Raptoralex's defunct coasters
I have finished both versions of Wildcat. The POVs are below.
Below is the original Wildcat, which operated from 1930-1932.
Below is the reprofiled Wildcat, which operated from 1933-1984. This is the layout most are familiar with.
I think my next recreation will be Screechin' Eagle at LeSourdsville Lake in Middletown, Ohio.
Work on Screechin' Eagle. This is a coaster I've actually ridden. I got to ride it in 2002, the last year it operated. It was excellent.
The two hills on the return need some work and should be a little farther to the left. The water is temporary as I will adjust it better after the coaster's done.
Trackwalker did a very close NL1 recreation of this coaster already. !https://www.coastercrazy.com/13300/Space-Rocket-red
Interesting. I didn't know the details like each hill being roughly 6 feet lower than the previous. Every hill but the last one on mine was around that much lower, so I am doing a great job eyeballing and remembering it. I'll be making the version I rode in the last year it operated. No red handrails and no tunnel (not sure why he has a tunnel in the final turn).
I've finished Screechin' Eagle. I will work on a POV shortly. The oddest thing when researching this coaster was learning about the supports. It looks like a lot were thrown in as an afterthought. Anyway, it was a fun coaster to recreate. It's such a shame it is no longer around.
Can you do the Idora Park Jack Rabbit?
I might give Jack Rabbit a shot. I'll have to see what information is out there.
I've finished Screechin' Eagle. I tweaked some hills, finished the supports and got the correct color.
Here's a POV.
This is the short list and ideas of coasters I am considering recreating.
Cyclone at Puritas Springs
Zip at Oaks Amusement Park
Blue Streak at Woodcliff Pleasure Park
Million Dollar Coaster at Rocky Glen Park
Please do zip!
I need more information on Zip before I do a recreation. The only photos I can find show the helix side of the ride. There's more on the other side, but I haven't found anything on that yet.
Coming soon is Blue Streak at Woodcliff Pleasure Park in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
This recreation took me under a week to do, mostly because the only information I could find was a handful of stats (70 feet tall, 120- to 130-foot ravine drop, 65 mph) and this single image from a postcard. I'll be working on a POV shortly.
Can you do the yellow side friction coaster at Crystal Beach? I just figured out how to make realistic looking side friction track.
I likely won't be doing any side-friction coasters.
I've finished Blue Streak. Check out the POV.
Next I am working on Jack Rabbit at Idora Park.
Idora Park's Jack Rabbit. This version opened in 1930 and operated until the park closed in 1984. It was modified in 1929 from a side-friction coaster to this out-and-back.
My next recreation will be Cyclone at Puritas Springs, which was simple out-and-back until the final drop, which was the largest of the ride. It dropped down a ravine.
The Puritas Springs Cyclone was a John Miller coaster with a shallow first drop followed by a left turn, three camelbacks, a turnaround and two small hills, hitting about 35 mph at the bottom of the drops. The last hill ended down a ravine, where the train hit around 55 mph.
This is a photo of that final drop. This appears to have been taken after it was closed. You can see the railing is not on parts of the drop. It's there in a photo with a train in it.
Edit: I have been informed that the above photo is actually of a model. It is very well done.
Here's my version.
Since there are so many trees surrounding Cyclone, I don't want to make a POV using DaVinci Resolve. It compresses too much (see Jack Rabbit). My free trial of Adobe Premiere Pro ran out a year ago, and it's not letting me use another email address for a new trial. That means I will have to wait awhile until I can get access to Adobe Premiere (long story).
Until then, here's the next coaster I am re-creating, Million Dollar Coaster at Rocky Glen Park in Pennsylvania. This Vernon Keenan out and back operated from 1946 to 1957. I have obviously yet to put in the terrain, water and trees.
Try out Hitfilm Express, base version is free and it may work well for you.
I use this. !http://www.squared5.com/
I'm just going to wait to get access again to Premiere Pro. A free program isn't going to have the level of detail of professional software. I like DaVinci Resolve, but it just doesn't cut it when rendering video. If you watch my Cyclone Racer video, that was made with the Premiere Pro trial. It's such high quality. Nothing else can compare. I can wait. I'm still building coasters.
Coasters I plan to build next include Skyclone at Central Park (Allentown, Pa.) and Big Dipper at Chippewa Lake Park.
So I figured out a way to reduce the pixelation and artifacting in DaVinci Resolve, so I have finished my Cyclone video. It's not as high quality as Premiere Pro, but it's fine because I wanted to release this video. Here's the John Miller terrain coaster at Puritas Springs.
Progress on Million Dollar Coaster:
The real Million Dollar Coaster:
Tried to make a "modern" version of The Zip a few years ago. The original was pretty cool.
Nice! Where did you get the layout after the helix? I haven't been able to find any photos or info on what it did. The only photos I've found show the drop, helix and jazz track.
Can AyTrane upload his zip coaster? I can use it in my seaside pier park.
Nice custom supports
Million Dollar Coaster is complete. It doesn't look like it had much airtime since the hills are so big, but there might have been some in the back seat.
POV coming soon.
Take a ride on Million Dollar Coaster.
I got the actual date of the reprofiled ride. It had the curved drop and extra bunny hop from 1930-1932. After that, it was what we're familiar with.
I am working on the lateral supports. I've also finished the tunnels. Almost finished with the whole thing. A video will come soon.