ThrillKingsFitzy Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 So we all know about how Lightning Rod was getting some major changes in 2020. Well the changes have finally been (mostly) confirmed and it's an interesting change. They are planning to turn Lightning Rod into a hybrid, so LR won't be the only launched wooden coaster anymore but now the only launched hybrid. Interesting choice. https://www.coaster101.com/2020/11/15/lightning-rod-dollywood-retracking-2021/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeastFarmer Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 It's not "confirmed" until the park announces it, as the link you posted clearly posted in a disclaimer. Probably? Yes. Confirmed? No. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThrillKingsFitzy Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 I saw the disclaimer but with the track design shown and the Q&A with someone involved basically confirms it. Not trying to sound ignorant but there really is no point in arguing about it when the evidence is right in your face. Edit: I will fix anything that seems far fetched in this post though 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakePlissken Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 I'm confused. I'm pretty sure ACE confirmed this on Facebook a couple days ago. ACE had an event at Dollywood this past weekend and a Q@A session on this subject. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThrillKingsFitzy Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 12 minutes ago, SnakePlissken said: I'm confused. I'm pretty sure ACE confirmed this on Facebook a couple days ago. ACE had an event at Dollywood this past weekend and a Q@A session on this subject. Yeah that's what I thought but @BeeastFarmermade me second guess. Maybe I should have gotten the source from ACE themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombRaiderFTW Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Yo dawg, I heard you like RMC, so we put an RMC in our RMC so you can RMC while you RMC. Anyway, that's really interesting. It's odd to me that an RMC-designed ride would need to have its track replaced when Tremors, a CCI, has had Topper Track for close to a decade without issue. I've read reports in enthusiast circles that rides that were partially retracked with Topper Track don't hold up particularly well over time (Georgia Cyclone seemed like the most frequent culprit, if I remember correctly), but I guess I'd assumed that was because of the PTCs they often run. I wonder what this means for the future of launched RMCs, if launched RMCs even have a future after the issues with Lightning Rod. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThrillKingsFitzy Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 2 hours ago, TombRaiderFTW said: Yo dawg, I heard you like RMC, so we put an RMC in our RMC so you can RMC while you RMC. Anyway, that's really interesting. It's odd to me that an RMC-designed ride would need to have its track replaced when Tremors, a CCI, has had Topper Track for close to a decade without issue. I've read reports in enthusiast circles that rides that were partially retracked with Topper Track don't hold up particularly well over time (Georgia Cyclone seemed like the most frequent culprit, if I remember correctly), but I guess I'd assumed that was because of the PTCs they often run. I wonder what this means for the future of launched RMCs, if launched RMCs even have a future after the issues with Lightning Rod. It was stated that the reason that it's being retracked is mainly because of the failed launch system. Why retrack the whole coaster though? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeastFarmer Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 6 hours ago, ThrillKingsFitzy said: I saw the disclaimer but with the track design shown and the Q&A with someone involved basically confirms it. Not trying to sound ignorant but there really is no point in arguing about it when the evidence is right in your face. Edit: I will fix anything that seems far fetched in this post though It's not a big deal, but confirmed (around here) is not a word to take lightly The subject was discussed at an ACE event and a park official probably said it (I wasn't there, I'm conjecturing here) and ACE reported it. Even so, the park hasn't announced it. From reading the posts, it seems like the Iron Horse is going only on certain sections and the the topper track is being replaced elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombRaiderFTW Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 1 hour ago, ThrillKingsFitzy said: It was stated that the reason that it's being retracked is mainly because of the failed launch system. Why retrack the whole coaster though? They're not retracking the whole ride, if I remember the original post correctly. It's just getting IBox track in certain areas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThrillKingsFitzy Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 16 hours ago, TombRaiderFTW said: They're not retracking the whole ride, if I remember the original post correctly. It's just getting IBox track in certain areas. I meant they are putting new topper track on the places where the IBox track will not be. To be honest even after all of this info I'm still second guessing it lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenban Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 There was a Q&A at Dollywood Earlier today, the park representative stated approximately 2,160 feet of the track is being replaced with I-Box. The ride is only 3,800 feet long, so basically 57% of the track is being replaced with I-Box. From what I have seen it will be I-Box from the launch through the first big drop. Then a long stretch of Topper Track. Then it goes to I-Box just before the 45 degree banked hill which leads into the quad down, turn around into the brake run, and it does not become topper track again until after the brakes. It sounds like the only topper track visible from the park will be the station area. Based on what I have heard over the years this should fix all the problem areas, but frankly this will be a steel coaster with some wood track. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakePlissken Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 The question now is 57 percent enough to call it a new credit ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDMC01 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Personally, I would not count it. (Non-RMC) Wooden coasters usually get re-tracked often and if I counted each iteration as new credit, the list would be longer than it would need to be lol. More to the point, for rides that have have had significant changes (such as the removal of Son of Beast's loop, Mants' conversion into Rougarou or Recar turning forwards again), I would put a note next to the entry saying that I rode the coaster in both forms. It's just my two cents; but, remember, the beauty of counting coaster credits is it's all subjective! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivertown Rider Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Hopefully this means the ride can finally stop having so much downtime and that it can run both trains. I'm a Dollywood passholder and in my trips down there, I don't think we have had a visit where it hasn't gone down for part of the trip or been down the entire trip. The park has even seemingly been making less merchandise for the ride the past few years which is strange for their headliner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengals fan Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 I hope this does fix all the problems because it is a fun ride . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.