Phantom's Revenge new track

rollergator said:
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. :)

Shockwave didn't receive any new track. Pieces of the old track were removed, refurbished, cleaned up, rewelded, and reinstalled.

Any day the park is open is what I meant. I don't think I'd want to ride in November unless we had some really strange heat wave. I've been on coasters in the snow, too cold for me. I do have my limits. :)

Add me to the list of people who LOVE the double down. As much as I love Phantom's Revenge (I rank it up there with Superman (SFNE's of course) and Expedition Ge:Force), that moment MAKES Phantom's Revenge for me.

Take that away and you have a good "baby hyper". Leave it there, and you have a phenomenal one.

How do rides "receive" anything? And do they say "thank you" afterward?

What? You have not received a hug from your favorite coaster recently?

I have personally observed many a coaster-nerd (myself included) hugging the support on the Phantom that's in the middle of the path as you enter Lost Kennywood, waiting patiently for a train to roar past overhead. When it finally does, it's as if the Phantom is saying, "get off me, you creepy coaster nerd", but we know it means it with love.

The new track will be from the top of the lift hill all the way to the second drop where the old and new track were originally joined(SP-PR) the brake run-station and lift hill will all remain arrow. I seen the new track as it already started to arrive.(I took some pictures of the track and posted them on a different web site) I will try to get pictures of the work after they start redoing it.
As far as changing the ride or enhancing the ride with the little bump before the second hill I don't think they will be doing it as the rumor was it would of slowed it down too much and it would not of made it up over the crest of the second hill. The other thing that was mentioned was they were going to change the uphill part and make it start a little earlier to make it not as steep as to keep the train from valleying between the two hills.(yes it has valleyed there before)
What i would do to enhance or change for the ride...Yeah a helix at the end would be great...not cost effective but a great idea. With that said I would completly enclose the lower portion(the turn right after the double down) all the way untill the final hump with a tunnel than landscape over top of it (bringing it level with the topography of lost kennywood) maybe than we would have a new location for a small classic flat ride to be placed over top of the phantoms turn. think about hitting the double down and then screaming into a total dark head chopper tunnel only to emerge right into the last ejector-seat hump. that would be so sweet.

bigboy said:Shockwave didn't receive any new track. Pieces of the old track were removed, refurbished, cleaned up, rewelded, and reinstalled.

Thanks for the clarification - once the track went missing, I assumed it had been replaced. Repaired works just as good (maybe better). I'm hoping that somehow the dynamic duo of Mindbender and Shockwave will outlive me...or at least remain standing as long as I do. ;)

Gator, your Mitch ballot looks about as close to mine as possible except for Mindbender and Shockwave. Maybe I have to ride them with you to get it...

^LOL, my friend EchoVictor was sent by his employer to Arlington for a conference about two months ago. I saved the text message he sent. It ends with "Anton is a GOD!" The thing is that there's no other way to find a steel coaster with loops, airtime, and lapbars (excellent use of terrain in the case of 'Bender, somewhat stronger air with The 'Wave). Just remember to keep your hands up throughout the loops, and enjoy the bliss. The only current company I've found that might be interested in combining airtime and loops in one ride....Premier. For me, other than going inside the tophat, or making a vertical loop, most inversions are overrated. And forceful airtime is NEVER overrated (see: Phoenix, Toro, RoS, oG's Goliath).

Jeff said:
The problem is that all enthusiasts seem to want a coaster to feel like The Voyage for some reason. I think MF is a sweet ride.

I feel the same. :)

I like coasters for lots of different experiences. It doesn't always have to be about tricks or airtime. I'm crazy about MF, but I love Superdooperlooper almost as much -- about as different as two steelies can get.

That's why I never really understood all the criticism about Mean Streak . . . other than it being rough (which varies a lot, depending on temperature/train/bench). No, it doesn't offer any substantial air time, but it's still a cool experience. The way it rushes through its own superstructure over and over. Completely different than Voyage or Kentucky Rumbler, but still worth it, IMO. Which is why I've always been in favor of improving MS, not TAERING it down.

I love that Kennywood is replacing track for a coaster that -- to the best of most enthusiasts' analysis -- doesn't need it. That says worlds about the philosophy of the park and Parques Reunidos. If SF ran Kennywood, how many years more would they let it fester before even remotely considering such an action?

Ensign Smith said:
I love that Kennywood is replacing track for a coaster that -- to the best of most enthusiasts' analysis -- doesn't need it. That says worlds about the philosophy of the park and Parques Reunidos.

Or does it say worlds about enthusiasts? ;)

(or if you want to get deeper - does it say worlds about your value of the enthusiasts opinion?)

I think you see my point - just because it rides fine and enthusiasts think all is well, doesn't mean there isn't some impending structural failure or that maintenance on that section isn't a nightmare or whatever.

I don't think this says as much about the park or owners as it does about the state of the ride.

Mostly it says worlds about how much I value my own opinion . . . ;)

I think it says world's about how valuable PR is to the park in PR's opinion. They know they need to keep the star attraction in top condition, and having it go down in the middle of next season would be...problematic. Besides it's steel track, and the park's in Pittsburgh of all places... ;) :)

Jeff said:
How do rides "receive" anything?

Probably the same way stores receive shipments of goods.

rollergator said:
I think it says world's about how valuable PR is to the park in PR's opinion. They know they need to keep the star attraction in top condition, and having it go down in the middle of next season would be...problematic.

It says they know what they're doing. A high-profile attraction has to be running. It's amazing simple, but amazingly lost on many park operators.

Ensign Smith said:
I love that Kennywood is replacing track for a coaster that -- to the best of most enthusiasts' analysis -- doesn't need it... If SF ran Kennywood, how many years more would they let it fester before even remotely considering such an action?

I doubt this kind of replacement would have been overlooked by any park operator. My guess is this was a move out of necessity of running the ride safely, not just because management was trying to win over anyone. As mentioned previously, Six Flags, among others, have replaced sections of steel on their Arrow coasters, and I know for a fact they bring in outside contractors to inspect their steel coasters every year for structural integrity.

Quite a bit of the rails in Raptor's Cobra Roll have been replaced as well.

Does anyone have photos of the track? I can't locate the site I found a few weeks ago that had pictures of the track in the parking lot. Now when I search I keep coming up with some band named Phantom's Revenge, and apparently they have a new track.

Here you go. Recent as of around Wed/Thurs this past week. Looks like they've started taking down a good chunk of the Arrow track with the new Morgan track waiting in the wings.