TheBeast1116 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 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: LINKWave pool: LINKPlay structure: LINK 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindingSon Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 RIP Thunder Road. Pics courtesy of the TPR forum. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethancoaster Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 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.... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethancoaster Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlondyRidesOn Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 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. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhyano Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 #Racerliveson 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricsun Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 If you are wanting a piece of Thunder Road, check out the store near the entrance of Carowinds. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondhawk Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Thunder Road is definitely cheaper than Son of Beast! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricsun Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback96 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Hope I'm tall enough to ride that pile of dirt and wood! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Whatever floats your....tube. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Whatever floats your....tube.Or boat?BB1, somewhat now a fan of Big MACKs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 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?!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 It just might be that the Coaster had not had great upkerp. Let's face facts parks plan a few years out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malem Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 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. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 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? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Has Racer been painted even in the midterm past? Terp, who sometimes asks inconvenient questions. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron88stang Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 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. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeastFarmer Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 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? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGalati Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 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> 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindingSon Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 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) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 So everyone talking about end of traditional wooden coaster. Didn't Cedar Fair just add one like 2 years ago. AT CGA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Yes. As has been stated earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofBaconator Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 Personally, after looking back all these years later, I still think this was one of the poorest decisions CF ever made to a ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiian Coasters 325 Posted September 16 Share Posted September 16 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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