Project 2021/Drachen Spire: Intamin Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga Coaster [Cancelled]

General Information:​

"Project Drachen Spire," is a community-generated identifier for the Intamin-made, multi-launch, shuttle giga coaster that was originally slated to open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2021. The attraction is planned to utilize the currently-vacant land behind Verbolten, Festhaus Park—the former home of Drachen Fire.

The coaster's main layout—as leaked before the addition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—featured two launches, two spikes (one spiral, one vertical-ish), and a couple of banked turns. Drachen Spire was designed to run two trains by means of a pair of switch tracks connecting the primary, shuttle portion of the layout to the station platform.

Important Articles:​

• Most Up-To-Date Understanding of the Layout:
  
  

  Leaked Electrical Plan Depicts Busch Gardens Williamsburg's 2021 Roller Coaster in Detail – BGWFans

  If there’s a god, he’s up there laughing this afternoon. Why? Because BGWFans just had one of those classic sitcom moments. Yesterday, we published our painstakingly detailed analysis of the footer plan for what we believe is Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 2021 roller coaster—seemingly a huge...

  bgwfans.com
• Most Recent Status Update:
  
  

  Drachen Spire Height Waiver Extension Details – BGWFans

  Just over a week ago, we reported on the renewal of the notorious 355 foot Festhaus Park height waiver that was originally requested for the controversial, Intamin-made, multi-launch, giga, shuttle coaster we’ve dubbed Drachen Spire. In last week’s article, we were very careful to leave the door...

  bgwfans.com

NoLimits Model of the Layout:​

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Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

Additional Coverage (Newest to Oldest):​

• https://bgwfans.com/2022/drachen-spire-height-waiver-extension-details/
• https://bgwfans.com/2022/drachen-spire-height-waiver-renewal/
• https://bgwfans.com/2021/drachen-spires-slumber/
• https://bgwfans.com/2020/leaked-ele...-williamsburgs-2021-roller-coaster-in-detail/
• https://bgwfans.com/2020/busch-gardens-williamsburg-2021-shuttle-giga-coaster/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/germany-expansion-site-plans/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/2021-rpa-impacts-plan/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/newly-leaked-document-depicts-project-2021s-station/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/project-2021-height-waiver-vote-happens-tomorrow/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/born-from-the-ashes/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/bgw-project-2021/

Previous Thread:​

https://parkfans.net/threads/january-2019-festhaus-park-height-survey.5696/

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

The Snake King shall punish you for your insolence.

 

[GrandpaD]

The train station thing has been to exhaustion and it's unlikely due to the slope.

I've seen the discussions, but I guess I'm not educated enough to digest the arguments by looking at a topo map and how trains work.

According to this map, where I proposed a train station is at the same elevation as Oktoberfest and stays that way for a good bit before and then towards Caribou. There seems to be a slight change near Invadr but doesn't appear to be that drastic.

 

[Gavin]

James City County Property Viewer provides a better contour map that shows a bit more detail. You’ll have to enable contours in the left panel though. The only issue with a station in Germany is that Alpen Express cannot make it from that spot to Caribou from a full stop while under load. The park has tried, and if Alpen does stop at that spot, they have to either use another engine to pull her out or backup all the way to Festa.

 

[warfelg]

I've seen the discussions, but I guess I'm not educated enough to digest the arguments by looking at a topo map and how trains work.

According to this map, where I proposed a train station is at the same elevation as Oktoberfest and stays that way for a good bit before and then towards Caribou. There seems to be a slight change near Invadr but doesn't appear to be that drastic.

Using a top map isn't going to help much. The max grade for most trains is 2.5%, meaning rising 2.5 feet over 100 feet is the most they can handle. By comparison most cars are tested on a 35% grade. The starting grade for a trains is generally 0.5%.

 

[GrandpaD]

Thanks. That explains it.

 

[madmax]

I mean more like Time Traveler if anything, but Cobras Curse is a good family coaster according to many.

 

[BGWnut]

I want to make it clear that I like Cobra's Curse but it's very much an overrated coaster IMO

 

[The Quist]

Not that I think this is probable or even possible, but what if this were a hotel/ casino?

 

[Adam]

The only issue with a station in Germany is that Alpen Express cannot make it from that spot to Caribou from a full stop while under load. The park has tried, and if Alpen does stop at that spot, they have to either use another engine to pull her out or backup all the way to Festa.

This made me think of something, and it has probably already been brought up in the proper forum. But do you think Busch ever considered reversing the direction of the trains to allow for a Germany station? If the Germany section is the steepest part of the tracks, they could eliminate the issue by facing down the slope at that point. I honestly don't know enough about the train to remember if there are any other "extreme" grades though..

 

[b.mac]

I remember that being brought up and to my knowledge the upward grade all the way around the rest of the park is pretty much negligible. The biggest issue I see with the change of directions is that the storage tracks and maintenance facilities would need to be redesigned in order to accommodate the change.

The only major delay would be taking a train off since you'd have to back the train into its storage track instead of just taking it right off, but that's offset by replacing a train with another one I would think.

 

[halfabee]

The idea of reversing the trains' direction has been discussed here in the past, though I don't recall any definitive resolution (e.g. "literally can't happen because x, y, z make it physically impossible"). I certainly don't know.

One great aspect of the train's current clockwise circuit is the fact that it opposes the sky ride, which makes a much smaller loop counter-clockwise. While the respective systems' station locations really only ever line up as competing options in Scotland, at times I certainly have appreciated having the option of going in either direction by choosing one system over the other.

 

[BGWnut]

One great aspect of the train's current clockwise circuit is the fact that it opposes the sky ride, which makes a much smaller loop counter-clockwise. While the respective systems' station locations really only ever line up as competing options in Scotland, at times I certainly have appreciated having the option of going in either direction by choosing one system over the other.

I know we are getting off topic but couldn't they also reverse the skyride if they desired?

 

[Nicole]

The Germany Station discussion has already been moved to train thread. Let's focus on everything we don’t know about a height waiver.

I think someone suggested a hotel?

 

[BGWnut]

A hotel would be nice but I think 355 seems a little tall for a hotel.

 

[Nicole]

Ah, but by BGW logic, a 355 foot waiver is really for a 255 foot structure. So, a tall hotel with something on top isn't impossible.

(No, I am not advocating that; I just wanted to get that jab in about the waiver.)

 

[warfelg]

A hotel would be nice but I think 355 seems a little tall for a hotel.

Not really depending on layout. 12 feet per floor (including space between) would be roughly 30 stories tall.

I think that location is improbable for a hotel unless you set up a tram way back there or have a system so people don't have to lug the luggage all the way back there. Next problem is how do you get people on/off property when the park is closed?

 

[Icer]

A hotel would be nice but I think 355 seems a little tall for a hotel.

Challenge accepted.

 

[BGWnut]

Not really depending on layout. 12 feet per floor (including space between) would be roughly 30 stories tall.

I think that location is improbable for a hotel unless you set up a tram way back there or have a system so people don't have to lug the luggage all the way back there. Next problem is how do you get people on/off property when the park is closed?

I meant for the area. There aren't even any buildings in Williamsburg that are close to that height. There's not really a need for a hotel if that size at the park.

 

[BGWnut]

Ah, but by BGW logic, a 355 foot waiver is really for a 255 foot structure. So, a tall hotel with something on top isn't impossible.

(No, I am not advocating that; I just wanted to get that jab in about the waiver.)

Haha that's true but I think when BGW did the Madrid waiver the plan was actually for 315 foot tall attraction and the plans changed later.

 

[GrandpaD]

I think someone suggested a hotel?

I'd love to stay in the DarKastle suite. Later, I'd dine in the Drachen Fire BBQ restaurant. And, before hitting the park, I'd have breakfast in the Eggery Deggery Cafe.