What happened to Steel Dragon?

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macho nachos said:
Its hard to believe that a 60 million dollar ride can just sit there for so long. I love looking at photos of it and hope that someday I'll get the chance to ride it. The layout looks amazing!

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Does Steel Force make you feel the same way? The layouts are near identical models.

Since when did Marlboro start making ()*$*&@)(#&%@*%^)(*&^$)(*$%_#@&%$)(@\?

Whoops! There goes that Linux again;).

Yeah, Steel Force gives me butterflies too. ;)

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Homey G. said:

The layouts are near identical models.

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I would say the layouts are....similar in concept but "near identical" is a bit of a stretch.

SELL IT! to PKI, SFGAD, WDW, or BGT. I can't think of any other park besides MA that could have enough room for it?

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macho nachos said:
Its hard to believe that a 60 million dollar ride can just sit there for so long. I love looking at photos of it and hope that someday I'll get the chance to ride it. The layout looks amazing!

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Pretty much all Morgan and Arrow Hypers have the same basic layout. SD2000, Magnum, Steel Force, Mamba, Wild Thing, Steel Eel, Titan, they all have the same basic layout, drop, drop (turn around or helix, then a bunch of bunny hops back) Granted magnum has 3 drops before the helix but in general the layouts not alter all that much. Desperado is pretty unique along with Phantom's Revenge and Superman el Ultimo escape.

I seriously doubt that WDW would want Steel Dragon 2000. But, I like the idea of selling it to PKI. They sure could use a large steel coaster.

I have a feeling that it will reopen, just not soon. It may be yet another year. Yes they are superstitious, but they have reopened coasters after deaths on them, sometimes modified (see: Birdmen).

I feel sorry for those who travel to Japan and not get to ride it, like the upcoming ACE trip. It was one of the highlights of my trip out there. THere really is no other coaster like it, not even MF. (That's not to say it's better, just different than the others)

The coaster is not going to move to another park. It cost $50m to build...it would cost that much or more to dismantle, ship, and construct. Not gonna happen.

50 million? Why? Is that in yen?

Seriously, why such an outrageous cost, which is twice the cost of Millennium Force..

50 million Yen equals $486,000... so the answer would be no.

Steel Dragon required twice the amount of steel as a typical coaster in order for the ride to be earthquake resistant. Once you factor in the ridiculously long chain lift, cost of shipping the ride overseas, tariffs, and more, the cost is somewhat more understandable.

I thank everybody for replying, I vaguely remember hearing about a wheel or something hitting a bystander, but I had no idea they had shut down the coaster. As far as the Japanese, I work around dozens of them daily at the plant I work for, (DMAX Ltd.), and two things mentioned here are really true about them:

1) Very superstitious!

2) Very safety conscious, (most I know are in jobs where safety is their main job, and they take it real seriously).

Anyway, thanks again for your help. Hope they get Steel Dragon running again soon.

The safety thing is a reason I'd love to move to japan. They're not only safe in working, but safer in life. There is barely any petty crime in Japan. Heck, most coasters I've seen pix of don't even have gates to keep you from walking infront of a coaster train in the station.

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PhantomTails said:
50 million Yen equals $486,000... so the answer would be no.

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Yea, that was definately sarcasm, but thanks for the respose anyway.

Tekno, the lack of crime there is insane. Made me take a good, long, hard look at our own country. You can literally leave a bag of valuables on the street and no one will take anything. There is almost no homicide, also! (Suicide is a different story, sadly)

Example:

After I rode SD2K I went to the huge gift shop for it that was essentially under a permemant open air tent structure. I loaded up on merch. (probably $100 worth after getting a few shirts, a keychain or two, etc.) and went to pay.....there was no one worknig the check-out. I asked my native friend where to pay and he looked around and said "Oh....guess the store is closed...we will have to come back later". In the meantime every trainload of riders is walking through the store with no employees, no security, etc. It was hard to believe!

There is also no vandalism. That's why all the mind-blowing walkthroughs and dark rides that are so immersive and so in your face would never work in America!

Yeah, me and one of my best friends keep saying we're going in 2006, and if we like it, there is a possibility I'll need to learn Japanese for good (I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese;).

Every time I watch anything on Travel Channel about Tokyo, it always looks clean, advanced, and secure.

Why couldn't my parents have been missionaries?;)

Not to mention the women Clint ..w00t!!!11
Dating one right now, and Holy Mt Fuji, I am head over heelz!

LoL! Yes, the Japanese women are hott! (Twins, Basil!). Plus they dress all funky, kinda like dating a video game;).

I'm envious of anyone that can get over there. Tekno promise me if you go in '06 you'll bring me back a bunch of Godzilla merchandise if I give you the money. Pretty please? ;)

^^^ Congrats, 'Tuan. That there is good eatin'........... Right, Jeff? ;)