Whizzer to be saved, Shockwave takes the fall

Here's the reason Shockwave is being removed:

I was at the park last Saturday, 8/3. While waiting in line on the bridge to the Shockwave station, we all heard a terrible screeching sound as the blue train went through the two consecutive vertical loops.

Everyone turned their attention to the train, only to see sparks and two or three wheels come flying off! Fortunately, the park employees were quick enough to employ the E-brake, and the train stopped on the midcourse brakes.

It was hard to see what was going on, but some nearby spectators and I speculated that the front axel of the train had snapped, causing the wheels of the front car to dislodge. All in all, it was a hideously scary sight.

Two employees ran as quick as they could up the stairs and manually released the restraints, getting the passengers down safely. As i was leaving the site, severaly maintenance trucks were pulling up to the area, but it looked as though no one was hurt - just a little shaken up.

I'm surprised this story escaped the news thus far, as if the E-brake had not been employed, the train could have potentially de-railed and hurt several people. When i left the park, the blue train was still sitting on the midcourse brakes.

I think this could have been the reason for the sudden decision to keep the Whizzer, and dismantle Shockwave. What with Arrow practically out of business, the repair costs probably wouldn't have been worth it. And even if they did repair it, I certainly would never ride it again after what I saw.

If anyone else was there that day, could you help me confirm this, so people don't think i'm just starting rumors. Thanks.

~me

First of all they wouldn't tear down the ride for that, and second of all the train wouldn't have derailed. It may have valleyed somewhere but it sure wouldn't derail.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"Let's stop saying 'don't quote me,' because if no one quotes you, you probably haven't said a thing worth saying." - Dogma, KMFDM

I can't confirm it, but I can confirm Shockwave being down the Sunday after...

Now, I saw the ride disabled there, and I hoped that something was going to happen with it (i.e. get the hell out). Not to toot my own horn, but I was right... :)

Am I the only person that thinks Tidal Wave is going to make a triumphant return sometime soon? I'm only half kidding. There's a spot (Power Dive) that could house it. If you know about the location of TCFKATW (the coaster formerly known as Tidal Wave) my propisition would be to take the location of the spike closest to Power Dive, and rotate the coaster on that axis, so the ride goes parallel to the train tracks, and over the walkway between Orleans and Yankee harbor.

Ok, that's just wishful thinking.

About the repair costs for one of the trains, that could be true, but I also wonder if Shockwave could have borrowed one of Demon's trains, if it really needed to. Someone with some knowledge on the fact, tell me why I'm wrong :)

chris said:

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"pki-goer - Compare the line of Whizzer and Shockwave on a typical operating day, and I think you'll find your answer."

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Why do you so-called enthusiasts keep touting this line as if it is some "benchmark" that signifys a ride's popularity. I can envision SEVERAL different scenarios that would display a long line for Whizzer than Shockwave, but in the end would demonstrate a higher ridership for Shockwave.

I'll give you a real life example: SFGAdv! On a crowded Saturday in the fall, NITRO had about a 45minute wait, while at the very same time, Batman: The Ride had a 2.5 hour wait. Was this because B:TR is *that* much more popular than NITRO? I dont think so. What the line length failed to take into account was the CAPACITIES of the two rides. So unless someone wants to spout off "turnstyle" numbers, I do not think an accurate comparison of ridership can be made.

But I *will* say that Whizzer was more conducive to attracting more riders simply because more people were allowed to ride (lower height limit).
jeremy
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"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

2Hostyl1 - I don't have the numbers, but I'd wager that Whizzer with a 30 minute wait has a higher ridership than walk-on Shockwave. Maybe, maybe not...

And thanks for correctly labeling me a "so-called enthusiast." ;)

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"When will you stop all your buzzing?" - The Flaming Lips "Oh My Pregnant Head"

I'm "X"treamly mad. HAHA. : ) Well anyways. I'm "X"treamly happy for a new ride. Now. That means nothing. remember. : )

Shockwave to SFKK! Calling it!

Well maybe not! Who knows!

Just to put my two cents in, I have two boys, 7 and 6 and it was there first real coaster. I couldn't be happier that SFGAm is keeping the Whizzer. The park does not have any real family coasters save this. I love all of the coasters that we have (with the exception of Shockwave), and really look forward to seeing what we will get next year.

Now, what I would really liked to have seen was shockwave redone by Chance Morgan like the Phantom. It's amazing what a company that has real engineering skills can do with an old Arrow Death Coaster (and lets not start that crap about the Phantom, anyone who rode it in the last year or two of its life knows what I'm talking about).

Also, hopefully SFGAm will do something with the parking lot. By opening that area up, we could possibly see the next expansion point for the park.....

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Coaster Art of your Favorite Coasters
Coming Soon.....

Goodbye ShockWave.........Hello new coaster.

All just rumors, but Shockwave may not have been as much a "snap" decision as some imply. The two coasters most often mentioned for the scrap heap in rumors are: Shockwave and Wizzer. I have a feeling that the management has been planning on removing ShockWave for a few years. Now, they are presented with a good opportunity. I remember a few years back working as a ride op and hearing stories about how the previous year, when the ride closed for the season, the ride ops, believing that the ride would be dismantled, began taking buttons off the control panels as souveniers. (Heard that story from leads 'n stuff.) Sure, lemon chill information, but I also heard that the Lemon Chill corporation is also a covert operation by the CIA..

Anyway...

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"Getting on Iron Wolf is kind of like going in a blender and pressing PUREE"

--Ever lying in wait for someone to say something stupid.

I'm going along the same lines as Coaster Art Guy about the possibility of Chance-Morgan reprofiling Shockwave. It would be a great way to save part of the old monster. I think that it would be a good move on the part of SF, although I wouldn't mind seeing a completely new coaster as well. I guess only time will tell. Now, about that landscaping underneath Shockwave. Something has got to be done...

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Warning: This message was composed on a computer in a household where peanuts and peanut products are served.

And I just came back from my CP/SFWoA trip to this news... I'll be the first to spit on the coaster, regardless of what it is that replaces my beloved Shockwave... :(

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Thank You for challenging TOS: The Ride. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day, here at SFCB.

All Shockwave really needs to reduce or possibly eliminate the headbanging problem is:

1. Put a trim between the first and second loop.

2. Reprofile the track where the MCBB is. Instead of the upward violent turn to the left, have the track exit the 3rd loop and proceed to go upward into a straight track, then create a right turn downward helix before entering the pretzel loop.

Another wishful thinking idea on my part but I do feel it would get rid of the problems.

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Ric Flair was hitting on the female host, he told her - "Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line." WOOOOO!

Actually, Chi, I was thinking of no trim (it does nothing to help GASM-II) and when exiting the 3rd loop proceed low and straight then make a right handed 270 degree upwards helix into the existing MCBR....but like yours, it's just a pipe dream *sigh*

lata,

jeremy

--who loves the helixes on Arrow coasters

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Not Shock Wave!!!!My word I just discoverd the perfect seat on it and it was SMOOTH! The Back row! This is a huge shock to me because Whizzer was all set to be gone they even had construction markers on the cement footers! This is unbelievable!

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Have you ever been to SFGAm and seen Deja Vu closed? If you have then go again and it WILL BE DEJA VU!

Sorry I couldn't hear you, The voices in my head are drowning you out.

SIGH... If only Six Flags would send a used coaster like Shockwave to SFAW! Then we'd finally have the first & only 7 inversion coaster in Texas, and I'd actually have a reason to visit my home park again, instead of SFOT & SFFT! So of course it'll never happen! We'll probably get a stupid old boomerang instead, and Shockwave will be melted down and sold for scrap, instead of being used to restore my enjoyment of the dying old dinosaur that time & Gary Story forgot! *** This post was edited by Iron Draggon on 8/12/2002. ***

It wasn't really the upward part of the turn that hurt Shock Wave. Just the fact that it went into the break run with no space to bank. My pipe-dream: Replace the break run (it never ran 3 trains anyway) with a nice hill banked ALL the way through the upward turn out the double loops. Lap bars would be nice too....and the flyer could go around SSA/Sky Trek Tower.....and the Tidal Wave returns...and, and, ok, I'm getting a little carried away. Though I still think a little reprofiling a couple years back as apposed to retrofitting the trains would have saved it.

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CRAP, CRAP CRAP, CRAP X infinity!!!!!

NOT SHOCKWAVE, MY BABY IS GONE NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! MAN AM I PISSED!!!!!

I'm going to place a cross with SHOCKWAVE's logo by the enterance to Superman Ultimate Flight.

I am going to rant. The Shockwave is at least 1 million times better then the whizzer. No one cares about that pathetic little kid coaster. Instead of tearing down one of the better coasters in the park they could have torn down the worst one(the whizzer). I will say that Superman Ultimate Flight is a great coaster, but Shockwave was a classic. CLASSIC. and it wasn't a slow, crap ride like whizzer. Anyone who wanted the whizzer to stay should be beaten to death with the pieces of the shockwave and then their families should be forced to pay for the re-construction, and operation of shockwave at my house. That is the only place it would be acceptable to move it. I suggest a protest to 6 flags inc. who is with me?