Kyle Kruthoffer Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 (November 17, 2020 BLOG) In today’s blog post, Area Manager of Digital Marketing Don Helbig takes us through some of the offseason work being done on The Racer, with more than 500ft of track being replaced. BLOG: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/november/more-than-500-feet-of-track-being-replaced-on-the-racer-roller-coaster 9 Quote
TombRaiderFTW Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 Oooh! That's really exciting. Will you post a side-by-side video of a POV with old track versus a POV with the new track once the ride starts testing in the spring? Something similar was done with the Coney Island Cyclone a few years ago: I'm honestly curious if retracking that much of the ride will cause it to run faster. 3 Quote
FUN&ONLY! Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI? Quote
Klabergian Empire Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 Yes! I absolutely love that the park is putting so much time and dedication into maintaining and preserving The Racer. I think with track work for this 2020-2021 off season, I bet we get a fresh coat of paint during the 2021-2022 off season! 4 Quote
Kyle Kruthoffer Posted November 17, 2020 Author Posted November 17, 2020 7 hours ago, FUN&ONLY! said: This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI? In-house. Let’s not forget that Kings Island is home to a world-class wooden coaster maintenance team. 8 1 Quote
DiamondbackFan Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood. Large piece: $200 Medium piece: $125 Small piece: $65 1 3 Quote
DonHelbig Posted November 17, 2020 Posted November 17, 2020 1 hour ago, FUN&ONLY! said: This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI? 500 feet of track on both sides. 11 1 Quote
Klabergian Empire Posted November 18, 2020 Posted November 18, 2020 18 hours ago, DiamondbackFan said: Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood. Large piece: $200 Medium piece: $125 Small piece: $65 I can use the wood to build another Racer.... 1 2 Quote
FUN&ONLY! Posted November 19, 2020 Posted November 19, 2020 I wonder if Kings Island has The Racer on some multi-year re-tracking and upgrade plan with each year one part of the ride being re-tracked. The past two years, the turnarounds on both sides were re-tracked and now almost everything from the base of the first drops to the turnarounds will be re-tracked. Now the only large sections with old or original track that will remain will pretty much just be the sections from the turnarounds to the brake runs. Also of note is that The Racer received a new LED light package in 2018. With all this considered, it really looks like the park is committed to keeping The Racer updated, and I hope they continue doing so. Could Kings Island be re-tracking The Racer right now because they plan to paint the track soon back to its original colors? I could see them possibly re-tracking more of The Racer next offseason before restoring it to its original colors and maybe even restoring the original color scheme of the trains all for its 50th anniversary. I know repainting The Racer is on the park’s long To-Do list, and I am sure long-time Kings Island fans would really appreciate it! Source for repainting The Racer being something Kings Island wants to do: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/may/readers’-mailbag-what’s-happening-in-2020-gold-pass-ride-nights-and-more Also, @DonHelbig, whatever happened to the Reader’s Mailbag blog posts? I really enjoyed reading those every week! 1 Quote
IndyGuy4KI Posted November 19, 2020 Posted November 19, 2020 We put this info into its own thread so we can keep up with updates during the off season and discuss its progress. It is exciting to see additional work done on The Racer! Here is a pic on IG we reposted by KI. https://www.instagram.com/p/CHwOq2ohj4a/?igshid=553y8xe2gvzm 3 2 Quote
Aaron88stang Posted November 19, 2020 Posted November 19, 2020 On 11/17/2020 at 6:08 PM, DiamondbackFan said: Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood. Large piece: $200 Medium piece: $125 Small piece: $65 I would buy some. Don't judge me. I am still salty over missing out on Vortex slice. Twice. 1 Quote
grsupercity Posted November 19, 2020 Posted November 19, 2020 On my lone visit to the park a few weeks ago I though both sides were smooth 2 Quote
Sixflags82 Posted November 20, 2020 Posted November 20, 2020 5 hours ago, grsupercity said: On my lone visit to the park a few weeks ago I though both sides were smooth what seats did you sit in because of my rides this season I thought the front seat was the smoothest with the back being the roughest 1 Quote
grsupercity Posted November 20, 2020 Posted November 20, 2020 We did near the front on the red side. Non wheel seat and the middle on the blue side non wheel seat 2 Quote
IndyGuy4KI Posted December 4, 2020 Posted December 4, 2020 An update on the KIBlog: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/december/photos-racer-roller-coaster-track-work-at-kings-island 6 Quote
Shawn Meyer Posted December 6, 2020 Posted December 6, 2020 I know this subject I'm going to talk about belongs in the dream thread, but I thought since we're talking about Racer might as well talk about it here. I've seen this photo many times lately where the track is missing in the above photo, but in my dream Kings Island practically demolished the whole blue side of Racer and built it from the ground up; all GCI style. The good news was they announced they were adding those special trains like what Mystic Timbers has on it. Quote
FUN&ONLY! Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 57 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said: Cool update pic. I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch? Quote
jsus Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 39 minutes ago, FUN&ONLY! said: I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch? Quote Carpenters are currently busy removing the stacks of wood used for the track from the base of the first drop through the 65-foot tall fourth hill on both sides of the ride. Seems clear to me that the entire length between those two points is being redone, with no gaps. 2 Quote
FUN&ONLY! Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 33 minutes ago, jsus said: Seems clear to me that the entire length between those two points is being redone, with no gaps. I guess you’re right, but judging based on the pictures it looks like Kings Island is probably going along removing and replacing smaller sections of track at a time instead of just removing and replacing all the track at once. Quote
PKIDelirium Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 From the last blog and last two tweets, it doesn't seem they've removed anything from the top of the split hill itself. Height thing maybe, like need a rental crane for that? 2 Quote
jsus Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 1 hour ago, FUN&ONLY! said: I guess you’re right, but judging based on the pictures it looks like Kings Island is probably going along removing and replacing smaller sections of track at a time instead of just removing and replacing all the track at once. They may well be demo'ing sections at a time, I was just saying it sounds like the whole length should see this work before the off season is up. 2 Quote
silver2005 Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 I'm not too concerned on how they're doing it, but in any case, I feel Racer has improved in ride quality over the last few years. I've had some of my best rides ever on it in the last 5 years or so, particularly on the Blue side. 4 Quote
FUN&ONLY! Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 4 hours ago, silver2005 said: I'm not too concerned on how they're doing it, but in any case, I feel Racer has improved in ride quality over the last few years. I've had some of my best rides ever on it in the last 5 years or so, particularly on the Blue side. I agree with you. The last few years, particularly after GCI re-tracked the turnaround, The Racer has been pretty comfortable. I have even noticed on some days the the queue has been spilling out into the midway. Speaking of the queue, though, I think Kings Island should maybe reconfigure it because they only ever use one side nowadays instead of having two separate queues for each side, and sometimes the queue is overflowed when it is only half filled. 2 Quote
IndyGuy4KI Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 15 hours ago, FUN&ONLY! said: I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch? It is a continuous stretch. 1 Quote
SonofBaconator Posted December 31, 2020 Posted December 31, 2020 A question I have. Its stated that its being done in house which is 100% fine, but why isn't GCI coming back to work on it? Is it because of Covid or is it a money thing? Quote
BeeastFarmer Posted December 31, 2020 Posted December 31, 2020 15 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said: A question I have. Its stated that its being done in house which is 100% fine, but why isn't GCI coming back to work on it? Is it because of Covid or is it a money thing? If I were to guess, I would say that they are looking to reduce cash burn yet keep full timers on the payroll so this talent stays with the company. 4 Quote
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