Drachen Fire
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
In case you haven't seen this, here's an old episode of NOVA about roller coasters that features the design and construction of Drachen Fire. There's also a bit about Kings Dominion's Grizzly at the end of video #2.
EDIT: *sigh* The video poster decided to disallow embedding, so:
NOVA Roller Coasters, Part I
NOVA Roller Coasters, Part II
EDIT: *sigh* The video poster decided to disallow embedding, so:
NOVA Roller Coasters, Part I
NOVA Roller Coasters, Part II
I took some stills from the video I linked above and I thought I'd share them:
I wonder where this sign is today?
The Drachen Fire construction site:
Convoy of trucks bringing Drachen Fire's track to the park:
Under construction:
Topping off the highest point of the track:
Unwrapping the cars:
Note the size of the up-stop gap. Ouch!
Drachen Fire's running wheels:
Fanservice for Evan- Drachen Fire's control panel, fresh out of the package:
Drachen Fire in operation:
Note Big Bad Wolf's village at the top of this picture. RIP Arrow:
I wonder where this sign is today?
The Drachen Fire construction site:
Convoy of trucks bringing Drachen Fire's track to the park:
Under construction:
Topping off the highest point of the track:
Unwrapping the cars:
Note the size of the up-stop gap. Ouch!
Drachen Fire's running wheels:
Fanservice for Evan- Drachen Fire's control panel, fresh out of the package:
Drachen Fire in operation:
Note Big Bad Wolf's village at the top of this picture. RIP Arrow:
If you think that up stop gap is bad just ride a Vekoma, Hang-and-bangs by far the worst offender.
Also Jonquil, did you ride Chiller with it's original OTSRs? Those were the sole culprit to the complaints about the ride being rough, and it was more due to people unfortunate enough to ride the thing with earrings on. Once it went to lap bars there was absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of ride, just everything else was wrong instead.
Cyclone is also god awful now that GCI got their stinky prints all over it. They took out so much of what made the ride good that it's running slower than it used to and has nearly 1/4th of the airtime still there, and even what's left has been butchered. They only seemed to focus on the parts that made the ride good because all the bottoms of the hill get real personal with your spine, and there's barely anything to make up for the beating. The trains aren't even that comfortable and the $9 ticket can be shoved.
Also Jonquil, did you ride Chiller with it's original OTSRs? Those were the sole culprit to the complaints about the ride being rough, and it was more due to people unfortunate enough to ride the thing with earrings on. Once it went to lap bars there was absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of ride, just everything else was wrong instead.
Cyclone is also god awful now that GCI got their stinky prints all over it. They took out so much of what made the ride good that it's running slower than it used to and has nearly 1/4th of the airtime still there, and even what's left has been butchered. They only seemed to focus on the parts that made the ride good because all the bottoms of the hill get real personal with your spine, and there's barely anything to make up for the beating. The trains aren't even that comfortable and the $9 ticket can be shoved.
^ b.mac, I rode Chiller in 1999 before (I believe) any modifications. And I also had earrings at that time! No problems that I can remember.
Too bad about Cyclone. When did GCI alter it? I last rode it in 2000 I think...
Drachen Fire hurt me, but reliving these memories has softened me to it a bit...
Too bad about Cyclone. When did GCI alter it? I last rode it in 2000 I think...
Drachen Fire hurt me, but reliving these memories has softened me to it a bit...
I never had any real problems riding Drachen Fire, but I do recall wishing it had just been a better ride overall. It certainly was beautiful to look at and watch in operation, particularly with the red tracer lights on the trains at night. Losing that corkscrew did take some of the fun out of the second half of the ride, but it eliminated that awkward transition off the block brake which was the single most jarring part of the ride. Had DF been a B&M creation, I am fully convinced that it would still be standing there giving great rides.
I have never had any trouble with Mantis either. In fact, I have really enjoyed it during every one of my visits to Cedar Point since it was installed. It is far from the best ride at the park, but still not bad. Maybe it has really gone downhill in the past 3 years or so? I always found the complaints about rough Mantis rides to be vastly overblown vs. my own experience.
Flight of Fear, on the other hand, back when it still had the shoulder bar restraints... holy cats. Dreadful. Eventually, as they tried to improve rider comfort, the restraint padding was slapped on so thick that it barely permitted my head to pass between the bars as they descended -- and it still hurt to ride. I do believe that ride permanently reduced my IQ via blunt force trauma.
I have never had any trouble with Mantis either. In fact, I have really enjoyed it during every one of my visits to Cedar Point since it was installed. It is far from the best ride at the park, but still not bad. Maybe it has really gone downhill in the past 3 years or so? I always found the complaints about rough Mantis rides to be vastly overblown vs. my own experience.
Flight of Fear, on the other hand, back when it still had the shoulder bar restraints... holy cats. Dreadful. Eventually, as they tried to improve rider comfort, the restraint padding was slapped on so thick that it barely permitted my head to pass between the bars as they descended -- and it still hurt to ride. I do believe that ride permanently reduced my IQ via blunt force trauma.
Jonquil said:
That's amazing to hear about Chiller. Anyone I've talked to who's been on it rags on those OTSRs all day. I really would've liked to experience both OTSR Chiller and DF but alas time machines do not exist. I never really found an Arrow 'rough,' just mildly inconvenient if the harnesses weren't using solid rock for foam.
Cyclone was apart of a multi-year renovation at the hands of GCI which finished I believe this Spring in time for the 2014 season. I rode it before and after the renovations and I can full-heartedly say that the new Cyclone is one of the worst Woodies I've ever been on.
Since this thread has been brought back, here's probably some of the best home video of Drachen Fire on Youtube yet...
At 2m:45s in that video I'm pretty sure someone yells, "Ahh, my ears!"
Some cool onride shots.
If B&M could modify that first drop that would be a sick way to start off a wingrider.
If B&M could modify that first drop that would be a sick way to start off a wingrider.
I feel like the wraparound corkscrew at the top could be a unique element for a b&m flyer. It could be something new that Busch Gardens has never seen before. It is definitely one of the biggest types of rides the park doesn't have. They could also break some sort of record with one.
