What Kings Island roller coaster do you want RMCed or GCIed?

[Dj325]

I used to not like The Beast at all. But this year, I now have mixed feelings about the attraction. Recently, Kings Island had GCI partly re track both sides of The Racer. Before it was official that it was GCI doing the re tracking, some people thought Kings Island was going to have The Racer RMCed. This of coarse didn't happen. But now it makes me wonder this: When will the next wooden roller coaster at Kings Island get RMCed or re tracked by GCI?

[WhatTheBlazes]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:11 PM, Dj325 said:

I used to not like The Beast at all. But this year, I now have mixed feelings about the attraction. Recently, Kings Island had GCI partly re track both sides of The Racer. Before it was official that it was GCI doing the re tracking, some people thought Kings Island was going to have The Racer RMCed. This of coarse didn't happen. But now it makes me wonder this: When will the next wooden roller coaster at Kings Island get RMCed or re tracked by GCI?

I am not sure I would be in favor of the RMC treatment for any of the rides at KI.  Had SOB made it this far, that would be an obvious choice, and it's possible that would have been the best RMC ever.  However, that is not how things turned out.  Personally, I think that both The Beast and The Racer would be much better rides without the restraints they currently have.  If these coasters were still able to have the single lap bar of old, instead of having riders crammed into their seats with the currently used restraints, I think the ride experience would be a lot better.

Beast front seat at night is my favorite ride.  But the coaster has to meet a lot of criteria to get this top spot for me.  I think the constant upkeep that KI provides on both of these coasters keeps these classics in good shape just the way they are.  I am not sure it would be worth it on any of the other coasters in your poll, and also enjoy those rides for what they are.  Like all things though, just my opinion! 

[robintodd]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:11 PM, Dj325 said:

I used to not like The Beast at all. But this year, I now have mixed feelings about the attraction. Recently, Kings Island had GCI partly re track both sides of The Racer. Before it was official that it was GCI doing the re tracking, some people thought Kings Island was going to have The Racer RMCed. This of coarse didn't happen. But now it makes me wonder this: When will the next wooden roller coaster at Kings Island get RMCed or re tracked by GCI?

The Racer is single handedly responsible for the coaster re birth era and should never be touched.  Same with The Beast.  The Beast held the records for Height, Speed and Length for 10 years.  Nothing will ever do that again.

Both are ACE landmarks that need to be preserved for their importance of what the coaster industry has become.

(Just my opinion :))

[silver2005]

None of the above.  However, one of the types of coasters that I hope fills The Vortex void is a ground-up RMC Topper Track. 

[Honorarius]

I'd rather see RMC do something build something from scratch than to modify one of the existing coasters at KI... 

[McSalsa]

1 hour ago, robintodd said:

The Racer is single handedly responsible for the coaster re birth era and should never be touched.  Same with The Beast.  The Beast held the records for Height, Speed and Length for 10 years.  Nothing will ever do that again.

Both are ACE landmarks that need to be preserved for their importance of what the coaster industry has become.

(Just my opinion :))

Umm, even though I adore The Beast, it didn't hold the drop height and speed records for 10+ years (At 110 feet tall it was never actually the tallest structurally). On May 23rd, 1981, Six Flags Great America opened American Eagle- a Intamin racing wooden coaster that stands 127 feet tall with a 147 foot drop (beating Beast by 6ft) and with a top speed of 66mph, beating Beast's 64.7mph. This was a little over 2 years after The Beast made its debut in April 1979.

Beast did hold the length record for a while though- Ultimate at Lightwater Valley didn't open until July 1991.

Oh, as for long-term record holders: it may not feel like it, but Kingda Ka has been the world's tallest roller coaster for 15 years now, and Steel Dragon 2000 has been the world's longest for 20.

As for the topic: IMO, nothing at Kings Island needs RMC'd, though I would be 100% down for a ground-up one.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Here's what I'm in favor of.

Beast: Either a GCI retrack or a selective RMC Topper Track retracking in certain high-stress areas. Gently reprofile the ride to remove the trim brakes. The point isn't to turn the ride into something else; it's to make it so it doesn't keep stomping on the brakes around every turn. (And yes, I know, it's had trim brakes since opening. That doesn't mean I have to like them. ) I assume doing that would require the track to bank more quickly, so I therefore assume it'd need new trains (as it's my understanding/assumption that Beast's trains don't have an articulating axle at all.) I'd vote for new 3-bench PTCs.

Racer: A GCI retrack and Millennium Flyers. I'm going to commit heresy by saying this, but I'd have GCI gently reprofile the hills to provide more airtime (and possibly provide more hills on the return run.) Racer is a great ride as-is, but I feel like, based on people's reports, that ride (and others) had more airtime before the trains were switched to individual ratcheting lapbars. Based on what enthusiasts claim, that change made the trains heavier, which both made the ride rougher and cut down on airtime.

Woodstock Express: It's fine as-is? I don't feel like there's a pressing need to do anything to it.

Mystic Timbers: Same as Woodstock Express. It's a basically brand-new GCI. It'd be weird and (in my opinion) unnecessary to RMC it.

[coaster sally]

19 minutes ago, TombRaiderFTW said:

Here's what I'm in favor of.

Beast: Either a GCI retrack or a selective RMC Topper Track retracking in certain high-stress areas. Gently reprofile the ride to remove the trim brakes. The point isn't to turn the ride into something else; it's to make it so it doesn't keep stomping on the brakes around every turn. (And yes, I know, it's had trim brakes since opening. That doesn't mean I have to like them. ) I assume doing that would require the track to bank more quickly, so I therefore assume it'd need new trains (as it's my understanding/assumption that Beast's trains don't have an articulating axle at all.) I'd vote for new 3-bench PTCs.

Racer: A GCI retrack and Millennium Flyers. I'm going to commit heresy by saying this, but I'd have GCI gently reprofile the hills to provide more airtime (and possibly provide more hills on the return run.) Racer is a great ride as-is, but I feel like, based on people's reports, that ride (and others) had more airtime before the trains were switched to individual ratcheting lapbars. Based on what enthusiasts claim, that change made the trains heavier, which both made the ride rougher and cut down on airtime.

Woodstock Express: It's fine as-is? I don't feel like there's a pressing need to do anything to it.

Mystic Timbers: Same as Woodstock Express. It's a basically brand-new GCI. It'd be weird and (in my opinion) unnecessary to RMC it.

Millennium flyer trains are made for quicker transitions, why put them on a traditional old school out and back?  Before you say Mystic Timbers is a out and back, it has quick transitions throughout.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Because I'm assuming they're lighter than Racer's PTCs.

[Shawn Meyer]

Now let's say GCI modifies certain sections of The Beast every year. By year five of GCI retracting, would it be as smooth as Mystic Timbers?

[SonofBaconator]

13 hours ago, coaster sally said:

Millennium flyer trains are made for quicker transitions, why put them on a traditional old school out and back?

Millennium Flyer trains are traditionally more comfortable than PTCs.

Going back to the original discussion, RMC doesn't need to tough any of our coasters. I trust GCI because they'd be able to maintain the original integrity of our wooden coasters.

Unless RMC is building us something ground up like Zadra or Untamed I don't want them coming near the park.

[robintodd]

On 9/22/2020 at 8:48 PM, McSalsa said:

Umm, even though I adore The Beast, it didn't hold the drop height and speed records for 10+ years (At 110 feet tall it was never actually the tallest structurally). On May 23rd, 1981, Six Flags Great America opened American Eagle- a Intamin racing wooden coaster that stands 127 feet tall with a 147 foot drop (beating Beast by 6ft) and with a top speed of 66mph, beating Beast's 64.7mph. This was a little over 2 years after The Beast made its debut in April 1979.

Beast did hold the length record for a while though- Ultimate at Lightwater Valley didn't open until July 1991.

Oh, as for long-term record holders: it may not feel like it, but Kingda Ka has been the world's tallest roller coaster for 15 years now, and Steel Dragon 2000 has been the world's longest for 20.

As for the topic: IMO, nothing at Kings Island needs RMC'd, though I would be 100% down for a ground-up one.

I stand corrected.  I should have said it held the record in the state until Cedar Point broke the 200ft barrier with magnum.

[coaster sally]

18 hours ago, TombRaiderFTW said:

^ Because I'm assuming they're lighter than Racer's PTCs.

There is more stress on the track in quick transitions & higher g force elements.  Racer has none of that, so I am confused why anyone would through the expense of 4 new trains.

[ThrillKingsFitzy]

Whoever voted Mystic Timbers for the RMC needs to get some roller coaster help  

[TombRaiderFTW]

34 minutes ago, coaster sally said:

There is more stress on the track in quick transitions & higher g force elements.  Racer has none of that, so I am confused why anyone would through the expense of 4 new trains.

Like I said, it's because I'm assuming MFs are lighter than PTCs. If they weigh less, they're not going to cause as much stress.

[SonofBaconator]

11 hours ago, coaster sally said:

There is more stress on the track in quick transitions & higher g force elements.  Racer has none of that, so I am confused why anyone would through the expense of 4 new trains.

Again I think its mainly comfort. I believe@BoddaH1994 once said riding in a Millennium Flyer train was comparable to sitting on a couch and he was spot on. You have much more elbow room and the lap bars are very comfortable. When I ride Mystic Timbers I feel like I'm lounging. Even though I love both coasters, the PTC trains on Racer and The Beast aren't super comfortable- you feel boxed in and the lap bars can really hurt at times.

[Dj325]

On 9/23/2020 at 12:26 PM, TombRaiderFTW said:

Mystic Timbers: Same as Woodstock Express. It's a basically brand-new GCI. It'd be weird and (in my opinion) unnecessary to RMC it.

The Mystic Timbers option was just a joke to see what the people would say.

[silver2005]

On 9/24/2020 at 12:21 PM, TombRaiderFTW said:

Like I said, it's because I'm assuming MFs are lighter than PTCs. If they weigh less, they're not going to cause as much stress.

MF's also track better because the wheels are more articulated than on PTC's.  More shuffling going on with multi-bench cars.  

I do have a thought that is a bit interesting, but also a bit blasphemous-  would MF's be able to make the circuit on Beast?  Also, could GCI do more than 12 car trains?

[gforce1994]

On 9/23/2020 at 12:48 PM, coaster sally said:

Millennium flyer trains are made for quicker transitions, why put them on a traditional old school out and back?  Before you say Mystic Timbers is a out and back, it has quick transitions throughout.

You can’t. They would need to rebuild the ride for them.

[SixString2001]

Kings Island's history in the world of classic roller coasters is so rich and full that it's hard to say whether an RMC or full GCI makeover would be appropriate for any of their wooden coasters. The Racer was the original KI roller coaster and the last major piece of work designed by the great John C. Allen, and this coaster was the coaster that reignited America's love of roller coasters. The Beast was, you could say, the original backyard roller coaster (Charles Dinn would later design coasters such as Mean Streak) and, regardless of how lacking in airtime or quick turns and dips like Mystic Timbers, is that legendary wooden coaster that everyone in the southern half of Ohio is sure to have heard of at least once in their lives. Mystic Timbers is pretty much brand-new, so I'd say no to a makeover or modification. As for Woodstock Express, I rode it last when I was 13 and, for a kiddie coaster, it could be a little smoother.

In my opinion, The Beast does need some GCI magic worked on the downward slope into the second tunnel (it felt a little too rough, even compared to the rest of it). RMC Racer? There's only one sticking point to that coaster that makes it seem a little underwhelming, and that's the layout: out-and-back dueling is a little too old-school for my taste (to each his own). If they RMC'd The Racer, I would hope for a Mobius-loop layout so that the trains would cross over to the other side and go through the layout a second time.

Just for fun: anyone have some ideas for a new name for The Racer should it be RMC'd?

[WhatTheBlazes]

On 10/27/2020 at 2:59 PM, SixString2001 said:

Just for fun: anyone have some ideas for a new name for The Racer should it be RMC'd?

That's fun, I'll play.  For Nostalgic reasons, If this happened, I think the coaster should still carry the name 'Racer' in some way.  Sooo I like American Racer, Coney Racer, or to go full blown KI historical, it could be called The Shooting Star Racer.   

[SnakePlissken]

On 10/28/2020 at 4:02 PM, WhatTheBlazes said:

That's fun, I'll play.  For Nostalgic reasons, If this happened, I think the coaster should still carry the name 'Racer' in some way.  Sooo I like American Racer, Coney Racer, or to go full blown KI historical, it could be called The Shooting Star Racer.   

The only answer is to name it recaR since the only way I want to see an RMC Racer is if it runs backwards.

[Klabergian Empire]

RMC Woodstock Express...

 

Lmao

[DeltaFlyer]

7 hours ago, Klabergian Empire said:

RMC Woodstock Express...

 

Lmao

Honestly I would love to see a (ground-up) RMC family coaster.