Carowinds' Thunder Road to race no more

[TheBeast1116]

I was so shocked when I saw the plans for the water park expansion. Thunder Road was such a classic coaster that will never be built again, and nothing was wrong with it. Hopefully if I go to Carowinds for an hour Friday morning, and see Thunder Road one last time. I'm going to miss it so much. I got to ride it 25 times, 3 of those times in a row. 

Here's the plans for the water park expansion apparently 

Overall plan: LINK

Slide complex: LINK
Wave pool: LINK
Play structure: LINK

[WindingSon]

RIP Thunder Road. Pics courtesy of the TPR forum.

 

 

[ethancoaster]

Thunder Road is pretty much just a big pile o' wood now. All that remains are the station, lifthills, turnarounds, and hills leading up to the turnarounds. Apparently the official reason it's coming down is because the lift hill and other spots needed to be retracked but the ride was not popular enough to warrant repairs. It's a sad time in Carowinds' history.

[The Interpreter]

Huh?

The ride had been recently retracked in part and was smooth as glass where it had been.

The park gave an official reason for removal?

I must have missed that....

[ethancoaster]

Well maybe not official-official, but during the Thunder Road tour, maintenance director Steve Jackson said the lift hill would've have to have been completely rebuilt and the ride wasn't popular enough to justify those costs.

[BlondyRidesOn]

That is just too hard to look at. Sadly, I have never been down to Carowinds to ride it. I just hope this doesn't repeat with Thunder Road's older siblings.

[rhyano]

#Racerliveson

[electricsun]

If you are wanting a piece of Thunder Road, check out the store near the entrance of Carowinds.

[diamondhawk]

Thunder Road is definitely cheaper than Son of Beast!

[electricsun]

[Diamondback96]

Hope I'm tall enough to ride that pile of dirt and wood!

[The Interpreter]

Whatever floats your....tube.

[BB1]

Whatever floats your....tube.

Or boat?

BB1, somewhat now a fan of Big MACKs!

[BB1]

I was so shocked when I saw the plans for the water park expansion. Thunder Road was such a classic coaster that will never be built again, and nothing was wrong with it. Hopefully if I go to Carowinds for an hour Friday morning, and see Thunder Road one last time. I'm going to miss it so much. I got to ride it 25 times, 3 of those times in a row.

Here's the plans for the water park expansion apparently

Overall plan: LINK

Slide complex: LINK

Wave pool: LINK

Play structure: LINK

Sorry for double posting but please note Paramount Parks on that plan board for the overall. (Maybe Paramount has been Cedar Fair all along?!)

[westcoaster]

It just might be that the Coaster had not had great upkerp.

Let's face facts parks plan a few years out.

[malem]

Paramount Parks Inc still exists as a subsidiary of Cedar Fair named "Cedar Fair Southwest, Inc" and is still the corporate parent of Carowinds. Many of the individual parks have been transferred to their own entities, such as "Kings Island Company".

It just might be that the Coaster had not had great upkerp.

Let's face facts parks plan a few years out.

Thunder Road was well-maintained until the end.

[RollerNut]

I am only going to say this one time.....

Anything that requires "millions of dollars" worth of work at one time when a brand new version would cost $7 million is not well maintain not properly maintained. The rebuilds that Carowinds did were not the result of years of proper maintenance. Thunder Road was stripped of it's paint in the mid 90s and it was only recently that they started to use waterseal on the structure. I really hate to speak ill of Carowinds but maintenance is cheaper than restoration(rebuilding) of a structure, has Racer had LARGE sections of it's structure torn down to the footers and rebuilt?

[The Interpreter]

Has Racer been painted even in the midterm past?

Terp, who sometimes asks inconvenient questions.

[Aaron88stang]

Maybe, just maybe, this will finally be the off season Racer gets some paint. Please KI. Red, white and blue while you are at it. 

[BeeastFarmer]

Not on topic of Thunder Road, but on the subject of paint/stain on roller coasters:  On The Beasts' lift hills, it seems that there is no protection of the railings/steps.  They are warped, cracked and mildewed.  Should I be concerned? 

[PGalati]

Sorry for the link full of ads, but here are a few images of the continued destruction of a classic roller coaster.

 

<http://www.wsoctv.com/gallery/news/local/images-carowinds-tears-down-iconic-thunder-road/gCWP9/#more-galleries>

[WindingSon]

Still tremendously sad.

 

This would be like Lagoon deciding to take down the Roller Coaster for me. Every enthusiast has their coaster, and for those who like Thunder Road, this is devastating. 

 

Lucky, Roller Coaster extends into the parking lot and is nowhere near the water park. (It's also well maintained and a source of pride)

[The Interpreter]

And one of my favorite wooden coasters.

I need to get back to Lagoon. It's been too long.

And Utah is so incredibly beautiful.

[westcoaster]

So everyone talking about end of traditional wooden coaster. Didn't Cedar Fair just add one like 2 years ago. AT CGA.

[The Interpreter]

Yes. As has been stated earlier.

[SonofBaconator]

Personally, after looking back all these years later, I still think this was one of the poorest decisions CF ever made to a ride.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

I never got the chance to ride Thunder Road, but I will say Copperhead Strike is a good replacement for it. I know, technically Carolina Harbor replaced it, but Copperhead Strike took up the remaining space from it as well as their old shoot the chutes ride and the little swimming pool that stood there so I will consider it Thunder Road's replacement.