Question about Arrow Loopers...

[ethancoaster]

Recently, Intamin coasters like Maverick, Stormrunner, and Fahrenheit have added soft restraints to prevent pain from headbanging. Would it be possible to do the same for Arrow loopers? I've only ridden Maverick with new restraints, but I was able to let go of the restraint and put my hands up without any problems. I'd love to ride Arrow loopers without being subjected to painful headbanging.

[bkroz]

Not unheard of. Space World in Japan replaced its original Arrow trains with some from S&S (which, I mean, IS Arrow kinda).

 

(Via Theme Park Review)

 

It's a pretty intense switch, too - the old Arrow trains look nearly identical to Magnum's, and the new S&S trains are very sleek and apparently have on-board audio.

 

Have any Arrow's in the US swapped out trains? None come to mind but I bet there are at least a few? (Paging Terp or other train aficionados...) 

 

Anyway, i think it's a good idea. But the fundamental "problem" (and I use that word loosely and subjectively) with Arrow loopers is in the physical track itself. Even with new trains, the jarring ride would still be the same. Probably less head-banging as a result, though, which would be nice. Maybe new, more comfortable trains with on-board audio would justify calling it a variation of "Vortex 2" and make it marketable as a significant change to the ride. 

[silver2005]

^Phantom's Revenge technically did, but it also had ~80% redesigned by Morgan.  

 

I can't think of an Arrow looper that has had it done.  I know Vekoma has been outfitting their own designs (both Boomerangs and full circuit looping coasters) with new trains, but they have slightly different designs so they may not work on Arrows.  The only 2 Arrow coasters that had slightly different sit down train designs are Canyon Blaster in Vegas and BGW's Drachen Fire.  

[PKIVortex]

They should work as many of those trains they replaced were actually Arrow trains. Vekoma purchased it's trains from Arrow at one time.

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[silver2005]

^Partially true, but Vekoma looks like they took Arrow's track designs and smoothened them out (like on Vekoma's clones of Carolina Cyclone).  I'm not sure the new Vekoma stock can take and/or the forces on riders would be different on the sharper corners and transitions on Arrows.  

[ethancoaster]

Couldn't they just replace the current restraints with softer restraints like they did on Maverick? I imagine it'd be a lot cheaper.

[freaks76]

I don't know why, but I love Arrow loopers.

Never bothered me at all, except, oddly enough Corkscrew at CP.

I love Vortex. Was my first mega looper. Avalanche is, I think, a pretty great coaster, too.

[RollerNut]

Arrow manufactured Vekoma designed in the United States, Vekoma manufactured Arrow designs in Europe at one point. To my knowledge some of the early Boomerangs(like the one at Knotts) had both the track and trains made by Arrow. The Bat at Canada's Wonderland has an Arrow train.

I also suspect they shared designs for their other rides like the Arrow Magic Room, Arrow built one for Carowinds and one for Hersheypark.

[freaks76]

The way I understood it, according to the ACE Arrow documentary, Arrow really helped Verkoma get off the ground. Verkoma kinda stabbed Arrow in the back.

I'll take the Arrow looper over the Verkoma boomerang every day of the season.

[PKIVortex]

Vekoma was going to work with Arrow however they basically learned what they did from them and went into business for themselves. That's why the track looks so similar to Arrow's.

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[The Interpreter]

Vekoma? Smoother?

Ninja! Six Flags Over Georgia.

Smoother? No. Not at all.

1989 build date (for a NJ pier).

One of my least favorite coasters.

[RollerNut]

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/dw131.jpg

Just noting that Arrow's track changed over the years, I read on a old CoasterBuzz topic that you can Id Vekoma track by two bolts just outside the rail. Well, Arrow done it too....here is the proof.

[PKIVortex]

Ya cause Tennessee Tornado was not designed by Toomer for one.

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[Kenban]

From what I understand Arrow wanted Vekoma to be their European distributor.  Not wanting to ship track from the US to Europe they sent personal to Europe who spent several months training Vekoma how to build Arrow track.  After Arrow had spent considerable money and time training Vekoma, they basically decided that they could handle the design of the coasters themselves and went into competition with Arrow.