RMC- Wooden Coaster or Not?

[coasterfanatic83]

In light of the recent topic about RMC, I am wondering what everyone else thinks about this debate.

Do you believe that RMC's Topper Track and/or I-Box Track should be considered wooden roller coasters?

More information on these track types can be found here: http://www.rockymtnconstruction.com/

[TombRaiderFTW]

Nope and nope. The I-box track is fully steel. The topper track may be partly wood, but the part that actually guides the train is still steel. Traditional wooden coasters have steel laminating the top and sides of the track, but that's more to preserve the wood than provide actual structure for the track. Coasters whose layouts are fully topper tracked are no more wooden coasters than any Arrow Mine Train with separated steel rails mounted on wooden ledgers.

I've read that some classic Six Flags wooden coasters (namely American Eagle and Colossus) have the wood track for their lift hills mounted on steel I-beams. If the whole layout were like that, would we consider them steel coasters? That seems no different an argument to me than the one that says topper track makes wooden coasters.

[Ride On_17]

For both I-Box and Topper Track, I do not consider them to be wood nor steel. I'm sticking simply with referring to them as hybrid.

[thekidd33]

I'm ok with calling the topper track coasters wooden. The I-Box coasters are most certainly steel though.

[jla]

no on both

[RollerNut]

All wooden coasters run on a steel rail, try rolling the trains on wood. The wheels will eat into the wood and slow the train.

[jla]

its the type of steel rail that determine if its a wood or steel coaster. the new texas giant got rocky mnt treatment and now its considered a steel coaster

[stashua123]

I dont consider topper track or i-box a wooden rollercoaster.

[BB1]

Technically speaking when a coaster gets a "Iron Horse" from RMC, it is no longer a wooden, but a hybrid coaster, although parks usually consider it still a wooden coaster.

[The Interpreter]

What if is built that way to start with? Both Six Flags and rcdb.com claim Goliath being built at Six Flags Great America is a wood coaster. I'm not as finicky as many, but this I do not see. At all.

[coasterfanatic83]

The only reason I see this as a slight issue is because of marketing. SFGAmerica is claiming Goliath as the world’s fastest wooden coaster with the tallest and steepest drop, and marketing these new records hard. It doesn't seem fair that the current record holders should lose that title to a non-wooden coaster.

[McSalsa]

The only reason I see this as a slight issue is because of marketing. SFGAmerica is claiming Goliath as the world’s fastest wooden coaster with the tallest and steepest drop, and marketing these new records hard. It doesn't seem fair that the current record holders should lose that title to a non-wooden coaster.

Hmm...I was thinking a random thought, and looked it up: What if you went uber-hardcore and ONLY counted old-fashioned, traditional wooden coasters? Even not counting the Intamin Prefabs...then what coaster holds the title of tallest & fastest woodie? Well...I looked it up. Voyage @ Holiday World would hold both titles, at 163 feet tall and 67.4mph. Son of Beast and Rattler were both higher (and SOB faster) but SOB is gone and Rattler's a steel coaster now. However, the "record" for height will be broken in 2015- GCI's new coaster Viper @ Wanda Valley will be 1.1 feet higher than Voyage, though it only goes 62mph, so Voyage would remain champion for pure speed. As for biggest drop? Mean Streak @ Cedar Point, with a 155-foot plunge (if you discredit Voyage for having steel supports, it would also be the tallest one left). And track length...well, this is a KI fansite, do I even need to say it (and in this category, and "old fashioned" woodie beats all anyway)...

Just a random thought I felt like posting...

[sheikra_rocks]

Goliath is a wooden coaster.

New Texas Giant is a steel coaster.

You know the saying, "if it quacks like a duck?"

[The Interpreter]

I know the saying. But when a roller coaster quacked not all that long ago, it forever changed the future for one local park.

[The Interpreter]

It's happening. Enthusiasts are already comparing SFGAm Goliath to Beast:

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/24275436-418/six-flags-goliath-coaster-construction-pushes-forward-in-cold-weather.html

Sigh.

[thedevariouseffect]

Wow...

Nothing similar between either manufacturer, ride layout, style of ride, ect...

Sometimes enthusiasts give me giant facepalms..

[LoraX]

How is that like Beast? Or Son of Beast? Is this a condensed version of the ride or will it really be that short of a ride? It looks like a cool ride, but just seems incredibly short to me. Perhaps you get two trips around the track?

[The Interpreter]

You do not get two trips around the track.

SFGAm gets long lines the way it is.

[LoraX]

I presumed that it would not be twice around the track. It just seems extremely short.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Interpreter]

It will be. 3100 feet. 72 miles per hour. Intense. Very intense. A fine steel coaster.

[rcwizard13]

It will be. 3100 feet. 72 miles per hour. Intense. Very intense. A fine steel coaster.

Terp, in this post you call Goliath, a coaster being built with RMC's topper track, a steel coaster. However, in the poll, you voted this coaster type as a wooden coaster. A bit contradictory, don't you think?

[The Interpreter]

No. See:

http://themeparks.about.com/od/rollercoasternews/fl/Goliath-Coaster-Coming-to-Six-Flags-Great-America.htm

With this type of topper track installation, I don't see this as a wood coaster. Regular topper track with traditional wood coaster trains and wheels, yes. This, no.

[rcwizard13]

Okay, now that article is confusing me. Is Outlaw Run built the same way as Goliath is going to be?

If so, then this topper track is the only topper track used by RMC and since the the poll specifically asks about RMC's topper track, by your own logic, Terp, you should have voted no.

[The Interpreter]

Topper track is also used on older coasters and COULD be used with traditional rolling stock.

To me, urethane wheels make what would otherwise be a wood coaster not.

Had Son of Beast been delivered with the urethane wheels it was originally designed with, I would have contended it, too, would have been a steel coaster.

In the tradition of What's My Line, as to can a wood coaster have topper track, my precise answer would be sometimes. Some are. Some aren't. Since that wasn't an option, and some can be, I selected the yes answer.

[razmataz99]

It's happening. Enthusiasts are already comparing SFGAm Goliath to Beast:

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/24275436-418/six-flags-goliath-coaster-construction-pushes-forward-in-cold-weather.html

Sigh.

"It can't compare."

Well duh! It's a steel coaster, The Beast's a wooden coaster!