Waldameer post major revision of Ravine flyer layout.

Considereing even the Millennium Flyer trains now come with individual seat belts, I think unobtrusive, minimal restraints are a thing of the past. Of course there still is that Kennywood Jack Rabbit. ;)

Well, I know for sure what coaster I'm looking forward to next season. This looks awesome! I've been trying to get up to Waldameer forever...and now, I'm totally out of excuses.

That is a reason to keep CLP alive. A coaster with minimal restraints. That's the way the KW Racer used to be years ago along with Jack Rabbit.

Heres my rundown on wooden coaster restraints in western PA

Waldameer Comet -- buzz bars (ACE Classic)

Conneaut Blue Streak -- fixed bars, loose belts (ACE classis) (backup train has buzz bars)

Kennywood Jack Rabbit -- fixed bars, new belts (ACE classic)

Kennywood Racer -- buzz bars, new belts, seat dividers

Kennywood Thunderbolt -- buzz bars (ACE classic)

Idlewild Rollo Coaster -- fixed bars (ACE classic) (I don't know if it has been retrofitted with belts or not -- it didn't have them several years ago)

Lakemont Leap the Dips -- fixed bars (ACE classic)

Lakemont Skyliner -- buzz bars (ACE classic)

Very nice. The bridge looks especially spectacular.

An offtopic question:
Was this area mostly populated by the Dutch or Germans? "Waldameer" seems to be very familiar to "Wald am meer" which means "Forest by the sea" in German?

I plan to go there next year once RF2 is running. I also want to ride Comet and that spinning coaster, the darkride attractions, the Ferris wheel with that great view, that sky ride that reminds me of the one that used to be at West View and some flats that many of the bigger parks don't have.

I look for WP to attract more people from places other than Erie once the new coaster is up and running. The park's location at the entrance to Presque Isle should help here. They just need to promote the park more in places like Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.

TrickTrack, the terminology of Waldameer is of German descent.

The positioning of the steel pier for the footing of the bridge in the rendering makes it look like it is way in-land, when in all actuality when you drive by it, it will be right along side both sides of the road, making a symmetrical arced bridge over the roadway.

As for buzzbars, it will never happen. That was the reason that the rider fell to his death on the predecessor Ravine Flyer back in the 1940s. It will have traditional PTC trains with ratcheting individual restraints, with belts and no "Mean Streak" style headrests. *** Edited 5/13/2007 5:03:26 PM UTC by Rctycoon2k***

Does anyone have any pictures, etc. of the area where the flyer is going? I looked through my pictures from the park last night, and not a single one was taken over in that area of the park. I've got plenty of the Comet and Steel Dragon... I'm just having trouble visualizng that area of the park...

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rollergator said:
For legal reasons (lawsuits), I seriously doubt you'll see another ride built with what are traditionally called buzzbars... If you do, it'll likely be a ride in Wisconsin...

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Or a junior coaster. Triple Hurricane has buzzbars.

Went down to check out the site and take pictures on Saturday. No construction going on up top yet. Just a fence and a pile of dirt. The train ride is operating. I thought it would be closed for the duration. I'll ride the ferris wheel Labor day weekend

and see if I can get some good photos. See my earlier post for link to photos taken from the Tom Ridge cnt.

and from below on Penninsula dr.

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Walt S said:
Does anyone have any pictures, etc. of the area where the flyer is going? I looked through my pictures from the park last night, and not a single one was taken over in that area of the park. I've got plenty of the Comet and Steel Dragon... I'm just having trouble visualizng that area of the park...

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It's station and start/finish will be behind the Sea Dragon/Sky Ride/Ferris Wheel/Wipeout area. That's the area that if you ever rode the L. Ruth Express(train ride) you saw a big open space where the train turned around to go back the way it came, with old Comet coaster cars sitting back in the bushes. I believe I have some shots here:

http://tmcgill1.photosite.com/WaldameerPark6-18-06/Camera_301.html From the Ferris Wheel, you can see the open space in the back of the picture.

http://tmcgill1.photosite.com/WaldameerPark6-18-06/Camera_331.html The old Comet cars sitting in the back of the turnaround.

I wish I had more, I will be up there on Fathers Day and definitely get some more shots.

Tom

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rsscbell said:
Accounts are free. just like many online newspapers.

Also direct links to the page do not seem to work with that particulr site. Hence the general info. I'll add the layout it to http://new.photos.yahoo.com/rsscbell@verizon.net

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rsscbell -- you've posted this link several times, and in case you missed it in some replies before, there are only the same two old photos at that link - no updates visible whatsoever. Perhaps you need to fix something so that the rest of the public can actually see what you're posting there?

LdScotsman:

Thanks for the photos. That helps a bit (as well as the online map that I managed to find). I'm really looking forward to another good wood coaster near my parents house outside of Cleveland, especially since I'll be in Wisconsin by the time it opens.

There is a lot of dirt moving, and some concrete work going on around the bluff and over the road where the turnaround is going to be. Its cool to see work actually getting done though.

OOPS!! fixed my photos to make them all public.

I was unaware only two were visable! enjoy!

Wow, the construction is really close to that yellow house. Is that the house of the people who put up the fight against the ride?

Looks like it will be pretty close to the campground as well. But that really shouldn't be much of a problem. Look at Knoebels Twister!

I would assume so. The coaster is pretty close to the house. Then again, it's also pretty close to an amusement park that's been there for decades...

Looks like I'll be paying Pennsylvania another visit next year. You can bet the house I'll be at Knoebals and Waldameer! ;)

Answer my Prayers! Overbook my next Flight!

*** Edited 5/14/2007 7:26:25 PM UTC by Borntocoast***

Does anyone have any other renderings/diagrams of the ride? That old newspaper clipping is outdated and it's hard to zoom in on the new rendering and see many of the ride's details.

I have a scetch from Steve Gorman from 2001, AND PICTURES OF THE ORIGNAL BRIDGE SECTION. Just to throw that in there.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ajfelice04/ *** Edited 5/14/2007 11:57:47 PM UTC by AJFelice***

I think I prefer the original double-up and double-down for the bridge section, but the new layout looks like a more air-filled ride so it's fine by me. :)