VF High Roller

I am wondering this time (yet another question to ponder) about some history of High Roller.

No. I know it wasn't the rebuilt coaster from Excelsior Park.

Considering the lack-luster ride it is today, I tried to imagine how it used to be:

The old que set up on the opposite side of the station determining where you sat based on your place in line. The original hand break levers. The lousy recording of safety instructions playing over and over. The tree branch at the turn around the station. And most importantly, no trims...if any.

But If any of the MN's here (you know who you are) can rember if they changed the trains at any time. Currently they are using one train of 4 six-seaters. Was there 5 at one time?

I don't know if it is from childhood perspective or what. But I do remember the first half of the course as being much faster. Today it seems to stall at the top of the second hill. We know that the second half would be (dare to say) like Renegade if the trims didn't kill it.

I got to ride High Roller trimless on a couple of nights back when Wild Thing was new. Actually, I think the first time was at the end of the night the year bebfore Wild Thing opened, and then the second time(s) was during ERT at the coaster event for Wild Thing its first year. All I can say is that the return leg was airtime, airtime, AIRTIME! As for that tree branch overhanging the final run to the brakes--I felt like I could reach up and grab it. It was a great visual that had a lot of people talking.

I actually rode High Roller back in May of 1977. I think that would be the start of its second season. I was in high school and a group of us went after school during a weekday. There was no one in the park and we practically had the whole place to ourselves - running from ride to ride, with each being a walk-on. It was the first time I had ever been at an amusement park and it was my first coaster ride. HR scared the living cr*p out of me; I almost puked - much to the delight of my "friends." It took me years before I went on another coaster. Maybe it wasn't as fast as I remember it, since "it was my first time." ;) Of course, the subsequent dementia and memory loss may be clouding my memory of the day. I'm sorry; what was I talking about again? :)

Wouldn't a longer train be slower?