My 2012 gift to KI Central

[Shaggy]

Happy belated New Year to all!

So, I was going to post these on New Years Day, but as fate would have it, Photobucket wouldn't cooperate. My gift to each of you fellow Ki fans is something you may find interesting.

12 years ago, I began photo documenting the construction of Son of Beast. I have pics from the very first footers, to the announcement, to final construction, to the first test runs, and finally opening day. There's lots of pics, all taken by me. I hope you enjoy. Please don't post these to other sites without asking me for consent. After all, I did all the dirty work ;-)

First, here's a look at construction from start to finish:

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/jhnktr/Son%20of%20Beast%20Construction%20-%20PKI/

Here's pics from the announcement: (look closely and you'll see Jeff Siebert (This was prior to his being hired by PKI, which happened just weeks after this event!) as well as Don Helbig (Long prior to his joinging KI Marketing.)

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/jhnktr/Son%20of%20Beast%20Announcement%20PKI/

Here's the infamous SOB crate:

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/jhnktr/Son%20of%20Beast%20Crate%20-%20PKI/

Here's ultra rare pics of the first ever riders on SOB. This happened on Easter Sunday 2000. The first riders included Tim Fisher, then GM of the park, along with engineers and other Paramount Park Execs.

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/jhnktr/Son%20of%20Beast%201st%20test%20run%20with%20riders%20-%20PKI/

Finally, heres pics from SOB's opening day. These were taken Friday evening following the media event. After the media event in the morning, the track was ripped out and replaced in the ascent following the large drop. The coaster openened for a few hours on Friday evening, then was closed for sometime as the entire track in that area was considered "too violent."

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i475/jhnktr/Son%20of%20Beast%20Opening%20Day%20-%20PKI/

I hope you enjoy them. This was a fun time in my coaster life. Lots of friends and memories were made during this time. Let me know what you think ;-)

Shaggy aka John

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

Thanks for the pics, Shaggy. I remember how excited I was when it was announced and how my buddy and I would drive down from Dayton just to view it during the off season from the parking lot and dream of how wonderful it was going to be. Dreams don't always come true, unfortunately.

[jrose530]

absolutely amazing!!! Thank you!! )

You just made my week LOL

[Burgtoad67]

I'm sorry, but wooden roller coasters are just so much more impressive to me than steel ones. I certainly enjoy riding both, but look at the intricacy of all that wood. Amazing when you take it all in.

[KIfan73]

Wow, thanks for posting these...1999 was one of only a couple years I've missed in the last 20, so I didn't get to see construction. However, I did ride it in May of 2000! It looks so different to see King Cobra in the pics!

Does anyone else think the footers resemble a cemetary?

[Hendrick]

Thank-you for posting this. I always love seeing pictures of Sonny.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Aw, thanks, Shaggy! It's in my size and everything.

Seriously though, cool pics. Thanks for posting them!

[Guest TombraiderTy]

Thank you immensely for taking, uploading and sharing all of these pictures. You seem to have covered the Son of Beast construction from practically every angle and every time frame. The shots are phenomenal.

I didn't move to Cincinnati until the summer of Son of Beast's opening year, so I missed out on all of the ride's construction. I've seen some pictures and minimal video footage of the ride pre-opening, but nothing like this. So once again, thank you very much

[kingsrattler]

Thank you Shaggy!! While there are very mixed opinions about the ride experience of SOB.. it is a ride I hold dear in my heart, because it was one of the coasters that really got me into loving roller coasters to the point of considering myself an enthusiast. I have ridden better coasters since riding it, but I can't help but think if I hadn't have had the great experiences I had early on on SOB, that I would have never experienced those better roller coasters because I never would have never went any further than Kings Island.

Once again, thank you for the pictures, bad ride experience, good ride experience.. you can't deny it is a beauty and beast of a ride to behold to the eye.

[flightoffear1996]

Awesome pictures! Its ashame what the ride could have been with that massive lift hill.

[mccarthysnerd]

WOW those are some really good pictures especially for an SOB enthusiast such as myself.

Thanks for posting them Shaggy

[CoastersRZ]

Thanks for sharing, John!

I remember being at that Friday evening opening and was among the first handfuls of trains that left the station that night. Its hard to believe that was twelve years ago already!

[thekidd33]

Awesome pictures! Thank you so much for putting in the time and effort to share these with all of us.

Looking at these pictures made me realize how much of a fixture of the park's skyline SoB has become for me. It was strikingly odd to seem pictures of that area of the park without that massive wooden structure lording over everything.

[PKIVortex]

I didnt think the yellow paint on the front car and back cars didn't appear till a few month's after that Friday night when SOB operated for a few hours, and then shut down for 15 days for repairs.

[jlopez]

Does anyone remember the commercial? I was young then but if I remember correctly I think they showed a baby carriage on the top of a tall lift hill.

[CoastersRZ]

PKIVortex, you are correct, that the yellow paint on the front and rear cars didn`t show up until sometime in July. And remember, that until around July, once the ride reopened in mid-May it ran with only one train for quite some time.

[Delirium13]

Absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. The pictures of Son of Beast were amazing, as was being able to see in some pictures how much has changed in the park in just 12 years.

[diamondhawk]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The best gift I have recieved in a long time.

[Bonks]

Thanks for posting these pictures! It looks like you put a lot of hard work into that collection of photographs. I never got to ride SOB since I hadn't conquered my fear of roller coasters before it closed but I really enjoyed seeing these.

[Tanna]

Thank you. I agree that woodens are more impressive to look at construction wise. What a great essay.

[74Gibson]

Just saw this for the first time, have not even started looking.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Regardless what you think of the ride experience, SOB is a gorgeous engineering marvel (aside from functionality).

[standbyme]

John,

Just like everyone else has been saying, thank you SO much for taking the time to share all of these photos!

Regardless what you think of the ride experience, SOB is a gorgeous engineering marvel (aside from functionality).

That has always been my opinion...I will miss it from the park's skyline...whenever that day comes.

[retrofan22]

will sob be open this year because i never road it befor and i wnat to know what was it like to ride it was it better then anyother rides

[The Interpreter]

Welcome to KIC.

At last report, the park is saying no decision has been made about Son of Beast. The Park's general manager has said he is not happy with the ride experience, and thus the ride was/is closed.

[Ffej]

Thanks for the pictures; they got me excited about Son of Beast all over again. I can't believe that was 12 years ago; it seems like just a few years back to me still.

These pictures make you realize the epic scale of this ride, and how much hard work went into it. I don't think tearing it down is the way to go.

Maybe KI is waiting a few years so that this can satisfy as a new attraction having been gone so long, creating hype. I've been on forums all over the Internet, and Son of Beast always seems to come up. I feel like a rebirth of the ride, even if only reusing parts of the structure, could possibly be a bigger draw for the park than just building a new ride.

Sure enthusiasts knowing the whole history are a minority, but think of the articles / press this ride could get nationally. Everyone loves a good engineering failure story with a happy ending (think Tacoma Narrows Bridge). It shows the perseverance of humans, and giving it new life might even make a good environmental point in today's green-obsessed world.

Personally, I'd love for SoB to get the Texas Giant treatment, new interesting twisty elements and hills, and a return of a loop in its original location. It'd be an epic investment, but if done right, I think the park could have a new signature ride. This would be a truly unique ride that couldn't be replicated, living on through generations of stories. It'd give King's Island a unique charm that a new B&M in its place could never do.

[ohiocolts]

Great pictures! The problem is, your making me miss SOB more. It seems like forever ago, I was wondering what they will do with the ride. 3 years later, (Seems like 5 years) nothing has been decided. The only good thing for me if it closes for good, me and my friend would have rode it on the last day of operation, a nice morning in June. The wait would have been about 10 minutes, But there was a puking accident, so it was more like 30 minutes. I want SOB back!

[Titan]

Thanks for sharing! Son of Beast has to have one of the most impressive wooden structures in the world.

[Dieseltech20]

Awesome Pictures, thanks for sharing

[Jasper]

Thank you so much for sharing those photos Shaggy. Really nice to see SOB line on opening day and seeing the old trains and the loop.

[OldieButGoodie]

SOB cost something in the neighborhood of 30M to create. No decisions have been publicized. Anybody think that perhaps they're waiting for the collective memory of the support failure to fade from the copycat-ers minds? KI really does need SOB to reopen - there are plenty who will line up to ride (just like it was new all over again).