Rolling Thunder - CoasterBuzz

Just curious, did great adventure ever run one train backwads and another train frowards?
Is it possible for them to run one train backward?

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Holla at your boy!

I've heard this was done but I never actually witnessed it.

This site:
http://www.gadv.com/history.html
says that it was done in 1984. I guess they mean for just that one season.

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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

It really couldn't run one side backwards IMO until they do *something* more than the "re-tracking" that was done for this season (/end sarcasm). Seriously, I got a spin just to see if the ride was STILL as bad as ever, and honestly, it's even WORSE.

The only woodie at the park, and it was a one-train walk-on....somebody tell me again how the GP doesn't know good coasters from crap...;)

rollergator said:
The only woodie at the park, and it was a one-train walk-on....somebody tell me again how the GP doesn't know good coasters from crap...;)

They wait in line for Viper? :)

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--Maddie--
What do I Listen-To?

I'm one of the GP and Viper isn't that bad, so I'll wait in line for it.
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Holla at your boy!

Viper, IMO, is one of the roughest rides I have ever been on. That being said, it is still fun. I won't wait on a line longer than 10 mins. for it though.

As far as RT running backwards, YES it did at once point. It's my home park and have been going there since I was 7 (I'm know 27..I'll let you do the math), and I remember it being mentioned when I was younger that it went backwards. I don't know if it WAS at the time (I only went on Lightning Loops, my first ever coaster), or if my dad and uncle were talking about it going backwards but I remember something being said about it.

As for the ride itself, it is actually one of my favorite, if not my favorite, woodies. If it's running well, you can get some good air in the back. The past few times though (you can read my trip reports from my website or at GADV.com) it seemed to be going really slow and one time I was unsure if it would make it up the second hill. There have been times on this ride, however, that it was going VERY VERY fast.

Rolling Thunder did go backwards. Can't remember the year they stopped doing this, but they would race one side forwards, and one side backwards. Of course, this hasn't been done in a really long time.

And yes, Viper is that bad. It should be sponsored by Tylenol.

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Take a Virtual Ride:
http://badnitrus.coasterbuzz.com
Mike "Viper" Semtak

There are a couple of good pops of air, but the bone jarring turns and just general roughness of the ride would outweigh any benefit from turning the train around (IMO).

I do think the off season retracking made the ride run faster and smoother, though.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

When was the last time they actually raced both sides of RT? The couple times I've been to GAdv, only one side was running, except for my first visit, when both sides opened later in the day. They still didn't race, however.

And those of you who hate Viper--cool. Shorter lines for me. :)

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-Mike B.
Son of Hulk

I rode RT last friday, hoping it would be better after the re-tracking. Worst Woodie Ever. I even caught airtime in the valleys because of the potholes!

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

The first time I rode this ride it was actualy decent. It looked like crap, but ran great. Now the ride is stunning and runs like crap. All in all, Rolling Thunder may be isht, but Grizzly at Great America is even more isht

I remember when the trains would race. They also didn't have seat dividers or head rests and Great Adventure still used the cool rainbow logo.

That was probably in the mid to late 80's.

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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

I think the last time I remember RT racing was in 99 or 2000. Does anyone know why the left is running now and not the right like last year? I never had a huge problem with the ride, I always found it to be fun. This year it seemed better.

Just to throw some fuel to the fire about Viper. I was standing in line for Nitro at the park yesterday (Monday June 23) and these teenage boys behind were talking. One of them asked his friend, " if you were the president of the park what ride would you tear down if you had to? So the kid actually thinks about it and says The chiller. I was shocked and I asked why not Viper. He said Viper is great and hopes its never torn down and he would tear The Chiller because its lines are always long. I cant figure out why he would keep Viper and tear down the Chiller...lets hope he never becomes park president.

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Shop @ www.countypaintball.com "Paintball should be fun, not expensive"
*** This post was edited by Sugart 6/24/2003 4:51:54 PM ***

Yeah, I still don't understand why parks don't race coasters. Sure, its all about capacity, but for God's sake! Look at BGT with Gwazi. Gwazi has 2 tracks for a reason! Yet they still didn't race them when I was there. No sense at all.

Have a nice day! :)

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If at first don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

The far turnaround is still being re-tracked on the right side and they hope to have it open by mid-July. As for the left side, they only re-tracked the turnaround and the final turn into the brakes. It is hard to tell but it is better. Go on a warm evening after its been running all day or after a light rain shower for a decent ride. Also, the yellow train is by far the best on the left side this season. The blue train came over from the right side and isn't quite broken in yet so it runs much slower. I can also confirm it did in fact run with the right side backwards in 1984.

I DID ride it after a light rain. I shudder to think how it may be worse.

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

RTneedsTLC (and it definitely does, LOL): A little *banking* specifically in those turns might save a lot more retracking later....and who knows, it might be a little easier on the trains AND the riders...;)

bill, rode RT when it was near new...it was *better* IIRC...but..."Sir, you are no PKI Racer"....STILL hard to believe this was the same Bill Cobb from the Riverside Cyclone....hmmm, maybe his evil twin??!!??

MarimbaGuy87 said:
Yeah, I still don't understand why parks don't race coasters. Sure, its all about capacity, but for God's sake! Look at BGT with Gwazi. Gwazi has 2 tracks for a reason! Yet they still didn't race them when I was there. No sense at all.

There is some sense. It helps capacity quite a bit to not have one train waiting for the other. Is the capacity worth the trade-off to not duel? I don't think so.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

I made my first visit to SFGAdv this weekend and Rolling Thunder became my 3rd least favorite wooden coaster. That was until the next day when it moved down to 2nd worst as Hercules climbed a couple spots since it didn't grind or hurt as much this year and it was actually a little fun. It was really silly how bad RT was. Just sad.

Viper on the other hand was pure wild insanity and I loved it. It's been awhile since I've gotten off a coaster and wondered what the heck just happened to me. This is a steelie with a little personality and would probably end up on my top 10 for "whoa factor".

-Danny
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Coaster Insomniacs

i like RT myself. It beats you around but thats why it's called Rolling Thunder! I'll always ride it once at the park whenever I go, which is often cuz it's my home park.

Now really, if u want rough go on Great White in Wildwood. thats rough as anything...but awesome!

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"If it's just us...seems like an awful waste of space." -Contact