Schwartzkopf's Legacy

As many enthusiasts know, Anton Schwartzkopf was a true pioneer of roller coaster design. His creations continue to thrill us in theme parks across the nation and the world. I have even heard an enthusiast describe him as "someone who wrote poetry with steel".

However, true poetry lasts forever. Coasters do not. Sometime in the future, Schwartzkopf's great coasters......from the Revolution, to the Scorpion, to Mind Bender are going to succumb to the ravages of time.

The question is........why didn't Anton leave behind anyone to continue his work? Why aren't Schwartzkopf-inspired creations still being manufactured to this day? Henry Ford has been dead for years, and there's still Ford automobiles coming off the assembly lines ever day........so why aren't Schwartzkopf coasters continuing to be made?

A bankruptcy knocked out a huge chunk of his business. I think his son still makes trains. But look at how his creations are handeling their age, they are almost run as well as the day they opened. He was a true master at bending steel.

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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com

I'd really like to see a similar coaster developer come out and continue the compact and wickedly twisted beasts that he created, RIP Anton!

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Tuesday's Gone With The Wind.
Elijah Rock.
Is it written in the stars?
La Vie Boheme!!!

Maybe his son will someday.

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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com

I think his coasters may be too intense for today's society. Many of his creations have been nuetered (Revolution, Mindbender) or shut down (Texas Tornado).

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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.

Revolution would be a top 10 steelie for sure if they would get rid of those useless OTSRs and go with lap bars only like on other Schwartzkopf trains.

Umm, am *I* the only one that has been on a Premier rides coaster recently? Those "spaghetti bowl" coasters are even more dementedly twisted than Texas Tornado. And that whole "tophat" bit was just freaky! But that's just my opinion.
lata,
jeremy
Mr. Freeze: Have an ICE ride!

And to think I'm going all the way out to California for one of his shuttles! Well two, if ya count Montezooma. ;)
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Brad Sherman
BuzzCon Frequent Flyer, helping to train new ride ops properly!
Model coasters and rides

I know his Legacy will live on. A company known as Premier rides has reinvented lapbars on looping coasters (Invented by Schwartzkopf). It seems like Premier is taking on where he left off at on their style of coasters. I hope to see new Premier looping coasters get built soon I love the ones I've been on (Mr Freeze & FOF).

Premier knows that OTS are more of a saftey risk then lapbars are.

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Chris Knight
CP Sea Gull population 1,000,000
CP Mufflehead population 1,000,000,000

Sawblade5 said:

Premier knows that OTS are more of a saftey risk then lapbars are.
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Chris Knight
CP Sea Gull population 1,000,000
CP Mufflehead population 1,000,000,000

When I tell my friends that they don't believe me!

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It's his turn to feast, when you ride the Son of Beast.

I also know if it wasn't for Schwartzkopf having lapbars on his looping coasters, I doubt Premier would have even messed with replacing OTS with lapbars on those looping coaster of theirs.

I belive on what Premier done on thier looping coasters is a great tribute to the legend Anton Schwartzkopf. Looping coasters was ment to be expericenced without having to deal with head banging restraints.

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Chris Knight
CP Sea Gull population 1,000,000
CP Mufflehead population 1,000,000,000

And if you think about where would Premier be without shuttle coasters and lets all recall where that started...

Don't you think Magic Mountain may put it back to lap bars instead of building a new coaster? I think they may someday because they are "The Xtreme Park!" lol... I have big wishes.

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www.EverythingRollerCoaster.com
~I rode my first coaster June 2001 and since then I have ridden 43 different coasters!

CoasterCrazyOne said:

Don't you think Magic Mountain may put it back to lap bars instead of building a new coaster? I think they may someday because they are "The Xtreme Park!" lol... I have big wishes.

He's talking about Revolution at SFMM.

I know it can be done. Clam Shell lap bars would be the perfect option (which is used on the Premier Looping Coasters). It is also up to the State of California (Which is married to OTS on everything idea) to allow it. I belive they made them put OTS on that ride in the first place. If you can't get rid of the OTS I think they should put soft OTS restraints like you see on Vekoma's Flying Dutchman Coasters.

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Chris Knight
CP Sea Gull population 1,000,000
CP Mufflehead population 1,000,000,000

*** This post was edited by Sawblade5 on 6/20/2002. ***

Den said:
I think his coasters may be too intense for today's society. Many of his creations have been nuetered (Revolution, Mindbender) or shut down (Texas Tornado).
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.

Um, Texas Tornado is currently closed due to Wieland and how he designed the new OTSRs for the coaster. Trust me, if the park could have Texas Tornado open, they would. The ride will be opening soon, with a completely new OTSR. How would you feel to have an accordian restraint push down on you, when you are pulling 6 g's?

Also, Sawblade5, Clamshell restraints are found on B&M Hyper coasters, a clamshell lapbar, at the top, looks extremely simliar to, you guessed it, a clamshell. Premier's restraints are basically, just a lapbar and a legroll, thats about it, nothing clamish to them.

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Nessy: Ride of Steel
Webmaster of Digital Coaster - http://digital-coaster.com

But in California don't forget there are two loopers with only lapbars, mind you they are both Schwarzkopf shuttle loopers

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Aughhh look out there are Mice all around

Mindender at SFoGA will never go away, this clasic Anton ride has been operating for 15 years. It has 2 verticals loops and a helix that is reknowned as being the "3rd loop", I feel it is a helix and not a horsantal loop.

SFoGA will have riots if they tear this one down, not to mention there is no point SFoGA has about 200 acres of land they own they ain't even touched yet. Premeir park screwed um during the seasaons they ran the park, which is why they (six flags) won a 250 million doller suit for SFoGA, I expect SFoGA to expand greatly the next few years.

Whizzer Boi said:
"But in California don't forget there are two loopers with only lapbars, mind you they are both Schwarzkopf shuttle loopers
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Great point. What's up with that? Whenever I've ridden Revolution, I always imagined how great it would be with just lapbars. Even the way it is, it's about my favorite coaster at Magic Mountain, but get rid of them OTSR's and gee, that would be swell. :-)
I'm anxious to try Flight of Fear with the lapbars. I rode it once with the OTSR's and swore I would never suffer through that again.
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-Matt in Iowa
193 coasters ridden -- #1 Shivering Timbers -- 40 Laps -- Back Seat!

yes, i agree, Anton was a genius. i remember when i first rode the laser at dorney. i couldnt for the life of me understand how u didnt fall out w just a lap bar there holding u in. thanx to some physics classes in high school, i understand now. its just great to ride a ride w loops, g-forces, and helixs and get to experience it without an annoying shoulder harness. its a very free, feeling. i think anton was a very brilliant designer, especially designing rides that can be transported and assembled and disassembled when necessary. his rides pack a punch. the laser lasts about 20 seconds(not including the 10 minute agononizing climb up the lift hill), yet when its over all u can say is "uh, what happened". like u got thrown into a tornado. and the way he designed the ride tracks to go under and over themselves, squeezing the whole ride in a compact area, is genius. when ur on the laser you duck your head the entire time because it feels like ur gonna slam into the supports, its crazy. even when u look at the ride, it doesnt look like it can run withought crashing. his loops and helixes were all thought out very carefully.

Lallen said:
The question is........why didn't Anton leave behind anyone to continue his work? Why aren't Schwartzkopf-inspired creations still being manufactured to this day? Henry Ford has been dead for years, and there's still Ford automobiles coming off the assembly lines ever day........so why aren't Schwartzkopf coasters continuing to be made?

He left behind his design team at Senyo who is still building up to his glory with loopers like Venus. Senyo still works today with companys like Maure Shone and Sansei to produce quality loopers and speed racers. The question is, are they anywhere near as good? Read my review to find out:

[~]Venus-Did you think Senyo could design another world class looper without Schwarzkopf's help? I didn't think so either, but then I was wrong again. Venus was the most out of control steel coaster I have ever ridden, and it still holds that reign in my book. The laterals and intensity on this cyclone can only be topped by a woodie. I never thought a steel would be able to whip me around like this and have yet to find a challenger.

He also left behind his son who still builds rides. If I remember correctly his son was at IAAPA 2002 Show showing of his Robocoaster.

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 6/20/2002. ***