Texas Giant sports steel track in $10 million upgrade

Well this is surprising. Did they mention anything about this before?

I don't recall that they did. There are a few more pics from Amusement Today (which I didn't link to because their crappy Web site isn't dynamic, and stuff just disappears with no hard link).

While I don't like to judge it before I ride it, I'm going to anyways. I don't like this.

Why wouldn't they mention this before? Seems like a significant piece of information that they (seemingly intentionally) left out.

Steel rusts. The wooden structure is 20 years old and the bolts and nails that hold that wood together are starting to rust. I know because I worked on an old wooden coaster. So they have a new steel track on an old wood frame that's going to have to be replaced soon. So what have they gained?

The big question in my mind is what happens to the trains. They presumably need to have different wheels at least.

So it's now a steel coaster.....hmm...!

Here's what came to mind for me...

http://themeparks.about.com/b/2010/01/15/six-flags-chief-checks-out...tition.htm

Shapiro sees Voyage's steel structure, and says "Hey that's a great ride. Let's throw a few steel beams on the Texas Giant. That'll solve the problem!" :)

So this isn't an Intamin plug and play wooden tack design we're talking about here. This is just straight up steel I-beams? Similar to Superman the Escape and Dodonpa? I just thought the general consesus was that I-beam tracked coasters don't ride as well as tubular track coasters for some reason but perhaps I am wrong. Interesting.

I thought this was going to be getting the G2 trains as found on Mammut. Maybe it's the same chassis but different wheel sets.

If this ends up being Colossuck at SFMM (the only other "woodie" I know of that has steel I-beam), I'm not going to be a happy gator...but I'll wait until I ride.

The new Gerstlauer Trains will have polyurethane coated wheels.

Yup...Magic Mountain's Colossus had the i-beam retrofit done as well a few years ago to cut down on maintenance and upkeep.

All in all do you think this will be money well spent based on all the factors?

Since no one needs to walk the track anymore, I wonder if there will still be walkways and handrails, particularly on the section with the 95 degree overbanked turn.

So Colossus is a steel coaster now? I wasn't aware of that.

Trackwalker said:
Steelrusts. The wooden structure is 20 years old and the bolts and nailsthat hold that wood together are starting to rust. I know because Iworked on an old wooden coaster. So they have a new steel track on anold wood frame that's going to have to be replaced soon. So what havethey gained?

I sure as hell hope they've replaced bolts and wood in the last 20 years. If not, I can't see how it's still standing.

Is this still a wood coaster ? In my thinking it is
because a coaster with steel supports and a wood track bed is a wood coaster why would the opposite not be the case.
The steel track looks like it conforms to the wood track profile.
so the same trains (with new wheels) will/can be used.
The wood posts look new in the pictures (or at least pressure washed and resealed)so this looks like a win/win/win to me
smoother ride, less maintenance ,and little bit taller profile.

If the put wood decking over the steel the ride will still look like a wood decked coaster but will be running on steel.

Kevin38

PS it sure is better than what they have been doing ie: replace a coaster with a kiddy/flat ride to keep the rides in the park number the same.

It's a coaster with steel track on a wooden structure, like Gemini at CP. The track is the deciding factor, so it's now a steel coaster.

kpjb said:
It's a coaster with steel track on a wooden structure, like Gemini at CP. The track is the deciding factor, so it's now a steel coaster.

Why ? all wood coasters have steel plates that the train rides on so the plate in this case is attached to a steel frame.How much metal on the track turns it from a wood coaster to a steel coaster ?

IMHO, Texas Giant will no longer be considered a wood coaster. See the following examples of steel track on wood structure:
Cedar Creek Mine Ride - Cedar Point

Gemini - Cedar Point

Excalibur - Valleyfair

and the best one out there...

Mine Train - Six Flags over Texas

Sure the new track holds the same dimensions and general look of traditional wood coaster track, but what's really the difference between the square beam rails and Arrow-style round rails?

Anyone got pics of Collosus post-I-Beam retrofit? I searched but didn't find any. Didn't American Eagle at SFGAm also get the I-beam treatment?