SOB's loop possibly removed

[FParker185]

http://www.pkicentral.com/forums/index. ... 294&st=135

pics and conversation in that thread, you be the judge, though rumor has it GCII is working on the ride, loop could have been in the way of replacing the trains with something better (in the case of SOB, Millennium Flyers would be the best option)

[FRD714]

Wow, thats too bad. The photos look real to me, but you never know these days.

[CoasterDude12-2]

I'd rather have Millenium Flyers on SOB than a loop. Maybe this could be the ride's second chance at not sucking. Do some re-tracking and lower the speed slightly and SOB could be a fairly non sucking coaster.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^I agree!!! And having spoken to many of the people that are yearly customers while i visited there a couple years ago, they would MUCH rather see that loop gone if it ment the smoothing of the ride.

[Suf03sfgam]

I think if they were using the right kind of train for the ride, It would make it smooth at the speeds it needs to make the loop.

[Mr. SFGAm]

I really hope they do get new trains for that ride. Even if it means loosing the loop, new trains would make it more than a "once per visit" ride.

[Suf03sfgam]

I think if they get a train with a rigid front axle I think its going to be the same ride...

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

i've never been on SoB....can anyone tell me what is is like? I can't even imagine going on a wooden coaster with a loop, it's just like a foreign idea to me.

[FParker185]

Imagine sitting on top of a jack hammer that is inside a shopping cart that is going down a really long flight of steps, and you have SOB.

However the loop is quite smooth and is actually good(steel backbone for the wood rails), only decent part of the ride exept for getting off.

[Director_Guy]

worse than Psyclone or Mean Streak?

[Trailblazer Tony]

^Definitely worse than Mean Streak, not sure bout Psyclone though.

[CoasterDude12-2]

Imagine Worse than Psyclone, and Hercules at Dorney Park combined. I'd consider Mean Streak, The (mob) Boss, and Villain smooth compared to SoB.

[FParker185]

alot worse than Mean Streak, MS is outright smooth compared to SOB, and I havent ridden Psyclone in about 10 years, but I'll say SOB is rougher just due to the dynamics of the ride (so much bigger and same issues, crappy trains and track)

[SFGAm Shock Wave]

No longer a possibility, it is a fact. The loop is gone. The actual release is on http://www.extremepki.com

[Bob O]

While it wasnt the most comfortable ride(lol) I enjoyed the ride and didnt get too beat up when I rode it.
I enjoyed the loop and wonder how good the ridew will be with the loop gone. Im sure it is too expensive to take the whole ride down, but with that amount of land being used they could use it on another coaster that would do alot more to increae attendance.

[Mr. SFGAm]

Imagine sitting on top of a jack hammer that is inside a shopping cart that is going down a really long flight of steps, and you have SOB.

That is the best description for a ride on Son Of Beast that I have ever seen, and it is so true.

Since the best part of the ride is now gone, I wonder if they'll try and add an airtime hill, or tunnel section there or something.

[zjohn1988]

I guess I missed my chance at SOB's loop..

[Galvan]

^You Didnt miss much, but I really did like the ride. But it was murder on the knees

[FParker185]

yeah, that was one big thing, the lapbars(similar to Gerstlauers) plus laterals(most unplanned for) resulted in banged up knees and thighs, also the seats were barely padded at all, changing just the lapbar and adding seat cushioning would have actually improved the ride exponentially, at least in the rideability department.

[FParker185]

(yes worthy of a second post)

The question that must be asked now is...

Was a looping wooden coaster a true failure?

My take is no, probem wasnt the loop, but the trains needed to navigate the loop and the reluctance for mainstream wood coaster train manufacturers relectuance to give the ok for their trains to invert (with good reason really), but either way will another inverting wood coaster ever be seen?

I know the owner of Mt. O is asking that same question as we speak

[CoasterDude12-2]

I just hope they do something intelligent with the spot the loop once took. Hopefully a tunnel or an airtime hill. I can say for the first time that I want to ride SoB again. I just hope is that they re-track it right and put in Millenium Flyers.

[FParker185]

this is Cedar Fair, will probably be straight track of absolutely zero interest and possibly rough anyways. Cedar Fair has probably the worst track record when it comes to woodies.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^Actually, i'm thinking they'll put one of those "trick track" sections that they have on Shivering Timbers. That would blend in with the way the rest of the ride feels perfectly! Anyways, I like the fact that they are giving the ride a chance and not just knocking it down. I really want to head out there to ride it this summer now, no matter how bad it might still be!

And to answer FParker's question, I sure hope someone tries to perfect the idea. Possibly on a shorter roller coaster though.

[SFGAmfreak4life]

Im surprised SOB has design flaws since it was a Werner Stengel project. Ive wanted to ride SOB and it sucks the loop is being removed. At least its still going to be around to ride.

this is Cedar Fair, will probably be straight track of absolutely zero interest and possibly rough anyways. Cedar Fair has probably the worst track record when it comes to woodies.

I havent been on all of the Cedar Fair woodies but I agree with you. All of the woodies at MiA(especially Shivering Timbers) are rough and Mean Streak is pretty rough. I dont know why Cedar Fair neglects their woodies but they should start to rehab them.

[FParker185]

if you can find and read the actual report, the issue was not Stengel's Engineering.

But rather the bent in question that broke was an inferior grade of wood, and that bent leg was installed by the park. Also the parks efforts to stiffen the ride changes the dynamics of the structure and changes the loads on different parts, though the report falls short of directly blaming PKI.