in Pennsylvania it is, afaik.

I learn something new every day!

And knowing is half the battle!

G.I. Jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeeeee!!!