Launched Rides

I gotta jump in here. I'll respect everyone's opinion, but the logic amazes me. A park should only have a "few" launched coasters, but 14 chain lifts isn't over kill? In my opinion, what makes CP so great is it's ballance of rides and their respective experiences. I personally don't care how a ride reaches it's maximum height as long as it is a thrilling and preferably unique experience. This is why I've driven or flown to CP from Boston once or twice/year since 1989.

You better hold on to something Ensign, the yellow log is about to blow!

I think someone's flux capacitor is broken.

Gee let's see -- volatile fuel -- didn't CP try to "theme" that into a ride already? I think I used to be able to remember seeing that somewhere in a storyline before, but I think that spot's all in the dark now -- or was it that "I'm loosing control" and ended up somewhere cold like Alaska? :)

Colts Fan #20 said:
I think wooden coasters should keep the traditional chain lift and leave the launch and elevator lifts to the steel coasters.

El Toro uses the elevator cable lift just like Millennium and it is amazing. I'm assuming the ride is very similar to Maverick in the fact that as soon as the train pulls out of the station, you go non-stop until you pull back into the station.

Thriller rollercoast said:
this right here would be a new idea. I don't know if it would work though. How about no lift hill. As in the station is at the top of the ride. When you left the station you would just go down the first hill. throughout the ride or towards the end of the ride their would be a launch that would speed it up again so it could make it back up to the station or break run.

I do that all the time on RCT3! :)

What about installing motors on the trains so that they ran the track themselves?

That idea has already been used also, they had it once at Cedar Point. The idea was thought of by Schwarzkopf. What he did was attach a motor to the sled like cars and have a powered rail that powered the motor. The main models that had these were The Jet Star Models 1-3, The Speed Racer Modes, and The City Jet Models.

Some examples that are on my mind is

Jumbo Jet at Cedar Point (defunct)
http://www.rcdb.com/ig355.htm?picture=1

Whizzer at Six Flags Great America
http://www.rcdb.com/ig113.htm?picture=2

Whizzer at Great America (defunct)
http://www.rcdb.com/ig726.htm?picture=1

There are a lot more with that feature but those are the first 3 that come to mind.

Schwarzkopf also made Wildcat.

Your mom is to fat to ride TTD. said:
I think in 10 years nobody will remember what chain lifts are.

Yeah I think people will.

My Top 5 Launched "Coasters"

#5 : Hypersonc XLC at Kings Dominion. The launch itself is awesome but the ride is not. The trains are not comfortable, the turn is very rough and what is the purpose of the last hill if the brakes are on the other side? Very violent (and loud) ride.

# 4 : Kingda Ka at 6 Flags Great Adventure. Blah blah. Record eater...whatever. The OTSR's kill this ride. Its a great launch and a great ride but just seems lacking. The ride is "hid" in the back of the park with hid being a relative term. Its abviously able to be seen from anywhere but is not placed on display like TTD. It just doesnt seem as powerful to me.

# 3 : Xcelerator at Knotts Berry Farm. A great ride and an excellent prototype. Not the fastest and tallest but very intense and smooth.

# 2 : Volcano at Kings Dominion. There is just something about being launched on a freaking invert. With two launches and a ride almost two minutes this is in my Top 10.

# 1 : TTD. Great ride...enough said.

I would place Maverick as a coaster at # 3 in this list.

I agree with Hypersonic... It's got a lot of potential and the launch is really awesome. But they need to get rid of the trims going UP the tower and also make the turns a lot smoother. Volcano is also a really cool launch, but once you come out the top of it, I think the ride becomes really repetitive and boring. TTD is definitely the best. Good list, in my opinion.