Track Support Sighting

Last weekend while I was in Wichita, KS, I took a drive around the Chance facility just to see what I could see. The front of the main office now proclaims the facility to be "Chance Morgan Corporate Headquarters."

The southwest corner of the complex is where used rides are often parked; currently there are two racked Inverters, one or two racked Chaos rides, and a very ancient-looking racked Zipper.

An area on the south side of the complex is what really caught my eye. It was late at night when I drove by, and the area is surrounded by a fairly obtrusive fence, but I didn't miss the stack of large, Morgan-hyper-type track supports lying there on the concrete lot. There were probably eight or ten steel supports of various lengths, the longest of which had to have been 50-60 feet long. All were three to four feet in diameter, and were either painted silver or just covered with primer.

I'm not always completely up-to-date on what park is building what coaster by what company, and I haven't heard lately of any park planning on building a Morgan coaster. Anyone know of any current/future Chance Morgan coaster projects? I highly doubt the supports are just some type of stock-pile. Can't picture coaster engineers/construction crews just running back to the support pile and saying, "Um, yeah, grab one of those and one of those. They'll probably fit."

Perhaps the supports are for the new hyper that's been rumored for Wichita's own Joyland, just a hop-skip-and-jump from Chance? But seriously, folks, how odd is it that the hometown amusement park of such a large ride manufacturer only has one ride from said company? (The train.) Joyland would do very nicely adding any of Chance's spin-and-pukes.

Anyhoo, I've rambled long enough. Everyone take care and have a happy and healthy holiday season.

These were probably for the Superman hypercoaster Six Flags Mexico was supposed to receive, as the color seems about right.. It looks like that project has been cancelled, so I don't know where the ride will end up.

-Nate

Maybe Worlds of Adventure will be getting one after all.

rockinrodney said:

But seriously, folks, how odd is it that the hometown amusement park of such a large ride manufacturer only has one ride from said company
CCI was right down the street from Kings Island but did they ever get one of their coasters? nope

Hmmm could be many things...all of the below are just speculation:

They could be doing some paint tests. Put some paint on the supports and see which one lasts through the weather.

Stress tests (not likely done outside like that).

Rumored SFWoA coaster that has been put off, or another parks put off coaster...most likely the parts wouldn't be laying around like that though.

If they are different sizes they could be just laying them out and talking to see which one might look that best on a certain part of the ride. I know many designers that do that.

Other than that who knows.

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"The Future of Roller Coasters"
-RollerCoasterGod
Haunted Ohio Parks...you've been warned!!

The SFWoA coaster has NOT been put off.. Why does everyone assume this? Last year it wasnt built since it didnt get the approvement it needed, it got them earler this year.. No one really knows if its going to built or not, but if it was confirmed its not being built, show me the proof. Remember, XF didnt start construction until January, and wasn't announced until later.

Steve, the last quarterly earnings from Six Flags involved which parks will receive attractions. SFWoA was not on that list (at least I dont remember them mentioning it).

Of course I could be wrong. Just stating what I remember. :)

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2 superheroes in Gurnee next season? Oh the humanity. :)

Jeff said SFWoA is getting an Intamin:

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=22361

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It's Giant, it's Inverted, it's a Boomerang, Beeyatch!

Yeah, but Jeff is as dumb as us when it comes to SFWoA, but Cedar Point...

And BB, we heard you the first time.

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Säubern Sie mit Milch?

RollerCoasterGod said:

They could be doing some paint tests. Put some paint on the supports and see which one lasts through the weather.

I don't think they'd use full sized supports for this

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
You must be this dumb to ride Viper. -SFGAdv.

Just a guess...but maybe an existing Morgan needed some TLC in the support department.

C'mon, you can't just take out a support and say "Ok, it'll hold til we get it back."

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SFNE Central- Online Six Flags New England Resource
Devoted Intamin Lover for Life!

Let's not forget about Michigan Adventure's Chance-Morgan hyper that's been delayed from its original planned 2001 debut... I'm not so sure that it's on for next year, but I'm sure that it's still in the works...

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~ Blast Coaster
COASTER-net.com | BlastCoaster@coaster-net.com

bigkirby said:
Maybe Worlds of Adventure will be getting one after all.

That would be so nice. But unfortunately they for sure won't. At the ACE X-mas party today Shannon Pak from SFWoA told us there will NOT be a new rollercoaster. So that puts the rumors to rest (hopefully). But she did say they might build it for 2004.

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Six Flags, the only chain of parks that can manage to have stacking with a one train operation.

Did I say they would leave the area empty? Most all companies would build the replacement prior to removing the existing piece.

Sorry...I assumed that would be inferred.