Wood Coaster lovers, history buffs, Clementon's JackRabbit...

Why is JR doomed? (Who shot JR?)

Long story short, building codes have changed/improved a LOT over the years...JackRabbit was built in the days where if you planted a post deep enough in the ground, it was considered *secure*. When we visited the park post-PPP, I had a chance to talk briefly with one of the park's maintenance peeps...and JackRabbit was constructed in the old-fashioned way, without footers.

Here's comes the *gator-guesstimate* part. As long as JackRabbit ran "continuously", at least a part of EACH and EVERY operating season, then it fell into the category that we know as *grandfathered in*...(for Ed's sake I'll spare the *old jokes*)... Once Clementon was unable to operate the coaster for an ENTIRE season, then it came back to *Building Codes Division* as a new structure to be approved. Since there is NO way, realistically, to take up every support, pour footers, and re-install the supports from the ground up, the park really has no choice other than to dismantle it....

So, as much as I (and you all) would LOVE to see this piece of our collective history saved, there was no way for that to be done....

All that being said, the park made an EXCELLENT choice as far as a *replacement coaster*, and Tsunami is...the shizznit!! Go ride that sucker SOON, that coaster is as *out of control* as I am....but where I can maintain my OOC level, I doubt the park can keep a coaster THAT intense and extreme running the way that it was in October...

I'll probably go to Clementon's next summer when and if Kigda Ka opens. I wish Jack Rabbit was open, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like that will happen :(. Tsunami looks like a great replacement, but some things mean more to people than just a ride, sorry for all of you that this ride really means something too, if it does in fact go down

Ummm...When Leap-The-Dips was rebuilt footers where added.

Tsunami was a SWEET surprise. I had no idea. ;-)

I hope Bill's predictions do NOT become reality. It would be a WASTE of one of the most killer woodies to surface in the last 10 years. :-D

Kowabunga dude! ;-)

-Tina

Alex, LTD was completely taken down and rebuilt from the ground up. I don't know if they show the pic still at the Museum but it showed nothing standing but the canopy and the track outline in the field. No coaster.

BTW, Money is still owed for the LTD foundation. Donations can be made through Lakemont Park or ACE

I can't wait to ride Tsunami, if it's true, what everyone is saying about the smoothness and speed, plus a killer, rad first drop.

Surf's up, dude! ;)

I'm hoping to make it up to Clementon next May. Wanted to hit when I was up for PPP but the only way I could have, would have been before Knoebels and that just would have cut into my PPP fun;) I'm kind of curious for those that have ridden Tsunami and believe that it may be trimmed next year, why? Because of the intensity of the ride or because of possible maintenance issues? I'm just curious that if it is because of the intensity of the ride, if anyone had maybe seen or heard other riders at the park complain or make comments about it's intensity.

Tina, wait til you ride Avalanche next year! :)

Taylor and I got off Ghost Rider today and she just said "I can't wait to go and ride Avalanche again."

i rode the jack rabbit in 1990 when it still had side friction wheels and manual brakes. i had a real fun time that day. the coaster was running fast and had a couple of nice drops to the ground. unfortunatly i rode it again after the accident with underwheels installed and it was very slow and uneventful.

i rode tsunami when it first opened. it was a very intense fast ride with a helix that was a chore to get through. it's hard to describe, but the ride was just to intense (the helix in particular) to really enjoy. it just wasn't that fun. i know i'm nit-picking, but my 3 friends felt the same way. i had ten rides in a row without getting out and they were running two (short) trains. after the ten rides we decided enough was enough. i don't know how they can maintain the ride without retracking it every year. i wished they used the much more durable douglas fir. also what's up with the ugly steel station more that thirty feet in the air.

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sparky697 said:
Tina, wait til you ride Avalanche next year! :)

Taylor and I got off Ghost Rider today and she just said "I can't wait to go and ride Avalanche again."

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I hate you Frank...:) Taylor too! :) See yas in March! And again at Con...

bill, Frank-stalker, LOVES the *Ghost with the Most*...

edit: Tina, trust me, I hope my predictions are wrong about Tsunami's maintenance. There's nothing the world needs less than a super-intense woodie that gets super-rough...time will tell...
*** Edited 12/8/2004 5:29:36 PM UTC by rollergator***

Wasn't leap-the-dips rebuilt is sections? Like a little taken down at time.

Whatever the case is, Jack Rabbit could have a future. The problem is that for the time being, it's understandable that the park made a big move last year building a wonderful and INTENSE woodie. It was a big investment for them and because of S&S they had to go thru hell to get it open. They had to loose lots of money, since it didn’t open until late September and that wasted all the advertising they did. Also I’m sure the ride went way over budget. All we can hope is the coaster will bring in masses next year and pay for itself. Turn all we can hope is that they keep it standing and someday restore it.