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Intimidator 305 - Kings Dominion Giga coaster

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I think most people would disagree. If nothing else, they'd rather have something tall and fast than something that just strings together inversion after inversion. If Colossus isn't a massive hit, why would something with just 2 more inversions be much better received?
 
^Colossus was/is a massive hit though, just not with enthusiasts. The 12 inversion model looks much better actually. I'm gueesing it would be very well received in the USA, since they don't even have the 10-inversion model. Anyway, we know it's not either.

^^You're entitled to an opinion, but I doubt anyone here is going to share your view that a multiple inversion coaster would be better than a new giga.
 
Just curious as to why a giga can't have inversions...

Actually, I want to see a strata with an inverting tophat.

THAT would scare the knickers off the GP.
:)
 
rollermonkey,
Because at such high speed(95 mph +) most inversions would be too intense. If they were to do inversions (which they won't), they would have to be huge. Which means it would cost a heck of a lot more, and they would take up so much space that it would be improbable. Ya, I use to also wonder the same question so I did some research a few years ago.
 
Jiminy christmas.

MOAT, have you ever looked at a picture of Viper at Magic Mountain?

For that matter, look at what Steel Phantom used to do before the conversion to Phantom's Revenge.

I'm saying that some designer could combine styles within a ride where you start with high speeds and airtime and finish with some choice inversions.

I think it'd be a fun experience.
 
I hope this turns out to be a better version of Millenium Force. MF was great, but could be even better.
 
I find this really exciting. No inversions please. MF's already fantastic; I'd be more than pleased with anything similar.

On the other hand, Snoo said he thinks it's gonna be awesome. So, it probably won't live up to my expectations :(. Or, he was just joking, and he'll hate it, and I'll be incredibly happy.
 
For all those of you who hope for massive air, I'd say, don't hold your breath.

Millennium Force has only two big air hills, for several reasons:
Cost and space.

Remember, when going at a speed close to 100 mph, you'd have to build very tall in order to have a hill of acceptable intensity. When going down from ~95 meters, I'd say a 60 meter hill would be sufficent, give or take ten meters. Another 60 meter hill, with supports, is almost as expensive as a lift hill on a regular Hyper Coaster, and would need to stretch at least 100 meters in one direction. If you were to continue along the air route, you'd need at least a 50 meter hill following it, again a massive investment in steel and room. And at such speeds, the turnaround needed would have to be huge:
http://rcdb.com/m/ig699.htm?picture=3

Thus, for space reasons, an overbank would be the best choice, preferably coming straight after the almost 200 meter long lift hill, so that you don't occupy too much land in one direction (an issue for many parks).
However, this overbank would have to be massive:
http://rcdb.com/m/ig594.htm?picture=16
And steel doesn't grow on trees, either. You would need to shell out quite a bit of cash for the supports, increasing the cost of the coaster, but sparing room.

OK, so now we can get air hills, right?
Yes or no. Intamin have proven, several times, that if you are going for airtime, you might as well buy a smaller coaster, look at the Mega-Lites and Balder, for example. Both would be quite crap without airtime, so no doubt that's the selling point. If you want airtime, you can get it in a smaller package. However, there's one factor you can't get on a small and cheap coaster:
Speed.
No launch coasters can give quite the same experience as Millennium Force does. You get a great overview of the area, then rush through it at breakneck speed. A launch coaster can give swooping turns and high speed, but when you get to a certain size, their main goal is the launch, perhaps a tophat, then the job is done. For launch coasters of a certain size, it would be too expensive to build anything more than a launch, something tall, and brake down. It's thrilling enough as it is anyway.
However, a Giga Coaster can't just be a hill and a brake. And as previously stated, we can't have too many air hills either. So what to do then?
Use what you have. A turn at 100 mph is thrilling, everyone knows that. And you can hug the ground, eliminating the need for tall supports. Cheap and thrilling. Good. And you sustain the speed as well, something the accelerators tend to neglect. However, you can't keep turning forever, the forces or the space used will be a pain after more than 90 degrees.
Then, you can throw in a hill, giving enthusiasts the airtime they desire. Good. But at speeds like that, it would have to be large, and occupy lots of room in one direction. So you have to turn after a single one. Time to put in another turnaround.
After this, friction has done its work well. You have a lot less speed to work with, and can happily put in another hill. Three, even, if you...
No.
For most people, dropping ninety meters and turning around at such speeds more than fill up their daily adrenaline dose. Already, you have turned a lot in their stomachs, the riders are shaken now. Another three or four doses of high G will sooner or later produce the substance we know as vomit. Or people will faint. One hill will do, then you can play on with high speed. But you can't do anything extreme any more. Not that you have the money either, turns at that speed requires lots of track, again requiring money. And you don't want stacking either, so you'll have to get a block in here soon.
Now you can either put in an MCBR, or call your layout a day. With an MCBR, you have more to play with, but you can't, as stated, keep going on with the layout forever. So you might as well get back to the station now. Give the people airtime on their way back, but if you already have shaken them up with strong air, I would recommend toning it down now. Then turn around some way, and on with the brakes. After all, you have lots of speed left if you dropped the MCBR.

See? You don't really have that many options. Don't be surprised if this turns out to be a near-clone of MF.
It will still be awesome for those who like MF, though. And the drop is almost bound to be a beast.
 
^I agree. I just think there are three options

1) Intamin surprises us with a air time machine
2) Intamin will build a tightly inter tangling layout (judging off of those footers)
3) they will build a near clone of MF.

I am thinking it will be options 2 or 3. BUT they are using that "cheaper, stronger" double spine track so they could build a huge layout with a lower price tag.
 
^ & ^^
Both of you are forgetting one important factor. MF was designed to fit an available footprint. If KD doesn't have a similar sized and shaped piece of available real estate, then there won't be any chance of an MF clone.

Anybody with the time and ability want to make an overlay?
 
Holy balls...

I can't believe nobody noticed this before, but this ride is going to have a vertical lift hill.

Look:

Notice how this piece goes straight up in the air? The supports at the top section start to become angled, just like the track:

IMG_2638_%28Large%29.JPG


Also, notice how there are track connections that fit with this piece, which I'm almost positive is the base of the lifthill, which if it isn't a 90* slope, then it's pretty freaking close:

kd2010.jpg


Just imagine those two pieces in the first picture rotated so they're standing up, and then lay the track piece from the video still on the bottom section, and it's a perfect fit.

It makes sense now, and with this, you basically have your supports for the lifthill. This also saves a ton of space, and might even mean a beyond vertical drop . :shock:

Go ahead and call me crazy, but those two pieces show a lot.
 
Sorry, buddy. The piece shown in the top picture cannot be track.

There are flanges on all four tubes that would prevent the train from rolling on any side.
 
He's not saying that's a peice of track, he's saying thats the support for the bottom of the lift.

And yeah, I think Rollerdude has a point, could this be a vertical lift giga coaster? I can't imagine that track peice used for anything else.
 
Well the technology works on Farenheight without fault I presume? (haven't heard anything bad about it). It would certainly save on space, the trains would have to be quite short for an over-vertical drop though.
 
Ugh.. I hope it doesn't have an over-vertical drop, they're so overused these days. If theres one thing they should keep from Milf, its the drop. Maybe it'll be similar to HRRR?
 
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