As I was working on the latest issue of Theme Park Geekly (Issue 4 is live by the way, check it out), I came across a video of Theme Park Review’s Robb Alvey interviewing Alan Schilke of Rocky Mountain Coasters. They’re the company behind the New Texas Giant. We can thank them and Larry Chickola for that coaster’s incredible ride and unreal amount of airtime.
Rocky Mountain Construction’s Iron Horse track was, in my opinion, the biggest roller coaster development of not only this year, but in several years. The New Texas Giant landed at 6th on my Top Ten Coasters List and its 3rd on my Top Steel Coasters List.
New Woodie & a Rocky Mountain Upgrade Coming in 2013
Schilke mentions in the video that they’re working on a brand new wooden coaster that’ll be on topper track. The new woodie will debut the company’s own Rocky Mountain coaster trains. He said that their trains are made for their rides, but can be used on other wooden coasters as well. And, then he states that their working on I-Box replacement track (sounds like a New Texas Giant project) that will replace an existing coaster. I wonder if it will be one of these coasters: Poll – Pick the Next Coaster to Get the the Texas Giant Treatment
Here’s the video featuring the interview with Rocky Mountain’s Alan Schilke:
For more on IAAPA 2011 see Rick West’s full review at Geekly: A First-Timers Adventures at IAAPA 2011
Also see a new edition of Geek Speak featuring quotes and coverage: Geek Speak: IAAPA 2011
What’s Your Take?
Do you think you know where the new woodie and re-done woodie will be? Leave a comment below.
December 24, 2011 at 13:05
Awesome. Personally I hope the Boss will get this treatment in the next few years. It's at my home park and I pretty rough. It was nominated in the poll for rides that need it and I couldn't agree more.
December 24, 2011 at 18:27
Can't wait to see what Rocky Mountain has up their sleeves for next year. I would love for them to do Mean Streak at Cedar Point, as that ride got bad over the years. The longest I've waited for that ride would have to be the 5 minutes it takes to walk up to the station, and that's too much for that bummer of a ride. I have a feeling this company will soon be rich, though. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a New Texas Giant in thier park! By the way, Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2011 at 17:14
Not Mean Streak! Not yet anyway, I'm heading up there middle of next year and intend to ride all 17 coasters.
December 25, 2011 at 17:20
It should definately be SOB. In the poll, SOB was the only coaster to have lawsuits against it. I even believe that it's the single most-sued ride in the world. Mission Space following close behind– But that's because people aren't reading the signs. SOB was just poorly engineered.
August 4, 2012 at 01:14
Son of Beast is getting torn down. Sorry to burst your bubble but Kings Island announced that in late July.
December 27, 2011 at 04:33
I see the advantages of their Topper Track in retrofitting sections of existing wooden roller coasters and maintaining the same track profile, but what is so innovative about the track on the New Texas Giant? All they did was use a different shape of steel for a steel-track ride. Not only is it not innovative, but there are more longitudinal welds in the new track, so I don't think there are any advantages in using this shape over tubular track.
What it sounds like is that people enjoy the new ride centerline on the New Texas Giant and are mistakenly thinking the track has anything to do with that.
I suppose it's exciting if they're building two new rides, but not because of the track.
December 28, 2011 at 01:30
TF, I think it's the steel track that's the exciting and 'innovative' part period. Not so much the shape of the track. I'm excited (and I think justifiably so) that a company has designed a way to re-fit steel track on an existing wooden coaster. Sure, there have been roller coasters with wooden supports and steel track, but to my knowledge there hasn't been this conversion. And that's really exciting because there are SO many rough old woodies that could benefit from a similar transformation. Maybe I incorrectly directed the attention to the 'I-Beam' track itself, but the bottom line is that it looks like Rocky Mountain's going to successfully give some older rides an injection of fun and excitement.
Make sense?
January 2, 2012 at 11:03
What you're saying makes sense, but, as an argument, I still (respectfully) don't buy it.
To me, all they're saying is: "Are you giving up on your wooden coaster? Make it a steel coaster!"
They're taking the wooden coaster's track and turning it into a (still unproven) structural part of the ride (wood track is non-structural). Rather than fix the underlying issues plaguing the rough wooden coaster – which can be done for any wooden coaster out there – they say it's not worth having a wooden coaster anymore. That's not innovative in my book. I don't think it's an accomplishment that they've "designed a way to re-fit steel track on an existing wooden coaster". It's not that technology has ever prevented it; it's just no one has had a strong desire to do it. They've just made taking an easy way out more appealing somehow. (I guess parks think that with I-box track, they've still got a wooden coaster.)
For me, it's like being excited about the invention of fast food because making healthy meals at home was just getting to be too much. Not a perfect metaphor, but it's close enough to illustrate how I view this.
January 3, 2012 at 18:42
TF, you make some good points and as a fan of healthy eating the comparison you made is intriguing. The only issue I have is that (for reasons I don't know) parks aren't maintaining some of these woodies at the standards that would make them ride-able and enjoyable. It could be:
A) That they (Mean Streak, Son of Beast, etc) were just poorly designed and rough rides are inevitable over time
B) The proper amount of maintenance is too costly
C) Maintenance isn't necessarily too costly, but they'd rather invest in other rides
No matter the reason, the reality is these rides hurt and Rocky Mountain may start making some of them fun again. You're right though, they should focus on maintaining them so rides like Knott's Ghostrider isn't insanely rough, but they aren't.
It's like your food analogy but as if people didn't eat
anything because these rides aren't being maintained. Again, I'm an advocate for healthy meals at home, but I'd take fast food over no food if it came down to it.
Great point TF and thanks for leaving your take.
April 24, 2012 at 14:51
All i hope is that the trains don't look like those hedious Timberliners. But I consider RMC is a wild card after the Texas Giant overhaul and i hope that a park near me gets an RMC coaster someday.
June 9, 2012 at 08:47
I live 3 hours from sdc!