The Loch Ness Monster

[Jrbgwfan06]

If the day ever comes that there is absolutely nothing they can do to save Nessie, it will be a very different time in roller coasters, there will be new designs that we have no knowing of today. Who knows, by that time B&M could be Arrow dynamics, and are slowing fading out of the picture due to fresher more innovative companies. But until that day which is a very, very long ways away, there will be countless ways to keep Nessie around. Really, as long as the park can put money into Nessie, she will keep thriving.

 

[Nicole]

...Rebuilding Nessie with a B&M design would work. It would not only satisfy the people that dont want it to go, but also the people who want something fresh...40 more years of Nessie.

If Nessie really ever needed to be replaced, I seriously doubt putting in a new coaster and calling it "the Loch Ness Monster" would really "satisfy" those who love her now.  That sounds a bit like replacing your kid's dog with with another one of the same breed and trying to claim it was the original pet.

We actually asked the maintenance guys if she has a personality.  They laughed and agreed fervently.  They told us she is "temperamental" and likes to run all of the time.  She doesn't like being closed all week and they actually have to run her on Thursdays to make sure she cooperates when the park opens back up for the weekend.

Our tour guide told us that Nessie wasn't built like modern roller coasters (not surprising, I know).  For example, she was entirely welded together by hand; no bolts.  I have to believe that affects how the ride feels.

Regardless, the park certainly doesn't seem to have any interest in replacing her any time soon. In fact when we were there, they were in the process of constructing a fourth train.  Some of the parts for that train are new, because the park is still buying new parts and not just maintaining the existing ones or borrowing them other coasters.  In addition, the maintenance schedule, according to my mechanical engineer husband, sounds designed for longevity.  They inspect many parts weekly; they check other parts monthly; and they replace all parts that can wear annually.  All welds in the tracks are inspected by three different crews every year.

The wheel brackets below are for the new train.  It was almost impossible to tell the old from the new, even up close.  The maintenance crew seems really good and very enthusiastic.

 

[wombat96]

If you removed the loops that would take a lot of stress off the track. There's plenty of ideas but we don't need them now. Also, this would be the perfect area for a new coaster. How about a Winged Coaster called : Revenge of the Loch Ness Monster. They could add a pre lift section right out of the station where the train could dive down...

 

[MrLaptop]

It would be a good area, but let's just be happy with the great coaster that is nessie until it dies.

 

[MAZ]

Yooz guys/gals seemed to have taken my post as a 'get rid of it' idea. This is not what I intended. The idea was only a scape goat for when the ride has reached the end of its 'serviceable life'(sound familiar?). There is no replacing LNM. It was only an idea to pay homage to what will inevitably be the last remaining Arrow on the planet. Lets be honest here. If the thing HAD to be replaced, wouldn't you want the replacement to reflect the original just a little bit more than a 'drop' and some glowing(dis-functional) red eyes? Personally, I'm glad to hear that Nessie has a stockroom full of parts to keep her going. Now that you know I dont really want them to take the coaster away from us Nic, do you still feel the same about there being 'no replacement' for it? Would you rather have a replacement that resembles one small aspect of the ride like Verbolten to BBW, or a clone of the original with additional aspects as I mentioned? Just curious

 

[Nicole]

Actually, I'd rather they left her up as art. Our tour guide mentioned that there are standing ACE coasters that are no longer running.

Some roller coasters are beautiful and should be admired for their lines and not just the ride.

I'm sure I am a minority in this, and I am not claiming to speak for other Nessie-lovers.

 

[UbblyBubbly]

Ahh! The dreaded words have been spoken!

 

[MrLaptop]

I have two ideas for this ride. When I rode it, my head was all over the place once I started reaching the middle of the helix. Eventually, I had the only headrest strike I had on the ride. the track felt like it was banked appropriately, so In think it is the fault of supports. If they could add firmer supports, it would it most likely carry some higher speed through the helix, judging by my experience with Knex coasters losing speed when the track shook. That would remove wear and tear as well.

Another thing I'd do is remove the brake right before the second chain, and perhaps remove the second chain as a whole. The ride would have less parts to go wrong, and no longer would you have to wait another what, 20 seconds before it picks up in speed again to the final loop. The only downside is, it loses block segments that way, and it might make running three trains next to impossible.

 

[Nicole]

As I've mentioned before, I've never had a rough ride in the last car. But I suppose that could be my height, etc.

 

[I305Evan]

Another thing I'd do is remove the brake right before the second chain, and perhaps remove the second chain as a whole. The ride would have less parts to go wrong, and no longer would you have to wait another what, 20 seconds before it picks up in speed again to the final loop. The only downside is, it loses block segments that way, and it might make running three trains next to impossible.

That lift is needed for 3 train operation. If the lift wasn't there, then the train would have to stop on the brake run before the helix. If the ride stopped there, then I'm sure there wouldn't be enough speed to make it up the lift.

Even still, the train would barely make it and on days with bad weather, it would have a high chance of a valley.

 

[Peter R.]

How about some photos?

 

[CastleOSullivan]

In response to Nic, I tend to agree. I think the only reason that front row seems so smooth to some people is because you can get a better idea of where you're going. However, for frequent riders, like myself, we know the layout, so there are no surprises. When the train slowly "chugs around", the wheels wiggle more violently.
In my opinion, with maybe the exception of the banked curve after the first drop, and exiting the tunnel, the ride could be an old B&M sitdown coaster, if I didn't know any better. The exit out of the cave can be quite painful, if you don't know how/when to brace yourself. It literally makes a small dip right before coming to a grinding slowdown at the chain. I know the chain lifts and block brakes were re-done years ago. Maybe all it needs is a change in the motor power to match the speed of the train to the chain, so there is no more needless pain at that section.

 

[MrLaptop]

I honestly didn't notice the brake. All I noticed was the nice pop of airtime before slamming into the chain not quite as forcefully as I thought I would. I thought I would get crushed, but it seemed smooth to me.

 

[Nicole]

I can't recall if this has been discussed before, but I know people complain about Nessie being rough. Until last night, I honestly didn't know what y'all were talking about. We rode in our usual back seat in a virtually empty train. I have never felt her rattle that much before. She was incredibly slow up the first lift hill, as well.

I guess when she has more weight in the train, she is smoother? Maybe the weight needs to be better distributed, as well? Predictably, almost everyone was either in the very front or very back of the train.

So maybe there is some value in slightly longer lines for LNM?

 

[wombat96]

In my opinion it's the train and where you sit. Everybody still loves Nessie because it's almost a classic and the length of the ride blows away the other coasters. You have to be an expert Loch Ness Monster Hunter to find the glory and beauty in Nessie.

 

[Mushroom]

Okay, so after riding Anaconda at Kings Dominion a few times this season, I realized just how much some minor fix-ups can do to majorly improve a coaster of this type. For those who don't know, in past seasons Anaconda was regarded as one of the worst rides at the park; it was painfully slow, rough, and headbanging in many portions of the ride. Plus, its red paint job was so faded that it looked pink. Until this season, the ride was awful.

For the park's 40th anniversary, Anaconda was completely repainted, a few running rails were replaced, the trains' wheels were completely replaced, and the lift motor was replaced. It might not seem like much, but those little changes vastly improved the ride experience. Now, the ride still isn't perfect, but it's now a fraction of the roughness of what it once was; the train zips up the lift; and everything looks and feels so much cleaner, and more loved.

If I recall correctly, Nessie was only repainted a few years ago (Busch takes waaay [insert infinite a's] better care of the look of their coasters than Kings Dominion) and she definitely isn't showing any signs of needing new paint. Still, I think as little love as just replacing the lift motor with a zippier one (not sure how it would effect capacity; maybe it can only safely go but so fast) and possibly completely replacing the wheels would make the experience better and make the ride feel less forgotten, and more loved. I'm definitely seeing more people coming off lately with achy heads, but hopefully the issue could be resolved easily.

Also, Anaconda's special effects at the tunnel were returned for the park's celebration. Come to think of it, 2015 will be Busch Gardens' 40th anniversary. Maybe in the wake of the Festa Italia coaster, Nessie will receive a little love and see the return of some of her effects.

It's time such a legend gets treated the way she deserves!

 

[Nicole]

Y'all get that in terms of maintenance, Nessie gets almost constant care? I don't know how often she gets a fresh coat of paint, and I'm sure that makes a difference. But for regular maintenance stuff she is inspected and has parts replaced weekly/monthly/annually, depending on the system.

My point was that a few weeks ago I rode her in a full train, and she was fast and smooth. Last night she was rattling like crazy and the train was empty. Weight has to make a difference.

 

[Mushroom]

I know I for one am not saying Nessie is an incredibly rough ride, nor am I saying she is forgotten completely. However, it's the little things like that which aren't routinely done which can also help make a big difference. Just my thoughts.

 

[Nicole]

I understand! I just don't want the park to get a bad rap for this. They are clearly taking very good care of her.

We chatted with her maintenance crew on the tour for a very long time. (The tour guide was getting antsy and we were late for the Griffon.). Anyway, those guys were totally committed and loved their jobs. You could tell they loved her too. And my husband is a mechanical engineer and was really impressed with her maintenance cycle.

Maybe they should paint her again? But they are so careful with her hardware, that some of her original parts are still in perfect working order. We really couldn't tell the difference between the new and refurbished parts.

 

[Zimmy]

She is perfect and all this talk about changing her makes Zimmy angry. You would not like Zimmy when he is angry!

My sister is correct. (Oh gods, did that hurt to say!) I was on the tour with her. The love and attention these guys clearly dished out was impressive. By now yall all know how I feel about her, I got the feeling they felt the same way. One told me he been working on one of the new coasters and requested to be transferred to Nessie because of her charm!

Incidentally, and I think Nic has the photos, much of BBW lives on in Nessie. It turns out that many of the car parts, breaks, and systems were the same. They had an entire stack of stuff painted red in one corner.

So no more talk of killing my lady. She will out live of all!