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Zippin Pippin - GG Woodie for Bay Beach Amusement Park

Ben

CF Legend
Couldn't find a topic, but, a park in Green Bay, Wisconsin is getting a woodie, which is apparently some sort of "recreation" of some old woodie somewhere?

Anyway, Gravity Group <3

http://rcdb.com/9088.htm
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
That looks quite cool actually. Nice little coaster by the looks of it. I've always been curious what would happen if a modern wooden coaster manufacturer remade an old design. Pity it's not a Fred Church design, but we have Troy for that I guess (at a push, it's not really a copy, more "in the style of").

So yeah, can't wait to hear some reviews of it to see how it worked out. John Miller was at the forefront of coaster design and technology during the "coaster revolution" at the start of the 20th Century (he invented upstop wheels to allow his coasters to run faster). A lot of people here will have been one of his creations (most likely Big Dipper at Blackpool).

If I remember my history correctly, Charlie Paige started out working for him producing Scenic Railways for part of his business empire. When the bottom fell out of the market in the States in the Depression, he moved over to work then for Blackpool Pleasure Beach, where he modified Big Dipper to its current layout. Oddly, he worked alongside Harry Traver who was Miller's biggest competitor in the early days (Travers produced the notorious Crystal Beach Cyclone).

So yeah, I'm very interested in how this turns out :)
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Green Bay's amusement park opens for the season, but without its new key attraction.

Bay Beach Amusement Park opened Saturday to family friendly crowds. Most of the rides were running, but not the new wooden roller coaster.

The debut of the Zippin Pippin roller coaster had been pushed back two weeks to allow crews to finish work and testing on the new ride. The Zippin Pippin is set to open May 21st.
Source: http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/Bay-Beach-opens-without-Zippin-Pippin

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGTfoiqBerc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08-ElgRpFD0[/youtube]

The kid & I will be riding it in June, so we'll let you know how it is furie. :wink:
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
It looks like a simple, fun, old style (for some odd reason ;) ) coaster. They even kept the old style slow turnaround. Yeah, nothing that's going to break any records or top tens, but it looks fun enough for what it is :)
 

Nic

Strata Poster
Really not worth its own topic...

Mayor Honors Zippin Pippin's 200,000th Rider
Updated: Jul 14, 2011 8:00 PM GDT

A man who traveled about 90 minutes for a two-minute roller-coaster ride was saluted by Green Bay's mayor Thursday afternoon as the 200,000th rider to take a spin on the Zippin Pippin.

Mayor Schmitt presented Ryan Opitz from Slinger with a certificate, balloons, and a T-shirt. Opitz also got to ride the Zippin in the front seat.

Opitz from Slinger says Thursday was his 20th ride on the Zippin Pippin.

The roller-coaster opened at Green Bay's Bay Beach Amusement Park in May.

Officials said they expected about 200,000 riders per season to make the ride financially sustainable -- but in its debut season they hit the mark in just two months.

Mayor Schmitt says this year, the park's ride revenue is up 57 percent, and overall revenue is up 41 percent.

"This is terrific. This is working out. People like Ryan and so many people of all ages have really enjoyed this roller-coaster, and this was worked out like we thought it would, and we're happy with the results. The staff has done a great job, and it's good to have fun, and to be beyond our goal halfway through the season is awesome," the mayor said.
http://www.wbay.com/story/15083004/2011 ... 00th-rider
 
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