On TCAS, I noticed that in some of the shots, Raven looked like it had buzz bars, while on the on-ride, when it focused on the riders, it had individual ratching lap bars.
What is the deal with this?
Most likely older video shots. Just to save on production costs, they'll use file photos and archives to do a segment. The Raven does have individual lap bars now.
At one time, did it have buzz bars? If so, what sparked the change?
The Raven's lap bars were changed due to insurance reasons. The ride was much better with the old bars, but as everyone knows, its still about as good as it gets.
Yeah, with the old bars, i think it was clear cut the best ride in the world. Of course, with the new ones, and a few coasters being built since, i think its a little harder to say that.
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The Raven got ratcheting lap bars for the 2000 season.
I hate to suggest that anybody at Holiday World has been anything less than completely honest with us coaster nuts, but knowing what I know about the function of the old bars versus the function of the new ones, no underwriter in his right mind would increase an insurance premium or deny coverage for using the traditional bars. I suspect that there are other, more practical considerations behind the change.
In much the same way that changing the Gerstlauer lap bars on The Legend wasn't because of complaints about 'Legend Legs' as much as because an unreasonable number of lap bars on other Gerstlauer trains were getting broken...!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
