HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: aweir@ttd.teradyne.com
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: SFGA (Gurnee,IL) Announces the new ride!!
Date: 14 Apr 92 17:23:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: ttd.1992Apr14.122423.1
Organization: Teradyne Inc., Telecommunications Division

In article <1992Apr10.141433.8000@chinet.chi.il.us>, koziarz@chinet.chi.il.us (Louis Koziarz) writes:
	stuff deleted
> 
> Speaking of Tidal Wave, can that gentleman from Teledyne confirm that
                                                    ^^
	Everyone gets it wrong :-)
> this coaster is actually gone?  I work a few miles from Gurnee (Abbott Park),
> but haven't had a chance to get up that way in a while.  I'd really miss that
> coaster...
> 
	Sorry to tell you that it's definitely down. In fact they closed the
ride and started to dismantle it before the end of last season. "Batman" has
gone up in its place but I can't see how many other small rides have had to
have been removed or relocated because the new ride is much longer (& wider?)
than the tidal wave was.

	See you in line on May 2nd?
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: bn328@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Brian P. Blume)
Subject: Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 03:33:37 GMT


	Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, OH, claims to have the
     "HIGHEST, FASTEST, STEEPEST, ROLLER-COASTER IN THE COUNTRY"
     it's called the Magnum XL-200 the two hundred being the height
     of the first hill.  It truly is a great roller-coaster, but
     is their claim true?  Also, does anyone know what the new
     attraction is at the park this year?
-- 
			$ Brian P. Blume $
		    bn328@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu
			  Class of 1992
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Tuesday, 14 Apr 1992 12:58:55 EDT
From: John Frank <JJF112@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject:    Re: Dorney Park & WWK

     Hi. I'm new to this group so I'll introduce myself and tell you a little
about me.  My name is John Frank, and I attend Penn State.  I am from just
outside of Allentown, PA.  I have loved roller - coasters all my life, and am
currently studying mechanical engineering in hopes of getting a design job.
I have my fingers crossed on getting a co-op with a certain amusement design
firm for the fall, and should know by the end of this week.
     What was stated in the previous article on the sale of D.P. is exactly as
I have heard, so no changes there.  However, as jobs were scarce last summer in
 the Allentown area, I took a job at D.P., mostly operating the Hercules.  Over
 the course of the summer, I heard several rumors which may or may not be true,
 but I will present them for you to judge....
     There was talk that when the Hercules was designed, it was laid out in
such a way that in the future, up to 10 feet could be "added" to the lift hill,
 in order to regain the "tallest" wooden coaster status if another park outdid
it.  (Sorry for the run-on sentence).  Anyway, if this is even possible, I
think the whole battle with the Texas Giant killed the usefulness of the idea.
     More noteably, there was rumor of a new steel coaster being built where
the north parking lot is now. Supposedly it would be a gully coaster that
utilizes the hill on which the parking lot rests.  From what I heard, the objec
tive goal was to create a 235 ft. drop (approx.).  Upon hearing the rumor, I
hinted around to a zone manager about "the one going on the north lot", and he
returned me with a comment of "How do you know that?".  Take from that what you
 will.  Anyway, with the sale of the park pending, and Cedar Fair reportedly
going to add $ 50 M in renovations/new rides, I wouldn't doubt the possibility.
     Well, I've taken up enough of your time I'm sure.  Until next time...

                                                   Good riding,

                                                         John.
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: Cessna@kn5f.jsc.nasa.gov (Mark T. Evert)
Subject: Re: pipeline coasters
Organization: Loral Space Information Systems
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 14:44:43 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.080952.1064@ucbeh.san.uc.edu> 
rettigca@ucbeh.san.uc.edu writes:
> Whatever it was it looked really interesting.

The Ultra-twister at Astroworld in Houston is one such coaster.  I've 
ridden it.  It's OK but IMHO it is not spectacular.

Mark T. Evert

Cessna@kn5f.jsc.nasa.gov
(713) 282-5525
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: Dale English@watson.ibm.com
Subject: Re: Second Hand News
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 21:33:40 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center


I was at Busch Gardens on opening day and they ran Drachen fire right until
closing, and I rode it from 7:30pm to 10:00 and did not notice anything
funny.  I did make a stop at Loch Ness Monster and Big Bad Wolf during that
time, but certainly not long enough for the kind of problem that was reported.

See my earlier appends about the ride.

Dale "Drachen Fire" English
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: Ray.Moody@Cray.Com (Ray Moody)
Subject: Seeking individuals to join me at KINGS ISLAND on 11-APR-92
Originator: ngcr03t@hp058
Supersedes: <1992Apr6.163608.21840@walter.cray.com>
Organization: Cray Research field support onsite in Cincinnati OH
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 16:55:52 GMT

None of my friends in Cincinnati are coaster nuts and none of my
friends from out of town can be talked into hitting Kings Island on
opening day, 1992.  Bummer.  I don't want to coaster alone.

So who wants to join me?

Surely there must be somebody else on this network from the Greater
Cincinnati area.

I have discount coupons.  I am a new ACE member for 1992 (Thanks, Buck!).

                                                                Ray
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       ACE Elecktronik Profile

Name: Ray Moody
Age: Turned 25 last week (April 1!)
Home: Cincinnati, Ohio
Occupation: Computer Jockey
First coaster ride: The Beast, Kings Island, August 1990 -- so I am a newbie!
Track record (so far...): 5 wood, 4 steel; 9 total.
Favorite coaster ride: The Vortex
Favorite non-coaster ride: Does a Northwest Boeing 747 at take off
        thrust count here?
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Subject: Re: Phantom at Kennywood
Summary: Is S. Phantom (Kennywood) worth it?
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 23:21:39 GMT

In article <167C397CD.KROBINSO@kentvm.kent.edu>, KROBINSO@kentvm.kent.edu) (Kara k) writes:
> Hi,  I just saw an article about the Steel Phantom coaster at Kennywood.
> Can anyone tell me if it is awesome as it sounds?  Will it be worth the
> drive to PA?  Thanks.

A trip to Kennywood (home park to the Steel Phantom coaster) is surely worth
the trip for any coaster enthusiast, even if there were no Steel Phantom
there! Kennywood's three vintage wooden coasters (Thnuderbolt, Racer and
Jack Rabbit) are world-renowned and worth the trip by themselves. Kennywood
is a wonderful traditional park, rated by most park goers in the know as the
finest traditional park in the U.S. and maybe even in North America.
From: dave@bcco.UUCP (David Rounds)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Coaster Dictionary?
Date: 13 Apr 92 15:25:08 GMT
Organization: Barber-Colman Company

gt2807a@prism.gatech.EDU (Benjamin H. Cowan) writes:
: 
:   Is there a roller coaster dictionary?  I've seen terms like inversion
: and loop, and to me I fail to see the difference.  And I've seen stuff
: like shuttle coaster.  What's that?
: 
:   If anybody has one, or could make a simple one real quick, could you
: *post* it.  I'm sure I'm not the only one that's not quite up to date
: on Coaster-ese.
: 

These terms as well as many others are discussed in the RC FAQ list
published monthly (about the 15th) by me.  This month will be no exception
as I plan to do the edits Tuesday evening at home.

I anyone has anything they would like me to consider for inclusion, please
e-mail it to me today.  I have sent a request to a couple of posters in
this group for definitions of terms they have used that I do not currently
have but these will not hold up the posting on Wednesday.

Dave
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David R. Rounds   	|	...!uunet!bcco!dave
Barber-Colman Co.	|	dave@bcco.com
Loves Park IL		|	(815) 877-0241 x3945
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The views presented here are the author's and do not reflect an official
position of my employer or of any other party.
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: chaplin@keinstr.uucp (Roger Chaplin)
Subject: Re: Coaster Dictionary?
Organization: Keithley Instruments, Cleveland, Ohio
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:08:41 GMT

In article <1992Apr11.184728.13613@pmafire.inel.gov> geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen) writes:
>gt2807a@prism.gatech.EDU (Benjamin H. Cowan) writes:
>>
>>  Is there a roller coaster dictionary?
>There's a list of terms included in the rec.roller-coaster FAQ
>(Frequently Asked Questions, in case you're not familiar with that
>term).  I'm not sure when it was last posted, or who the official keeper
>of the FAQ is, though.

I mailed a copy of the FAQ to Benjamin.  The keeper is Dave Rounds
(dave@bcco.com).

BTW, the glossary does not define "inversion" (one of the terms mentioned
in the original article).

-- 
Roger Chaplin / Instruments Division Engineering
chaplin@keinstr.uucp / CI$: 76307,3506
nuthin fancy here . . .
From: scott@svl.cdc.com (Scott Gerken)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: SFGA (Gurnee,IL) Announces the new ride!!
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:37:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: shamash.41107

>In article <1992Apr10.141433.8000@chinet.chi.il.us>, koziarz@chinet.chi.il.us (Louis Koziarz) writes:
>> (some stuff deleted)
>> SFGA Trivia: What was the original name of 'The Whizzer'?
>> 
>If my memory serves me well, wasn't this called "Williard's Whizzer"?

Here is some more 'The Whizzer' trivia.

It was named after Bill 'Williard' Marriott, Sr., the founder of the Marriott Corporation
which build and originally operated both Great Americas.  In 1978 a kid was kill on the
Santa Clara Williard's Whizzer do to a combination of ride malfunction and operator error.
The Marriott Corporation then changed the rides name so that their founder would not be
associated with a roller coaster that killed someone.  The official report said that the
kid was killed by a ride malfunction.  This was half true.  A friend and I were in line
to ride it about 15 minuets before the kid was killed.  One train did not stop before    
entering the station and rear ended a train that was in the station.  Lucky nobody was hurt
this time.  Instead of stopping the ride and calling the mechanics the operators continued
operating the ride.  About 15 minuets after we rode it the malfunction happened again.  But,
this time a boy getting onto the train in the station was thrown between two cars and killed.
At the time both my friend and I were employed by the Santa Clara Great America.  We both
filled out the required accident reports the next day and the Marriott corporation never
let out that part of the death was do to a fatal operator mistake.
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Drachen Fire
Date: 7 Apr 92 13:42:48 GMT
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Distribution: usa
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

Dale,

Sounds great, but how bout some answers:

1) How bad were the lines?
2) How are the new trains??  Are they that much better than
   the old Arrow trains?
3) Does the camel hump *really* give 3 seconds of airtime?
4) Is this a front seat ride or a back seat ride?


Thanks,
Buck, riding this baby April 19th
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: Dale English@watson.ibm.com
Subject: Re: Drachen Fire
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1992 19:13:39 GMT
Distribution: usa
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

But wait, there's more...

If you think you can get "up close and personal" with Loch Ness Monster, you
have a treat with Drachen Fire!  Not only can you walk right under one of
the corkscrews, but they put an observation area right in the middle of the
helix!  360 degrees of coaster in your face!  Talk about a photo opportunity!

Dale "Drachen Fire" English
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: jmd@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (joseph.m.dakes)
Subject: Dorney Park/Wild Water Kingdom
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 13:03:01 GMT
Keywords: Cedar Fair


A while back I told you that the proposed sale of Dorney Park to Cedar
Fair was not yet a done deal.  Cedar Fair wanted the 46-acre lot
adjacent to DP/WWK as part of the deal.  The county owned that land
and didn't want to sell it, but they would rent it (Dorney rented
6-acres at $4000 per).  The county officials eyes lit up at the
prospect of making money off the new owner.  An appraisal of the land
valued it at $51K per acre.  But the county felt it was too low and
scheduled a second appraisal because the first, who they had hired,
had a conflict of interest because he dealt with the Comfort Suite
hotel across the street from DP/WWK.  Cedar Point was growing weary of
the county officials dragging their feet, so they upped their offer to
rent the 46-acres to $4300 per.  The county officials refused and went
ahead with the second appraisal.  It came back at $80K per acre.  A 
difference of $1.3M!  There was talk about Cedar Fair pulling out of
the deal.  The county wanted the present owner of DP/WWK to make up
the difference in a single cash payment, to approve the deal.  Yeah,
right!

So, it looked like a dead deal with talk of Cedar Fair moving on.
And that is what I had planned to post last Friday.  But Cedar Fair
must have given in, because the latest news is that the county clowns
have agreed to rent the 46-acre lot.  No financials were given.  There
are still some small matters, but the biggest hurdle has been cleared
and it looks like the sale of Dorney Park will be official shortly.
Thank god!

Joe Dakes
AT&T Microelectronics
555 Union Boulevard
Allentown, PA  18103
alux5!jmd

Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen)
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 15:53:36 GMT
Organization: Computer Nerd (is that redundant?), WINCO, INEL, Idaho
Subject: Re: Drachen Fire
Summary: 
Expires: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: usa
Organization: Computer Nerd (is that redundant?), WINCO, INEL, Idaho
Keywords: 


Dale "Drachen Fire" English posted a glowing review of the ride.

All I have to say is...

	I think I'm going to go cry now.  Thank you very much.

Geoff ``2000 miles from Drachen Fire and can't afford to fly'' Allen

--
Geoff Allen          \  Please remain seated and keep your hands and arms
uunet!pmafire!geoff   \  above your head at all times.  Enjoy your ride.
geoff@pmafire.inel.gov \
From: rhb@ucs.usl.edu (Bird Rendell H.)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Six Flags--which one?
Date: 6 Apr 92 14:03:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: usl.1992Apr6.140331.28009
Organization: Univ. of Southwestern La., Lafayette

(John Carbone) writes:
>Here are the Six Flags (I'm pretty sure!):
>
>Magic Mountain-- right outside of LosAngeles
>Over Texas-- Dallas
>Over Mid America-- St. Louis
>Great America-- Gurnee, Illinois
>Over Georgia-- Atlanta
>Great Adventure-- somewhere in New Jersey
>Atlantis-- Ft. Lauderdale (this is a water park)

Add:


AstroWorld -- Houston



Rendell (with his AstroWorld Season's Pass which has a picture so awful
         that it can be used for comic relief!)




===============================================================================
Stimpy: ...and God bless Grandma, and God bless Grandpa...
Ren:    ...*and* a million dollars, and a 'fridge with a padlock, and,
        oh yeah; HUGE pectoral muscles.
Stimpy: And especially watch after my friend Ren. He is not strong.
From: rettigca@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: King's Island
Date: 8 Apr 92 08:44:37 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Univ. of Cincinnati

I cannot recall who said that King's Island (King's Mills, Ohio) was getting a
steel coaster this year but it's not true as I found out from my sister who
works there. The only attraction that will be new this year will be the Phantom
Theater, a haunted house/ ride that's like the one in Disney. The other bit of
news that she gave me was that there is rumors of a new suspended coaster being
built there for '93. It would be the replacement for The Bat which they had
years ago. If rumors are correct, it would go over the lake in the middle of
the park. In the meantime it looks as if the flight commander ride will be back
up and running this year with added restraints due to its problems last year.
And Skylab may be shut down for good now as well....


Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Subject: Re: pipeline coasters
Summary: More info.
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 01:52:05 GMT

In article <ha6t#kp@rpi.edu>, xor@acm.rpi.edu (Joe Schwartz) writes:
> (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.)

It's true - at Astroworld, the ride now goes up a 45-degree incline, this
was supposed to cure the aches and pains of those unlucky riders who got
stuck on the lift hill, which is probably one of the noisiest lifts ever.

> At the top of the hill, the track does a U-turn and goes straight down.
> (Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

You are right at straight down.

Also, I think that the drop on a freefall is only about 90-100 feet.

> I don't recall whether the Pipeline will have trains or single cars...
> I hope it has trains.

The pipeline does have trains.

> 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.)

Boomerangs are certainly shuttle coasters, although the Ultra Twister may
not exactly qualify since it's backwards trip goes over a different track
than its forward trip. Speaking about shuttle loops, the propulsion
mechanisms have been quite interesting. Kennywood's old Laser Loop shuttle
loop used a huge flywheel which stored the energy used to propel the
train out of the station right up into the loop! You got from zero to
about 55 MPH in under 3 seconds! King's Dominion's now removed King
Cobra used a large counterweight in the tower at the far end of the ride;
riders went a strange experience after restraints were locked: the train
was jolted before the actual experience started; this was due to the
operators taking the slack out of the connecting cables and pulleys; after
the jolt, simultaneously the brakes are released and the weight is dropped,
creating the same acceleration quoted above, what a trip!

Tom Maglione.
From: Dale English@watson.ibm.com
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: What is the new ride at Six Flags over Georgia?
Date: 6 Apr 92 22:24:13 GMT
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM

The new ride at Six Flags Over Georgia is a five-inversion Vekoma coaster
that will be named NINJA (sigh, another NINJA).  This coaster was originally
at Hunt's Pier (Conko's Party Pier) in Wildwood, NJ.  I had a chance to ride
the KAMIKAZE (as it was called at Hunt's Pier) last year.  I wish I had been
in a better frame of mind to ride it after travelling the whole length of
the Garden State Parkway so I would have enjoyed it more.  It is a visually
exciting ride, however, I don't remember much else about it.  Two rides on the
GSP will do that to you.

Dale "Drachen Fire" English
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: rjv21207@sumter.cso.uiuc.edu (Randy Vose)
Subject: Re: SFGA (Gurnee,IL) Announces the new ride!!
Reply-To: vose@ibma0.cs.uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 17:56:09 GMT

> SFGA Trivia: What was the original name of 'The Whizzer'?

That's easy! :) The coaster was originally called Willard's Whizzer, named  
after Willard Marriott.  (Marriott originally owned the park)

SFGA Trivia (easy):  What was the original name of 'The Orbit'?
SFGA Trivua (hard):  What was the significance of the 25 cent rootbeer stand
                     near the Whizzer in Hometown Square, when the park
                     originally opened?

> Speaking of Tidal Wave, can that gentleman from Teledyne confirm that
> this coaster is actually gone?  I work a few miles from Gurnee (Abbott Park),
> but haven't had a chance to get up that way in a while.  I'd really miss that
> coaster...

It was dismantled at the end of last season, and yep-- it's gone completely  
now.  Rumor has it that it's "in storage" and it's fate is up in the air.  The  
ride was supposed to go the SFOMA in Eureka, MO, but apparently they got tired  
of getting 'second-hand" rides....

Randy Vose
American Coaster Enthusiasts
vose@ibma0.cs.uiuc.edu
University of Illinois
Urbana/Champaign
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: tcain@brtph87.bnr.ca (Tom Cain P860)
Subject: re: jumbo jet
Reply-To: tcain@bnr.ca
Organization: BNR, Inc. Research Triangle Park, NC
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1992 15:36:31 GMT

hey! i worked at cedar point from 74-77 in the food service catering dept.
the jumbo jet was always one of my favorite rides...  of course, 
while spending ones life in the park, the rides did not always look like 
much fun.  we did go out and ride the coasters from time to time tho...
the best ride i ever got was on the corkscrew at about 3am while maintenence
was working on it...  we went around 5 or 6 times...  anyhow, back to the
jet, i heard they moved to it valley fair after they bought it.  the biggest
problem with the jet, as i remember, was the hot rail was about a foot too
short.  depending on the weight distribution in the train, it liked to get
stuck at the top of the spiral.  so, you call maintenence, they climb up
top, and give it a push...  what fun!
-- 
Tom Cain  WB8OUE                             tcain@bnr.ca
disclaimer: i don't speak for nobody!
From: rhb@ucs.usl.edu (Bird Rendell H.)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Second Hand News
Date: 10 Apr 92 16:36:08 GMT
Organization: Univ. of Southwestern La., Lafayette

Here is some second hand news from the opening day of Drachen Fyre:


(As was previously posted here on the net), Arrow was using kerosene
heaters to keep the lubricants in the wheels from getting too cold
and 'freezing up'. After the sun set, the temperature began to
fall quickly. So the Arrow people moved the heaters closer to the underside
of the lone operating train that day.  Something on the bottom of the train
began to smoke, and then it burst into flames!


I don't know how much damages was done -- or even if the ride went down.
I will try to find out.



My friend's general overview:  Drachen Fyre is one of the best coasters
in the entire country  (and this is from a man who doesn't like hardly ANY
steel roller coasters). He says the timing is nearly perfect. Every element
is not-too-fast, not-too-late.

This is practically the first Arrow coaster he has said was worth crossing
the street to ride (maybe the other one he mentioned was Magnum XL200).



Gotta Run,
Rendell