It has a chainlift. It has a drop. It has a second hill. It has steel track on wood support. The cars are not powered. It has a human powered ''braking system.' It, as one of two Tracey Gravity Pretzel rides left in the world, is a historic steel Wild Mouse.

RCDB claims it doesn't qualify as it is primarily a dark ride/ haunted attraction.

Fine.

So why then do they turn right around and list the Underground at Adventureland in Iowa?

http://rcdb.com/215.htm

Or Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain at Indiana Beach? Which, they now list as the cars are no longer self driven (a change Camden Park also made when the former Laff in the Dark was replaced by Haunted House circa 1963).

http://rcdb.com/460.htm

Haunted House's near twin, Devil's Den aka Dr. Moriarty's Wild Ride at Conneaut Lake Park, the sole other remaining Tracey Gravity Pretzel, and greatly endangered, is also not listed.

Yet, the two more modern rides at Indiana and Iowa are.

Blazing Fury at Dollywood (and its Silver Dollar City near clone Fire In The Hole) were for years denied listing, as it was claimed they were powered cars. After long, continued pressure from historians and Herschend, with no significant changes in the rides causing it, they are now listed. RCDB now says the three non-powered sections of each qualify them--while the Tracey Pretzels cars are not powered--at all:

http://rcdb.com/501.htm

http://rcdb.com/1455.htm

Then we have Thunder Run at Canada's Wonderland. Powered cars. And listed:

http://rcdb.com/1455.htm

RCDB's strident refusal to list the two Tracey Gravity Pretzels cannot be justified...unless it is because they aren't in thriving parks with owners who are demanding that their coasters be listed. I cannot come up with any other reason for their glaring omission.

On the subject of why Leviathan and Fury 325 likely have the old-style 4-across seating arrangement versus the "V" seats, I just thought it was due to the weight of the trains. The newer trains found on rides like Diamondback are longer and thus likely heavier than the older style, and Giga Coasters need very long, heavy chain lifts due to their height. Thus, to keep it from breaking too much, B&M put the older, lighter trains on instead. In fact, to further reduce weight, the B&M Gigas seem to only use 8 cars per train but if you compare that to the older B&M Hypers which had this style of train like Nitro, those had NINE cars per train. If weight was not an issue, I'd assume B&M would have put that extra car on the Gigas just for the slight capacity boost.

As for the rattling on the V-seated hypers, I have only ridden Diamondback, and in 2014 I only noticed the rattling on the first drop- everywhere else it was smooth. And when I rode in the 2nd row (just behind the front seat) I didn't even notice it all. Though in my ride on it in 2011, it was there for most of the ride and made Diamondback seem like a smooth wooden coaster instead of a steel coaster (it was still more than bearable though- I have ridden much worse)...when we hit the breaks, I remember thinking "Huh, so that's probably what a smooth wooden hypercoaster would feel like."

Train length is also a factor when coasters are designed. As train length increases, g-forces are intensified--particularly in the backs of trains. See, for instance, the Williams Grove Cyclone, which ran a two car, three bench PTC train, Tornado at Stricker's Grove or the closed back seats on Python at Coney Island of Ohio and Big Dipper at Camden Park.

So THAT'S why the back seat is closed off! I must admit, the pop of air on the first drop of Big Dipper is incredibly thrilling and - if you aren't expecting it - somewhat frightening (but in a good way). Even in the rearmost seat that they do operate.

For what it's worth, I once emailed RCDB about The Devil's Den and Camden's Haunted House not being listed when, by all definitions, they do all of the things a coaster is supposed to do and asked why they don't list them. I never got a reply...

Wonder Mountain's Guardian wasnt listed as soon as it was annouced despite CW claiming it to be a roller coaster. It is now listed, has been for most of 2014.

Voyage to the Iron Reef isnt listed yet but Berry Tales and Kingdom of the Dinosaurs both had hills. So I suspect VttIR will too and be similar to WMG. Maybe not but if it does I would be willing to bet so. Arrow built a powered mine train at KD, where is that listing?

Fury 325 Construction Tour video from about a week ago, posted by In The Loop:

I like how the raindrops on the camera almost resemble a honey comb... just a sign that the swarm is approaching. *cue suspenseful music*

image from Carowinds Fury 325 cam: https://www.carowinds.com/swarm/building-the-nest/live-camera-feed

I'm going to throw a guess out and say that, weather pending, track installation should be completed by February 7th or 8th.

(Sorry for the double post)

Progress is really coming along nicely on the new front entrance gate / plaza area....

(Live Still-Image captured from the Carowinds New Gate Construction Cam)

Track erection should be completed by the end of the month.

Construction crews are arriving at the Fury 325 site as the swarm approaches the final stretch of track.....

(Live Still-Image captured from the Carowinds Fury 325 Live Camera Feed)

(Sorry for the double post)

@mikefehnel on Twitter :

"Train number 2 arrived this morning!!! #FURY325 @CarowindsPark"

Photo : Michael Fehnel / Carowinds GM via Twitter

The swarm is really flying down the home-stretch now!

According to Mike Fehnel, track installation should be finished within the next 4 - 5 days.

(Live Still-Image captured from the Carowinds Fury 325 Live Camera Feed)

It always impresses me how quickly rides, particularly coasters, go up. This went up a lot faster than I expected, especially for it being so tall and long. Then again, Carowinds doesn't have to put up with the type of weather the more northern parks like Cedar Point or Kings Island have to deal with.

To some, it is. To others, it is not.

I have not ridden it, thus I am not qualified to offer an opinion.

Call it what ever you want. It is a fun little ride. Its tragic there are only two left. Someone should build a modern version of it with automated brakes, better effects but a similar layout.

Automated brakes? Shoot, that guy's been doing it so long, it's practically automatic.

^It was always fun for me, when my youngens' were actually youngens, first couple of times they rode it

I'd tell them the scariest part is coming, and keep going on for a minute.

When the car would turn the last corner and he jump out, I'd grab them and scream.

Scared the socks off of 'em.

Now their teenagers...........

The swarm is one peice of track away from completing the flight.......

We're almost there folks!....

(Live Still-Image captured from the Carowinds Fury 325 Live Camera Feed)

Tomorrow.....

That's amazing how fast that thing went up.

That first drop...wow

Hopefully I get down that way this year!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@CarowindsPark on Twitter :

"One piece away from history! Fury 325’s track will be completed tomorrow morning #Fury325"

Photo : Carowinds via Twitter

Not sure if anybody noticed but the final piece was set in place yesterday just to be removed a short time later.

I assume it was a test fitment prior to Friday and the official completion with media present.

I had saw that on a couple web cam captures.....I'm sure it was to make sure it fit right

After watching more than my share of coaster constructions I've begun to wonder the machining/fabricating tolerances.

Example - What would be the accepted clearance on both ends of this final piece for Fury 325??

B&M: millimeters.

Arrows were in feet.

It was a different era.

In my line of work that seems like a HUGE gap but that's about what I figured.

Even at that, it's a wonder the cumulative error wouldn't bite them in the end......truly a fascinating feat.

Michael Fehnel on Twitter:

"Slingshot, the ride that will send you nearly 300 ft in the air @CarowindsPark is starting to take shape!"

Track work on Fury 325 is now completed.

The swarm has completed its first flight......

@mikefehnel on Twitter :

"This piece makes #Fury325 the longest steel coaster on this side of the planet!"

Photos : Mike Fehnel (Carowinds GM) via Twitter

@CarowindsPark on Twitter :

"Special day for Carowinds and the Carolinas! Track for the world's tallest/fastest giga coaster is complete #Fury325"

Photo : Carowinds via Twitter

Carowinds Amusement Park on Facebook :

"Special day for Carowinds and the Carolinas! We've completed the track for the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster! Fury 325's track stretches over 6,600 feet and will take riders nearly 3 minutes and 25 seconds to complete."

Photo : Carowinds Amusement Park on Facebook

The Charlotte Observer was also at the park today to interview Mike Fehnel and watch as the last piece of track was installed.

The article : Buzz builds as Carowinds adds final piece of track to Fury 325

The interview and final piece of track erection video :

.....And now we wait.....for the REAL first flight of the swarm.....

Incredible! Can't wait to see it in action...