luff Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Over two weeks of traveling to Karlsruhe I witnessed the local messe (fair) under construction. When I saw the loops going up on the portable roller coaster, I knew I had to visit. Below are some pictures of this trip and a few observations of the difference between US carnivals and this one in Germany. The main attraction for me was the looping coaster called Test Strecke (Track) Two loops, a big drop, comfortable lap restraints added to the fun. This coaster had three trains. Only one, the British F1 style train, was running. Its amazing that this is assembled, torn down and re-assembled multiple times a year. All of the rides seemed to be much larger than their stateside versions. The little kids rides looked interesting. Notice that they don't put fencing around the rides. Just one guy in a yellow shirt to remind you not to step in the moving flat ride. I did not expect to see a portable Log Flume. This thing was huge. Two big drops Most of the rides had spec lists. The flume took 38 trucks to transport it, and contains 600,000 liters of water. The ferris wheel is huge too... It's specs The octopus ride like most rides there were greatly themed. Octopus kasse (cashier). There was not a ticket based system for the rides. Each one had their own booth with a cashier giving you little reciepts to ride. Corn on the cob is universally a fair food Dark rides looked like they went to the extreme. If you look at the one below, notice that there are three levels that the cars ride on. I don't know what this ride was, but the screams of the teenagers made this look like fun This thing was BIG One last thing. I saw this kids ride that was truly multi purpose. This had circular cars on the bottom. A dumbo style up and down ride in the middle, and a fun house on the top. Here is one last look down the midway at some of the most unique carnival rides I have ever seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI FANATIC 37 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Wow, Big Fair! Glad you had fun. Nice pics also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Wow...wow...wow! Thanks for this! That thing you didn't know what it was is a Skyscraper. Fun rides they are. About how much did each ride cost..roughly? Did you eat at the carnival? If so, what did that cost, what did you have and was it good? Terp, ever curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 SO AWESOME! Why aren't my local fairs like this?! A roller coaster that's not a wild mouse? Schwarzkopf even?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vortexfan Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 If I'm not mistaken, that looping coaster was previously Laser at Dorney Park. That's pretty cool you were there to see it, and experience a German fair! At one time, The Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto had a Schwarzkopf looping coaster...Unfortunately, those days are long gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 ^ I think you're right! A piece of Cedar Fair history! So cool... Why did Dorney get rid of it? Schwarzkopfs are so rare around here, and so fun! It would be incredible to have the chance to ride it... I've only been on one, and described to my riding partner beforehand the difference between the clothoid loop and the circular loop, having no idea if we'd actually feel the difference or not... Needless to say (for anyone who's been on one), we literally both said "whoa" aloud as we exited the loop, and my riding partner was no enthusiast and not well-versed in different inversions... It's an experience, that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Nice find and thanks for sharing such a unique heavy themed ride attractions, at a fair no less with us. To me Theme plays a huge role in atmosphere. I just love this report thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 If I'm not mistaken, that looping coaster was previously Laser at Dorney Park. That's pretty cool you were there to see it, and experience a German fair! At one time, The Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto had a Schwarzkopf looping coaster...Unfortunately, those days are long gone. A good eye you have, from RCDB: The Laser was purchased by German showman Meyer and Rosenzweig who together operate the "Steiger Achterbahn" company. The roller coaster is now called "Teststrecke", or in English "Testtrack". http://www.rcdb.com/240.htm Yep, that's it! And, GYK, Dorney was possessed to get rid of Laser... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Not a great trade if you ask me... Perhaps the person who made that decision was being controlled by voodoo... for a while, at least... GYK, whose "witty" thoughts never roll off the tongue quite like Terp's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbfan Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Ive seen portable Wild Mouses and log flumes before at the Indiana State Far, but never something on the scale of that coaster. Looked like a very fun carnival. Good TR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincyMan98 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 My local fair has 3 rides. And it's in the yard of a church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_junky Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 SO AWESOME! Why aren't my local fairs like this?! A roller coaster that's not a wild mouse? Schwarzkopf even?! what!? your local fairs have roller coasters? we get a few flats and maybe a fireball. the only time there is a roller coaster at a fair i've been to is the kentucky state fair, but i guess that won't even be true this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 http://ixindooramusementpark.com/index.asp?flash=N The IX Indoor Amusement Park, held in the massive International Exposition Center (which, at other times, houses garden shows, boat shows, RV shows, etc), that's pretty much Northeast Ohio's version of a BIG traveling fair. My towns, though, does just have a few flats and a funhouse. So it's not just you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincyMan98 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 This whole discussion is reminding me of a skit three of my counselors did at Camp Kern around the campfire... "What? You had cabins? Yeeeeer lucky!" Ya..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luff Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 Wow...wow...wow! Thanks for this! That thing you didn't know what it was is a Skyscraper. Fun rides they are. About how much did each ride cost..roughly? Did you eat at the carnival? If so, what did that cost, what did you have and was it good? Terp, ever curious Each ride was between 1.50 and 5.00 euro. They had deals for multiple rides. I think the coaster was about $5 to ride which puts it much less than that rough ride at the NYNY casino in Vegas. I did eat at the carnival. Pricing was only about 50% higher than a normal restaurant over there. At several booths I saw a Hungarian specialty. It is basically fried dough with the choice of either sweet toppings or what I went with, Garlic sauce, cheese, and salami I also consumed a few beverages in the many Bier gardens. It took me a little while to figure out that they were charging a 1euro deposit on the glasses. I was trying to figure out why my change was light as one bartender blathered on in German. Then it dawned on me. I guess I left a few euros at behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 I love the "DO NOT ______" sign illustrations in the upper middle of that photo.... Hah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_junky Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 that looks delicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomTheater Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 http://ixindooramusementpark.com/index.asp?flash=N The IX Indoor Amusement Park, held in the massive International Exposition Center (which, at other times, houses garden shows, boat shows, RV shows, etc), that's pretty much Northeast Ohio's version of a BIG traveling fair. My towns, though, does just have a few flats and a funhouse. So it's not just you. As most people call it up here, the I-X Center. It's very rare for it to be called by its full name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luff Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 The food was great, but the Heartburn killed me that night. My son loved the do not ___ signs in that picture. A few times he has said, "Hey no Bumm Music in here!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentiallyCoaster Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 My fair was better, we had a Zipper! I would love to go to that fair, it looked like so much fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adventure Express Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 That fair really does look like great fun! And that Pizza knock off thingy looked good too XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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