Rye Playland - Dragon Coaster train restoration status?

Thanks for the correction, Jim ;)

I've been told that the coaster was a much better ride with the original trains. Having never ridden either way I can't really comment! Hopefully, I'll fix that little problem soon!

That new dragon head is wild! I like it better than the original. I always thought it looked kinda fish like.

One more thing I meant to add about the new dragon mouth that it has been fitted with a fog machine to look like smoke coming out the dragon's mouth - I'm not sure if this is operational yet.

Jim 'jimvid' McDonnell

I'm glad that Playland decided to refurbish the tunnel. Its one of those little details that could easily have been ignored, as it really doesn't do much for the ride itself, but instead the park chose to put a lot of effort into it. The fog machine idea sounds great... brings back memories of Magnum in its early years!

I am kinda surprised that the park is looking to replace the Morgans, as I figured that they would run them until they were pretty much useless. Heck, I'm surprised that they kept 3 original trains instead of junking them!

Anyone know if GCII is in the business of rebuilding P&C rolling stock?

Not that I'm aware of, Rob.

It would be a cool project to restore the P&C trains though.

Playland is one park I want to visit this year. I just dread the NYC traffic.

Coasterpunk; I assume you would be coming from Route 80, as you live by Knoebels. With that in mind...

Take Route 287 north when you reach it on Route 80 (about 30 minutes into the state after you cross the Water Gap). Follow 287 north and then east when you reach the NY State line. Follow 287 over the Tappan Zee Bridge, take Route 95 North when you see the exit, and follow that a few exits until you reach Playland Parkway. You will completely avoid NYC by doing that. The whole trip should take you 3 hours and change, since there is very little traffic when you take that route.

I once read that GCII isn't in the business of supplying trains for coasters other than their own, but considering the company's thing for P&C rides, I wonder if an exception would be made?

I would *hope* that GCII would at least CONSIDER building trains not JUST for the classic P&C rides, but for other classic coasters as well. With the way the M-Flyers run SO cleanly through the course, it would help prevent the kind of damage done when older coasters run, well, let's just say "inferior quality trains"...

I am also a fan of PTCs, but you can just TELL the damage done to trackwork (AND the riders) when coasters run Morgans, Gerstlauers, etc....let's not even THINK about what happens when you run B&M wooden trains or Premier wooden trains....UGH! :(

Damage done with Morgans Bill? Dare I bring Santa Cruz into this...

I'll give you the Gerstlauers, though. Yikes!

I'll have to try that route Rob. Now to get some time to do it! :)

Black 7 said:
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.

I was there on opening day. There is now a spray mist coming from the dragons mouth as you enter the tunnel, no effects or strobe inside.

i took some photos from opening day here:

http://rollercoaster.dreamhost.com/photos/Rye%20Playland/Dragon%20Coaster/