36 replies to this topic

[Ryan Shrout]

Decided that we needed a dedicated thread for the discussion of this company and the changes they're making in the wood coaster landscape (good or bad). Most people are ecstatic with the job they did on New Texas Giant and people are clammoring for them to work on their magic on Mean Streak and maybe even SoB. Then of course there are the rumors of a drastic reprofiling on Colossus at SFMM and bringing the Rattle at SFFT back to its former glory. Now that's really the reason I started this thread, because I had forgotten just how much glory that ride deserved when it opened. I recently found a POV of the ride from its opening season, and apart from the pointlessly pumpy helix from hell, that ride was a beast. I'd pay money for that original first drop alone even if it just went straight back into the station after that. Check it out.

[steel-Rock]

That was a great video. The ride looked wonderful, smooth, fast, and very fun.
I know that I have said this before but I don't want someone to waist their time, as of August 2009
Rattler stinks!! I have always wanted a wooden to stay a wooden and a steel to stay a steel.
I hope that Georgia Cyclone, Mean Streak, and this SFFT mess can stay the type of coaster
they are but with much improvements. We have discussed SOB to death; I liked the ride in 2008.
People have brought up SFSTL's Boss. I liked the ride as of August 2010. Screamscape has
mentioned rumors that Millennium Flyers may be on the way for that. They always make
improvements when used on a GCI. Hades was wild, but most of us might have needed a trip to
the hospital after going on it. I am still waiting to try Voyage but with new trains. I loved the ride,
but back in 2008 it was very rough.



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Edited by steel-Rock, 09 February 2012 - 06:18 AM.

[MontagnaMagica]

Rattler's original drop looks like so much win! When I first looked up videos of that ride, my jaw literally dropped! I'd love to see Rocky Mountain coasters work on Rattler, and restore the original drop. Hopefully, they won't make it any steeper, because that would mean a shorter drop. If the original drop is replicated, it will be insane!

[Mike Strobel]

Another woodie I'd like to see restored to original order (and is rumored to get the iron horse treatment) is SFMM's Colossus. I've heard so many stories about the airtime it had with the double dips and such that were removed with a brake run. I'd love to see it reworked back to its original, albeit safer, condition. Of course, if you include a structure rehaul, there is Son of Beast to consider as well. I don't think Mean Streak will get it as GCI has been wonderful to it with their own modifications.

I also wonder if and when we'll ever see a totally original design from these guys utilizing the Iron Horse methods.

[Ryan Shrout]

The answer to that last question Mike is 2013. Word out of IAAPA this year was that RMC had two projects for next year with one of them being an original design. Also, in a recent news article on IAAPA moving their facities to Idaho, it mentioned that they had two 2013 projects, one for SFFT (Rattler?) and the other for Silver Dolar City. So be watching for pre-construction work at SDC this summer for what hopefully will be the first original ride from RMC.

[Coasterholic14]

I did a blog on them just about a year ago (just a week shy of one year ago actually) -here- that still pretty much sums up my thoughts. Great design/idea that has the potential to save wooden coasters that might soon be lost (I'd rather have wood converted to steel than wood torn down and not exist), as well as do some unique designs of their own.

[steel-Rock]

^^ GCI has been working on Mean Streak? I had not heard about that until now.

^ An original creation by RMC could be on its way to SDC? I didn't get a chance to go there
in 2010 because of bad weather, so any addition before my next trip would be good. (PA/NJ,
VA/MD, southern CA, and PA/NY/Ontario have to be first though.)

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Edited by steel-Rock, 09 February 2012 - 08:08 PM.

[Mike Strobel]

GCI rehabed quite a bit of Mean Streak's first half, particularly the first fan turn and the turn around over the lift. Its very noticable to see as the upper part of the structure looks different to accomodate the changes in banking and re-profiling, plus the wood looks different/newer than the older parts. It definitely rode better IMO through those parts as well. It has a bit of bite in the laterals through those portions, reminiscent of their custom works.

Example 1 (the first fan turn)

Example 2 (the 2nd fan turn)

Edited by The BeastFan, 09 February 2012 - 08:58 PM.

[MorganFan]

I'll look out for any signs of possible construction next time I go to SFFT.
The re-construction of Rattler should go a lot smoother and quicker than Giant, since most of the time spent on Giant was trying to figure out how to actually do it.
Not to brag, but I knew about the construction of Goliath before TPR did, since I saw a truck unloading Batman pieces in the parking lot from the top of Scream.

[MontagnaMagica]

Did Rocky Mountain Coasters actually confirm Rattler as their next project?

[Ryan Shrout]

No, but there is confirmation that they will have a 2012-13 project at SFFT. Seeing as I don't see a ton of room there for an original design and how badly Rattler needs help, that's just the concensus opinion. It very well may not be a TG sized overhaul as we're all hoping though. It very well could just be a topper track job to make the ride smoother.

[drachenfirebgw]

I saw trip report at SDC, which featured some construction photos. It was evident the area they were working on was quite large. I'm inclined to believe that SDC will be getting the RMC's custom project while SFFT's Rattler will either get the Track Topper or Iron Horse (New Texas Giant) treatment. I really hope it gets the latter because we'd see the first drop extended back to it's original length, and the awkward transitions would be redesigned. Though there's thought they may go the less expensive route. Either way what Rocky Mountain is doing is really exciting. Great to see another firm that works with wooden roller coasters (even though technically the New Texas Giant is categorized as a steel roller coaster).

[MorganFan]

Sadly, I think that SFFT would have closed Rattler already if they are going to go ahead with the Iron Horse treatment. Texas Giant closed in 2010, so according tomy calculations, Rattler should have been closed by mid-2011.

[Ryan Shrout]

Texas Giant was RCM's first rodeo so to speak with lots of unknowns regarding applying their Iron Horse rails to an existing structure. I think they should be able to move faster this time around. Maybe look for it to close late in the season, after school starts for the local kids.

[steel-Rock]

With no comformation from either park, Silver Dollar City seems to be making more progress than SFFT. Screamscape says " take a good look at the ground clearing and early concrete work taking place for the 2013 project. A ton of pre-fabricated footers for the Rocky Mountain wooden coaster project are scattered and buried all over the site."

[Ryan Shrout]

So, RMC's Silver Dollar City project has taken a very interesting turn. Check out the cross ties on the bents in this picture. -clicky- Is this gonna be a ridiculously over banked turn, or are we finally gonna see someone else try and put an inversion on a woody?

[MorganFan]

Judging by what the forces look like, I'm guessing that this will finally be it. Outlaw will have an inversion. There is no way that I can see how it pulls out of that overbank that abruptly.

Congratulations, RMC.
This is all only a guess, of course.

[Danny Miller]

I recall on the Coasterradio.com podcast a few years ago that folks fro Gravity Group said that they could easily build an inversion on a wooden coaster AND do it out of wood, just nobody had asked them to do it yet, so we very well could be seeing SDC and RMC beating them to the punch in that regard. SDC really could use something like this to be able to say "Hey, we have to world's ONLY looping wooden coaster."

[Mike Strobel]

This off of a Twitter feed sent to Screamscape.

[Ryan Shrout]

Honestly I feel like that's more a warning along the lines of "Avoid the siren's song until August 5th and be rewarded by something insanely awesome next year that won't splinter your spine."

[MorganFan]

Well, I can see what they're getting at, because after NTG opened, I really regretted not going on the old version before it closed.

[Vater]

Yeah, but most people thought Texas Giant was good, if not a little rough. All I hear about Rattler in its current state is what a lousy ride it is.

[MorganFan]

I see now. Well then, like always, Six Flags is doing it wrong.

Edit: Again.

Edited by MorganFan, 11 July 2012 - 10:06 PM.

[steel-Rock]

Maybe some of you can get an idea of what the old Texas Giant was like at about the time I rode it.

[drachenfirebgw]

I know we've talked about this before, but the idea that similar roller coasters lifespan comes to an end at approximately the same time. Arrow Custom Loopers had a run of closures between 2003-2010. Arrow Suspended Costers from 2005-present day. The Intamin Swiss Bobs are approaching the end of there run. Since Hercules, these Dinn Corp. or other wooden roller coasters that rushed onto the scene in the late 1980's and early 1990's in the beginning of the roller coaster arms races. All of these parks going after the height record and manufacturers getting parks to bite. Hercules, Texas Giant, Psyclone, Pegasus, Raging Wolf Bobs, (possibly) Thunder Run, and Sierra Tonante are all gone or extreme renovated, and there are many others that have had there issues. 1994 ushered in the Custom Coasters International era.

Rattler is no exception here if not the poster child for this generation of wooden roller coaster gone wrong. RMC has confirmed a project at SFFT, and it's quite a bit weird that SFFT is playing off the whole "Rattler being removed thing". They never explicitly say it's going away forever. Other news stories have said it themselves, but they obviously are clueless regarding the RMC rumors and haven't had the park confirm that thought either. I certainly hope and predict a New Texas Giant Iron Hourse treatment here. In theory, the Rattler was an amazing concept! Amazing concept I say again. Giant wooden roller coaster on the side of a cliff in Texas with a snake theme, and it just screamed Texas. Helix in a snake coil, curving first drop, tunnels, highly banked turns, a lot of speed. Too bad John Pierce wreck the execution of the thing. Maybe one of the most poorly executed designs in amusement history.