Another classic wooden roller coaster is getting a steel makeover. But this is one is designed to preserve, rather than reinvent, its traditional experience.
Connecticut amusement park Lake Compounce will open for its 2023 season on April 29. To prepare for the new season, Lake Compounce has installed 580 feet of Titan Track by Great Coasters International on the popular Boulder Dash coaster.
"Since Boulder Dash was completed at Lake Compounce and opened to riders in 2000, it has been a massive draw for park-goers of all ages," Lake Compounce Director of Operations Megan Major said. "Adding Titan Track to the coaster will not only enhance the ride experience but the steel tracking will also allow for easier maintenance on the coaster, allowing our team to ensure the ride can stay open longer to guests."
The steel retrack accounts for just 12% of the CCI coaster's 4,725-foot distance. But its position at the bottom of its 115-foot drop means that the new steel will be absorbing force in what is typically one of the highest-wear sections of a coaster track.
GCI says in its press materials for Titan Track that "the engineering behind Titan Track sets the system apart from any other hybrid rollercoaster. The true wood to steel transitions make for a unique ride experience and allows classic rides to retain the original layout."
Boulder Dash is well known for its terrain-hugging layout, making an RMC-style transformation not just impractical, but pointless. A strategic steel retrack that allows the coaster to retain its popular layout while increasing its endurance ought to be a win for everyone. Fans will see if it is when the park reopens later this month.
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I haven't personally experienced any of the coasters that have been retrofitted with Titan Track, but it does seem like GCI are using it in very limited applications to improve uptime and longevity by replacing track in high wear sections (bottom of big hills and tight high-speed turns). We're still waiting for GCI to announce a project that is 100% Titan Track (Zambezi Zinger at Worlds of Fun is only partially Titan Track), so it seems that CGI only wants to use this technology to reduce wear and maintenance on their wooden coasters.
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Anyone out there with experience on Titan Track? I've been on RMC retrofits that used the I-Box and am curious to know how this stuff compares.