"Wood You Believe It?"

It makes that sound quite often. It almost sounds like a howl. It kept waking me up last week when I was trying to nap in my car in the Soak City lot. I think it has to do with the track being lubricated and the temperature. I'm sure there is someone else who can better describe it.

That's the Mean you're hearing . . .

Something other than the normal howling noise made by those ill-conceived whistle boxes on the sides of the cars? I remember that being a selling point when they first put it in. Then I remember the disappointment. Then I remember the old trains moving to Blue Streak. Then I remember more disappointment.

I know that many wood coasters have their sound! I noticed the roar from the Mean Streak when I rode it. I love the roar! It reminded me of the Villian. I miss the roar of it when you left the station at went around the curve to get to the first hill. I know many of you are not a huge fan of the Mean Streak and I know that it could use some TLC, but I love he character of a good wood coaster. I hopw that they give the Mean Streak some TLC in the off season. I know when the Villian got ssome TLC, the last season it was open, it was an awsome ride! I know that I love the steel coasters for how fast and smooth they are, but I also love how ever wood coaster has a personality of their own.

Soeffenbored,

I'm not familiar with Whistle Boxes and the trains moving to Blue Streak. Can you alaborate?

The noise happens because wood coasters have metal wheels running on the metal rails. The amount of noise seems to change based on the amount of lubricant on the track and maybe the temperature.

Sure. If you look on the sides of the Mean Streak cars there's a metal box about the size of a shoebox on end attached to each car. They have a small hole, about the size of a half dollar, with a post in the center. As the train moves, particularly around the banked turns, the wind blows across the opening and makes a whistling noise, much like blowing across the mouth of a bottle. I'm not sure they're the old MS cars, but I'm almost positive they are, when Blue Streak moved from the old cars to the cars they have now these boxes were on them as well.

That sounds a little far fetched to me, I've never heard this whistling coming from the metal box.

Anyway, the Blue Streak trains are the original trains on the ride, just modified with seat dividers and the newer style lap bars. The "metal box" was added as part of the new lap bar mechanism. Mean Streak also has the original trains, just repainted.

If you remember, Blue Streak has always had the 6 passenger cars and Mean Streak had the 4 passenger cars. It is not even logical to think they moved the Mean Streak trains to Blue Streak.

I wish I'd saved my getaway guides, I remember the advertising mentioning those whistles the year it went in. If you put your hand over the hole when you're going around a turn it goes away. I'd just assumed the trains were moved because they look just about the same.

I was just at Cedar Point and heard the noise you guys are describing. Luckily I had my new invention with me; it translates machine noises into human language. Here is a rough translation of what MS is saying....

"Please.........if there is a god.........kill me...........kill me now.........I am but a shadow of what i once was...........someone........anyone......fire......yes fire........light a fire and end my pain............for the love of god..........not....another.....season........"

Those 'holes' are just the lapbar releases. There are no whistles on Mean Streak.

But if there were, they'd go WOO WOO!

edit: link to original video in case there are some who don't get it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x_PyLw_xp8 (seriously not a rickroll)

Dats only in da moaning...yer posed to be up cookin breakfast or sumptin by den so its like an alarm clock...wooo woooooo.

Wow, seriously?

Anyone else catch them completely blow that stop sign only after almost broadsiding the white truck? It's amazing that there's people out there like that.

Kevinj said:
Oh come on....with the state of the economy....blah blah blah....

Thereis no way T and T would make a post about general maintenence work donewith wood every year. Plus, that's a heck of a lot. Feel free to getyour hopes up.

I'd also like to bring this comment from the first page back to say, I told you so. :)

The sound reminds me of the scream Fred Flinstone makes when he's running and on fire, right before he douses himself in a handy bucket of water.

Well, congrats to Gonch (on CB) and Loopy for "nailing" it on the head!

Touche, Loopy...I was dead wrong. :)

Very disappointed, however. I was so looking forward to that piece of garbage being removed or at least re-worked.

I see you edited the post, Tony. How many tries did it take you to come up with that one? ;)

As was I Kevin. But unfortunately my common sense took over and read right through all of the AWFUL puns that were overused in the blog. :)

The whistles go woo! Welcome back to 2000 or 2001! :)

KRON really sucks. They are bankrupting Young Broadcasting. What a crappy station!