DeliriumDreamer Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 Where were they in pki, and what is there now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StXBomber Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Bat: Vortex Demon: Congo Falls Beetle: Somewhere in Oktoberfest (I think...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenmayes Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Was the demon the Shuttle loop thing? Didn't look very interesting From: The Tiny Fellow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StXBomber Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Yes, it was a shuttle loop. It may look boring now, but it was big when it opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewbari Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Bavarian Beetle was at Coney Island befor it came to PKI, it was where the festhaus is now. Demon is now at Camden Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcarusLives Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Demon was where Congo Falls is now. It took up more space (length wise) than Congo does. The one cool thing about Demon was watching the launch table push the train and then come back. Bat was exactly where Vortex is now. Vortex uses the same station The Bat did. Nothing changed except the track is on the floor of the station instead of being above. Bavairn Beetle was where Festhaus is. The Rotor also shared some of the space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeliriumDreamer Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 I was going to say that the station looked familiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdime Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 While the Demon didn't look all that interesting, it gave quite a ride. (especially for its time) The first pass through the course was OK, but then you just waited for the launch backward. I'll never forget my first ride on this thing. I was just a kid, but it really freaked me out. The stairs to the platform kinda sucked, and the ride would be out of place today...esp with all of AZ's "big" rides. I will say though, the chasing lights on the drops and loop were cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 When Demon was around, were there any elevators for disabled guests, or was this ride around before the Americans with Disabilities Act? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdime Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 The ADA became law in or around 1990. The Demon left the park in either 1987 or '88. I honestly do not remember ever seeing an elevator, but I never looked for one. I'm wondering if this ride has (had) an elevator at its new home at Camden, since it operated after 1990. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Homey Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Yeah, Screamin' Demon doesn't look very exciting, but believe me, in its' heyday, it was terrifying. It was the first coaster I ever rode that did an inversion and went backwards. The tower was a pain in the butt to climb. I also loved The Bat. It had the coolest trains. Was a much better ride than Top Gun. I also liked the Bavarian Beetle. The helices were so much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousLastWords Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I rode a shuttle loop in Six Flags Belgium ( before it was Six Flags---it was called Walabi) similar to the Screamin Demon called Sirocco (the name might have changed since Six Flags bought the park). You may have heard about it on the news a few years ago---it got stuck in the loop with people on it hanging upside down. Anyways, those rides are alot more exciting than they look. For those of you who think they're boring, but haven't ridden one yet, I suggest you do ride one before making judgements. True, it is a pretty short ride, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beastfreak Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 The type that you are talking about are the Schwarzkopf launched shuttle loops. Either a counterweight or a cable pulled launch through a straight section, loop, up incline until gravity takes over and you go backwards. Scremin Demon was launched by dropping you off the platform down a hill, into the loop, onto a platform on the other side, then doing that again. Kinda different, kinda the same. Never road Scremin' but have ridden various other Schwarzkopf shuttles and enjoy them as long as there isn't a long line. The speed and size of loops create some pretty tough g's at the top of the loop causing me to gray out almost everytime. Kinda fun at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Homey Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Camden Park is in my hometown. I rode the Demon as Thunderbolt Express a couple of times. They did not add an elevator to the tower. Not sure how they got away with that one, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Mullins Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 No, there never has been an elevator on the Demon/Thunderbolt Express. The Demon was the second Arrow shuttle loop(actually the first to open). The original Arrow shuttle loop is now at Fun Spot in Indiana. It had an elevator at one time in it's original home(I think it was in Florida), but that was later removed before it went to Fun Spot. The one at Fun Spot is reported to be the only Arrow shuttle with an elevator at one time. Yes, these rides are more exciting than they look and they take up so little space. The Demon/Thunderbolt Express has been closed and some of the supports are missing. I doubt it will ever run again. It was supposed to be renovated for 2002, but that didn't happen. Now, I believe it has been taken off of Camden's map and removed from the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Punk Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Last summer, on our way to Virgina, my family and I drove by Camden Park. We saw the Demon. It looked bad, it was just rusting away. I personally would like to see the ride renovated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 I also saw Camden park on my way home from Myrtle Beach. It is my understanding that Camden park had intended to renovate Thunderbolt, but it did not have the financial backing to fix it up. Instead, they have neglected to care for it. I believe that the ride is almost to the point where it is almost impossible to fix, without having all new steel track and supports made for the ride. I don`t forsee Camden being able to spend the money to do this. As a result, I think that Thunderbolt Express, aka Screamin Demon has seen its last riders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Homey Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 This is truly sad because for a small amusement park, this was a big addition. I too hate the fact that it is rusting away. A friend of mine and I have always said that if we ever won the Powerball Lotto, we would buy Camden Park and make something out of it. I think it has real potential, just no financial backing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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