Roller Soaker and smoother Wildcat (?)

As a post somewhere else on this board stated, some of the supports for Roller Soaker are in place at Hersheypark.  It looks like most of the work is being done around what will probably be the loading station (behind Canyon River Rapids).  As seen form Rt.743, a few of the supports are in place and some sort of block building is under construction.

 

Also, while driving along Hersheypark Drive, it looks as though some retracking might be in progress on Wildcat.  In the rain, with the old wood looking very dark and wet, it appeared that there may have been some new wood and no metal.  Anyone know any more about this?

 

My brother-in-law did say that the company he worked for was going to be doing some carpentry work on a coaster at Hersheypark.  He assumed it was the “new one” (R.S.), but since that is steel, I assumed it may have been work on the station or queue for that one.  However, IF there is work being done on Wildcat, then that may have been what he was talking about.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t know anything more about this as he been on  medical leave for the past few weeks (the big lug was using a nail gun and shot a nail right through his foot the other week ago and has been laid up ever since).

First of all.......OWWWWWW!!!  That's gotta hurt.  lol

Second, I sure do hope there is some retracking being done on Wildcat.  I love the ride to death back in 2000, but I guess I can tolerate some retracking.  Its definately wild and wooly as hell.  Where on the curcuit did you see the new wood?

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Idle hands were orient to her.

What appeared to be new wood was on the first drop.  I had to look quickly as I was driving.   It was raining and the old wood was looking very dark.  What looked like new unweathered wood was very bright compared to the rest of it (and like I said, it also looked like there were no dark "tracks" on the wood).  

Noticed the same "light wood" on Lightning Racer, but not on the tracks.  It was on the "hand rails" that run the length of the coaster.  It appeared that at the joints in the tops of the railings there were small pieces of this lighter wood.  That may have always been there, not sure.  Never really noticed this coaster in the rain.

 

Not trying to start any rumor here... just mainly wondering if anyone can confirm or deny this.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

Carpenters also do a lot of work building forms for the concrete for new coasters.  However, the rumour has been out for a while that there will be some retracking on Wildcat.

Funny how Wildcat has needed a lot of trackwork since it opened, and after a couple of seasons, Lightning Racer hasn't needed any at all. And both were built by GCI.

You don't suppose it has anything to do with the fact that the Millennium Flyers can track curves and the PTC cars can't, do you?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I was wondering about that also Rideman. Roar at SFA opened a year later than the Wilcat, and that thing is still really smooth with PTC trains. I have heard a rumor a while back on this site that they were supposed to replace the PTC trains with Millenium Flyers. I really wish that rumor would come true. I can only ride the Wildcat in the front seat, or the ride is too painful. I still love that coaster though. ;)

I'm sure when you factor in that it just rips through turn after turn, that may have contributed ever so slightly. It has 6 seasons of wear and tear under it's belt already. I just hope they're not screwing with the design.

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Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions

I haven't been in contact with Hersheypark for awhile, so I can't answer the question at this time.  The rideop "new rules/changes/improvements for this season" meeting is in April and it covers just about everything they are doing // have done.  I'll be able to give you guys a full report then.

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Rollercoaster -PA
http://gandc.20m.com/index.html

Dave: Or could it be that GCI got better at designing coasters that didnt destroy themselves? From what I have felt
each of their coasters have gotten progressively smoother. ROAR over Wildcat, Gwazi over ROAR and of course Lightning Racer over any other woodie ever built! (well maybe not Intamin's SuperManWoody)

Anyway, I'd rather keep Wildcat 'rough' as it were. It made the ride more exciting. Heck, it was even my Mom's favorite HP coaster.
lata,
jeremy
--who notes his Dad's favorite HP coaster was Sidwinder (the boomerang)
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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01

I agree that the powerful, rough ride is part of the Wildcat's charm. I am glad that Hershey has left their GCI's unaltered since the day that they open. Alot of other parks probably would have installed some brakes to tame the ride on that coaster by now.

Like Jeremy, I have the feeling that GCI has improved their track construction so that it ages better.  I like the rough and tumble nature of Wildcat, but I did feel that by last summer it had gotten rather rough.  I think that it can be smoothed out a bit without losing the laterals and sudden changes of direction that contribute to it's ride, not to mention that one incredibly long period of air in the back row.