Question about SideWinder @ SFEG

How is the SideWinder @ SFEG launched? This has bothered me for a while, and I have looks in a few spots. If you could help me out that would be great!
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Ricochet: Bouncing to you in 2002, Only at King's Dominion!

It's got a powerful dispath motor it goes down the hill after that.

There are square launch sleds. A cable is connected to the launcher, a motor winds or unwinds the cable making it move the launcher, that pushes the train. Because of the cable, waiting for seats isn't allowed, the platform has to be empty before the train is launched.

J., that is exactly right. they don't allow people on the platform anymore because thats how that worker died a few years ago. The square 'sled' hit her foot, causing her to lose balance and fall of the tower. The stop for the cable makes a big Boom sound when it reaches the end, and the whole tower shakes. its funny to see people look scared when that happens
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"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

Actually the operator fell off the tower when she was reaching into the train to grab a piece of trash or something. She was on the far side, when she did that, the operator on the station side returned the train, she lost her balance and fell. So now the operator on far side has to wear a safety harness. The station platform has to be empty for other safety reasons.

Interesting......as of this week the original Arrow shuttle (Afterburner at "No" Fun Spot) still allows both operaters to walk around freely. I even got to walk down the other side when it failed to launch backwards! Thank God it's running though. :)
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My score on PCW's Scooby Doo Haunted Mansion: 2370!
www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173

Wow with all those precautions I now know why more parks don't buy them!
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Ricochet: Bouncing to you in 2002, Only at King's Dominion!

Was Lightning Loops at SFGAdv the only one with interlocking loops? I remeber it from when I was little, and it looked really neat. Too bad they couldn't have just moved it somewhere instead of take it out. I am sure Batman The Ride is a better ride than that, so it probably helped the park.

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Mustang said:
"J., that is exactly right. they don't allow people on the platform anymore because thats how that worker died a few years ago. The square 'sled' hit her foot, causing her to lose balance and fall of the tower. The stop for the cable makes a big Boom sound when it reaches the end, and the whole tower shakes. its funny to see people look scared when that happens
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"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes.""

That is not correct.

Roller Coaster Rollback:
8/2/1997 - A 45-year-old ride operator was killed when she accidentally stepped off of the 3-story platform of the Sidewinder (Arrow shuttle loop) coaster at Elitch Gardens, Denver, Colorado.

The woman was walking down the platform stairs on the platform near the location of Western Round-Up.

I think the launch is powered by a cable under the platform. They don't allow people on the platform when they launch a train, as Mustang said.

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"Duff Man Says... Ohhh Yeah!"
Current Favorite Coasters:
1)Raging Bull 2)Millennium Force 3)Medusa (SFMW) 4)Vertical Velocity (SFGAm) 5)Dueling Dragons (Ice)

*** This post was edited by StealthmF5m3 on 9/5/2001. ***

StealthmF5m3- She was not walking down the far side stairs, read my earlier post.

QUESTION:

What was Arrow thinking when they built these loser coasters?

I have never been on one of these kinds of coasters (Arrow Shuttle Loop), but just from looking at the pictures... they look like a complete joke. What were they thinking?

You have to climb up flights of stairs to some 60 feet high, then you just go in a straight line through one loop, and up to a long flat platform, then repeat...

Again, what I ask... what were they thinking? It looks like a waste of space for what it offers...

Am I right?
(like I said, I never ridden it before, so this is just from looking at various pictures of these kinds of coasters)

Actually, I find the ride to be very fun and it is even better to operate.

DawgByte II: Arrow was the first to offer this unique type of ride in 1977. The first one (now Afterburner at Fun Spot in Indiana) had an elevator to bring riders up. Schwarzkopf eliminated the stair problem by utilizing a ground level launch propelled by a dropping weight. But I still prefer the drop before the loop. And on Sat. I only had to climb the Afterburner stairs once for 30 rides! What a great crew!

Sometimes a "first of a kind" doesn't make sense 25 years later. Look at the VW Beetle. Hate 'em!

J: How long have you ran Sidewinder???? I envy you!
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My score on PCW's Scooby Doo Haunted Mansion: 2370!
www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173

i guess I was wrong. Thats what i had heard ehrn it happened, and I hadn't heard anything about it since. Anyway, thanx for correcting me. But now that they have the opening/closing gates on th eplatform, can't they allow more people up there now?
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"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

Sidewinder is an extremely fun ride. You get probably the greatest pop of airtime for a looper, plus it is still smooth after all these years. One of my favorite rides at SFEG.
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Parks for 2001: SFEG, Lakeside,Funtown USA, Palace Playland, HP,BGW,PKD,Alton Towers.

*** This post was edited by PT300 on 9/6/2001. ***

My question is, why's it called Sidewinder when there are no curves?!?

The venerable Arrow Launch Loop.

Back when Kings Island had theirs, both operators and guests were allowed on the platform at all times. the coaster had queue gates just like any other. Then again the coaster hasn't been there for the last 14 seasons, and the whole legal climate has changed since then.

If I recall correctly there are only 3 Arrow Launch Loops left in operation: No Fun Spot, Elitch Gardens, and Frontier City. Camden Park owns one but its SBNO with good intentions to have it operational in 2002. Camden's is actually the one from Kings Island.

As far as being dull and boring looking, as well as an aerobic exercise to ride, put yourself back in the year 1976. America was just dazzled by the Corkscrew at Knott's, but the vertical loop, or loop-de-loop coaster was just a figment of the imagination. Sure the coaster doesn't do much, but I'm thinking that it was originally sold as a concept ride. A pure novelty attraction, which was quite popular in its day. Kings Island got rid of theirs the season after Vortex opened, making the old Scream'n Demon obsolete.

As far as the aerobic exercise is concerned, have you ridden some of these newer coasters, the staircases are back. Just about every B&M I have seen involves 2-3 flights of stairs, and CCI is getting in on the "Let's put the station 20' up in the air" bandwagon.

Arrow Guy- I have been running it for 2 years.

I thought I should clarify that the operators on the station are free to move around, the operator on the far side has to be strapped in, but it isn't a big deal, the operator has a chair and a small booth anyway. The platform has to be empty when the train is launched for safety reasons, if the cable snapped, it might be a little painful. Once the train has been launched, then people can board the platform.

NitroExplodes said:
Was Lightning Loops at SFGAdv the only one with interlocking loops?

Lightnin' Loops was the only Arrow shuttle coaster with interlocked loops, but both the BGW Lochness Monster and WOF's Orient Express feature vertical loops that are intertwined.