If indeed they are going on BEAST as several sources have told me.
THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO BEAST IMHO
YMMV
Here's why.
1. Since day one of Beast (Which I was a first night rider) It's trains were obsolete for the coaster. it was built with John Allen calculations for non articulating trains. (WHY it banks so far before the actual turn) The trains axels don't steer, The realized this imediately after the first or second season and shortened the cars from four bench to three bench to help slow THE DAMAGE the long non articulating wheelbase was creating. With Articulating cars like the G trains are. The need for brakes and the wear on the coaster will be greatly reduced. Some areas on The Beast get retracked twice or more each season. The helix is retracked almost every offseason. THE PTC non articulates TWIST on the track and shuffle if not well greased.
2. GONE are the HIGHBACKS. HOORAY! that was overkill from the time they installed them and visualls will once again be what it ONCE WAS!
3. DIVIDERS, GONE! Beast always had them but with the highback retrofit, They made them thicker and extended up your ribcage.
4. More traditional lapbar. Before anyone says they bruise your legs, They are now padded and do not make you sit SIDEWAYS like the PTC Ratchets that also TA DA! BRUISE YOUR OUTSIDE LEG.
5. The coaster should run close to it's 64.444 MPH speed again in the third fan turn after the midcourse. I've been on four walkbacks with people who've had radar guns and the fastest speed I've seen it run in recent years is 57.
6. The coaster always had BRAKES (SPELLED RIGHT) but they were used to varying degrees and still are.
7. The coaster isn't mean streaked, Mean Streak essentially stops the train twice in it's first 30ft of dropping and almost totally stops it in the midcourse.
8. Without the need for brakes or a midcourse. I could easily see a couple hills put in that shed area.
9. OPEN FACE TRAINS! WOOHOO! you thought sitting up front before was cool, Imagine it now that you can see the track imediately in front of you.
10. Capacity should be offset by quicker load and unload times and check times. IT MIGHT EVEN RUN FASTER just like SOB DOES with less friction from shuffling and the ability to turn more freely
11. The old Legend train from RWB should be retrofitted to SOB. SOB's track will support no other NORMAL WOODIE TRAIN as the GUAGE is different.
12. Why scrap a train for parts when parts are easily ordered?
13.. Don't knock it till you try it. I was lary of SOB but after riding last weekend, HUGE IMPROVEMENT!
The only drawback I see in this is lack of padding in the seats but if the trackwork holds up much better. THAT SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM
Chuck, one very anxious to ride BEAST WITH G TRAINS! WOOHOO! YIPPIE! HOORAY!
I think they would expand X-Base before creating a whole new area. Two things I would do. Replace Racer with a TGG woodie, Have it use the terrain behind FOF and Firehawk. Tear down SOB and heck with Intaimin and B*M. Id build a Gerstlauer Eurofighter of epic proportions. Some of them elements on them are just mind blowing like the hang upside down element and 105 degree drops. Id add about 6 flats to the park, , maybe commission Zamperla to build a four wheel cuddle up. Id retheme the train . Remove Invertigo and build a full sized B*M version. OK, Maybe not all in five years but Diamondback IMHO was the start in actually changing KI from the boring same ole same ole park it had become. Oh and FLYERS ARE MANDITORY! and Id put em where they were originally going to relocate em. The old platform for skyflyer.