New Open-Sided Wooden Coaster Trains

There's been a lot of talk recently of wooden roller coasters replacing their trains: SOB, GCI's updating from PTCs to MFs, and now we have this: new open-sided stagecoach themed trains from KumbaK coasters being installed on Stampida and Tomahawk at Port Adventura in Spain.

I think this new design is pretty innovative and looks really cool, the questions now are how comfortable are they and how well does it track? Are we going to see any of these in the US anytime soon?

Your thoughts?

Happy Fun Land - Adventures from the World's Craziest Theme Park

Those things look dreadful. Looks like the designers took the worst aspects of Gerstlauer seating and "improved" on it to make it even worse. I love the quote about

Personally I'll keep my comments on how bad they are till I ride them.

IMHO it don't take much to improve on a PTC ride.

Chuck, who says Yeah, PTC running gear is top of the line as far as durability but what they've done to the wood coaster experience is almost a sin.

There *is* more! Incredible!

We now have SOB, HP Wildcat, Sheikra, Stampida (that counts for 2 in my book), and Tomahawk (oops or not) getting different model trains in 2007. Crazy year this is already. *** Edited 2/7/2007 11:37:44 PM UTC by matt.***

Now we just need CP to announce that Mantis is getting floorless trains lol.

After looking at the Kumbak trains again, it looks like they could be pretty uncomfortable on a ride with a lot of lateral forces.

Other items to note, it says that each row of train seats will have an integrated video camera and are being supplied with a 4-year warranty and 4-year inspection period for all major components. Has any of this ever been done before?

Ouch. I sur ehope those rides don't have any laterals. :(

AV Matt
Long live the Big Bad Wolf

I agree that they look like they would be unconfortable with laterals. Like most of the poorly cushioned Himalaya/Music Express type rides (why are those rides never well-cushioned?!)

The seats look every church-pew like. Not molded to fit the body as a B & M etc seat.

That's what I'm thinking. Not a problem for a basic out-and-back but anything with laterals might be a problem for most riders. I agree with Chuck when it comes to waiting to see what they're like, but going by what I can see, they're not the solution to the problem of finding the perfect wood coaster rolling stock.

If your on a coaster that throws you to your side your arms will go flapping, it will hurt badly, they look cool but not safe.

Timbers crew 08

I'm just not so sure that whole "open" thing is a good idea. What works on a steel coaster doesn't always work on a wood coaster.

Why? isn't El Toro open sided?

Didn't even think about that. Then again, El Toro is a lot smoother than your average, traditional wood coaster, so that might play a part in why it can get away with having steel coaster-type seating/restraints.

Wait, what about safety. They don't want people sticking their feet in the middle of the track. *Oh god that would hurt*

Rob Ascough said:
I'm just not so sure that whole "open" thing is a good idea. What works on a steel coaster doesn't always work on a wood coaster.

There's still a padded u-ish-shaped bar at arm/shoulder level as well as the couple of inches on the side of the train at butt level.

I'm not sure how 6 inches of space in between really makes any difference.

That WOOD hurt! Oh man, I crack myself up...

Charles Nungester said:
Why? isn't El Toro open sided?

Probably because they would throw you out

HUH? What I mean was El Toros trains are open sided. At least to some extent.

Amnesiac said:
There's been a lot of talk recently of wooden roller coasters replacing their trains: SOB, GCI's updating from PTCs to MFs, and now we have this: new open-sided stagecoach themed trains from KumbaK coasters being installed on Stampida and Tomahawk at Port Adventura in Spain.

After reading the articles you linked to it looks to me like only Stampida is getting new trains. Tomahawk is getting new controls, but I didn't see the mention of new trains anywhere. Is there another article somewhere else that mentions new trains for Tomahawk?

Only Stampida is getting those new trains. Tomahawk will keep its junior PTC and will probably ride better than its bigger twin!

New trains are understandable I think. In the late 90's, there was a man that was ejected from the ride and since then, the park added a trim on the first drops as well as putting huge seat dividers on the PTC! So, it seems they were not trusting the PTC's anymore?

Not only that but the whole ride needed retracked after only a couple years