RCCGB FORUM

coastergraham · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:44 pm Post subject: Wood v Steel

This is the classic debate that has seen splits in coaster club opionion for many years, including me and my steelie loving wife Laughing

Do you like the feel and energy of woodern rides?

Or Do you like the elements that steel rollercoasters bring?

My vote is for woodies as to me there is nothing like flying along on a ride that literally breaths life. It moves, it makes noises, it is not smooth and it gives a different ride nearly every sinlge time.

I do love steel rollercoasters as well but give me a great woodie over a great steelie anyday
_________________

bluea61 · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject:

I actually went for no preference here as I really enjoy both types. I have been on lots more steel coasters but thats mainly due to the lack of travelling we have done in the states. Both are good for different reasons so I will sit firmly on the fence. Very Happy

_________________
Steve
RCCGB - 2355

Paul H. · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject:

I am in the same situation as Bluea61 but ask me again next year when we get back from the club trip to the USA.
_________________
RCCGB Mem no 948
Don't look at me I'm a monster

chewie · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:06 pm Post subject:

Thats a proper tough question to answer. No preference has to be the answer coz coming from the UK and not getting to the States as much as i'd like, i only have rode 7 wooden rollercoasters and far more steelies.

I enjoy both as much as the other, but there is something about how a wooden coaster looks. Its just much nicer to look at than tonnes of metal. Wooden coasters are almost pieces of art.
_________________
Making the world a better place by being nice!

bluea61 · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:19 am Post subject:

For an age old arguement theres a lot of people joining me on the fence!! Cool

_________________
Steve
RCCGB - 2355

coastergraham · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:49 am Post subject:

Rough Rider · Hyper Poster Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 215

smiler · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:53 am Post subject:

Thers one ride you missed Ryan MEGAFOBIA Laughing

Amberrider · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Wood v Steel

coastergraham · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: Wood v Steel

butler · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

For me it has to be wood thats good. Yeah sure stell gives you height and various elements. But wood gives you so much more.

coaster-andy · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject:

This old age debate of which is better. I have ridden a few good wooden coasters and a few good steel coasters so I sit on the fence. But that said my recent trip to Scandinavia I did get to ride a great GCII Coaster in Thunderbird. I also rood a good wooden coaster in Balder to. But that said Kirnu the ball coaster was a great steel coaster.
_________________
El Toro My 200th coaster and first USA coaster (Also member of roll back club on TTD 2)
RCCGB Member NO 1960

STEALTHYBUTBAD · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject:

i love woodies for the airtime and i like steelies for the loops , twists etc.
_________________
stealthybut bad - real name Graham - member number 2098 ! and as crazy as anything !

stealth fan · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject:

I went for no preference. I do love the rickety feel of a woodie, but also the intensity of a steelie.
_________________
Don't look at me, I'm just Human
http://uk.youtube.com/user/andyknight1

Nemesis Nick · Kiddie Poster Joined: 04 Apr 2008 Posts: 13 Location: Bath

I know this thread has been dormant, but I found it by doing a "Woodies, Steelies" search rather than starting this debate afresh.

During the Big Dipper ERS at Blackpool Bash last Sunday, I had a Gadget Show style debate with Andy Hine about woodies and steelies.

(For those of you not in the know, "The Gadget Show" is a programme on Five, which reviews gadgets. Sometimes two of its presenters Suzi Perry and Jason Bradbury have a debate e.g. plasma v LCD TVs.)

Whilst talking to Andy, I pointed at Infusion, which is a steelie. and highlighted its vertical loops and other twists (whatever they're called). I said it would surely be impossible to construct a coaster like that in wood. Of course, Andy gave me his feedback on this, in favour of woodies.

Prior to this year's Blackpool Bash, I'd only rode steelies. My first go on a woodie anywhere was two goes on Rollercoaster at BPB Saturday mid afternoon of the Blackpool Bash weekend. Following the ERSs on Grand National and Big Dipper, my experience of woodies so far (all during this year's Blackpool Bash at BPB) are as follows:
Rollercoaster 2
Grand National 4
Big Dipper 4

Quite a poor showing compared to my experience of steelies really, so I'm not really in a position to cast a vote one way or the other yet.

The last three years I've enjoyed some quite elaborate steelies:

Colossus (Thorpe Park) - lift, steep hill down, vertical loop, U-turn whilst inverted, horizontal corkscrew (or whatever it's called), about six times.
Nemesis Inferno (Thorpe Park) - downhill spiral, vertical loop, various bends.
Nemesis (Alton Towers) - vertical loop, and various other complex twists and turns.
Spinball Whizzer (Alton Towers) - that has a high u-bend, and is another rather complex structure.
Oblivion (Alton Towers) - vertical drop, then up a steep rise and around a banked u-bend.
Cobra (Paultons) - u-bends at the top.
Rage (Adventure Island) - vertical lift, beyond vertical drop, vertical loop, horizontal twists.
Big One (BPB) - really tall lift and very steep (albeit not vertical) first drop).
Infusion (BPB) - vertical lift and loads of twists etc.
Irn Bru Revolution (BPB) - vertical lift, forward/backward travel.

Could one REALLY have built any of those structures from wood? I don't think so.

From my experience of Rollercoater, Grand National and Big Dipper at BPB a week ago, woodies can only be the uphill lift, followed by a sloping drop (not too steep), and more rises and falls, plus the occasional bend. U-bends are possible, e.g. on Grand National just after Becher's Brook.

Already I have been able to spot some good points about woodies. I noticed on Rollercoaster and Grand National there was a strange sensation just after setting off, something you don't get on steelies. Someone reckoned that adds to the fun. One good thing about Big Dipper is that you get airtime going down towards the dips, the closer to the back you sit, the more you get. That's the only coaster I recall getting airtime on at BPB.

Nimmykins · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject:

It's not about what you can physically achieve with the construction, Nick, but the feeling of exhilaration while you're riding.

Many people enjoy the sensation and vibration a woodie has. From my own experience I think woodies give more AIRtime.

Yes, steel gives you inversions etc, but surely that's not the be-all and end-all of the riding experience.
_________________
Sarah
RCCGB member - 2132

Plus four travelling coasters including Olympia Looping and Eurostar.

nemesis scribe · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject:

Obviously you cannot manufacture wood to produce inversions Rolling Eyes

But . . . you can manufacture wood to feel like steel . . . El Toro for example is far too smooth to be wood and therefore loses its 'wooden' feel in my humble opinion anyway.

Cool

_________________
RCCGB Club Member #1908

Sir_LANs-a-lot · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:

bluea61 · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:26 am Post subject:

Death · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:12 am Post subject:

Hail All!

Well...I'm another of those "on the fence" voters, as - To be honest - I've grown from being a Steelie to just being someone who couldn't give two hoots about what material his coasters are made of! Cool

Although on that note, I am someone who'd love to take on the engineering challenges of building a wooden coaster with elements normally found on Steelies. We've already had a loop on Son of Beast (Not that it was that well appreciated, by all accounts! Shocked

) but I'm talking about heartline rolls, barrel rolls, vertical drops etc! Twisted Evil

Also; Turning this around for a minute...I do wonder what a steel coaster built in the style of a Woodie - Complete with PTC trains and seven laminate-ish rails - Would feel like. I'd put money on such a thing giving a completely different ride to rides like Silver Star, anyway! Cool

Farewell... Twisted Evil

>> Death <<

JamesC · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject:

I prefer woodies. I used to be a steelie, but after I rode the Grand National for the first time I immediately switched! Laughing

I still love steelies, but I'd definitely prefer a park full of woodies to a park full of steelies.

bradpeet · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject:

frosty · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject:

When I recently got into coasters at BPB, soon after joining the club, I preferred wood to steel. Mainly as I did not get on with great heights, inversions and loops - but as my confidence has grown that is changing.

On the US tour 3 great woodies stand out, El Toro (superb), Phoenix (great air-time and ride) and I liked Twister (thrill's and not too jarring). After those I found the rest of the woodies on the tour to be either very rough & not that enjoyable, or a little tame in comparison to the other 3. Some steelies were a bit rough too which I found surprising - I guess age and poor maintenance takes it's toll.

However, when you have class steelies such as Phantom's revenge, Nitro, MF, Magnum XL-200, TTD & even the Great Bear (which I enjoyed) of the limited parks I have been too, it seems great steelies far out number great woodies. In terms of numbers, I'm being swayed towards steel.

After riding Lightning Racer I was of the opinion that I much preferred the Grand National, but it's been a while since I rode that so maybe I need to ride the GN again to pass fair judgement.
_________________
Steve
Member of 'non rollback' Stratacoaster club 06/08