Steeper than vertical - A new trend?

After Maurer sold two of their 97° drop coasters, a new extremely compact loop coaster with a vertical lift/cliffhanger drop is finally debuting in germany.

Concept sketches appeared over three years ago and a certain showman announced the ride since then. It became the running joke of the industry, since the ride never materialized and numerous fairground dates had to be cancelled.

Just when everyone thought the ride was a hoax, it finally became a reality.

The "Tower coaster" is manufactured by SFB Visa Group, Italy.

http://www.sbfrides.com/prodotti.php?categoria=1&sottocategoria=27

(scroll down and enlarge)

It will be called "Cool and Fresh" by its owner. After the vertical climb the four person cars will slowly crest the lift and will be SLOWLY going down nearly half the drop. It will then accelerate to go through a quite small vertical loop. After a curve and an S-bend its back to the station.

The only intersting part would have been the vertical lift and steeper than vertical drop. But where Maurer´s Vild Svinet managed to manouver this tricky element with style and grace, this ride seems to rely on heavy braking. I guess it will resemble the Screaming Squirrel more then the Maurer coaster.

Here you can see some pics of the trailers with the folded tower and close ups of the cars:

http://home.uni-one.nl/nlun2830/Cool&Fresh/cool&fresh.html

(you`ll also find the original sketches, while listening to an ultra-cheesy version of "She´s fresh". I love dutch websites.)

It looks like its a very gimmicky ride, and finally marks the end of the huge multi million euro coasters- era.
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I love the gentle people
*** This post was edited by tricktrack 10/29/2003 4:29:20 AM ***

I dont see much attraction to a more-than-veritcal drop. Dropping straight down is exciting. Being thrown against the restraints is not.

The only problem with your educational post is that Maurer didn't make Vild Svinet or any of the other 90*+ coasters - Gerstlauer did.

-Nate

Bon Bon Land in Denmark has a coaster witth a steeper than 90 degreee drop.

See the link:

http://www.bonbon-land.dk/03uk/index.htm

Uh, that's Vlid-Svinet...

-Nate

Think you got Mauer Shone mixed up with Gerslauer.

Chuck ------------------
Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

That has honestly got to be one of the UGLIEST & stupidest coasters I've ever seen.

I can see the point to the S&S Screaming Squirrel. I can see the concept awhile ago when they came out with a REGULAR coaster with a 90+ degree angle... it could be done... but this makes no sense. It's ugly, it's a one-shot-trick, and it just doesn't do it for me.

Kind of reminds me of Wind Jammer with a vertical drop.
But mainly... reminds me of most carnie rides... unreliable & not that much fun.

I don't know the manufacture's reputation in thea amusement business... but they definately don't look like they have too much experience in the coater industry!

Ooops, my bad. I mixed them up indeed. They are all from south germany anyway (not that this was an excuse;-))

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i was a teenage rollercoaster designer

Are you talking about Vild Svinet Dawg?? I actually thought it was a cool looking coaster. In addition to the steeper than vertical drop it had the psuedo Stengel Dive and the almost circular loop (That's three tricks). The helix looks phat too. I am curious why the actual ride wasn't built with two helices as demonstrated in the concept art.

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Lyrically, I'm supposed to represent
I'm not only a client, I'm the playa president!

That's just another kind of model. The park had ordered one model which they could pay for and they got one. And a good one too...

However there's one problem and that's Gerstlauer using magnetic brakes in the midbrake section and with magnetic brakes, they can't just be turned of so they always slow down the car just before the helix. But this isn't something that Gerstlauer aren't unaware of and they're looking for a solution so the car can go around the helix with the speed it was intended to do.

These Tsunami concepts that Gerstlauer offers are very nice and I think we'll see more of them. Smaller parks can afford something special that pretty much everyone can enjoy riding.

Edit: Oh and DawgByte... you don't know what you're talking about.
*** This post was edited by olov 10/29/2003 12:33:08 PM ***

I was referring to the "SFB Visa Group" coaster... the "tower coaster". That is just a 1-trick pony that's really just... well... dumb. I just don't see it going over that well with enthusiasts... you slowly go around the top of the lift, drop down slowly, then fast enough to make the loop, come back around & it's over! 1-Trick Pony.

The "Vild Svinet" @ Bon-Bon Land, on the other hand... looks pretty sweet. It's got a pretty wild layout for what looks to be a wild-mouse coaster... gone wild. That has a 90+ degree decent that looks a little more natural.

that ride looks painful.

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I am one.
I am Turbo.
Top Thrill in the front row... anything else is lame
X...Whoa

Whoever designed that should be casturated. I mean, that thing looks PAINFUL! A sharp turn like that!

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Love,
The Mole

DawgByte II said: But mainly... reminds me of most carnie rides... unreliable & not that much fun.

Well, that's the point - it *is* a "carnie" ride (that is, it will travel in Europe). However, I (and many others, I'm sure) will definitely take issue with the second part of your comment. Depending on the carnival, of course, traveling rides are *often* very, very reliable; if you call them "not very much fun," I think it's obvious you've never been on a newer good one then.

-Nate
*** This post was edited by coasterdude318 10/29/2003 3:19:07 PM ***

Damn, Nate beat me to it :).

Adam
forever a Top Scan, Shake, Mega Drop and Afterburner devotee

DawgByte II said:
I just don't see it going over that well with enthusiasts...

And amusement parks everywhere said: 'So?'

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-Mike
Say hello to all the apples on the ground--
They were once in your eyes but you sneezed them out while sleeping -MJK
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The Mole said:
Whoever designed that should be casturated [sic]. I mean, that thing looks PAINFUL! A sharp turn like that!

Wow, harsh words. I guess it hasn't occurred to you that there are brakes before that sharp turn. Ride manufacturers aren't stupid enough to put the car through a sharp turn at high speeds.

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Six Flags Worlds of Adventure Online

Obviously Phantom Tails hasn't ridden the Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, or ever heard of Shockwave or GASM.

-Nate

That loop HAS to be intense.

With Vild Svinet, the 95* or 97* drop is done on a more natural curve. this looks like a P. I don't think it will go over well, and the G's in that loop must be comparable to the Flip Flap. Also, if it is heavily breaked on the 90+ part, is it really a more than 90* drop?

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I am one.
I am Turbo.
Top Thrill in the front row... anything else is lame
X...Whoa