Iron Wolf

[cycamps]

Does anyone know anything about when someone filmed IW in the Richie Rich movie?

[iloveragingbull02221]

i think it is an ok ride
but it is still fun

[cycamps]

I rode Mantis a few days ago... IW is really rough compared to it.

[Dvo]

Mantis pwns Iron Wolf, but Iron Wolf was years old before Mantis came about. Also, Mantis has a much larger track layout which allows for larger turns.

[BullInDaBack4Life]

I rode Mantis a few days ago... IW is really rough compared to it.

IW is really rough no matter what. There is no need to compare.

[cycamps]

I also noticed that Mantis is a lot louder that Iron Wolf, or any other SFGAm ride for that matter.

[Mr. SFGAm]

I just rode Iron Wolf on Saturday for the first time in two years and I mean it when I say never again.

The ride was just awful. It's not even really the roughness, but the trains feel like they just bounce and vibrate through the circuit. My shoulders and collar bone area are still bruised today. All six people in my group felt the same as I did after the ride was over. I am usually not one to complain about roughness, as I loved Shockwave, PKI Vortex, SOB, and SFOG Ninja.

The worst part is that I remember just five short years ago, this was my second favorite ride in the park, and now, I will not ride it again, except for when Six Flags announces it's removal.

[FParker185]

yeah, it's gotten bad this year.

I remember up til about 99 or so IW was butter smooth exept for the flatline, not sure what happened, but the trains do feel like they are coming apart at the seams.

[[jonrev]]

I wonder if replacing the Intamin trains with B&Ms will smoothen the ride a bit.

[Sedir]

Worse this year? Hm, when I rode it I thought it was better than last year.

[!)EJAVU-FAN!]

Since I haven't been on Wolf for about 3 years, I think I might hit up Iron Wolf First, if Deja vu is closed. Sounds Crazy, I know.

[FParker185]

I think new trains would help alot, but that's a pretty huge investment unless a B&M standup somewhere closes and they are able to snag the trains. Though I'm guessing they could have gotten the SFAW Batman Intamin trains, maybe end up a hair better than our Giovanola trains.

Of course that also depends on if the track gauge is exactly the same, which I think it is, but not 100% sure.

[[jonrev]]

Our trains are from Giovanola?? I wasn't aware Giovanola made Stand-Up trains.

[FParker185]

The whole ride was produced by Giovanola. They were an old Intamin Contractor as Intamin never actually made a ride til the late 90's.

But with B&M splitting off of Intamin in 89 they went with Giovanola for all their production needs until at least 1992-3 when they contracted with Southern Ohio Fabricators to make all their stuff, though last I heard (this was a long time ago) trains, station track, final brakes, top and bottom of the lift still came from Giovanola where they could personally supervise QC. I think a few years ago Gio went under though. And also Southern Ohio Fabricators has since changed their name, but last I heard they are the sole international fabricator of B&M rides.

The Giovanola track can be identifyed by the holes in the track ties right next to the spine. And for the standup trains, Intamin had different OTSR's, there was a fixed arm loop, then the restraint was in the shape of an L that came down and completed the harness, B&M/Gio used standard OTSR's.

http://cache.rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/p17837.jpg
those are Intamin standup trains.

http://cache.rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/p13879.jpg
http://cache.rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/p172.jpg

In both of those you can see the holes in the tie right at the top corners of the track spine.

[cycamps]

So, is it the track that is rough or the trains that make it rough???

[FParker185]

I dont know enough to answer that 100% for sure, but from when it opened up til about 1999, the ride was very smooth exept for the Corkscrew/Flatline which hits your head due to it's design, but was never that bad. So my only guess would be the trains have issues and the track more likely than not is fine.

[cycamps]

Do you think that Iron Wolf will ever be closed for rennovations or closed for good in the near future?

[UWW-10]

I think the ride will stay as is until it's final day (whenever that may be). It would be nice to see new trains, but I doubt it since they just re-did the harnesses.

However, a paint job would be nice. Keep it the color it is, just freshen it up

[Galvan]

Parker, you have to be out of your mind, to think that IW would be improved by B:TE's trains.

Batman the Escape was worse then anyother steel ride I have ever ridden.

[cycamps]

So it was the cars that were rough about it?

[FParker185]

well I said BTE trains might be a hair better, not saying it'd be a real improvement

Also I didnt find BTE especially rough, though I only rode it twice once in 01 and once in 03. I've been on far far worse than BTE or current day IW for that matter. I dont even think I'd rank it in my 10 worst coasters, though I guess I have been on some real stinkers.

[Danny]

I have been on many rough rides, and eventhough Iron Wolf is a rougher-sort, I believe it will last a few more years with minor ride improvements due to newer management. Six Flags will probably try to regain IW's popularity, but no one can predict this rides future becuase I didn't see big attempts to regain Shockwave's status, but Shockwave's removal was promt and a "second-choice."
On another note, I doubt that changing the train will do significant change, but I might be wrong............

[Jackluver18]

I will never ride IW again. It hurts worse then Demon and Im not a big fan of the stand up. I'm not that tall and it's not comfortable when your feet can hardly touch the ground. So that's why I never ride it again.

[Sedir]

^ If your feet hardly touch the ground then you must be jumping just before they lock your car.

[FParker185]

you should bend your knees to lower yourself a few inches before the seats lock, once they lock then stand straight up, that way your feet can be on the floor taking 100% of your weight and the crotch bar is well enough away from you. As for the merciless thrashing it can give the head, you're on your own