From: xor@acm.rpi.edu (Joe Schwartz)
Subject: Re: pipeline coasters
Organization: The Voice of Fate
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 07:29:52 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.175950.16069@engage.pko.dec.com> buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com () writes:
>The Ultra Twister is manufactured by Japan-based TOGO, Intl.  The 
>company refers to it as a "Spin Rotating" coaster.  It's basically 
>yet another variation on the Shuttle loop theme (once forward, once 
>backwards), but uses two separte tracks to achieve this.
>
>The "Pipeline" is the working name for the coaster (concept) currently
>in R&D by Arrow Dynamics of Clearfield, UT.  While it's similar to the
>TOGO in that the cars ride between the rails, in stead of on top of 
>them, the pipeline is very different than what the UT has to offer.
>The Pipeline will feature a larger circuit than the UT, and will only
>go forward.  The Pipeline will also feature 5-car, 4-passenger trains.
>The UT runs single 4 passenger cars on it's rails.

I rode the Ultra Twister when it first opened at Great Adventure, and
I haven't ridden it since then (nor have I been to AstroWorld).  I think
I only rode it once or twice, but I remember most of it.

The lift hill and first drop were memorable.  The lift hill went straight
up -- the car (the cars are individual, not trains) backed up into the
bottom of the lift elevator (similar to Free Fall), and then rotated 90
degrees to go up.  So you go up the lift hill "sitting" on your back, 
staring at the sky.  (I've read that the lift hill was modified when the
ride was moved to AstroWorld -- now you go up at a more reasonable angle.)
At the top of the hill, the track does a U-turn and goes straight down.
(Please correct me if I'm wrong.)  I know that other coasters bill themselves
as the "steepest" with a 60-61 degree drop, but I could swear that the
Ultra Twister had a 90 degree drop, just like Free Fall -- except that
you're facing the ground!

I just checked "Guide To Ride", and sure enough, the first drop is 90
degrees, face-down.  It's not a very long drop (92 feet), but I think
this deserves the title of "steepest drop".  By the way, how far is the
drop on a Free Fall?  I seem to recall "13 stories", which translates
into 130 feet...does this sound right?  Or is the top of the ride 130
feet above the ground (which would make the drop about 110 feet)?

Anyway, the Ultra Twister didn't strike me as being very exciting, except
for that first drop.  It doesn't twist while it's falling -- it twists
along a straightaway.  The Pipeline, on the other hand, looks like it
will twist while it's falling and turning, which could be very cool.
I don't recall whether the Pipeline will have trains or single cars...
I hope it has trains.

Finally, I don't think it's fair to compare the Ultra Twister to a shuttle
coaster just because it goes forward and then backward.  That's not doing
justice to shuttle coasters, which I enjoy much more.  (I'll count the
Boomerangs as shuttle coasters, though.)  I love shuttle loops because
the accelerate so quickly out of the station -- no other type of coaster
gives you such a push.  (I've only ridden Arrow's shuttle loops, BTW.)
The Boomerangs are entertaining in a different way...getting pulled
backwards up the first drop is a change of pace, at least.
-- 
Joe Schwartz (xor@acm.rpi.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster