The Mean Streak of the Mean Streak

No disrespect to the people who love the Mean Streak, but I would really like to see this ride retracked and maybe even reprofiled. Right now, there just isn't enough action! The trains crawl around the curves and lose a lot of speed at the break run. I think at the very least...they should put some tunnels in there. That would at least make the ride a little more interesting. Until then, I still prefer the Blue Streak...I guess I'm just an air time junky.

I think would help is brand new trains...Personally, that ride isnt as bad as people make it out to be. I just think, if they retracked/reprofiled and got new trains, Meanstreak will be as good as when it first opened.

Personally, I think the single biggest problem with the ride is that with the drop trims, it's too doggone SLOW. I'd like to know what problems CP had with the ride which prompted them to slow it down so much: too rough on the ride, or too rough on the riders. We know it was (and is) too rough on the riders, and the solution to that problem is laughably simple, though not at all cheap: get that foam crap out of the trains and switch to a properly upholstered seat, as we see on Thunder Run down at Kentucky Kingdom. In my opinion, that would nearly eliminate the 'rough on riders' problem, and the only reason I can think of that CP hasn't tried it (apart from the cost of re-doing the train) is if there are also maintenance issues with the ride. But nobody at the park is talking.

It is true that the PTC trains are incapable of navigating the curves on that ride, but coasters all over have demonstrated that the PTC trains will handle those kinds of curves if the wheels can slide...that is, if the track is lubricated. I don't think it is necessary to junk the current trains, but a bit of a rebuild would go a long way.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

They need to oil the track, change the trains, do anything!! This makes me think if this coaster may be heading for a dimise soon, its close to 10 years old, right?

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Brian Z.
Hometown parks: Kennywood, Cedar Point!
51 days until "The Force
"

Rideman asked why CP slowed down Mean Streak so much. In addition to the obvious answer of "it beat you up way too bad", I also heard rumors that the ride was tearing itself apart. Basically it was pushing too hard on the track and supports and causing alot of maintenance nightmares. I suspect it was a way to hopefully reduce the cost of maintaining this ride as much as stop killing riders. It's a shame though. The coaster is so beautiful...too bad it gets such bad reviews from fans.


Gonch

I heard articulating cars would go into turns smoother and go thru the track smoother. Did I hear this right? Cause I love mean streak and i wish they would take those blasted brakes off.

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"Welcome back riders, DID YOU ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT?"

Would running GCI's new Millennium Flyer trains be possible? Just a thought... that would be so cool!

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Yeah Baby!!!

They have so much land there...I mean, the Mean Streak takes up a lot of space with the que area and all, not to mention all the space around it....They could easily bulldoze it and put in something like SOB with that kind of property surrounding it...


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Only coasters CP doesn't have...
Launched
Backwards

The second half of the ride is the worst part (from my experience). After the blocks it just creeps, and that's where i get beaten up. I think it's worse when it's slow. New trains is the only way to fix the problem from everything i have heard. According to our fearless leader Jeff, it is the fact that the speed of the trains do tear the track apart on it's course. I remember the first year the ride wasn't so rough and that was without the trims, so i think it was because of maintenance. On a side note, i always though the last circuit should have been lower to the ground to take advantage of all that potential gravity.

I agree with getting rid of the brakes. I heard it was alot better before they put the brakes in. It was rough then but better. It still is rough, so get rid of the brakes. Unless they found that it was tearing up the coaster without the brakes at the top of the hill. I always lean forward and it isn't so bad. Although since most people hate the ride it means short wait times for me. Maybe they should keep it the same.

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Welcome back Millennium Force riders...We all want to know how was your RIDE!!!!!

Those GCI trains are dreamy... think B&M flexibility on a wood track. Mmmmm... silky smooth.

Of course, lubrication would still be good.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
"And he says 'I'm goin' crazy up there at the lake...'"

a little lube job never hurts anything...

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"I think I scrambled my brain!!"

This ride has definitely been sloooowed down. A commercially prepared video that I have when watched shows the ride to be 30 seconds faster from the lift hill to the finish, that my "unauthorized" version shot from the front car. 30 seconds amounts to somewhere in the neighborhood of 25%. This ride when new looked to be a "WILD" ride.Does anyone think CP will try to save it or will they get rid of it? As mentioned, this is wasted space....look at the Beast, it's 20 years old and still kicks....

nah, i think they'll keep it. every time i've ever ridden it there's been a wait of at least 30 minutes. it's one of the first and last things i ride when we go. i love the roughness and i really don't think it's all that bad...compared to *other* woodies i've been on *AHEM* Scooter ;). it is far superior to some, inferior to others. it's like DT. some like it, some don't. besides, if they really monitor the goings on here, they know how we feel and maybe, just maybe, they are listening. but for the record, i LOVE Mean Streak!! keep it!!

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"I think I scrambled my brain!!"

Speaking of a slick track for a better ride- about 5 years ago, as we were waiting in line for MS, the clouds began to form and a light rain began to fall. As we got to the station, the light rain began turning into heavy rain. As our train LEFT the station, we heard the ops tell the waiting passengers to step back- they were shutting down the ride due to weather. Riding MS in a downpour had to probably be the best ever! The ride was fast, the track was slick from the water and it wasn't really that rough. The only problem was being soaked to the bone and being caked with the dirt/grease and oil that was being "washed" off the structure. Oh yeah, rain hurts at 60mph.

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Now that is Restaurant-Quality Lemonade!

I think Eric Johnson puts it the best in his trip report at www.rollercoaster.com

Tear this thing down and try again

All I have to says is that is would be TO COOL for Ms to get the great GCI Millennium Cars.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

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The more you ride it, the more you want it!

~~~Darla~~~

I don't understand why everyone wants to get rid of MS. I love it. I prefer it over BS because it's bigger and faster, and the structure is in tight to the trains in most places. This makes it seem chaotic and fast but I like it. It doesn't have much airtime but I'm not crazy for airtime anyway.

My Mean Streak viewpoint...

If I take my jeep down a dirt road that hasn't been graded in a while, accelarate to 60 MPH and then slam on my breaks only to crawl the rest of the way, I get the same effect.