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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPQ7_alwZM4

Alright now I'm just downright insulted. This is just a custom made coaster using the name of one of the most famous rides in Coney Island's history. It's absolutely pathetic in my mind that they can say that Thunderbolt is being reborn when it's not even a wooden coaster. I respected Zamperla for the things they've done with Coney Island, but this is just a slap in the face to everyone in the New York area who knew of the historical footprint that the Thunderbolt had.

Please Zamperla I beg of you to go back through planning and rebuild the actual thing. I'm sure GCI would be happy to do it, because as it stands right now this will be the most pathetic waste of money I've ever seen.
 
Sounds pretty cool, though it's too bad it isn't more like the original. I do love Zamperla, so I'm excited to see how this will turn out. Is Zamperla actually manufacturing this coaster? If they are, I believe this will be one of their largest to date. Pretty sweet.
 
b.mac said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPQ7_alwZM4

Alright now I'm just downright insulted. This is just a custom made coaster using the name of one of the most famous rides in Coney Island's history. It's absolutely pathetic in my mind that they can say that Thunderbolt is being reborn when it's not even a wooden coaster. I respected Zamperla for the things they've done with Coney Island, but this is just a slap in the face to everyone in the New York area who knew of the historical footprint that the Thunderbolt had.

Please Zamperla I beg of you to go back through planning and rebuild the actual thing. I'm sure GCI would be happy to do it, because as it stands right now this will be the most pathetic waste of money I've ever seen.

Holy Crap!

What an awful rendering of the coaster in that video! If that track is accurate then that is gonna be the most painful steel coaster on the planet!!!

And yes, I'm not at all excited about this as I was expecting something closer to the original. I'm not a big Zamperla fan anyways so I'm definitely not interested after seeing that video.
 
Wow. We went from this...
b.mac said:
I LOVE YOU ZAMPERLA!
To this...
Unagi said:
Holy Crap!
b.mac said:
Alright now I'm just downright insulted...It's absolutely pathetic in my mind...this is just a slap in the face..this will be the most pathetic waste of money I've ever seen.
Zachary said:
OK, that's just sad...a horrifically boring Zamperla prototype. Awful.
netdvn said:
...but those 3-across trains look weird. And that rendering is awful.
...in no time. I guess it just goes to show that one decision (in this case, a big one) can really change the outlook of the public opinion on a matter. Personally, I love Zamperla and feel like the ride itself will be neat, but I really find it disgraceful that they are just kind of throwing the name of a legendary ride into it. It would have been great if they had given it to us as an all-new ride. But they didn't. They tricked everyone into thinking they would be returning a legend, only to tell us they were just using it as a cover-up marketing ploy to get us excited about nothing more than a new ride. Meanies! :s

Y'know, if our concerns revolve around an amusement park ride some 6 hours away that's been cheaply inspired, things are going pretty well on planet Earth. There are some bigger things to worry about in life right now...
ACF130A.JPG
Just kidding, but seriously, we'll survive (and probably still enjoy it, too) :cool:
 
As much as I DETEST remakes about damn near ANYTHING...movies, roller coasters, marriages, etc etc etc....

It is kind of cool how they implemented an Immelmann turn on the far end of the track.

But to take a legendary woodie coaster & remake it as a flip-dee-flip steel one is absolutely detestable. They better not EVER touch the Cyclone.
 
IndyRacingNut said:
As much as I DETEST remakes about damn near ANYTHING...movies, roller coasters, marriages, etc etc etc....

It is kind of cool how they implemented an Immelmann turn on the far end of the track.

But to take a legendary woodie coaster & remake it as a flip-dee-flip steel one is absolutely detestable. They better not EVER touch the Cyclone.

Nobody can touch that. It's been declared a NYC landmark and is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
 
Zachary said:
I have to ask, what do you love so much about Zamperla?
Sure thing! For one, their rides are all innovative and very unique, they all look very nice and permanent, they're built to last, and I'm yet to ride a bad ride from them. Plus, not all of their rides are 300-foot monsters, and they're still fun! Just my opinion of course, there are plenty of good manufacturers out there, these guys are just one of them that are pretty special :)

/twocents/

Off-topic...
 
Would prefer "Sally's Super Swirlybird" over "Thunderbolt: Reborn."

Now that my detest over Zamperla's completely boneheaded move of naming this thing Thunderbolt, I'm still going back to Coney Island (to ride the Cyclone I mean).

Hopefully the New Yorkers grow a brain and protest this like the gaming community against HALsoft's Xbox One.
 
Ben said:
I just realized something, I've NEVER been to Coney Island! I really need to get up there sometime.

You should go up there. It's a small little park that has a nice nostalgic feel to it. And try to go when they have the dance parties on the boardwalk.
 
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And DO NOT FORGET to grab yourself a Nathan's Hot Dog while you're there. It's like law or something.....And don't you dare ask for ketchup on that thing. :)
 
Here is rare POV footage of the Thunderbolt from 1976.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37416464@N04/6782339038/
 
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EastCoasterGeneral, from CoasterForce, has been following the construction of Thunderbolt closely and posted pictures of them finishing up the layout yesterday. This ride rose like a weed and I must say it actually doesn't look bad. That dive loop turnaround looks absolutely atrocious but fun, though!

ECG said:
I was there when they put the last piece of track into place this afternoon (piece between the support in lower right corner).

Last%20piece.JPG


Here's a crappy phone panorama shot.

10300636_10152089144893639_1926198306181652160_n.jpg


10300313_10152089144773639_1399689300652133014_n.jpg


1610037_10152089144803639_8945594677641837720_n.jpg


Left.JPG


Center.JPG


Right.JPG


Full layout from the opposite side.

panorama.jpg


Vertical lift hill drop & loop.

Lift%20Hill%20Loop.JPG


Zero-G roll & corkscrew.

Zero-G.JPG


Stengel dive.

Stengel%20Dive.JPG


Dive loop turnaround.

Dive%20Loop.JPG


Part of the sign headed for the Coney Island Boardwalk.

10348545_10152089144838639_5629967416686710844_n.jpg


Boardwalk signage.

Signage.JPG


Here's the station with the roof added since last week.

Station%20Lift%20Loop.JPG


Station.JPG
 
After giving this ride yet another chance on Sunday during the ace preservation con.. this is officially the worst coaster on the planet in my opinion. There are zero redeeming factors about it and it is horrible through and through.
 
Zamperla is looking to hire a Stress Analysis Engineer.

Job description (translated from Italian): To reinforce our Engineering team we are looking for an engineer to insert in area stress analysis. The Stress Analysis Chief Engineer is responsible for verifying the reliability of the technical solutions, guaranteeing the security and integrity of the machine for the entire life cycle of the stress.

Now the question is – Is this a brand new position or did they have one before that they get rid of over this TT2 fiasco?

mmhmmcrackedbogies.gif
Oh my GOD

Speaking of zamperla today is thunderbolt Luna parks 10th birthday. Happy birthday to the worst coaster ever.
 
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