Iron Dragon Improvement?

Over on Coasterbuzz there was a topic regarding the new Vekoma trains on the Arrow-suspended "Vampire" at Chessington. The picture of the train looked pretty cool.

I personally like Iron Dragon but think it could be improved with these new, Raptor-like seats. Anybody have thoughts about this?

Please god no.. those Vekoma seats are pretty uncomfortable.. At least to me they are. Haven't been on one yet that I liked the way it felt..

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82 Farewell my good friend..

Copy and paste this link for the photo:
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/rcnn/newvampire1.jpg

I'm really in the middle about this. I like Iron Dragon very much the way it is, but being exposed like that throught the trees and the pretzel could certainly be exciting!

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Hrm....middlin' here as well. The nice thing about Iron Dragon currently is that it's a great coaster for a first timer. You feel more "protected" in the enclosed cars.

But, on the other hand, the feeling of being exposed would make that ride much more thrilling than it is now to those of us who have ridden it over and over and over and....

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

If they were to be changed, would the height requirement be changed? I like the new cars very much, expecially if you were in the front seat!

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2002- Raptor Hot Shots
Force Laps: 424
Wicked Twists: ???

I love that new design. I agree, though, Iron Dragon really seems to be a good coaster for a wide range of people. No wonder it's in the park's top 10 in popularity. My wife will ride ID now, but I doubt she would ride it with that new vehicle design.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

I'd imagine that Cedar Point is going to watch the reaction over at Chessington, at least. I'm hoping to give them a shot in July, but I think they look pretty good.

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--Greg
My Home
MF count: 52

I like the Iron Dragon cars the way they are...something about hanging from the track, yet not seeing the ground is a neat feeling. Plus, I agree, Vekoma trains are painful. If I were to make any improvements, I would make the first lift about 30 feet taller to give the first part of the ride more speed. But I'm dreaming.

I'd love to see the new seats. The old seats on Iron Dragon are nice, but they are way too cramped. I'm not a heavy person or anything, but I feel like I'm all closed in when I sit in those. :(

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I'm undecided. They look interesting, but way too gimmicky. As some sort of 'suspended floorless' design, they land themselves (in my mind at least) right up there with the insanity of people who rant about 'inverted standups' and such.

While, I can't make an honest opinion, since I've never been in one of these trains... I'd say leave well enough alone. While it may increase the thrill factor of Iron Dragon, I think it may comprimise the number of people willing to ride.

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gravity: down to earth, without the sugar coating.

www.geocities.com/gravityjmb

Love the new seats.They would add a coolnees factor to that old coaster and bring back it's original thrill factor but thats just me.I think if people ant a starter coaster go ride Woodstock's Express.

"That's What I Wanted You To Think."

What about Runaway Reptar at PKI? or Silver Streak at PCW? Both of those costers are junior inverted (Reptar being an inverted Woodstocks Express), and your feet dangle. From what I understand both are popular with little kids, why wouldn't Iron Dragon be the same? If anything the new trains would increase ridership!

*** This post was edited by CABEWNCP on 4/12/2002. ***

Didn't Vekoma declare bankruptcy?

*** This post was edited by JT Coaster on 4/13/2002. ***

I don't think they should even think about puting that train style on Iron Dragon. After it is a good coaster for Coasterphobes. It's not too scary and it's not too boring either. I used to be really scared of coasters until last summer. Beleive me, I really wouldn't want to get on Woodstock Express even now because it looks very unexciting. I think that is why CP leaves ID and CCMR just the way they are. It allows the park to provide entertainment for all types of guests. My 0.02

*Edit after reading the post following this one* - I agree with the lap bars. The shoulder harnesses are indeed pointless on ID.

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- Chris -
http://www.thepointol.com/~simplycp

*** This post was edited by Flisk on 4/12/2002. ***

hmmm...If CP doesn't want to spend money on completely new trains, at least give Iron Dragon some lap bars!

I also am in the middle of this car debate...Inverted cars are really cool and the feeling of your legs dangling around the trees and near the lagoon would be exciting...However, sometimes when you get into ID, you just want to sit back and relax and not worry if you're shoes are tied tight enough...I like ID cars the way they are for right now...Maybe change them later...If you sit in the front cars of the ID coaches, you get lots more leg room than you do in the backs of the coaches...Just a hint for those looking for a little more leg room...I just kick out my legs inside the car and enjoy the ride

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Be wary of falling shoes while waiting in line for Raptor

Lapbars would probably cost more than getting entirely new trains because of all of the reworking of the cars that would be required for the bars. There would have to be a metal spine run down under each seat, out toward the riders' feet to add the lapbar. There's already metal down there, obviously, but not enough to attach a lapbar to.

You might as well just chuck the whole train anyway if you do all that reworking. :-/

Personally, I've wondered since Raptor was built why Iron Dragon still had a floor.

*** This post was edited by Michael Darling on 4/13/2002. ***

If CP decided to go with these new Vekoma trains, would this be some kind of record for a park having the most inverted coasters? Or maybe the most feet of track of inverted coasters in a park? (not that I really care about records or anything) IMHO, I just don't see another inverted coaster when you already have Raptor and WT going on. Seems that it would just be kinda "blah". (Other than the ending over the lagoon. That would be cool!)

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Pearl Jam + Cedar Point=Heaven on earth.

I can just see the ride ops having a blast talking with guests who lost their shoes in the lagoon... ^_~

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~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Park Admissions TL '02
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Who's afraid of the big bad... sea gull?

I like the idea it's a way of adding new excitement to an older ride. I personnally would love to ride ID with my legs hanging over the lagoon. I do remember a time when they tried using different shocks on the trains.