Wooden Coaster - Construction of Track

I never got the chance to ride SOB when it still had the loop, but I rode it last season and it was the absolute worst coaster experience I have ever had. I enjoyed the first drop and from that point on prayed that it would end as quickly as possible.

I laughed so hard when I saw my on-ride photo because the face I was making looked as though I was smelling dirty sweat socks while munching on sour grapes... and it was a completely natural picture.

It looks beautiful, but it treats you like a piece of crap.

That's pretty interesting. That was my experience when it had the loop (minus the video). It was the only coaster I feared injury on.

I wonder if the work it may have had over the off season will make any kind of a difference?

SOB may be the only coaster I might ever consider suggesting, 'TAER IT DOWN!!!1!!1!!'

I have ridden it with, and sans, loop, and either way it's always been extremely painful. I keep going back and giving it another chance, and regret it every time.

They should take that space and put in a marquee-level GCI. That would be an incredible improvement and, with Diamondback, turn KI from a 'get to if I can' to a 'must go every season' park.

Oh, it has been fixed all right...

...in the veterinary sense, anyway...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Hey, let's call a spayed a spayed . . .

Okay. Please humor me here. I know it's been said before, when I wasn't paying attention; what's the least painful seat?

You guys are making me rethink giving it another shot.

LostKause said:
what's the least painful seat?

The one on the bench outside the queue... ;)

I jest. I hope you have a good ride on it.

"Bench: The Ride" lol

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"Fixed"? "Spayed"? Are you implying that it's boring now? Would that mean that the ride is less painful?

I can't imagine it being any worse than it was in it's first few weeks. I am pretty tough, physically anyways (lol), and I can take a rough ride, and this thing really hurt me...a lot.

LostKause said:
"Bench: The Ride" lol

But remember, you have to sign a waiver before you can sit on it. ;)

Of course. Those benches can be dangerous!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

So much hostility for SOB! I rode it several time back in the first 2 seasons in various seats including back. I can honestly say I really enjoyed the ride. Sure, the trains bounced around a bit. But it wasn't unbearable. I would ride it over Mean Streak any day!

Well I rode SOB on my visit yesterday, giving it that planned second chance. I will never, ever ride that thing again. I can't believe how it has stayed open all this time.

But let me say that it's probably me and not the ride. My 14-year-old cousin Chase loved it, and even did it a second time. He went as far as saying that it was one of his favorite coasters in the park. I told him that all of that shaking must have knocked something loose in his head...lol

I always found the back seat the smoothest. On the old Premiers it was the second from the back. Even I (Who don't consider it that rough) Thinks the rosebowl rattles your brain in your skull in the front of the train.Chuck

I miss the loop. The ride is pointless without it.

I've always wondered about the thickness of the steel running rail. Older wood coasters used a very thin strip of steel and I know that was phased out for wider strips with the bolts staggered down the sides (opposed to down the center where the wheels roll.) What is standard thickness nowadays? Six, eight inches? The Roller Coaster at Lagoon seemed to have some of the widest steel rail I have ever seen on a wood coaster. Some of it seemed to be a foot wide, perhaps even more.

Acoustic Viscosity said:
The ride is pointless...

Fixed that for you.

I've decided to practice my computer modeling skills in my free time at work by creating a wooden roller coaster using CATIA V5. I have been guessing on the dimensions and using whatever looked right. Reading over this thread has been a big help but I would like to know if anyone has any idea on a few more dimensions:

What is the distance in between the rails?
What is the distance between the outside of the rail and the inside of the handrail?
What is the height of the handrail from the bottom of the track?

Any other known or standard dimensions would be greatly appreciated (doesn't matter what manufacturer).

I posted a few pictures of my initial models here, here and here. Thanks.

You need to place bents closer together on stress areas. The standard 8 to 10ft is not sufficient for the bottom of drops and begining of rises. When you cheat gravity. It adds more stress

Try looking at your local library. There are several books by Amusement Park Books which have detailed drawings of roller coasters (Euclid Beach is Closed for the Season, etc.) This should help you.

Good point Chuck. I had been spacing the bents evenly at four foot intervals because that was the fastest and easiest way to go. To be more realistic I need to take your advice.

I've never heard of that book before Walt. I'll have to take a look at it. Thanks.

I did find this online fir the Intamin coasters but there aren't really any dimensions given that I can tell.