Mean Streak, next to go??

Keep in mind, RMC usually uses plastic wheels like steel coasters. This will bleed energy out of the ride and make the second half slower. Most RMC designs appear, to me, like someone just got NoLimits and is unsure how to finish their ride. They have gotten better with the new installations, but all the conversions look terribly hacked up.

I'm still laughing at the suggestion that Mine Ride will be removed some time soon. Arrows are like older Harleys. They may be a little rough around the edges, and may require a bit more upkeep than the fancy ass techno wonders from the Europe, but they still have their dedicated fans. And much like an older Harley, they are relatively simple machines that last forever if properly maintained. Mine Ride is probably one of the better Arrow mine trains, and is as much of an icon in Frontier Town as Corkscrew's loops are to the main midway. Just think about it for a moment. As you enter Frontier Town from the Gemini midway, the first ride you encounter is Mine Ride. The smell of the chain grease, the distinctive noise from the second lift, and the classic helix finale all work together to give you an immediate sense of place. Corkscrew's loops are very much the same way, only they serve as a very distinctive gateway to a midway with a more modern feel. A gateway to some impressive thrill machines, I might add. Dragster to the left, Corkscrew above, Power Tower to the right. Further up is Magnum, the granddaddy of the mega coasters. And how can we forget Gemini. It may not be the biggest, fastest, tallest, or even draw the biggest crowds, but it is definitely an impressive sight for the eyes. A tall, wooden structured, twin track beast that runs the entire length of the midway. Throw in a few flats for good measure, Himalaya, Monster, Witches Wheel, Pipe Scream, Lake Erie Eagles, and you really begin to get a sense of what sets this park apart from most every other. The point I am making is that four of these coasters are classic Arrows. All of a custom, unique design, and are in no danger of being replaced any time soon. They all still put up decent numbers, and help to diversify the coaster lineup, which is a necessity for a park of this stature. The only Arrow in danger of being replaced any time soon would be Iron Dragon, if for no other reason than it is nearing, if it hasn't already exceeded, its "shelf life". After all, it will be celebrating its 30th birthday next year. Iron Dragon filling the family coaster slot may very well be its saving grace for a while longer. Anyway, my original one line submission turned into a rambling op/ed about the Arrows being here to stay for the foreseeable future.

djDaemon said:
That all sounds like lipstick on a pig, Pete. That is, it sounds like an awful lot of resources spent toward turning a crappy ride into a mediocre ride.

Rougarou was/is lipstick on a pig, IMO.

Agreed. It's improved (and for relatively little cost), but still a rough ride. The difference between Rougarou and Mean Streak is that aside from taking up an enormous amount of land (and surely the park considers value/square foot when considering removing attractions), MS is also very expensive to maintain.

After seeing Dollywood's Lightning Rod, I wouldn't be surprised to see MS removed for a launched RMC that breaks records. CP seems to have embraced their identity as the "Coaster Capital" as much as ever with GK and Valravn, so why bother with a "been there, done that" re-profiling of a 25 year old coaster, or similarly "been there, done that" RMC modification, when they could instead shoot for something more bold?

I completely agree. Give Mean Streak the RMC treatment and you've just popularized that one corner of the park that never took off. I would LOVE having an IBox coaster at CP.

They can have RMC update MS, but conversions cost as much as a new ride. I would prefer a reprofile and structural rigidity added than to ever let RMC chop it to pieces.

I like the way Six Flags does their RMC modifications... They announce the original coaster "closing" so they can market the remodel as a new ride. And let's be honest, CP will have a lot more success marketing the new "Iron Streak" or whatever über-creative name they come up with opposed to "we re-tracked, re-profiled, & re-trimmed the structure and re-modified the trains on Mean Streak again. This time it won't suck. We promise!"

Ghost Rider is a different story at KBF. That ride in its heyday was LEGEN-(wait for it)-DARY. Restoring GR to its former glory is way more marketable than making Mean Streak "suck less".

And I still hold out hope that Darien Lake has RMC work their voodoo on Predator. Anyone else notice Dinn/Summers coasters seem to be targets for the Iron Horse treatment?

I do not understand converting a ride. If the park is interested in building a RMC with Iron Horse track, would it not make more sense to clear the land and have a clean slate to work with? Anyway, I am going to stop thinking about this for a while, since the park is currently clearing two large plots of land.

I would think there is some sort of savings in reusing the station, lift hill structure, and whatever other remnants they could "recycle"...

^yeah, less materials needed, less demo costs etc.

Honestly, Mean Streak is VERY underrated. It's a nice long ride and not as bumpy as it used to be. Of course, it's a wooden coaster, so it should be bumpy.

The other thing I like about Mean Streak is how it's a walk-on. Whenever I need a quick ride at CP, I can trust that 95% of the time I'll be able to walk right on the ride. I honestly don't see them getting rid of Mean Streak soon.

Bobb-z said:
The other thing I like about Mean Streak is how it's a walk-on. Whenever I need a quick ride at CP, I can trust that 95% of the time I'll be able to walk right on the ride. I honestly don't see them getting rid of Mean Streak soon.

I'm hoping that's sarcasm

Bobb-z: Wooden coasters are not "supposed" to be bumpy. It may be a long ride, but the layout is boring and even if it was glass smooth, would not at all be an interesting ride. Go ride something like Raven at Holiday World and then come back and tell me Mean Streak is fun and wooden coasters are "supposed" to be bumpy. As for the walk on phenomenon, some of that is location and lots is lack of popularity. I'd rather wait for a good ride than walk onto a mediocre to crappy ride.

TriumphBonneville: Yes, Arrow coasters are now nostalgic and retro, and the lift sound is unmistakable. And yes, the placement of many of Cedar Point's Arrow coasters give you a sense of place. But if at some point it makes good business sense to remove any of those coasters, none of those factors will be given a thought. Demon Drop was an icon in the front of the park and the sounds and sight of it absolutely gave me a sense of place that I had arrived at Cedar Point, as I'm sure it did many others. It's still weird for me that it's gone. But the smells sights and sounds of it sure weren't going to keep it around.

Bobb-z said:

...I can trust that 95% of the time I'll be able to walk right on the ride. I honestly don't see them getting rid of Mean Streak soon.

Read those two sentences again. And again. And keep doing it until you realize that they don't make sense together.

Bret said:

Personally I like Mean Streak, and hope they don't RMC it. I would hate to see the park go down to just one true woodie.

An RMC conversion doesn't have to mean Iron Horse. They could also re-profile it with Topper Track.

http://rcdb.com/r.htm?na=&nm=na&pl=&ty=2&co=10583&order=13&ot=2

None of these were/are conversions, but that doesn't mean Mean Streak couldn't be.

Jason,

After looking at some of the conversions to Topper Track on youtube, I think that might be a great option. It would eliminate some of the complaints others have about the ride while still preserving it enough that those of us who do enjoy it as is would not feel like the ride is totally lost. Middle ground you could say?

CP Maverick said:

Most RMC designs appear, to me, like someone just got NoLimits and is unsure how to finish their ride.

Haha, great analogy.

Bret said:

Jason,

After looking at some of the conversions to Topper Track on youtube, I think that might be a great option.

I agree. I'd be satisfied with something like Outlaw Run or Lightning Rod.

Bret said:

Jason,

After looking at some of the conversions to Topper Track on youtube, I think that might be a great option. It would eliminate some of the complaints others have about the ride while still preserving it enough that those of us who do enjoy it as is would not feel like the ride is totally lost. Middle ground you could say?

If I understand correctly, those topper track rides are using nylon or urethane wheels instead of steel. They would need to increase the height of MS by more than 30 feet just to end the ride with the current speed that it has with the brakes on.

Which can be easily done by either increasing the angle of the incline slightly and significantly steepening the drop to 80/85 degrees, which is typical for an RMC. Either that, or shorten the layout like they did with New Texas Giant, which went from 4900 to 4200 feet.

I think the layout is the major problem with a lot of people. Sure they can fix the roughness but it still isn't the greatest layout. I'd say Iron Horse it or tear it down. It is a beautiful structure so I hope they just iron horse it. I wouldn't have a problem with it staying as is (I just wouldn't ride it) but it looks like a great opportunity to get another popular coaster without the removal of anything while bringing more life to that area of the park as well.