Go Browns Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Raptor (formerly X-Raptor) is a new prototype coaster at Gardaland Italy. It uses a new type of B&M train that sits riders on the side of the track similar to Furious Baco but lower. There is a rumor that future models will have seats that rotate like X2 but it doesn't appear that Raptor's seats rotate. I've been following the construction for a few months and they just started testing it this week. Pictures courtesy of Trico and Bob_3_ at coasterforce.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 What a fun, graceful looking ride. On this and Intamin's Wingwalkers (or whatever they are), the inversions always look so smooth and fluid... I would love to have the opportunity to ride one of these. The concept art showed a splashdown. Anyone see any scoops? Would they even be possible on this sort of ride? EDIT: I suppose it doesn't really show a splashdown... But hopefully the area around the ride grows a bit to look similar to this artwork! And maybe a water element will make an appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephatron Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I really like how the trains look, and how the seats are situated. It seems like everyone would have a great ride, regardless of where they sat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentiallyCoaster Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Is it just me, or does it seem like another attempt at an X-2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 But with X2, the seats rotate throughout the ride. What that involves is actually a third guide rail that is spaced in between the two that the tires ride on. It's an entirely different ride system. Both this and Intamin's Wing Rider models are really more like traditional, floorless coasters whose seats just happen to hang off the track on either side. It certainly makes for some unique sensations (probably not unlike being on the edges on B&M's 10-seat Dive Machines), but it doesn't do (and wasn't made to do) what Arrow's Fourth Dimension coasters can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Browns Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Like I said above the rumor is that this is just a prototype and that future models may have rotation similar to X2. Gardaland is basically right down the street from B&M and its also rumored that they got this coaster fairly cheap for basically being Guinea pigs. The future of this style coaster from B&M will depend on Raptor's performance. goodyellowkorn if you dig around and read some reviews of the Intamin wingwalker you'll find, despite how it looks, that it rides about as smooth and fluid as SOB. It's not likely we'll see another Intamin wingwalker anytime soon unless they make some improvements. Lets hope B&M has figured out how to do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Well, really when has B&M not done anything right? Ok, that last transition on Raptor into the brakes at the end of the ride is very abrupt. The ride concept looks interesting, but to me, it almost seems like this is a gimick design. Doesn`ty offer much more than, a floorless sensation While that park may be just down the street from the B&M design offices, who manufactures all of B&M`s track and support in Europe? I know that Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia, Ohio does that for all B&M projects in North America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Also remember that B&M's big thing is reliability. Their rides are renowned for opening on time, staying open, requiring little more than preventative maintenance, having excellent fabrication, keeping great throughput, and remaining incredibly smooth over time. The reason for that is that they take very few chances. Most of their rides have one moving part - the lift hill. Intamin takes far more chances, for example, and their rides are more temperamental as a result. I was surprised by B&M's foray into flying coasters, which require a lot of moving parts. So to me, the flipping, rotating fourth-dimension style coaster would be the last thing I'd expect from them. But, we shall see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Their floorless coasters (both the traditional floorless coaster, and the floorless trains on the dive machines), require a lot of moving parts in the station to allow the floor to raise up so guests can board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 The pacing on this ride seems way too slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tycoonrebel7188 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 The pacing on this ride really looks no different than that of a B&M Flyer. And as Go Browns said, this is rumored to be B&Ms foray into the 4D coaster and I think this is a good way to start. It makes since from a prototype standpoint, to me at least, to get the trains working right without rotation and then at a later point introduce the rotation to the trains. Not that Raptor will ever have that ability as far as we know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheikra_rocks Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Not only does Clermont Steel take care of US B&M customers, they have shipped tracks to other countries as well. For example, http://rcdb.com/3930.htm was manufactured in Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I don`t doubt you, but where does it say that that ride was manufactured in Ohio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Ronnie, I thought the same thing at first, that it was just a gimmick... without rotating seats. However, there's a lot of centripetal movement and (having not ridden one I can only guess) I think it could really offer some unique sensations. That's one thing I love about DB even though you don't really get much added movement on the outside seats the sense of it is there We'll see what the reviews say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Huh? Ronnie? Are you talking to me? My name certainly isn't Ronny! No offense taken though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_junky Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 robbie, ronnie, potato, potaughto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOFreak Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 ^You know what be funny? If his name wasn't Robbie, and was actually like Jack or something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 And then my business cards at work would be printed incorrectly! And actually my legal name isn`t Robbie either. its Robert. And I am a II. So talk about confusing around my house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Huh? Ronnie? Are you talking to me? My name certainly isn't Ronny! No offense taken though. Ronnie's name isn't Ronny either...and he's rather touchy about it... Terp, no stranger to II things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Very true. And I know some people that don`t even go by their first name. Rather, they go by their middle name. In fact, one of my best friends goes by his middle name and not his first name. Someone in my office also goes by his middle name as opposed to his first name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Flu + Broken leg = stupid Gibson... except I did the same thing about a yr ago with no such ailments. Don't be offended if I never use your name in public:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Huh? Ronnie? Are you talking to me? My name certainly isn't Ronny! No offense taken though. Ronnie's name isn't Ronny either...and he's rather touchy about it... Terp, no stranger to II things... Ha, actually... Ronny's name isn't Ronnie. And he's not that touchy about it except when his boss of seven years still spells it: "Ronnie." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 And who said we were speaking of you? Well?..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Who said I was speaking of me? My name is Gordon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Browns Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Two more picks showing some of the awesome theming and one hell of a head (side?) chopper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 The ride does "look" pretty good but I'm just not sure it would be a top 10 for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Browns Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 More Themeing Another video with a little pov and a little reverse pov of an olympic luger riding Looks like B&M weren't able to solve the vibration problems of Arrow's X and Intamin's Furious Baco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Sacrilege! Everyone (seemingly) 'knows' B&M are perfect (European language usage for a European company). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 And you can tell that this ride vibrates similar to the other rides based on a few seconds of video posted to YouTube? Keep in mind, that depending on how the camera was mounted, and the type of camera, some of the vibration could just be a result of the camera mount. The ride looked pretty smooth to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 True enough. Camera mounts do matter. Kings Island's own footage of Son of Beast often made it look like the ride vibrated furiously throughout its course...What was it we were talking about? Terpy, who sometimes gets confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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