Busch Gardens Dive Coaster Receives Floorless Trains
Floorless trains (pictured to the right on Medusa) further enhance the riders sense of freedom or fear depending on how you view it. Bolliger & Mabillard have designed their train cars in such a way that you're basically sitting in a chair (with restraints) with your feet dangling above the track. They seldom produce standard seated looping coasters anymore. These days B&M opt for the floorless trains more often than not as they add another element to the ride.
SheiKra, the U.S.'s only dive roller coaster, (for another month or so) will be getting floorless trains. As if the 20 story, 90-degree drop wasn't enough? Again, I liked SheiKra, I just thought it'd be a little more intense. Griffon, the U.S.'s second dive coaster, will open at Busch's sister park in Virginia with floorless trains, two inversions, and a slightly taller drop.
Check out the announcement by Busch Gardens via this webcast.
If you've never seen it in action, check out this YouTube SheiKra Video:
Picture courtesy of Coasterimage.com
3 comments:
The concept of floorless trains is pretty cool. I stress concept.I don't know if it was worth an upgrade of SheiKra to match Griffon's trains but I guess it couldn't hurt. Who knows, maybe Busch Gardens got a deal to purchase the upgrade along with Griffon's trains.
I don't know about you but I've only truly felt the whole floorless aspect (on the floorless coaster model) in the front of each train. I prefer the front of inverted trains as well.
However, I think experiencing the front of floorless trains is completely necessary. Perhaps it's because the rows are so close to each other but after boarding, I loose the feel of the floorless aspect in rows 2-8. Perhaps the Dive Machine's use of tiered seating will enhance the sensation.
Nevertheless, SheiKra looks very cool (my last trip to BGA was well before it was built) as does Griffon thus far. Should be exciting!
To me it seems like a good way to get some more publicity for Busch Gardens Africa. I'm not sure how much it will add to the ride, but it could entice riders to return and again put SheiKra back in the press. So it's a smart move as far as marketing is concerned. As a theme park, you probably want something to crow about at the beginning of every season, right?
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