Changes to the GE Comet

[Brad D]

I was wondering what sort of changes have been made to the GE Comet after
its move to GE. Does it still have the big brake handle at the station?
What about seat modifications? Is it tracked the same as it was at Crystal
Beach?

Brad D

[Mark Rosenzweig]

When the Comet was re-erected at GE for the '94 season, only two major
attributes were changed. Two new four car three bench PTC trains were
purchased, and the skid brakes gave way to fins. Word was at the time
that Charley Wood was close to buying Morgan Manufacturing trains, but
was convinced otherwise. The trains are about as good as PTC trains
with individual ratcheting bars can be. Three bench cars, lots of
padding, bars that don't pin you during the ride, and no headrests.

Sometime around 2002 or 2003, the park performed modifications to the
ride for the first time. The first of the ride's signature dogleg
lateral air hills was flattened out resulting in a blah moment from
what was once a signature one. The two remaining dogleg hills were
left untouched and continue to deliver.

Can't speak for the tracking of the ride at Crystal Beach, but when
the ride was re-erected at GE, it was given the royal treatment with a
fully douglas fir track. Save for the one modified section, the rest
of the ride continues to ride exactly as it did when the ride re-
opened in '94.

While 1.3 is outstanding, I find that Comet is best in the last row.
It's also very CCI-esque in the Ravens/Tremor way that it opens up a
bit pokey but come sundown or end of day noticeably picks up in speed
and intensity. Overall, an amazing off-the-beaten path ride that
deserves way more attention than it gets. Great, re-rideable
thriller. Easily the best woodie operating in a Six Flags park.

-Mark

[Shawn Mamros]

They built an all-new station for the Comet when it was re-erected
at TGE. It uses a modern control system; no brake levers.

They also purchased new PTC trains for it, as the old trains had
been left out in the elements and were no longer usable. The
new trains are the same basic configuartion as the old - four
three-bench cars each - but with the modern-day embellishments
of seat dividers, individual seat belts and ratcheting lap bars.

The Comet received top-notch tracking during its rebuild. Some
have said the ride rode better than it did in its last years at
Crystal Beach. It has since received some further new track work
and also some profile mods; opinions about those changes seem to
vary. (I haven't ridden it since those changes, so can't comment
myself.)

-s

[Shawn Mamros]

Yeah, I posted before Mark's post hit my news server. Otherwise,
I needn't have bothered.

-s

[BaSSiStiSt]

"Mark Rosenzweig" <ston...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:8cd565b9-3067-4ed6...@m3g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...

>Great, re-rideable thriller. Easily the best woodie operating in a Six
>Flags park.

coughcoughELTOROcough.

I've also (IMO) had slightly better rides on Wild One, but yeah, Comet is
otherwise right there competing for #2 or 3. Fantastic ride, in a great
setting.

[Brad D]

Thanks Mark. You really know your stuff.

"Mark Rosenzweig" <ston...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:8cd565b9-3067-4ed6...@m3g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...

[Brad D]

It might be in a great setting now but you should have rode it when the
crystal waters of Lake Erie were lapping at its footings. It was amazing.

Brad D

"BaSSiStiSt" <dreadpi...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:FGogk.5326$np7....@flpi149.ffdc.sbc.com...

[Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada]

Shawn Mamros (mam...@mit.edu) wrote:
: The Comet received top-notch tracking during its rebuild. Some

: have said the ride rode better than it did in its last years at
: Crystal Beach.

: -s

*** That is not surprising given the financial troubles Crystal Beach
had in its final years. Maintenance was pretty minimal. For the full story
of that park, see:

http://www.CEC.chebucto.org/ClosPark/Crystal.html

Richard Bonner

Managing Director:
The Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada
www.CEC.chebucto.org

[Josh Wozny]

Screw going back in time for the coaster, I'm interested in seeing
Lake Erie's water in a state of "Crystal" :-D

Josh

On Jul 19, 10:35 pm, "Brad D" <bjsd121removet...@eastlink.ca> wrote:
> It might be in a great setting now but you should have rode it when the
> crystal waters of Lake Erie were lapping at its footings. It was amazing.
>
> Brad D
>

> "BaSSiStiSt" <dreadpirateb...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
>
> news:FGogk.5326$np7....@flpi149.ffdc.sbc.com...
>
> > "Mark Rosenzweig" <stoneo...@aol.com> wrote in message

[nashv...@aol.com]

I was last at CB in '84 and the Comet was running pretty well then -
no serious potholes or shimmy that I can remember. I don't know what
they did during the rebuild at Great Escape, but the ride was
*significantly* better than it was at Crystal Beach even if the
location wasn't in the same league. At Crystal Beach, while it had one
HELL of a location in a wonderful park, the ride itself I thought was
a bit overrated, but at Great Escape when I first rode it (with the
douglas fir track and before the reprofiling and cheaper track) it was
a hell of a ride - near or at top five for me at the time. Never would
have guessed that.

I do need to get back there one of these days even though I'll miss
that one dogleg....

-m