Viper SFMM Video - CoasterBuzz

I need some help finding a video for Viper at SFMM. I have a POV video but I was looking for a video with more extertior shots. I don't mind if it's a clip show or the whole ride. I need the video to prove a point to my friend about the first loop placement and it's relationship to train speed. I know, I know, It's kind of weird. Any help would be fine. THANKS

How is the rollercoasterpro.com video?

Wow, I never realized Viper was so trimmed to death. Good lord. Theres trims after every element.

Viper is a very unique coaster and I don't think it gets the attention that it deserves. That ride is a mege structure and if you learn about it, you'll see that so much design and engineering was poured into the track. The trims are just a little part of all the design that is known as Viper. Infact I think I read somewhere that if Viper had no trims it would have been one of the fastest coasters for it's time.

I actually encourage people to do the research on this Arrow masterpiece. The loops are actually very unique and cause the speed of the trains to go faster on the back side of the loop and slower at the end. These are some of the little things that make this ride my favorite coaster still today.

Cyber said

Viper had no trims it would have been one of the fastest coasters for it's time.

I went to MM the first season Viper opened and it did not have any trims. It also had minimal supports on the turnaround between the first and second loop. I had never seen track and support bend so far as it did when the train went through that turn. It actually scared me to see it. on later visits Viper would be closed and maint would be up there doing track work.I guess it was getting a lot of cracks in that area. Later in the season, More support was added to the existing supports on that turn. Originally the supports on that turn were just the single white vertical columns. Then they added the smaller connecting pieces between the single columns.

I am sure somewhere there is a list and timeline of what was done to viper after it opened.

That's one of the interesting things about MM, every coaster has some kind of history to it - or is some kind of milestone.
Even though the park is run badly, the coasters in there are still interesting for their position in coaster history.
I must say though, as interesting as Viper is, since I'm 6'4 and have rather short legs, I won't ride Viper again - it's a pure pain.
Exposing people to these kinds of forces and accelerations needs really careful engineering, and even though the Arrow loopers showed that this kind of thing is possible, I still don't think any of their designs offers a "healthy" ride - and for Viper, it's a shame because it got it's teeth pulled out one by one, so that now what's left is an epic trimmed down symphony of slow-mo roughness. (at least after the 3rd loop).

But it's really interesting how they designed the layouts of those early looping monsters to be somewhat of a "journey" taking you through different levels of the ride and around hills etc - or in the case of Viper, the layout goes through two different "ground" levels - something that creates an interesting feeling of a 2-in-one coaster and a stronger feeling of "narrative" - whereas most new coasters are simply designed for the elements and the forces they deliver.
But maybe that is also simply because they knew only one loopsize and therefore also only one suitable drop-height.

Viper has two trims: one after the first loop, one after the boomerang. The MCBR also works as a trim.

Viper was featured in America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills in 3D. Don't know if that's very convenient but, it's in there.

It is a very intresting coaster like others have said. It doesn't get much recognition anymore.

Unless something has changed since the last time I rode it, Viper has trims right before the corkscrew as well.

I first rode Viper in 1995. The ride was pretty brutal even back then but what I loved the most about it was the first loop. It just seemed to take forever to reach the loop as it is located so high off the ground, then it would whip you through it before you knew it.

-Sean

It's been a couple years since I've been to MM, but Viper is still a favorite of mine. It may not be the smoothest, but I love the speed. And how close you get to the track at certain parts, like in the first loop it looks like you could just reach out and get your hand whacked off...that's cool hehe

I don't remember any brakes after the first loop, maybe that's an addition since my last visit.

Enter sig "Here"

Are the brakes coming out of the first loop or going into the second?

Ramblin asked:

"Are the brakes coming out of the first loop or going into the second?"

I'll repeat my earlier post just above:

Viper has two trims: one after the first loop, one after the boomerang. The MCBR also works as a trim.

Sean F sez:

"Unless something has changed since the last time I rode it, Viper has trims right before the corkscrew as well.

Umm, Sean? Those are the trims after the boomerang that I mentioned.

Was my post above invisible? ;)

*** Edited 1/24/2005 4:44:21 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

Unofortunately, Moosh, people don't take the time to read through every post. Kinda annoying because it causes reiteration. Anyone find that Viper timeline?

LOL Dante. I wasn't annoyed...just found it amusing ;)

calcajun said:
Cyber said
Viper had no trims it would have been one of the fastest coasters for it's time.
I went to MM the first season Viper opened and it did not have any trims. It also had minimal supports on the turnaround between the first and second loop. I had never seen track and support bend so far as it did when the train went through that turn. It actually scared me to see it. on later visits Viper would be closed and maint would be up there doing track work.I guess it was getting a lot of cracks in that area. Later in the season, More support was added to the existing supports on that turn. Originally the supports on that turn were just the single white vertical columns. Then they added the smaller connecting pieces between the single columns.
I am sure somewhere there is a list and timeline of what was done to viper after it opened.

Heres a pic before those new supports were added, I imagine it could be pretty scary seeing it bend so much
http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/six-flags-magic-mountain/viper15.jpg

Moosh,

My fault. For some reason I didn't see that part in your post above.

Woops.

-Sean

No worries, Seam ;)

Instead of starting another thread I'll use this one. Darien Lake's Viper, does anybody know where any kind of video for that ride is?