The future of Looping Woodies

Will there be anymore? Son of beast got mixed reviews. Do you think that the looping woodie was a one time deal?

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There will be more if parks order them. However, it was likely done on SOB because it hadn't been done before in modern times. And now companies like CCI and GCI will probably leave that alone because they have a really killer way of doing things, and why not just stick with what woodies do best. Sure the best part of SOB was the loop in many peoples opinion, but it feels like a steel coaster there. So why not just leave the loops to the steel rides?

I think that wood coasters shouldn't have a loop because they weren't built to have them, and once you get going that fast it just beats the heck out of you and you can't really enjoy the ride.
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Bobby
DOT crew 2000
Flight of Fear/Wave Swinger crew 2001-2002

FoF,

Many of the early wooden coasters had loops, but had design flaws so they weren't very popular. However, I see no reason why loops can't exsist on other wooden coasters. After all, the loop on Son of Beast is quite popular.

Also, the 'rough speed' of Son of Beast really doesn't effect the loop IMO because the drop into the loop, and exit are very smooth. Perhaps I am not understanding you correctly. I just don't see how the loop effects the fact that the ride may be rough at times.

-Sean

Sean F.: I wouldn't go as far to say many had loops, only one other woodie had a loop besides SOB.

As far for the roughness i was talking about was the rest of the ride in the two helixes and the other parts, also lets face it when a wood rollercoaster does go 78 mph, its going to be rough there is nothing that can really be done, except adding pads or something, so you can't tell me it won't be rough.

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Bobby
DOT crew 2000
Flight of Fear/Wave Swinger crew 2001-2002

FoF said:

also lets face it when a wood rollercoaster does go 78 mph, its going to be rough there is nothing that can really be done, except adding pads or something, so you can't tell me it won't be rough.
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Bobby
DOT crew 2000
Flight of Fear/Wave Swinger crew 2001-2002

How about getting better trains so that tall people, like me, can ride SOB without any problems? I do like the coaster with the layout, height, speed and loop, but I don't like the trains that Preimere Rides made for the coaster. I can hardly fit in the damn things. :(

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Bill Yost
http://www.small-business-webs.com/pkizone

Fof: Many old coasters did have loops. My father has a collection of thousands upon thousands of old amusement park postcards. I've probably seen a dozen or more seperate looping woodies in there. Many looked downright painful with small ciruclar loops.

FoF said:

when a wood rollercoaster does go 78 mph, its going to be rough there is nothing that can really be done, except adding pads or something, so you can't tell me it won't be rough.

Not quite. Tell that to Intamin with their revolutionary new wooden coaster design. Colossus goes 75mph and most people say it's smoother than their steel coasters. I can't wait till we get one in the states. (Balder also looks like it will be amazing, thought shorter than Colossus)

I can name at least three looping wood coasters off the top of my head...

SOB, Flip Flap and Loop the Loop

I am sure there have been more.

But in regards to the question at hand... I think we will only see another looping woodie only if a park is willing to spend that kind of money in the future. Right now the future looks pretty dim for any coaster additions for the next few years. A looping woodie is a huge expense and only certain designers/builders are willing to take on a challenge such as that. Quite honestly, companies such as CCI, GCI as good as they are, like to stay within the confines of their own little box. They are not open to experiment. or anxious to stretch their boundries.

It took PKI going to THE top coaster designer in the world (at present) to get their looping woodie. That was all PKI wanted in the beginning. SOB started from a question. "Why don't we see if we can succesfully add a wooden coaster that loops." Herr Stengel is the one that can be acknowledged for the enormity and size of SOB. PKI didn't initially want the tallest, fastest etc. They just wanted it to go upside down.

Anyway, PKI had the $ and the initiative. And the sought out, and found, someone able to break the mold. They succeeded and got their looping woodie. They sunk countless millions and years into it. None of us can or should balk at their willingness and ability to push the boundries.

But alas, I cannot think of any other park willing to try it... to take on the challenge... to spend the money and do it right.

Personally, it's been done (the loop) and done VERY well. Any more would just be copy-cats riding on SOB's shirt tails.

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

Despite being referred to as a wooden coaster in "The American Roller Coaster" by Rutherford, pictures make it clear that Flip Flap Railway ran on steel rails. Most of the early loopers seem to have had steel rails, though you are correct that the Coney Island Loop The Loop was a woodie. The confusion on Flip Flap is probably due to its largely wooden structure.

Also, some of the early loopers did not have circular loops. The loops had shapes similar to modern loops. These included Flip Flap and Looping The Loop in California. What really killed the early loopers was the use of single cars that carried only a couple of people. This just made them uneconomical to operate.

Many early coasters ran on steel rails. If you look at photos of earlyt scenic railways, steel rails are quite common.

Shaggy,

I agree with you once again. However, I do know of one park that was to install a wooden looper before PKI but decided not to build it at the last minute. It wasn't going to break any other records for speed or height, but it was to be the first modern day wooden looper. Thanks to the park for canning the idea, PKI has the honor of being the only park with a wooden looping coaster in the world.

-Sean

I think the whole point of wood is to stay classic and to almost travel back in time to the golden coaster years. As much as I do love steel coasters, w/o wood, the park wouldn't be as entertaining. I haven't ridden SOB, so I don't have a comment on that, but I really like the old style, airtime machines. CCI is doing excellent right now and their rides are outstanding (probably not the most accurate decleration since I've only ridden 2) but I got to say that if SFGAm would set out to build another wood coaster (which I think they really need because I personally don't think the Viper is that great and Eagle is awesome but in pretty bad shape. But anyway if they would build a wood, I'd prefer an out and back maybe 100 ft tall over a 200' one with a loop. That's my opinion.
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The "problems" with SoB have absolutely nothing to do with the loop or the structure around the loop. IMO, the "roughness" was due more to the speed carried at the top of the second hill and the "flatness" of the turn entering the first helix. The rest of the coaster itself was near perfect, and will only get better as the terrain fills in. The trains themselves have gotten some bad reviews, but I think could be OK with some more SOFT padding.

SFGAMDie HARD has a great point. Actually, a park that put a loop on an out-n-back would probably have an incredible coaster on their hands, with minimal complaints. But you DO need considerable speed to put in a loop ona woodie since you really can NOT have a tight radius on the loop...

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rollergator said:

But you DO need considerable speed to put in a loop ona woodie since you really can NOT have a tight radius on the loop...
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Not with 3 bench trains like SOB, your right.........but some GCI Millennium Flyers could do a nice tight loop.

I think will see a few more in the next couple of years.

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I would love to see more looping woodies, but please spare cobra rolls and corkscrews! How about a Double Loop of the pine family? :)
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