HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cheri@decoy.uucp (24473-stead)
Subject: Re: Williams Grove CYCLONE
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 13:56:07 GMT

When did this happen?  I was out there Sunday, 8/23, and they were having
problems with the coaster.  We were only able to ride it twice because they
kept closing it (it was closed, then they'd open it for a couple of rides,
then close it again,...).  We didn't stay too long, since there didn't seem
to be much else to do.

Cheri "visiting *lots* of small parks this year!" Stead
cheri@decoy.cc.bellcore.com
From: v120p993@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Kevin F Hulme)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Pipeline/other questions comments
Date: 2 Sep 92 20:11:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


Hi. Just thought I'd spread the word on a rumor I heard while at Cedar
Point this past weekend- they will be introducing the brand new 
PIPELINE to the world in 1993. For those who don't know, the Pipeline
is a new style of roller coaster which essentially has the capability 
of riding on top, or below the tracks; between them. I saw a special 
on a prototype from a National Geographic special from 2 years ago-
it looks amazing. Cedar Point, as always, increasing their position 
as the coaster capital of our world.


Also: is A.C.E worth the $50 fee? I have heard much about this group;
just what does this fee get you? Pictures/statistics I hope?

Does anyone know the current list of top rated coasters? Could someone
post this type of knowledge to the board for my info?? (Who decides
this list, and what do they base their decision on?)

I rode the Steel Phantom in June, and I snuck down a 70 foot cliff 
next to the employee service road at kennywood to get some shots of 
the hidden second (225 foot) hill. I cannot justify the hill being 
that big from the photo- it looks big, but not as big as my photo 
of the 205 foot Magnum drop. Can anyone comment on this dilemma?
I was intrigued by the Phantom, as it just seemed to pop out of
nowhere in 1991. Does anyone have any stories on its development,
etc.?

any replies appreciated--    Kevin Hulme 
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic)
Subject: The Bat
Reply-To: pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 05:40:01 GMT


I just saw a picture of the old Bat coaster that used to be at KI in the
latest RollerCoaster magazine and it got my curiosity up. I never saw this
coaster in person but was always very interested in it. Does anyone know
what was wrong with it? Tearing down a new coaster seems a bit drastic,
why couldn't it have been reprofiled? In the picture the cars didn't seem
to have the shock absorbers that present Arrow suspened cars have, is this
true or is the picture not clear? Was the ride good, as good as the Big
Bad Wolf? In short I'd like to hear anything and everything that you know
about this ride, especially why it didn't work. I wish I would have been
one of (the few?) people to ride this ride.

-- 
Pete Babic  -  pab@po.cwru.edu          ///
I'd rather be on a boat or a           ///  /\
roller coaster. Member of A.C.E  \\\  ///  /--\MIGA  
(American Coaster Enthusiasts)    \\\/// Humpty Dumpty was pushed!
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Please Help
Date: 28 Aug 92 18:50:10 GMT
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

What is it about West View that induces tears??

I was *in* tears at 1991's Eastcoaster when someone did a 
West View Park presentation!!

I also *highly* recommend the Jacques book that Tom Maglione 
mention!


B.
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 14:29:33 GMT
Organization: Roller Coaster fanatic with no hope for a cure
Subject: Re: Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens, VA
Summary: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: rec
Organization: Roller Coaster fanatic with no hope for a cure
Keywords: drachen fire

grohol@novavax.UUCP (John Grohol) writes:

>Six Flags Great Adventure
>-------------------------
>Their looping coaster, old as it is and recently tainted by a death
>a few years back, is still one of the best implementations of a
>loop-only coaster I've seen. "Lightening Loops" offers a very simple
>premise: push you off one hill, go through the loop, and come to
>a platform on the opposite side of the loop. Push you off *that*
>platform *backwards* and you go through the loop backwards and end
>up where you started. Quick. Easy. Thoroughly enjoyable! A backwards
>loop is really quite an experience. We sat in the last car going
>forward, the first going backward... and let me tell you, you never
>forget that feeling of not knowing where that hill drops you off
>into the loop until it's too late!!

This ride is generically referred to as a shuttle loop, in this case
done by Arrow Dynamics.  And based on how much you liked it, I'll let
you in on a secret:

	You really really really really want to ride a Schwarzkopf
	shuttle loop.

Known locations of such a beast are:

	Six Flags Astroworld, in Houston, TX, where it's called 
	Greezed Lightnin'

	Great America, in Santa Clara, CA, were it's called Tidal Wave

and

	Knott's Berry Farm, in Buena Park, CA, where it's called
	Montezooma's Revenge.

It's similar to the Lightning Loops, but there are no drops (so to
speak).  You go barrelling out of the station with some incredible
accelleration, through a loop (and a nice, Schwarzkopf-designed loop,
not a wimpy clothoid loop that gives you no extreme g's and leaves you
upside down for only a short time), and up a steep incline.  You go up
the incline until you lose all your speed, stop, then start rolling
backward.  Back through the loop, back through the station, and up a
similar incline, down that incline and stop.

It only lasts 30 or 40 seconds, but oh, what a ride!!!

Geoff ``I rode it once in the last seat with a *very* full bladder. 
Wow, what a ride!!!'' 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 \
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: A Stand-up Suspended coaster!
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 17:16:18 GMT

Rumors are circulating that B&M are about to unveil a
new design soon -- a Stand-up suspended looping coaster!

Can you imagine?


B&M = Buck & Mabillard!  8^)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: palmer@hsi.com (Mike Palmer)
Subject: Great Adventure/Lake Compounce
Organization: 3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford CT
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:36:05 GMT

does anyone out there know that Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ hours are
on weekends in September?

thanks.

Also, A co-worker said he heard that Lake Compounce will be open this weekend.

-- 
======= Mike Palmer			     {uunet,yale}!hsi!palmer =======
======= 3M Health Information Systems	              palmer@hsi.com =======
======= Wallingford, Connecticut  06492                 203 949-6454 =======
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: cf170@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Kevin R. Russell)
Subject: Re: The Bat
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 21:47:45 GMT


Re: the shock absorbers on the bat---

There were indeed shocks (actually they were dampers) on the bat
the only differance between then and now is that the bat only
had one per side instead of 4 on the current design

The idea of the dampers is that they would take out high
frequency changes in swing, but still allow the slow swings
that were supposed to be designed into the ride.

have a nice day woodieheads
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: CONNEAUT LAKE -- CLOSING!!!
Summary: Beware of ripoffs!
Date: 30 Aug 92 20:49:05 GMT
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory

In article <1646@sousa.ltn.dec.com> buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com () writes:
> (emergency messages deleted)
>If you haven't rode the Conneaut Blue Streak, make fast plans!
>
>If you've rode it, and want to ride it again, make fast plans!
>
> (some more stuff deleted)

I'm very sad to hear this, too; but even worse, I just got a phone call from
friends from Ohio this morning. Apparently, many enthusiasts were making
plans to go to Conneaut today, then found out the park was charging $20.00
a head on the pretense of some outdoor concert on the grounds there today.
What a shame, just to go and get some last rides, and it looks like someone
is out to gouge the last penny out of the patrons. I also believe that the
Blue Streak at Conneaut was given Classic Coaster status by ACE. Too bad.

Sad to see Conneaut's Blue Streak bite the dust, ever,
Tom.
From: pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Please Help
Date: 27 Aug 92 04:43:10 GMT
Reply-To: pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)


In a previous article, mapike@sei.cmu.edu (Mary Ann Pike) says:
>either. Also, I feel the same way about the Magnum (not too exciting,
>like traveling down the turnpike). But I know some people who think
>these coasters are tops. Actually, a good out-and-back is lots of fun, too
>(one of my favorite defunct coasters was an out-and-back), but it has to
>have the g's and air-time.

Well, I gota say that Magnum has loads of neg. g's and air-time. I just
got back from CP and it was *** flying *** tonight. The train was up against
the upstop wheels over the top of every hill except the second. I think
Magnum is a GREAT coaster, I'll take a non-inversion coaster with lap
bars and loads of neg. g's over a looping coaster any day.

>There was one thing that happened, though,
>that perhaps someone who understands the mechanics of coasters can
>explain to me.  On several of the straight runs after a fast section,
>the cars actually seemed to be bouncing up-and-down on the tracks (not
>a side-to-side motion).  One person in my group thought that perhaps
>the ride was going particularly fast, but I don't know if it would
>cause something like that to occur. I didn't notice much (if any)

I think that's caused by the track flexing between the vertical bents
due to the weight of the train, most very fast wood coasters do this
at the bottom of hills where the g forces are greatest. It's kind of
unusual on a flat section of track.
-- 
Pete Babic  -  pab@po.cwru.edu          ///
I'd rather be on a boat or a           ///  /\
roller coaster. Member of A.C.E  \\\  ///  /--\MIGA  
(American Coaster Enthusiasts)    \\\/// Humpty Dumpty was pushed!
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: stevegz@sco.COM (Steve Gzesh)
Subject: Anyone got any coaster GIF files?
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 18:01:52 GMT


I've finally gotten a home computer system and it has a HUGE disk
drive that is waiting to be eaten up by monsterously large GIF
files.  I seem to recall that some roller coaster GIFs were
posted a while back, but I didn't save those posts at the time.

If anyone has a coaster GIF (or other xv'able format) picture you'd be
willing to (re)post or EMAIL to me (stevegz@sco.com), I'd be very
appreciative!

aTdHvAaNnKcSe

Steve
-- 
*******************************************************
****NOTE NEW PHONE EXTENSION EFFECTIVE AUG. 5, 1992****
*******************************************************
Steve Gzesh     stevegz@sco.COM       ...!{ucscc,uunet}!sco!stevegz
Santa Cruz Operation, Educational Services Department
400 Encinal St, P.O. Box 1900, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-1900
Phone: (408) 427-6882, (800) 846-2726 x2882, FAX: (408) 427-5473
On the whole, I'd rather be riding a roller coaster about now...
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Subject: Summer 1992 RollerCoaster! magazine.
Summary: It's finally out.
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 00:52:23 GMT

Because I work for the magazine, I am privy to advance issues mailed to me via
first class. Yesterday I got a copy of the summer 1992 issue, and I just had
to post something here, because Bill Buckley has his photo in it!
Alright, so I also got the cover photo, too, and I finally got my letter
to the editor with corrections in it published, too. But I just couldn't
resist blabbing the news about Buck! (sorry Buck).
Happy RC! reading,
Tom Maglione, Photo Editor, RollerCoaster! magazine.

Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: wjf@controls.ccd.harris.com (Bill Figie)
Subject: Re: KI trip report
Originator: wjf@rs2
Organization: Harris Controls
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 14:04:37 GMT


In article <1992Aug26.123938.10057@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>, edg@cbnewsd.cb.att.com  
|> >
From Mary Ann Pike writes:
|> >The King Cobra is only the second stand up coaster I've ridden; the
|> >other one was the ShockWave (is that the right name?) in SFGAdv. King
|> >Cobra was much smoother...I enjoyed it a lot more than the other one.
|> >
Edwin writes:
|> 
|> Shock Wave is the seven inversion big coaster at SFGA.  The stand up
|> is Iron Wolf.  My family and I preferred it to King Cobra.  Both are
|> fun.
|> 
|> Ed
|> -- 
|> Edwin G. Green

I hate to correct people but Mary Ann is correct.  The Shockwave at Six Flags
Great Adventure is an Intamin standup looper.  There is also a Shockwave at Six
Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL.  It is an Arrow multi-looper (7 loops I
believe) and the brother to the Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great
Adventure.  Iron Wolf is manufactured by B&M.  I have not ridden either the
Shockwave standup or the Iron Wolf so what I say only comes as hear-say but
because the Shockwave was Intamins first (and I believe only standup looper) it
was kind of rough (even when it was in Magic Mountain).  The B&M standup loopers,
from what I understand, are smoother.  I just wanted to clear up some of the
confusion.

			Bill "make mine wood" Figie
From: phillips@lonestar.utsa.edu (Wendy J. Phillips)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Fiesta_Texas_Info
Date: 25 Aug 92 20:04:58 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Texas at San Antonio

For anyone else out there who is interested:

Fiesta Texas is open until Labor Day Daily:
    Sun - Thur 10 am - 9 pm
    Fri & Sat 10 am - 11 pm

After Labor Day - Weekends only:
    Fri 2 - 9 pm
    Sat & Sun 10 am - 9 pm

The park closes for the season Nov. 8.
They are planning a Halloween & a Oktoberfest celebration.

Park information:  (512) 697-5000.

Hang in the turns!
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: Shuttle Loopers (was Re: Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens, VA
Summary: Some answers.
Keywords: drachen fire
Date: 31 Aug 92 17:17:17 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory

In article <1992Aug31.154813.4424@usl.edu> rhb@ucs.usl.edu (Bird Rendell H.) writes:
>(Geoff Allen quotes deleted)
>I wonder if someone out there knows more about these wonderful
>beasties than I do...it seemed to me that the Tidal Wave was
>different from Greezed Lightnin' and Montezooma's Revenge. It
>seemed to have some kind of counter-weight, and the train
>gained momentuem all the way to the loop -- whereas G.L. and
>M.R. both start VERY STRONG but begin to lose speed 
>just before the loop.
>
Well, Rendell, I think I have the answer. Actually there are two different
propulsion systems in use on the aforementioned shuttle loop rides. The two
types are flywheel momentum and falling counterweight. The flywheel momentum
method involves a huge multi-ton flywheel which is brought up to some
steady-state speed while the ride is operating and the passengers are unloading
and loading. When everything is ready, the spinning flywheel is attached to
the train with some cabling system, I believe, which then brings the train
up to speed while constantly losing momentum on the flywheel. The falling
counterweight does just what it sounds like: there is a multi-ton counterweight
usually housed in the far tower that is the part of the ride that you face
when you are seated. While the ride is operating and the trains are unloading
and loading the passengers, the weight is hoisted up in the tower. When all
passengers are restrained and the restraints have been checked, riders on
shuttle loops with this type of propulsion notice a slight jolt while the
brakes are still applied; this happens because all of the slack is being taken
out of the cabling system connecting a small push-cart on the track behind
the train with the counterweight system in the tower. Then, simultaneously,
the brakes are released and weight is dropped, and the acceleration does
continue more on this type than on the flywheel type. IMHO, this mechanism
is more fun to ride on than the other type. Also, on older Arrow shuttle
loops, where you had to climb a tower to load/unload from the train, the
small pushcart used to propel the train out of the station there had been
adapted from the similar mechanisms used on the decks of aircraft carriers
for launching aircraft off the deck. BTW, I don't recall which types of
propulsion systems are used on the rides you mentioned (although I have
ridden all of them), but your description fairly well clinches the type
accordingly.

Tom "I like 'em technical" Maglione
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: dtorok@nynexst.com (David Torok)
Subject: Speeds on Water Rides?
Organization: NYNEX Science & Technology, Inc.
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 92 17:07:25 GMT

Does anyone know what speed you can get to on a waterslide?  I just returned
from Action Park in NJ where i went on the near-vertical FreeFall style
waterslide.  I believe they have these elsewhere (such as Atlantis in
Hollywood FLA).  I'm guessing 30-40 mph but maybe faster?

By the way, the Bungee Jump at Action park is fun.  It's an extra $5, but worth
it if you're not willing to go to a 300 ft. jump off a bridge.  The drop is
about 75 feet.

-=$>Dave<$=-
-- 
David Torok, NYNEX Science & Technology, 914-644-2378 Fax: 914-644-2404
500 Westchester Ave, White Plains, NY 10604  "torok@nynexst.com"  Juggle!
From: wjf@controls.ccd.harris.com (Bill Figie)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Re: The Bat
Date: 28 Aug 92 21:01:43 GMT
Organization: Harris Controls
Originator: wjf@rs2


Pete;
  I am sure there are others out there posting on this subject but I just
couldn't resist.  I rode the Bat two years in a row (and I live in Florida). 
From what I saw it was up enough to warrant keeping it.  From what I understand,
it was just too unreliable for KI to keep.  It was always going down and
upsetting park patrons.  KI wanted a ride that was up more, so they eventually
got rid of it.  I don't know if they had problems with the welds or what.  I know
they did do some profiling on it but from what I could tell, it wasn't a lot. 
The cars really swung out a lot on this suspend coaster.  It was almost all
curves and changes in direction to make them swing out.  It was really wild.  I
think at first they either didn't have shock absorbers on it or only had 1 or 2. 
But as time want on, they kept adding them.  In several sections you could tell
it needed them too.  You could feel the car swing way up and bottom out.  On a
couple of my rides I felt that we would just fly off the track.  That was one
very good steel coaster and I was very sorry to see it torn down.


			Bill "I really loved the Bat" Figie
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: Re: Velvet & Velcro -or- When Coaster Gods Are Smiling
Keywords: Rattler and Texas Giant in one weekend
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 13:12:10 GMT

So Dave,

Did FT *ever* open that back seat on the Rattler?!?  A
friend from DEC was there last week and had some back
seat rides.

???

B.
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen)
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 92 18:14:05 GMT
Organization: Roller Coaster fanatic with no hope for a cure
Subject: Rendell Bird (Re: Shuttle Loopers)
Summary: Rendell's back!
Followup-To: 
Distribution: rec
Organization: Roller Coaster fanatic with no hope for a cure
Keywords: hurricane wind nasty

rhb@ucs.usl.edu (Bird Rendell H.) writes....

Hey Rendell!!  Good to hear (see? ;^) ) from you.  I hear you had an
exciting week last week.  Hope you survived Andrew without sustaining
*too* much damage.

Geoff ``Far, far, far from any hurricanes'' 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: aq009@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (David A. Johnson)
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
Subject: Arrow & Vekoma: What's the connection?
Date: 4 Sep 1992 03:35:44 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: aq009@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (David A. Johnson)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


It's always been obvious to me that (mechanically, at least) Vekoma's
roller coasters are very similar to Arrow's products.  I've always wondered
what the connection between the two companies is.  

Does Vekoma have a license to use Arrow's mechanical designs, but then come
up with their own variations from there (as in Boomerang and
Kamikaze/Ninja)?  What little I've seen of Vekoma's designs seem to
generally be more interesting than Arrow's usual "inversion checklist"
style of rides (again, the Kamikaze/Ninja comes to mind--from the pictures,
it looks much more interesting than most Arrow megaloopers).

So, again, what sort of collaboration exists between Vekoma and Arrow?
-- 
_________________        David "Chuckie" Johnson        _________________
      "I'm       \     aq009@cleveland.freenet.edu     /   ...no one
   looking for    \       		              /  seems to have." 
    something...   \      "Diversity in Injury"      /     -Mudhoney
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 16:57:18 GMT
Organization: WINCO
Subject: Williams Grove CYCLONE
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

Well, the William's Grove CYCLONE (reviewed
by me about a month ago in REC-R.C) is 
currently down and in "repair mode".  Seems
as if the coaster decided to BREAK last week!

The steel rails in the transition section from
the bottom of the first drop up the 2nd hill
decided to crack and brake off on one run ...
this caused the train to loose momentum, and
it finally settled in the gully between the 
two hills after the rails broke.  No one was
injured.  There were 4 ACEers riding the coaster
at the time of the incident, and one of them has
it on video tape!!

The CYCLONE is expected to be fixed and running
again by this weekend.


B.

Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster
From: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: Re: Shuttle Loopers (was Re: Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens, VA
Keywords: drachen fire
Reply-To: buck@cavlry.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Distribution: rec
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 17:28:35 GMT

Rendell "I survived the Big Blow in LA" writes:

>>TIDAL WAVE -- Six Flags Great America ... Counterweight


>From the rumors I have heard this one will soon be operating again
>at Six Flags over Mid-America (St Louis). I hope they have good luck
>with it.

When I was at SFoMA in June, I was given a tour of the park by
their ride/operations supervisor.  We chatted about the TIDAL 
WAVE shuttle loop rumor, and any new coaster possibilities.  He
said that they were, indeed, slated to receive the shuttle loop
in 1992, but that some red tape held the ride up in IL.  They said
they would be getting a new coaster in 1993 or 1994, and it would
either be a shuttle loop, or something totally new (but his opinion
was that it would be the shuttle loop).


B.
Newsgroups: rec.roller-coaster