What coaster/ride would you like to see rebuilt?
SLFAKE said:
One thing that is different between Knoebels Phoenix and Twister is the fact that Mr.Twister was dead and gone when Knoebels built Twister (variations made in the original plans and layout to fit the site). With the exception of the "golden bolt", none of what you see in Elysburg PA was ever in Denver CO (I don't count the "break lever" in display... Its a museum piece, not an integral part of the coaster). Phoenix however is a bit different. While much (most?) of the lumber was replaced, it was more of a "move" than a "rebuild" with the old Rocket at Playland Park being dismantled, transported to PA, and rebuilt as the Phoenix.
True, the Twister is not the Mr. Twister that was at Elitch Gardens, but Knoebel's did consider relocating the original Mr. Twister to the park, however the condition of the ride, as well as the space constrants of Knoebels, did not allow it. Mr. Twister, in fact, was not torn down until January of 1999 after it was determined the ride could not be saved.
Most of the Phoenix's superstructure is original, as well as the trains and other componants. It was the track that had to be replaced.
Another park that has done some of what Knoebels has done is Stricker's Grove. Their Tornado is a mirror image of the former Comet at Rocky Glen Park. They also have the Teddy Bear, a junior built from the plans of the Teddy Bear formerly at Coney Island, Cincinnati.
It is a shame that some of the bigger parks do not pay homage to past coasters like some of these smaller parks do.
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
Chris Sawyer said:
The Mauch Chaulk Railway.
You would be happy to know that that is a project slowly underway. Check out:
http://www.switchbackgravityrr.org/
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
Trekker Park said:
2. The Ravine Flyer at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pa. It looped around within the main park, crossed a girder bridge over the major highway leading out to the 11 miles of beaches, looped around through the woods on the plateau, then crossed back over the bridge into the park, where it finished up with a few more loops and came into the station. It was a magnificent coaster, especially for such a small park.A drunk stood up to wave as it crossed the bridge and fell to the highway below, where he was struck by a car and killed. The park closed the part of the ride that crossed the bridge and ran around the woods, shortening it down to a smaller coaster that stayed within the main park and is now called The Comet. The Comet's a nice junior woodie, but the Ravine Flyer was a big time ride.
Good news here too, supposedly Waldameer Park is building a new Ravine Flyer, it will be call the Ravine Flyer II, and they have already installed a kiddie coaster call the Ravine Flyer III.
The story of the loss of the Ravine Flyer is different in my readings.
"In August 1938, a tradagy occurred when the Ravine Flyer got caught between dips. A man rose to calm his hystarical sister, lost his balence, and fell 30 feet to his death. Ruth Moeller (the park owner's wife) was so upset that her husband immediatly removed the ride. The station was converted into a picnic pavilion." - Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania, Jim Futrell, copyright 2002.
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
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oculus, reparo. -Hermoine Granger
Pinfari's Flying Dutchman from Dorney Park, A Triple Wheel from one of the Great Americas, Coney Island Thunderbolt, any Mill Chute, and any Traver Rocket Swing.
I would like to see the flyer juinor roller coaster that was originally on Hunts pier in Wildwood NJ that was built by the Philadelphia Tobaggan Company it was a fun and small coaster with great airtime for coaster with a height of only 45 feet high..
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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.
I never rode Drachen Fire, but The Bat seems to have the same type of following. It's ironic that so many slam Arrow for their "bad" rides, yet yearn to ride two of their biggest failures.
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"She said to me oh I love it when you're mean,
don't you know it's boring when it's quiet and serene.
I said to her no way baby, life ain't what it seems,
Well don't you know baby that life is a scream!" - Gordon Gano
I wish the Comet at Cascade Park was rebuilt.That ride looks like it was awsome
http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery1882.htm?Picture=8
It would also be cool if the Crystal Beach Cyclone was rebuilt
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Coaster count:32
top3 wood:Boulder Dash, Wildcat, Thunderhawk
top3 steel: Steel Force, Nitro, S:ROS@ SFNE
CoasterDad64 said:
What's with the obsession with The Bat? General enthusiast reviews of Arrow suspendeds are luke warm. Is it the allure of a missed opportunity?
Ah, yes, the allure of a missed opportunity! Think of the girl/guy in High School, not the one you asked out and didn't like, but the one who you met only a couple months before graduation and never went ot with at all....missed opportunity. Sure to draw out the nostalgia in anyone....never SAW the Bat, but I *did* see DF, SFMM's Flashback, CI's T-Bolt, and WindJammer, all SBNO. I would have given my left leg for a shot at one of those before they went bye-bye. People can tell me how horrible they were, but it doesn't mean I didn't want (at least) one try for myself...
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Lets' save the Vancouver PNE Coaster before its' too late!
*** This post was edited by Ronald S. Anderson on 12/6/2002. ***
My story of The Bat:
In summer of 1983 my family visited my brother and his wife in Ann Arbor, MI. I had just graduated from high school [yeah, I'm old]. I had wanted to visit King's Island since seeing The Bat profiled on NBC's show "That's Incredible" and seeing news coverage of The Beast.
My dad and I left Ann Arbor at about 2am and drove to Cincinnati. We got to the park just after opening and headed right back to the Beast. I recall it being a fantastic ride and running fairly brake-free, except for the "shed."
Anyway, after The Beast we made our way back to The Bat because that was the ride I had really wanted to get on. But it was not to happen. The Bat had apparently closed for good a week before our visit and would never reopen. So all I could do was stand there and look at the coaster, sitting silent, imagining how the trains would swing on this curve or that curve.
Am I obsessed with The Bat? No, and I don't wish for it to be rebuilt. But for me it will always be the one that got away.
Moosh
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- Peabody
Trekker Park said:
2. The Ravine Flyer at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pa. ... A drunk stood up to wave as it crossed the bridge and fell to the highway below, where he was struck by a car and killed. The park closed the part of the ride that crossed the bridge and ran around the woods, shortening it down to a smaller coaster that stayed within the main park and is now called The Comet.
I think I'd check the Ravine Flyer's history if I were you. Black 7's account of Ravine Flyer's demise follows the more accepted version.
The current Comet is a Herb Schneck Jr.Woodie of the 1950's era. Not the same coaster... in whole or in part.
At last word, all plans for Ravine Flyer II are on hold. Various concerns (environmental, zoning, etc) have held things up. Not sure of the future of this project.
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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 12/6/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 12/6/2002. ***
SLFAKE is correct. The jr.woodie runs jr PTC trains, which means the track gauge is smaller. The two coasters are completely unrelated.
Moosh
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Charles Nungester.
Is it about coasters or friends? I say both!
All this sounds convincing, but we're talking stories told to a young boy by a bunch of old coots vs. a historian doing actual research.
Bottom line is, I wish they'd recreate it, and sounds like they're trying. Waldameer's an underrated park anyway, and if they had one major league coaster, their status would skyrocket.
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