The Chinese SLC Grows Up With New Track System.

[roomraider]

While we've known for a while that Wanda City in Harbin, China would be building a Chinese SLC the ride has finally completed construction and not without a fairly unexpected surprise.

The ride is a mirror image of Soaring Dragon & Dancing Phoenix at Wanda City in Nanchang which opened recently, However the manufacturer has gone with a completely new track system in Harbin, doing away with the old Vekoma style system we've seen so far. This means theres a switch from inside guide wheels to outside and a generally smoother looking system.

It begs the question, now these rides have their own unique layouts and track system they can't really be called knock offs anymore can they?

Also below are two photos of the parks other coasters, a highly themed custom mine train design and a standard spinning wild mouse.

 

[Pink Cadillac]

The only modern Vekoma SLC I can think of is the one in Singapore and that looks like it has a thicker spine than this one - which would deny this being a knock-off. Nice to see

 

[SimonSays99]

The real question is: Is it any better than the well-known SLC? Knock-off or not...

 

[Gavin]

They've aways had their own layouts. The only true knockoff is Golden Horse's model, which came much later than those of other manufacturers and is an exact copy of Vekoma's Kumali layout.

 

[roomraider]

True. Although Flare meteor only opened a year and a bit after Shenzhou Coaster. However many people still refer to that layout as a knock off layout. Possibly due to the similarities to the standard SLC layout and the track system.
This new one fills none of the criteria though. It's more B&M layout and track design than Vekoma. Hopefully it rides well.

 

[roomraider]

Golden Horse have put up another coaster with their new track system. This one will actually open before the Wanda one as well. Due to open on the 1st of January this one at Long Gu Wan Dinosaur Park in Guangxi keeps the old style Kumali layout. It even keeps the curry coloured paint job of Golden Horses usual SLCs.

 

[Tomatron]

That actually looks quite good for what it is. Just looking at some of the older Chinese made SLCs with the older style track, you knew they were going to be horrendous. But this one doesn't look like it's been designed by a 5 year old, so hopefully it'll ride much better.

 

[Pokemaniac]

How different is the new Golden Horse track from the new Vekoma track? Is it all in-house now, or is this coaster yet another example of fine Dutch engineering?

 

[PeskyTrimBrake]

That... actually looks kinda good.

 

[roomraider]

Just to get back to the bad side of Chinese SLC's. This rather terrifying looking ride is the first Suspended Looping Coaster built by Chinese company Zhipao. Opening at Xingtai Sportage science and technology theme park it does at least feature a custom layout. If not much banking

 

[Intricks]

Is.....is that supposed to be a zero-g roll after the cobra roll?

 

[ThemeCrafter264]

I don't want to know and first post

 

[Hixee]

That first drop...

That airtime hill after the loop...

That cobra roll...

That zero-G...

Whole thing just screams pain and suffering.

 

[Smithy]

That entire thing screams pain, but I'd say the worst part looks to be the whip into the brake run. Which is ironically probably the best-banked part of the track

 

[Pink Cadillac]

Happy Angels POV. A bit unusual but v. cool.

 

[Astro61201]

I could imagine that layout as a B&M and it's absolutely beautiful. :emoji_cry: