Do you miss the way the Blue Streak used to be?

I've really never rode a coaster without lapbars that fit and seatbelts and seat seperators and computers running it. All rides have just lost the old time charm and I would love to be able to go backand ride some the of rides the way that they were designed to be ridden. Mean Streak and Legend and Shivering Timbers and Raven were all built to make up for the thrills lost with all of the safety junk. It sometimes makes me wonder if Blue Streak in the 50's without all kinds of safety is just as fun as a big name woodie of today.

Rode Blue Streak yesterday, still think it is a great ride, but I have to agree, get ride of the seatbacks, and at least leave that cool brake lever, if nothing else for the looks of it. I think Cyclone at Coney Island still has the hand brake. I could be wrong.
*** Edited 6/17/2005 10:20:16 PM UTC by Grady***

Does anyone know why the queue was reconfigured in 1994? I know that was the year Raptor opened. Were the changes necessary for Raptor, or is the year just a coincidence?

I think the queue was reconfigured because i think it used to be two different areas. Unload & load. When they redid the system, it was set up for 1 area. I really never wasn't at the point until 1999 so I wouldn't know the exact thing. Rideman probably knows the exact reason.

The current load/unload area was the unload area originally. Empty train would pull forward to a separate loading area. You can see whats left of the old loading area to the right just before you leave the station. I loved the way the ride used to be from the big hand brake levers, the bell which sounded when the train hit the halfway point, the lack of seat dividers and headrests and the one position lapbars with a ton of play in it.

Still one of my favorite coasters. Always ride it at least a couple times on every trip to Cedar Point.

Is it my imagination but did they also not care back in the day if you used the seatbelt? Remember standing in line listening to the Pirate Ride guy in the crows' nest and water splashing?

Seat belt usage was optional, matter of fact the ride did not originally have a seat belt.

We never wore seatbelts on Blue Streak (or any other coaster that had them back in the 70s/80s). I think they were just viewed as being optional. I recall riding BS with a friend on a class trip in the late 70s/early 80s who insisted that we use the seatbelt. That was the first time I ever wore one on a coaster and the last time until they became mandatory.

And I remember the pirate ride and the splash of the cannon fire. And wasn't there a rocket ride where Calypso is now?

Yes, that ride was a flat called (Satellite) Super Jets.

Death to that hard, unforgiving seat divider! It really digs into your hip if you float on the airtime hills and land partially on that sucker. Some of us could use that space freed up for our middle-aged bodies too. A significant reason I road trip 5+ hours to Kennywood is to ride their old school beauties with bench seats and just enough restraints, like BS used to have.

GoBucks89 said:
And wasn't there a rocket ride where Calypso is now?

Yes there was. Originally called "Satellite Jets" because of the original equipment ride vehicles that looked like fighter jets from the 50's. The ride started out in the Main Midway and latter moved to where Calypso is now. At some point it received new vehicles that looked like space ships and the name was changed to Star Voyager. Cool ride because you could control the altitude of your vehicle making it climb or dive.

Love the picture that someone posted earlier. If you notice the employee helping with a seat belt, he is riding on the side the of train as it is rolling out of the station. We had to do a lot of that they year I worked on the Blue Streak in '89. And we had to push a lot of trains out of the station.

There was a limit switch at the end of the station that the back of the train would flip as it exited towards the lift hill. If the switch wasn't tripped, the drag brake in the tunnel would raise up and the arriving train would slide to a halt (the other train would get stuck on the lift hill). The only way to release them was to call for maintenance. So if you were running late in the release of the train in the station, we would push the train trying to beat the other train coming in.

If you really go back in the memory banks, you would remember hearing a bell ring on that ride too. It went off to tell the employees when the train was on the turn around. Once that bell went off, we had 10 - 12 seconds left to get the train in the station rolling out. There was a constant countdown clock in your head to make sure that the train was going out when it should be. That is also why you didn't get to pick your seat during those years. No time to waste. The trains had to be in constant motion. You didn't get one out in time, you were down due to "operational" error. Today they have it easy. Far less stressful not having to get one train out before the other comes in.

That all being said (I have many Blue Streak stories about that summer), the seat dividers SUCK! The air time is still great though.

Heck yeah I miss it!

Old thread, but oh well.

After visiting the park this past year for the first time since 2000, I rode the Blue Streak ... for the first time since 1994. Did it twice, and had to walk away, stone faced yet sad.

Until then, enjoy this trip down memory lane.

Really enjoyed your pics. Thanks for sharing.

Yes I do miss the old Mighty Blue Streak.

Buzz bar the had little use to holding you in.
It was the seat belt keeping you in.
No head back supports. Bench Seats.

Plain fun and pure airtime.

Actually the buzz bar was the primary restraint. Going way back, I remember the Blue Streak with no seat belts. And, when the seat belts were installed, they were optional for a long time.

I must say may friend Dave and I used to marathon Blue Streak with no seat-belt. We would just be laughing hysterically from the first drop to the end holding on for what felt like dear life.

:)

Good times.

^^Correct! We used to announce "seat belts are optional." But with seat belts showing up on every other coaster* at the Point - people wanted them on. Our biggest problem on the ride was helping people screaming "my seat belt my seat belt!" and having to do it for them as the train was leaving the station... occasionally catching a ride ourselves, courtesy of the running boards - then squat down and jump off when the train got to the lift.

*I stand corrected. Mean Streak and Magnum had seat belts at this time.

Enjoy it while it is still around, not many of these left, still a great ride but wonder how much time it has left?....yes there is great air time on Blue Streak

I wish I was around to ride how it was in it's prime... :(

^^Not many left? 2 Rebel Yells, 2 Thunder Roads, 2 Racers... and that's just at Cedar Fair parks...