Poll Question: Is Goliath a Steel? Wood? or Hybrid Coaster?

[Superman]

Althought I strongly believe that Goliath is Wood. I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to make an argument for it, but I just can't find the words to describe how I feel. I look at all the track photos and structure photos and just think, "yep that's wooden." After everyone hear has ridden it I think opinions on both side of the argument may be changed, but until then, to me at least, it is wooden.

[CoasterCale]

Most will probably be confused at my reasoning. I feel that Goliath is a woodie. For the most part the supports and track are those of a wooden coaster. El toro is too smooth to be considered a woodie. It also runs on Polyethylene Wheels, therefore it is a hybrid. Gemini is rough and has physical steel tracks. It does not feel like a woodie. It is steel.

[DeathbyDinn]

^ I'm confused as to why you have to justify that Gemini is a steel coaster...

[FParker185]

also eventually there will be Moreys GCI...

[w00dland]

Looking at the photos of the track, I'm not sure how a coaster could get much more "hybrid" than Goliath. A traditional woodie has one steel strip run along the center of the wooden track, which gets so beat up every year it needs to be incrementally replaced each season.

Goliath has steel completely enveloping the wooden track, and even has two layers between the top wheels and the wood, meaning it's going to be smooth as silk. It's clearly not a traditional wooden coaster, and clearly not a steel coaster either. Why hasn't anyone given a huge argument toward the middle of the road opinion yet?

I said what I said.

[Ace]

^I like what you said too. Probably because it makes the most sense.

[CoastsToCoasters]

I voted wood. I chose wood based on the track style.

I look at Iron Rattler, Gemini, Texas Giant etc as hybrids. Rides that consist of all true steel track with wooden supports.

To be honest, in the future I hope we receive a true RMC hybrid like Iron Rattler. IRat was the second best roller coaster I have ever experienced. There is nothing comparable to the smoothness of that coaster that I've experienced.

For those of you who will say "There's no point in having two RMCs in one park" I will say two things: 1. That's like sayin having two-four B&Ms is pointless. 2. Having Goliath & one coaster with Ibox track will/would be two totally different sensations/experiences/coasters etc. I apologize if some of you are squinting at the screen with tilted heads. Just how I see it. I'm obsessed with IRat & would love a steel Ibox style RMC. I think havin both styles would be kicka** to say the least

[CoasterCale]

I think this topic is starting to dwindle off.
I have no problem with two RMCs at the park. My dilemma is the wooden coasters we have have no reason for the Iron Horse treatment. We only have two to begin with. American Eagle should be preserved ALAP. The roughness is all apart of the fun. Viper is still rather smooth and doesn't have a really reason to. If the Old TG was anything like MS at CP, I understand why it got the Iron Horse. I'm just afraid all the wooden coasters in the country are going to get Topper or I-box.

[Superman]

Yes it is dwinling off,^ so why don't we get it on track? I think it is almost impossible to define what these RMC coasters are without having a fixed definition for a wooden coaster, steel coaster, and hybrid coaster. While searching for definitions though, google provided me with this rough description: "A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with running rails made of flattened steel strips mounted on laminated wooden track." And here's the steel one "A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel." Then the confusion comes in with the definition of hybrid: "A hybrid roller coaster is a type of roller coaster that has a mixture of wood and steel building materials used for the track and supports. Usually, wooden supports are combined with steel track, but the opposite combination also exists." If we were going to judge by these definitions, it would seem that all RMC coasters are hybrids.

[franksilk32]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say.... "It is what it is and that all that it is" who cares really (wood, hybrid, etc) because it's in our backyard and going to be one sweet coaster to ride!

[Superman]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say.... "It is what it is and that all that it is" who cares really (wood, hybrid, etc) because it's in our backyard and going to be one sweet coaster to ride!

If you don't have something to say about a debate, don't participate in the debate. Although I agree that it's a great coaster, I also think it's important that we discuss the latest advancement in roller coaster technology, which is RMC-style coasters. But really, I don't think anyone has to explain why they are interested in a certain topic.

[ZForce Rider]

I love these debates. RMC has definitely thrown a wrench into everyone's thinking.

I thought about this for a while and in my mind it comes down to the actual track and how it's mounted. Yeah, I know, all wood coasters use a steel rail, but in the case of Goliath, the car is riding on nothing but pre-formed steel rails, top and bottom. That steel rail system is then bolted at certain points to a wood structure.

A traditional wood coaster, by my definition, has a single top rail which is in full contact with the underlying wood structure for the entire length of the circuit.

Goliath's steel track does not make full contact with the underlying wood structure for the entire length of the circuit, so it's a steel coaster in my book.

[Sporlo]

I don't really care if we call this ride a wooden roller coaster.

However, one way to look at topper track is to note how there is no wood between any wheels. Yes traditional woodies have a steel strip, but there is wood between the wheels. And yes topper track is not structurally sound without the wood, there is no wood between the wheels.

So, if you are so inclined to look at a coaster's rails only, you could argue pretty successfully that traditional woodies are either wood or hybrid, and that both traditional steel coasters and topper track are steel.

That is just one way of defining a coaster though. I haven't even touched structure and train, which arguably are quite important.

[JimPanky]

I'd like to weigh in on this one more time.
RMC's topper track on other coasters qualify as wood. Outlaw Run uses topper track and is wood.
CCI uses all steel supports on alot of it's wooden coasters like Hoosier Hurricane. They still qualify as wood, so using steel in 2 sections of support still qualifies as wood.
Goliath is a wooden coaster. Outlaw Run and Hoosier Hurricane qualify as wood so why wouldn't Goliath?

[Viper 88]

Can I just make a suggestion? You have a coaster, its made out of steel and wood shouldn't you look at the percentage of materials used ie if 95% of the material is wood (structure) and only 5% is steel (track) then the coaster would be considered WOOD. If 100% of the material is steel (track and structure) then it's STEEL. If the materials used are 60% wood and 40% steel than it is a WOOD HYBRID. It it is 40% wood and 60% steel then it is a STEEL HYBRID if it is 50/50 then I guess you would either go by coaster manufacturer or designer. To me this seems like a better and simpler way to classify coasters and elimanates the arguments, and doubts.

[tp41190]

The major difference between a CCI with steel supports and a RMC coaster is the material of the cross ties. On goliath, all of those cross ties (I'm sure there is a more technical name) are all steel. Because those are steel, the track will not bend or move with the train, which is why the coaster is smooth. Although CCI's use steel supports, they use wooden cross ties that are under the track. This means that the supports really do nothing for the ride experience. And now with Goliath, the wooden supports do not add anything to the ride experience or to the function of the ride. If RMC used wooden beams to support the track, then regardless of the steel used in the topper track, I would consider it a wooden coaster.

I like to think of it as 4 parts. The rails, the track, the cross ties/beams (again name), and the supports.

Here you can see that there is wood between the track and the supports.


On Goliath you can see that it is all steel between the track and supports.


In the end, hybrid.

[Tardis1972]

I going to say its a hybrid coaster.

[skibum101184]

Wait, isn't Goliath a steel inverted coaster?!?!

[Tardis1972]

Yes, there a two inverted coasters called Goliath, one is a BTR clone at fiesta Texas and the other is a giant boomerang coaster at at the SFNE. But the Golaith at Great America is a wooden (hybrid coaster).

[skibum101184]

Yes, there a two inverted coasters called Goliath, one is a BTR clone at fiesta Texas and the other is a giant boomerang coaster at at the SFNE. But the Golaith at Great America is a wooden (hybrid coaster).

Lol, I was trying to be sarcastic...guess it didn't show through