What's new

Six Flags Fiesta Texas gets the first RMC Raptor track!

First single-rail coaster? What about all the Bat Flyers? What about the pax cobras? What about the odd French touring coaster that's basically the same layout as a wildcat?
The USAToday story has been updated;
...It will be the world's first single-rail IBox track coaster....
...
Correction & Clarification: An earlier version of this story mistakenly listed the Wonder Woman Golden Lasso coaster as the world's first single-rail coaster.

(the video still claims WORLDS FIRST SINGLE-RAIL COASTER though of course ;) )
 
Looks like a great ride, Fiesta Texas sure has been spoiled since 2013! Capacity will be an absolute nightmare on this thing, they will need fantastic operations. Iron Rattler will still be king of the park though, no doubt in my mind at all about that.
 
Definitley a great addition to Fiesta Texas. Honestly capacity shouldnt be that big of an issue knowing how well their operations are with rides, but it wont be as grand as some other rides their, just fast dispacthes. Dont see why this wouldnt have 2 trains given its a Six Flags park but well see...
 
I'm still wondering if 1 seat per car is really a good idea. This will definitely be a very popular ride at the park, meaning lines will be insanely long. These are really short trains and each one only has one seat. So the RPH will be pretty low.

Maybe they plan to make the trains bigger? Add more seats?

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
I'm still wondering if 1 seat per car is really a good idea. This will definitely be a very popular ride at the park, meaning lines will be insanely long. These are really short trains and each one only has one seat. So the RPH will be pretty low.

Maybe they plan to make the trains bigger? Add more seats?
My exact logic as well. For larger parks, capacity alone will make or break a ride.
 
Oh the capacity will be terrible.

Even running as fast as it physically can, it'll be way off the mark.

I think it looks a bit gross tbh.
 
My exact logic as well. For larger parks, capacity alone will make or break a ride.
It couldn't be that hard to add two seats a car, right? Things can change between now and the 2018 opening day, so we've got a while to see if anything changes.

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
RMC does have a two-seater concept for the T-Rex track as well - what we are seeing here is the "budget" model. Here are photos released at IAAPA this year:
2.jpg 1.jpg
The only difference is a larger gauge of track, which in turn accommodates a larger train. Given that SFFT announced with the single-car T-Rex trains; I don't think they're changing.

Another point on the single-rider trains will be leg space. Since riders will be straddling the track with a large "hump" in the middle, I would wonder how this impacts required rider height. It would be unfortunate for the required height to be taller, only to accommodate the need for longer legs.

I think it looks a bit gross tbh.
The concept looks cool, but it lacks the "wow" factor of the RMC wooden creations. RMC's reputation has been as a disruptor in the wooden coaster conversion market. Straight steel roller coasters... well those are already being pretty well done by others.
 
It couldn't be that hard to add two seats a car, right? Things can change between now and the 2018 opening day, so we've got a while to see if anything changes.

Trust me, the basic design concept won't change. No chance at all. Whatsoever. That would require SFFT and RMC both to scrap several months' worth of design work, and basically start from scratch again - in which case you wouldn't see this coaster open until 2020 or so, maybe 2019 at the earliest, it would look nothing like the unveiled design, and all in all be tremendously expensive for everybody.

I'm afraid that the "public unveiling" milestone we enthusiasts see as the beginning of the project, actually is close to its end for those involved with it. At that point, the specifications are nailed down, the design is finalized, contracts signed, prices negotiated, payments secured, orders placed, construction scheduled, everything is done and dusted, all that remains is to build the thing. The production phase is the earliest phase visible to the public, but for many contractors it signals the end of their involvement. If SFFT had wanted double-width cars on this, it would have had to be changed in the pre-design phase (last year or so), or possibly in the design phase (but that would already approach the deadline where making significant changes would be prohibitively expensive).

Since this coaster involves an external IP, I think even changing its colour would be too expensive at this point. It would require a new round of meetings with the IP owners and new stamps of approval that the rest of the process can't afford to wait for.

But hey, as somebody said above, it won't be that much worse capacity than a standard S&S Free Fly. I think the park has calculated that it will be fine for them, since there's no way they haven't considered that aspect thoroughly already.
 
Top