Phantom's Revenge new track

Another website is reporting that the remaining Arrow track on Phantom's Revenge (sans the break run) will be replaced by new Morgan track that has already been delivered to the park. My question is, why? From a rider's perspective, the first drop is nearly as smooth and comfortable as the rest of the ride. It wasn't painful by any stretch of the imagination. If this is a matter of maintenance, why aren't we seeing similar rehab taking place on older Arrow coasters (Vortex, Magnum, Corkscrew, Viper(s),etc.)?

Actually, Magnum has received some new rails in a few sections in the past couple of years, and I noticed last summer that Vortex had some rail sections replaced. So yes, some of the older Arrow coasters do get some retracking from time to time. Not nearly as often as a wood coaster, of course, but it does happen...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I'd like to see Vortex receive a complete retracking. And new trains. And helmets for all passengers. And free Tylenol on demand.

Don't forget that the greatest steel looper in N. America (Shockwave @ oT) just received some new track last year....after I had worried myself into a tizzy over the prospect of losing it. :)

^^I couldn't agree with you more! :) Or we should be allowed to bring our own helmets! I have the tylenol thing covered. ;)

-Tina

I remember in talking with the maintenance crews a few years back that the Arrow track is by all accounts terrible in comparison with the Morgan track. The main reason given was the sheer number of welds on a given piece of track vs. the Morgan track. The cross-ties on a Morgan are one solid piece, and need all of three welds to connect the spine to rails. I lost count of the number of pieces/welds required on an arrow cross tie. Basically the greater number of welds means a greater number of places where the cracks can/likely will form, which was a maintenance headache 6-7 years ago. Today, with the Arrow track at ~17 years of age, I can only imagine it's gotten worse. It'll be interesting to see if they duplicate the track shaping exactly, if they redesign it, or if they go really crazy and throw in the double-up that was in a lot of the preview art back when the Phantom became the Phantom's Revenge.

Are there any links to this preview art?

By the last report I heard, no double up.

Vortex is an amazing ride in 7-1 (2nd seat to the back). Not rough at all, and you get incredible airtime on the first drop :)

Tyler: http://www.coaster-net.com/pics/kennywood/phantomsrevengeart2.jpg. Look at the rise after the first drop.

Is that image supposed to represent what the new section is supposed to look like? I personally don't see any issue with the current track, unless maintenance is an issue. The ride is still shockingly good every time I ride it.

D vo, thanks for the Vortex tip. I'll definitely try that next year.

That was a rendering for the original ride, which was (obviously) dropped from the final design. I can't imagine that they'd add that now.

^If they were replacing the track anyway, it might not be a bad enhancement. Unlikely, but not impossible. Then again, that thing is just about perfect as is....and a million times better than SP. :)

The double up was removed from the plans because it took too much speed off and the train wouldn't make it over the crest of the hill.

I always wished the second hill was a little more floaty...

Thanks for the link.

I am happy that they didn't add the double up because flattening out and skimming the ground at the bottom of the first drop really lets you feel the speed.

Now if they would just remove or smooth out the bone jarring hump before the final turn into the breaks, I'd be all for it.

And why not add the missing helix at he end?

It could be called, "The Revenge of Phantom's Revenge". lol

^ I don't think they should mess with perfection. That coaster is great just the way it is.

I have to agree with LostKause about that double down before the brakes. It is just too painful and seems out of line with the rest of the ride. A helix would be a beautiful way to bleed off some speed at the end, while extending the ride duration by a few seconds -- the only the other thing PR needs to meet true perfection.