Rye Playland - Dragon Coaster train restoration status?

I was looking through Trip Reports for some info on an upcomming trip and found the following report

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=33151

Inside, there is a mention about Playland trying to restore the original trains of Dragon Coaster and put them back on the ride. Anyone know of any updates/status/info?

Thanks,
EV

Sounds like "wishful thinking" but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway. I know the tunnel was restored for the '04 season so perhaps there is some truth to this after all?

How awesome would restored Prior & Church trains and a rebuilt Aeroplane be?

FWIW I'd heard the same story from a number of sources close to the park. But it's not a given that those trains will actually run again.

I'd like to think that the possibility exists. I have a feeling that the Dragon Coaster would be a much better ride with proper rolling stock.

Almost ANYTHING over those horrible Morgans would be an imporvement.

Probably. Even Gerstlauers would be better.

By the way, SLFAKE, have you checked your private messages lately?

Its the coatser in the Mariah Carey video!!!111

It was also in a Glenn Close movie... I want to say Fatal Attraction but I'm not certain.

I think there's actually a sign near the Dragon Coaster that explains the park's wishes regarding restoring and running the original trains. I'm not sure they'd offer any improvement in the ride, however. It's not the trains that are the problem, it's just flat-out boring.

-Nate

I prefer to call it "uneventful" since the ride was designed to compliment the wild Aeroplane!

While much of the "lack of thrills" has to do with the actual design, I know that the original trains are much heavier and would probably have a little more momentum as they traverse the coaster's layout. The coaster would also be smoother, since the Morgans tend to rattle their way along the course.

I didn't have a problem with the Morgan trains on that ride. In fact, the only rides I've ridden with Morgan trains that ran poorly were PGA's Grizzly and SFMM's Collossus. In other cases, I thought the Morgan trains tracked amazingly well.

-Nate

A friend of mine has likened the experience of riding in Morgans to that of rolling down a hill in a shopping cart. The trains track okay- I will give them that much. But they feel like plastic tubs that have no mass, the unpadded seats are torture on any coaster that isn't glass-smooth, and the lap bars create a tight fit for people of reasonable proportions.

I don't know the status of the trains, I'll see if I can find anything out. I can tell you that the Dragon's head is back on the ride. Here is a shot of it:

http://www.ryeplayland.org/RidesAttactions/MajorRides/DCoaster.jpg

It looks fantastic. I am also told that they have put strobe lights and other effects inside the tunnel. It also spews smoke out the nostrols, which you can see is the photo.

All of this is a great improvement, but having the original trains should vastly improve the ride with their heavier weight and just the fact they would be the only ones running, so the history alone behind them is neat.

*** Edited 5/18/2004 9:42:51 PM UTC by Black 7***

The original trains- they were made up of two-bench cars, right? Not single-bench cars like most P&C "Bobs" coasters (and GCII Millennium Flyers?)

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Rob Ascough said: (in regards to Morgan trains) the unpadded seats are torture on any coaster that isn't glass-smooth, and the lap bars create a tight fit for people of reasonable proportions.

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Don't all of the bars for a train come down together?

While boarding the Dragon Coaster for my second ride last August, the op was trying to put the lap bars down but couldn't get them to lock. I was worried that I was the cause of it (gotta to lose a little weight), but was a bit confused because I rode successfully a earlier. The "culprit" was the man in the seat in front of me. He was rather thin, but he was TALL... and the bar kept hitting his legs and would not close. He was turned away.

Come to think of it, all the bars do come down together, like on Arrow mine trains. And, like Arrow mine train cars, they are not designed for tall people. I had the same problem with my legs because I am 6'3" tall. I wasn't turned away, but it was definitely a tight fit for me.

Rob - yes the P&C's are single bench.

Morgan trains track and run alright, but they feel too light for me. Thats my beef about them.

They have no mass. They feel as though they lose momentum when they should be gaining momentum.

mOOSH: The Dragon Coaster had single-bench cars?

Actually Moosh and Rob - The Dragon was one of the few (if not only) P&C coaster with 2 bench trains. They have one of the cars in front of the Dragon and one in the musuem. If memory serves me right - they have three complete trains in storage.

The Dragons mouth has been completely redone and looks very unlike the original - if click on the link you can see it on Playland's website: http://www.ryeplayland.org/RidesAttactions/default.htm

Being that Playland is a government run park park - things tend to move very slowly. I know that there is interest in getting rid of the Morgans - they've had meeting with a least one coaster car manufacturer, but what will replace them (or when) is anyones guess.

Best,
Jim 'jimvid' McDonnell