Beast will lose record for longest wooden roller coaster in 2011

[Hendrick]

It is definitely is not what it used to be...

You're right. I mean, it's the same height. And speed. And length. And uses the same trains. And terrain. But man, has it fallen apart.

And if you think it's an awful ride now, just wait until there's a longer wooden roller coaster millions upon millions of miles away! It'll be all but worthless!

Not the same trains... used to have 4 benches.

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Nor is it the same speed

[bkroz]

Nor is it the same speed

It is the same speed, which many here can attest to. The brakes have always been there. The more fail-safe, magnetic brakes simply slow the train more rapidly, whereas the older brakes did it more gradually. With the magnetic brakes, you can physically feel the train being held back as its repelled and thus the area needed for braking is severely reduced (hence why you "coast" through much of the brake shed before and after you interact with the magnets. The older brakes slowed it a bit at a time for the length of the brake shed.

The only people who have ridden The Beast without the current braking scheme are those who rode it before it was open to the public.

Any further assurances that it is slower today are likely due to riders becoming familiar with the course, riding it at the "wrong" time of day, or expecting something that they recall as being "out of control" from being much, much younger. (I agree that it feels slower and less ravenous - but I have been assured and I am assuring you now that the ride is the same speed it always was).

[TOPGUN1993]

They actually removed a portion of the "Brake Shed" brakes during the month of October, as you could see it sitting on the right side running board. Speed of The Beast really has alot to do with the temperature and the number of cycles the trains have that morning.

[coaster_junky]

Not the same trains... used to have 4 benches.

same trains, different shell.

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Nor is it the same speed

It is the same speed, which many here can attest to. The brakes have always been there. The more fail-safe, magnetic brakes simply slow the train more rapidly, whereas the older brakes did it more gradually. With the magnetic brakes, you can physically feel the train being held back as its repelled and thus the area needed for braking is severely reduced (hence why you "coast" through much of the brake shed before and after you interact with the magnets. The older brakes slowed it a bit at a time for the length of the brake shed.

The only people who have ridden The Beast without the current braking scheme are those who rode it before it was open to the public.

Any further assurances that it is slower today are likely due to riders becoming familiar with the course, riding it at the "wrong" time of day, or expecting something that they recall as being "out of control" from being much, much younger. (I agree that it feels slower and less ravenous - but I have been assured and I am assuring you now that the ride is the same speed it always was).

I'm well aware the trim brakes have always been there and I'm familiar on the differences between the old school skid brakes and the current magnetic ones. However, the trim brakes are a mute point. The current top speed is nowhere near the top speed it was back in 1979. Sorry but it IS slower. I assure you, you've been told wrong.

Not the same trains... used to have 4 benches.

same trains, different shell.

Different shell? What does that even mean? The PTC's that run on it now are not the original PTC's that opened with the ride back in 79.

[kinserman11]

The PTC trains used to be 4-bench models 4 or 5 cars long? Sometime in the early 80's it was determined that these cars were placing alot of wear on the track and structure, hence they were cut down and turned into 3 bench trains 6 cars long. So in essence they are the same trains that the ride opened with, just modified.

[Pillsberry123]

Sorry but it IS slower. I assure you, you've been told wrong.

I don't understand. Did Dick Kinzel put a curse on the ride to make it slower?

If the brakes (which have always been there) are a mute point, then what has slowed it down significantly enough to lower the the top speed?

[KIfan1980]

Well this is interesting to me - AZ, who has been credentialed by many to be in a position to know, is saying that Beast is slower.

Then again, it is what it is, which to me is a great roller coaster, with some fun elements and some frustrating parts. Who cares if a coaster I'll likely never ride is going to be longer.

[ZukoGirl]

No!!!!!!!!!!! Why?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[McSalsa]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction and the brakes before the final helix were a last-minute installation prior to opening.

The Beast in 1999: (For some reason still "official" POV)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=KlK5Znry_5U

The ride still has the original brakes from '79 as the "new" trim brakes were installed in 2002.

The Beast in 2010: (From Coasterforce)

The Beast as it operated in 2010, ala last season. Cedar Fair has slowed down the first lifthill so that the train ahead of you can climb the second hill and drop into the helix before you "begin" the ride, probably to improve capacity.

Hope this clears some things up.

[Hendrick]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction and the brakes before the final helix were a last-minute installation prior to opening.

Hope this clears some things up.

Trains speed up a little bit from the first time that they are run. Take a look at Son of Beast when it got those new trains. Remember all of those pictures where it stalled on the antiroll backs?

[Fear the Four]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction and the brakes before the final helix were a last-minute installation prior to opening.

The Beast in 1999: (For some reason still "official" POV)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=KlK5Znry_5U

The ride still has the original brakes from '79 as the "new" trim brakes were installed in 2002.

The Beast in 2010: (From Coasterforce)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ljEvS55mL-Q

The Beast as it operated in 2010, ala last season. Cedar Fair has slowed down the first lifthill so that the train ahead of you can climb the second hill and drop into the helix before you "begin" the ride, probably to improve capacity.

Hope this clears some things up.

You can't compare videos like this. Too many factors.

[Pillsberry123]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction and the brakes before the final helix were a last-minute installation prior to opening.

The Beast in 1999: (For some reason still "official" POV)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=KlK5Znry_5U

The ride still has the original brakes from '79 as the "new" trim brakes were installed in 2002.

The Beast in 2010: (From Coasterforce)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ljEvS55mL-Q

The Beast as it operated in 2010, ala last season. Cedar Fair has slowed down the first lifthill so that the train ahead of you can climb the second hill and drop into the helix before you "begin" the ride, probably to improve capacity.

Hope this clears some things up.

You can't compare videos like this. Too many factors.

I agree, everything from the conditions that affect the ride in real life (such as time of day and temperature) and things like the person taping the video and the kind of camera.

[The Interpreter]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction ...

BZZZZT. Nope. The helix tunnels weren't even added until after the first season.

Sigh.

[KIfan1980]

Cedar Fair has slowed down the first lifthill so that the train ahead of you can climb the second hill and drop into the helix before you "begin" the ride, probably to improve capacity.

How does slowing down fhe lift improve capacity? If anything, it would be the opposite I believe. From what I've read/heard, the slower lift hill is due to the blocking change which is ostensibly a safety driven change.

[The Interpreter]

And, I have no seen no changes in lifthill speed caused by who owns the park. None whatsoever.

[IndyGuy4KI]

And, I have no seen no changes in lifthill speed caused by who owns the park. None whatsoever.

I agree, it did that pre Cedar Fair. I cant speak from experience pre paramount days, but during yes.

[McSalsa]

For comparison purposes...

The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page)

Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction ...

BZZZZT. Nope. The helix tunnels weren't even added until after the first season.

Sigh.

Oops. My mistake...wait, so one of the best things about the entire ride (the helix tunnels) wasn't even there when the ride opened...unusual.

[Beast1979]

Not to mention; to my understand, mind you, the second tunnel used to be split into two tunnels; two underground tunnels instead of one above ground tunnel with an underground entrance and exit. Another nice little feature added later in its life. You could write a book on all the the changes The Beast has undergone in the last 31 years.