Texas Giant, and other coaster closings.

While I have never been to Texas (not that I am aware of, at any rate), I do feel very passionate about roller coasters, and decided that this is worth a look.

If you don't feel like clicking the link, or don't trust links (I understand), then I'll summarize for you:
Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas was closed yesterday for undisclosed reasons. Apparently, it stopped midcycle, was properly evacuated, and has yet to reopen.

Weird how so many coasters have been closing lately. Six Flags Great Adventure's Kingda Ka was down not too long ago, from what I heard. Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags America was also down, but apparently is back up again (well, maybe. Screamscape is my source for this, btw). And then, of course, is Son of Beast. Apparently, that one's closed due to an injury though. Well, they tell you before you ride that you're riding at your own risk. Extreme forces, hello? Yeah. They exist.

Anyway!

What's also interesting though, is that they'll be renovating the big ol' gal. I think I heard this somewhere (NPN? Yeah, think so.), but didn't know the extent of it. They're putting $10 million into new track, new trains, etc. Personally, I think that's an awesome idea. If you have a coaster that is pretty flipping amazing, but it's getting pretty rough, why trash it? It's already popular, you know people like it, so just fix 'er up.
Also, the guys that built this - Dinn Corporation - also built Hercules at Dorney and Mean Streak at Cedar Point. Neither are/were noted as being, well, smooth. In any sense. Wild One at Six Flags America, though, was built by them, too. While it's not the smoothest ride, it's still pretty fun if you choose the right seat. So the question is, is it just poor maintaining or is it the company? Or, another question could be, is it the company that is attempting to maintain it? I've heard from a nice amount of people that Cedar Fair doesn't take very good care of their woodies. Yeah, neither of the coasters of theirs that I mentioned are exactly... wonderful. But Thunderhawk here at Dorney is still fun, and pretty smooth comparitively, and Blue Streak at Cedar Point is nice, too.

So? Who is to blame for these rough coasters?
Dinn Corporation? Poor maintaining by all parties or moreso by one than the other? Or is it just how most woodies are going to end up? I mean, yeah, we all love GCIs, but look at Roar in SFA. What happened there?!*

At any rate, I really wish Dorney/Cedar Fair had thought of the renovation thing long before this and given Hercules some TLC. It really was an epic ride, it just didn't get the love it deserved.

I shall leave you with this lovely picture of the Giant that I did not take, and a promise to keep an eye on this story.




*I do not like Roar. I tried, I really did. I love Wildcat and Lightning Racers. But Roar is just so owch. I'd rather ride Mean Streak.