What the heck is a B&M?

[cincyboy0830]

People mention these a lot on this board (and everywhere else) about B&M's. But I don't know what they are and it's driving me crazy. Someone explain....

[Kenban]

It stands for Bolliger & Mabillard viewed as one of the best if not the best builder of steel track in the roller coaster industry. Company is based out of Switzerland but the track is built in Cincinnati.

[The Interpreter]

Which means B and M design steel coasters...the track, as you said, is built near Cincinnati, by another firm.

[PKIVortex]

They designed such rides such as Raptor and Mantis at Cedar Point. Chang at Kentucky Kingdom, and Top Gun at both Great America, and Carowinds to name a few.

[TheKlockster]

The company that fabricates all Bolliger & Mabillard designs for the Americas and Eastern Asia is indeed based in Batavia, OH. The company used to be SOFCO - but has since changed its name to CSF - Clermont Steel Fabricators. They also did all the steel fabriction for the recent UC Clifton construction.

[Jasper]

They make a variety of coaster Dive Machine, Stand-Up,Sit Down Hyper, And etc. One of the premier designers of coasters in the world.

[CoastersRZ]

Also, back when CSF was known as SOFCO, they were the ones responsible for all the support structure for The Vortex (Arrow made the track), as well as the steel for Eiffel Tower.

[thejoker8388]

To add what has already been said, you can instantly recognize a B&M due to its unique box track. Now there are a few coasters that have box track that aren't B&M (most notibly Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain) but if you see a box track, odds are it's a B&M. Here's a good example of its boxy shape. Also if you'd like to view all of their creations here's the link. Notice all the rides have the distinct box track. Also notice that all B&M coasters seat four across instead of the traditional two, which is another identifying mark of B&M.

There are all kinds of other acronyms used for talk about roller coasters that can be confusing at first. Anything that starts SF__ like SFKK is refering to a Six Flags park (SFKK being Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom). I also remember when I first began posting I couldn't figure out what an OTSR was (over the sholder restraint). There are many others as well so if you don't know just ask in the thread, I'm sure someone will help out.

[Gordon Bombay]

Does SOFCO/CF make the track for the Givonola designed coasters such as Goliath at SFMM and did they make the trakc for Intamin when INtamin used that design before the actual designers Bolliger and Malibrad left their firm?

[KIBeast]

B&M is know in the industry as the cadillac of rollercoasters, due to their smoothness. If I'm not mistaken, and somebody will correct me if I am, their wheel design is patented and no one can copy it and use it on their coasters.

Me, I am a fan of B&M and Intamin. Both make incredibly smooth rides. Intamin pushes the envelope of technology while B&M makes some of the most reliable coasters in the industry.

And, while B&M makes some of the best coasters around, it seems that most coasters are designed by Werner Stengel, whose many credits include Top Thrill Dragster, Son of Beast, Millennium Force, Flight of Fear, and many more.

Here is his home page...rcstengel.com

[thejoker8388]

^Yeah, Werner Stengel is the essential god of the roller coaster industry. He has designed essentially every coaster for not only B&M, but also Premier, Intamin, Maurer Söhne, and others. Really the only major steel coasters that he hasn't had a part in are most of the arrow and vekoma rides, which maybe explains something. He's also designed the first modern loop. I can't even imagine how cool it would be to be that man.

[Gordon Bombay]

Arrow's were primarily designed by Ron Toomer, he pretty much designed every arrow coaster except Tenesse Tornado......now what does that tell you..... ?

[KIBeast]

Amusement Today ranks the top 50 coasters in the world every year. In 2005, 74% were Stengel designs! Indeed impressive!

[carpetarson]

While looking at rcstengel.com look under projects and find that Son of Beast is listed as not having any inversions

[Gordon Bombay]

It doesnt stand for "bowl and movement"?

[KIBeast]

^I thought of the same thing.

While checking out the rcstengel site, carpetarson, you can see that there are many older projects that they couldn't talk about and still have not updated the stats and such on their web site.

[coasterbilly]

hands down one of the best coaster designers anywhere

[Steveo3631]

Hulk and Dueling Dragons are two very reliable coasters. While I was there, they experienced very little downtime for train or track issues. Most of Hulk's downtime was the launch, which was not designed by B&M. With Cedar Fair buying KI, my hope is they introduce a B&M inverted there!

[CoastersNSich]

It doesnt stand for "bowl and movement"?

Anybody ever have the urge to have a BM after riding a B&M?

[BoddaH1994]

It doesnt stand for "bowl and movement"? 

Anybody ever have the urge to have a BM after riding a B&M?

I've never thought of it that way...

My only impression of a B&M is Chang at SFKK, so I'm going to just take your word for it that they're really as great as you guys say they are.

[KIBeast]

^You've only been on Chang? I figured that you had been to Cedar Point. You must get there as there are two great B&M's there. The best beemer there is definitely Raptor. If I remember correctly, it was the first B&M with a cobra roll, which is an amazing inversion. The other B&M being Mantis, their stand-up coaster. I like Mantis and it has a huge first loop that goes into a diving loop which is phenomenal. It is pretty smooth as well. I will always love King Kobra since it was the first stand-up I ever rode. But, Mantis just does so much more.