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Dollywood | Lightning Rod | Launched RMC

GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Shot Rod still sounds better. It's probably another Centurion, with the 'fake' names.

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jay37415

Mega Poster
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

I agree. Shot Rod has a better sound to it.

One theory I heard is that DW is having second thoughts about the Shot part. Being they pride themselves on being family friendly, they don't want people associating it with firearms. Hence the change to Lightning Rod.

Another interesting tidbit I read on the interwebs is that Hershend is the one who trademarked "Shot Rod" and Dollywood trademarked "Lightning Rod"

I guess we'll have to wait till August 7 to find out for sure.
 

GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Lightning Rod sounds exactly like what it is. S&S Launch Tower?

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jay37415

Mega Poster
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Was a slow day at work so I went to the Dollywood site and typed in "Shot Rod" in their little search box. Here's the message I got...

Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.

Hmm...
 

Ian

From CoasterForce
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

The other day I was chatting to one of my connections at Herschend. He's very high up. He knows my connection to CF so he always teases me. I did ask him about this by casually mentioning RMC in the hope he'd slip. Nah, he just laughed and said that Dollywood has a lot - as in a LOT in bold and capital letters - of dough to spend over the next five years. "More so than other the park in the USA."

So yeah, I'm intrigued to see what this will be.
 

Jarrett

Most Obnoxious Member 2016
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Tomorrow we all find out what this thing is! My final, locked in predictions.

Name: Lightning Rod
Manufacturer: RMC
Model: LSM Launched Topper Track Wooden Coaster (world's first)
Layout Style: Out and Back; Terrain
Colors: Wooden supports, pastel blue track
Height: ~160 feet
Speed: 78 mph
Length: ~4500 feet; their longest yet
Inversions: 2-3
Elements: Launch, Wave Turn, Airtime Hills, Barrel Roll, Sideways Airtime Hop, High Turnaround, Double Up, Dive, Corked Roll, Double Down, Sideways Airtime Hop, Brakes
Theme: 1950's hot rods, station themed to old school gas station, gift shop themed to old school garage, trains themed to different-colored "Thunderbird"-esque automobiles, could definitely see them surrounding this with vintage advertisements they dug up like they did FireChaser, knowing Dollywood's themed ride op outfits I could see them dressing them like car mechanics similar to Verbolten's themed outfits

Totally stoked for tomorrow! I don't know the layout so I'm not making any predictions about personal opinion but the concept of an aggressive launched terrain wooden coaster sounds like something that would give Voyage a run for its money in the spot of my number one wood! Can't wait!
 

tomahawk

Strata Poster
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

You can't call a ride a potential one before you even **** see it. Granted it is RMC so it is a safe bet it will be top 10, but nobody knows.



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Casio

Mega Poster
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

The idea of a magnetic launch doesn't excite or make sense to me. The fastest one out there since Superman/Tower of Terror is iSpeed at 74.6 mph, and the numbers we've heard thrown around for this are bigger than that. Also none of the magnetic launches I've done have come close to any of the hydraulics I've done (although I haven't done i Speed), so to remove the first drop (which is generally raved about on Outlaw Run and Goliath) and replace it with a weak launch seems stupid.

My hope is with their S&S connection they get them to build a pneumatic system instead. That would hit a much faster speed, would explain the high cost, and could then potentially be the best coaster in the world.
 

Lofty

CF Legend
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

^ Have a look at the PortAventura Ferrari land topic, it's highly doubtful that a need for a hydraulic launch is going to happen any more.

The general public don't give a flying **** about the acceleration, the fact it's launching and at a decent speed is all they care about. Parks don't run their businesses to impress enthusiasts, they do it to gain capital from the general public who are higher in population than enthusiasts.
 

Ben

CF Legend
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

To be fair an air launch isn't actually the craziest idea I've ever heard, with the S&S connection.

That would be AMAZING. They have one on the chain already with Powder Keg, and the system is quite good now with the Chinese ones.

Omg imagine. They're the best launches by a country mile. Sticking one on an RMC...
 

Casio

Mega Poster
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Lofty said:
^ Have a look at the PortAventura Ferrari land topic, it's highly doubtful that a need for a hydraulic launch is going to happen any more.

The general public don't give a flying **** about the acceleration, the fact it's launching and at a decent speed is all they care about. Parks don't run their businesses to impress enthusiasts, they do it to gain capital from the general public who are higher in population than enthusiasts.

Yeah I definitely appreciate the park will go with what's best in terms of cost and maintenance, but I'm not suggesting this would be hydraulic. S&S's pneumatic launches are a whole different argument: unlike Intamin's hydraulics they're still being built and they seem to be very reliable now. RMC haven't built a magnetic launch before, but their closest collaborator have a strong recent history of building pneumatic versions. I think it makes sense on the surface, but certainly if RMC feel they can build a magnetic one for cheaper then they'd go with that.

Also, I'd imagine the actual quality of the ride would play at least a small part? As Ben says, the pneumatic launches are just vastly better than magnetics, it doesn't take an enthusiast to recognise that.
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Dollywood is live streaming the announcement on Youtube. We will be covering live on-site, and tweeting photos (https://twitter.com/coasterforce) as things progress!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TolqBDMf1ZU&app=desktop[/youtube]​
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Re: Dollywood 2016 || Teaser

Dolly Parton's official website just leaked details on the roller coaster: http://www.dollypartonentertainment.com ... 16.1688106

Dollywood Adds World's Fastest Wood Roller Coaster For 2016
Dollywood today announced the addition of Lightning Rod, both the world’s fastest wood coaster and the world’s first launching wood coaster. Set to roll to the starting line in March 2016, Lightning Rod adds another groundbreaking roller coaster to the park’s already impressive portfolio of world-class attractions. The thrilling $22 million ride also marks the single largest attraction investment in The Dollywood Company’s history.

Themed after a tricked out 1950s-era hot rod, Lightning Rod launches riders from zero to 45 mph more than 20 stories up its lift hill to one of the ride’s first airtime moments. At the crest of the hill, riders face twin summit airtime hills before tackling the daring first drop. Lightning Rod races down the 165-foot drop and propels guests along its 3,800-ft. track to a top speed of 73 mph, the fastest speed for a wood coaster in the world.

“Lightning Rod reminds me so much of those colorful cars cruisin’ up and down Main Street in downtown Sevierville back when I was in high school. I remember all those souped up cars; but what I remember most were those good lookin’ boys behind the wheel with those flat top and ducktail haircuts,” Dolly Parton said with a laugh.

“I’m truly excited about this ride because it will let our guests experience something just as fast as those hot rods I remember,” she continued. “Even better, it’s the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, so I think we’re going to see a lot of people coming from all over to peel out on the Lightning Rod.”

Located in Dollywood’s Jukebox Junction, Lightning Rod rockets riders around its massive wooden structure on an adrenaline-charged lap through the trees in the hills and valleys surrounding Dollywood. During the ride, guests experience nearly 20 seconds of airtime. The coaster train is comprised of 12 cars, carrying two passengers each, for a total of 24 people per train.

Dollywood’s development team has tapped Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) as the ride manufacturer. RMC is no stranger to out-of-the-box coaster projects, having designed a number of innovative attractions around the world. Lightning Rod employs several unique features including the lift hill launch, twin summit airtime hills, a 90+ degree banked breaking wave turn, a 90+ degree outside banked turn, and a non-inverting half loop.

Lightning Rod puts riders in the driver’s seat of Johnny Rev’s newest hot rod. After months of tinkering, Johnny invites Dollywood guests to step behind the wheel for the first test drive of his flashy new creation. Like any proper hot rod, massive header pipes and an imposing injector scoop peer out from the train’s flamed bodywork.

Lightning Rod is the newest member of The Dollywood Company’s collection of award-winning attractions. In March 2012, Dollywood opened the $20 million Wild Eagle, the country’s first wing coaster. The company introduced RiverRush, Tennessee’s first and only water coaster, at Dollywood’s Splash Country in 2013. FireChaser Express, the nation’s first dual-launch family coaster, was added at Dollywood in 2014. Dollywood mainstays Thunderhead, consistently among the world’s top five wood coasters, Mystery Mine, Blazing Fury and Tennessee Tornado round out the park’s list of innovative coasters.
 

Chris Brown

Mr CoasterForce 2016
Sounds like the launch will be similar to Incredible Hulk at IOA, cant help but feel a tad disappointed with that.

I'm sure the rest of the ride will be incredible though!
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Looking forward to the layout being unveiled on the live stream. Stats seem cool though! Fun launch up a lift hill (Imagining something Maverick-esque), with a great top speed drop.

Interested to see what airtime elements they plan to pack in. I mean, 20 seconds of airtime? Shut. Up.
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Screen grabs from the announcement video feed. Note, there will be no inversions in the layout, with focus on airtime.

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Intricks

Strata Poster
It starts with the launch like Hulk with a twin peak hill before dropping 165ft to the rest of the layout. A 90°+ reverse bank hill and a non-inverting half loop.
 
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