Retrofitted OTSRs?

Out of morbid curiosity, does anyone know why OTSR coasters have been converted to lap bar coasters in the past? For instance, Flight of Fear, The Chiller, etc...

I'm sure it wasn't for safety reasons, because according to some, insurance companies frown upon lap bar only coasters that go upside down. So, why make an existing coaster "less safe"? I'm also sure it wasn't to make more money even though most people claim parks only make decisions which bring them more profit. They can't charge for the new lap bars, so any money spent on retrofitting the coaster trains is "lost". So, I'm not sure what we're left with? Rider comfort?

Does anyone know?

Lapbars are generally more accommodating. If more people can ride your coasters, then more people will visit your park and more money will be made.

^ Maybe Intamin missed that memo. It seems their OTSRs are more accommodating than their lap bars. :)

It would not surprise me if Intamin missed a memo.

When I look at arrow, the lap-bars on Magnum are definitely much more accommodating than the horse-collars on Corkscrew.

The Premier Rides launched coasters beat the crap out of you. The restraints were like putting your head between two fence posts with thin padding. That didn't work well with all of the fast direction changes.

Oddly enough though, the restraints on Speed in Vegas are much, much softer. Who knows why.

The Dragster restraints work on the same principle as the Premier lap bars. They get your butt lower than your knees, and the bar lower than lower than your knees as well. Combine that with the inability to get your legs out straight, and you're not going anywhere. (I don't know if you can straighten your legs on Dragster, but I suspect it's damn hard for an adult.)

The new Intamin restraints secure you (or most people) by the thighs, just like a normal lap bar does. The over-the-shoulder part does not actively restrain you. They don't even touch most people. I wouldn't have a problem with them at all if they were padded on the inside, instead of the top where they don't pad against anything but air.

That said, they really don't bother me much anyway.

Jeff said:
The Premier Rides launched coasters beat the crap out of you. The restraints were like putting your head between two fence posts with thin padding. That didn't work well with all of the fast direction changes.

It seems like you've just described what the restraints on Maverick feel like to me. :)

How long were the Premier rides in operation before the big changeover took place?

Jeff said:

That said, they really don't bother me much anyway.

They really didn't bother me either. Every time I rode it I had my arms crossed and held on to the restraints though. Laps bars would be nice as you get more freedom, but oh well.

Did anyone watch the video of the Zac Spin coasters in action? Those were nifty.

-Justin

To me this is the same as the people over at CoasterBuzz saying MiA should buy new trains for Thunderhawk. It's something that isn't necessary. Replacing 73 harnesses that have nothing wrong with them is a pointless waste of money.

Have you seen those harnesses in question recently?

I didn't think so, if you had you'd agree that they need replaced also.

EDIT: 73? How is there an odd amount? Now I see you were talking about Maverick while I was still on the Thunderhawk comment.

How can you say the two situations are the "same"? You have a new coaster with uncomfortable restraints to some and you have a relatively used coaster with well worn restraints. How exactly is that even close to being the "same" situations?

*** Edited 10/3/2007 1:39:05 AM UTC by Loopy***

Test seat? :)

^ Finally, Tim. You say something that makes sense. ;)

har har.

We can all agree some get more beat up than others on the ride. I don't personally in fact the lap part of the harness doesn't even touch me. Also with the shoulder part I am usually kind enough to warn the other people on the train to move their head with the transitions so they get a good ride. (man, I really miss maverick)

How are you sitting in the seat to not get the lap bar to touch you? Do you just not pull it down all the way and none of the ride ops catch it?

The requirement to ride is that the lapbar is touching your thigh.

I allways make my legs higher like lift them a little bit so that I have more space. I allways have to do that on Magnum and Bluestreak or I wont be able to walk.

One of the ops on Mav made me put my feet flat on the floor of the train when she was checking my restraint. I just wanted that extra inch or two so that when you crest the first hill you don't get stapled.

You are not allowed to do that. That is counted as not being seated properly and the restraint isn't securing you in. All ride ops are told to watch out for that.

Then they need to make the restraint lock in place when the train leaves the station. It's ridiculous how numb your legs are by the time you get back to the station, let alone if they stack the trains like they normally do and you're sitting out on the brake run for 10 minutes.

I'm tiny guys I am not as big as most people so even with my feet touching the ground it doesn't touch me. I meet all the requirements for the ride it just can't reach my thighs.