LIGHTNING ROD Chain Lift vs. Real “High Speed Option”
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- A look at at the iconic Lightning Rod and the troubles its had over the years is the chain lift really the answer? #rollercoaster #dollywood #lightningrod #travel #themepark #traveling #amusementparkride #fast #viral
Credits: • Lightning Rod Chain Li...
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Special thanks to these great channels for the usage of their footage
From what I can see. The lift chain does not change much of the overall ride experience. It still takes the layout with the same speed and force. I never got to ride it with the launch, but I will ride it with the lift chain next week! Can't wait!
It only dropped one spot on my RMC list I think thoosies just over exaggerated how much this would change the ride
The speed it had at the top and after in 2016 can not be the same with out a bigger drop. Riders droop to their left while taking the wave turn whereas, in 2016, we were ejected sideways.
'I havent been on the coaster since the chain lift' thats where it goes wrong, dont judge it when u havent ridden it yet. Sure its different without a 'launch' but the rest of the ride just feels the same.
Yeah, I really don’t need to go on a chain lift to know how it responds. It responds the same way any other RMC chain lift goes up a hill, but the point of this video was just to address the fact that there was other avenues that Dollywood could’ve taken to give us the full experience
@ThemeParkMotivation like tearing it down so nobody could ever ride this borderline top 10 coaster ever again
No I’m sorry have to disagree I don’t even consider it a top 10 RMC anymore it’s not better than SV, IG, Goliath, IR, AFO, WR, TT, WC, TC, I’d even put NTG ahead of it without the launch that’s how detrimental the launch was it gave it a unique aspect and it’s gone. I made the video to just state that their were options and reliable ones and they went with a chain lift which was disappointing it’s not like I think it’s a terrible RMC there’s no such thing as a bad RMC
@@ThemeParkMotivation The launch was the weakest part of the ride imo, the rest is still the same. U cant say it dropped much bcse of a weak launch when its THE SAME RIDE AFTER IT. And did you ride it yet?
I think Dollywood made the best cost-effective choice they could’ve made given the circumstances. Yes, not having the launch will suck, but at least LRod will be infinitely more reliable in the long run.
Most definitely I’m just simply stating that there were other avenues that they could’ve explored. Maybe they did who knows but I’ve always felt strongly on this, so I figured I’d make a video on it. I just absolutely love the cable lifts.
Dollywood put a big emphasis on the fact that the ride experience after the lift hill should be the same. They don't want it going any slower than before, but they probably don't want it going and faster, either. Higher speeds mean more wear and tear on the parts of the track that are still wood. That also means higher maintenance costs, and probably lower public opinion due to how rough it would get. It would make sense if they needed the cable lift to reach the right speed, but if a chain lift got them there, why put all the money into developing a new cable lift and trains for one ride?
Everybody has an opinion I respect yours, but to me lightning rod without a launch is just not the same ride sure you have all the elements the quad down all that stuff but the launch was what made this thing so unique
@ThemeParkMotivation No, I completely agree. The launch was part of the ride's character, and the fact that it is gone is sad for the ride and the park. I'm just saying that if they couldn't keep the launch anyway, I don't think the cable lift really offers them anything unique in this circumstance. It can't provide the same type of experience as the launch, and it comes with its own list of potential reliability risks.
@@ThemeParkRowan it is what it is now but going forward if RMC was to ever do this again I think it would be cool if they tried a tire launch system like the Hulk
I'm probably echoing other comments here, but it's crazy to think that during L-Rod's development there wasn't any concern regarding the obvious risk involved. I think that the ride would have been just as marketable / successful had they used the i-box track throughout to begin with, and a steel truss for the launch / first drop. Also had they used a more experienced company to provide the launch system, I think it wouldn't have been riddled with so many problems.
The lift adds to the anticipation 🤠🤠🤠
😂 I want speed
TPM will Motivate you
Omg I was thinking the same thing! Why don’t they make a fast chain lift like skyrush!!?
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There is NO difference in the ride experience after the train goes over the first hill. It's identical with the same speeds as before.
I know but it’s the launch that really made this coaster good
They could of put a tire propelled launch like Hulk at IOA...
Funny you say that I thought that too but figured I’d just mention the obvious because of intamin working with RMC
Yup 💯 agree it’s crap and the layout isn’t very impressive the only cool factor was the launch 🚀
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You obviously haven't ridden it. The layout was excellent and the ride is relentless all the way through.
One of the main issue with launch system is the lift structure shook too much and made the launch fail, so why didn't they just replace the lift hill with a steel truss like Wildcat's Revenge or Iron Gwazi and keep the launch?
Something anything the launch was the best part
Because that was NOT the issue. The issue WAS NOTwith the lift. RMC proposed a different LSM company and Dollywood cut cost and chose someone else. That was the disaster.
ElToroRyan explains it perfectly.
@@Bnizzofashizzo yup
@@ThemeParkMotivation I think what RMC was trying to say is that while the original ride would’ve had a launch up the left, because the launch wasn’t all the way to the top, by the time it reached the crust of the hill it would only be going about 15 miles an hour, which is the stated speed currently
I would rather a slightly nerfed version than it m never being open
Absolutely 💯 just think that a cable lift would’ve been the ticket
I just went the other day do I miss the launch sure but they where able to keep 2 trains rolling all day and by the end of the day once it warmed up it was running the layout as good as it ever was launch or no launch. When it was launched it rarely ran enough to even get warmed up properly. Got 6 rides in 2 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon evening.
I've never ridden Lightning Rod but even when the launch cut out earlier compared to how it was originally, it looked like the ride caught up with itself after a while in the layout. I don't think the chain lift took away the best part of the ride as it looks like the ending is the best. I don't know why they made a claim it was the fastest wooden coaster from the get go. The topper track is not a true wooden coaster like Thunderhead is. RMC created their own unique product but they obviously are more limited with the topper compared to the Ibox track so this ride really should have been an Ibox track from the get go. Thunderhead is a great GCI and this is something completely different. I'd love to ride it some day as it looks awesome when it's warmed up. I'll be curious to see how it compares to Wildcat's Revenge which was my first RMC and an excellent ride at that.
Thunderhead is the best Coaster at Dollywood I love it
What a dumb decision. Replacing the lift structure with steel would've resolved 90% of the issues. A mediocre park making mediocre decisions.
Amen to that
If that launch was the most important part of the coaster would mean the coaster sucked, because that launch was extremely disappointing. And typically the chain lift will get you to the top far faster, for me it would have been a year.
Yup pretty much the launch was the best part because this is a mid tier RMC now
I agree they should have gone with a cable lift at least. I’m sad I haven’t gotten to ride it yet. But I do acknowledge reliability being a big deal, so if it means it’s closed much less, that means I will hopefully be able to ride it when I do get down there eventually.
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It’s the same speed on the old launch and the new chain lift also it’s so much smoother now how can you compare something if you haven’t rode it with the chain lift also its still the same speed once you come off the lift hill.
We know it’s the same speed the rest of the layout. Its the same chain lift as any other RMC I don’t need to ride it to see it’s not the same 😂 the only cool thing about this roller coaster was the launch. Now it’s just ok
2 guys at the top of hill pulling the chain would be faster then what it is now
lol 😂 I know right
And, it was never a wooden coaster.
It was always considered a wooden coaster at one point it was “the fastest wooden coaster in the world”
Lightning Rod I just feel in my opinion is a money pit for Dollywood. I understand they're trying to hang on to it as much as possible but my gosh. The coaster is neutered, it's had bad problems after bad problems, if it were me I would've taken the not popular decision and taken it out.
You’re 💯👍🏻💚
Great video!
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Let me get this straight, you haven’t ridden it yet? Opinion discarded.
I have ridden it and it’s identical after the first drop.
I’ve ridden lightning rod in its original form, I don’t need to ride lightning rod with a chain lift to know that it’s any different than any other chain lift that RMC has put on any other coaster watch a POV of it. There’s nothing high-speed about it I’m not bashing the entire ride, just the lift hill, so keep that in mind.
@@ThemeParkMotivationyou absolutely need to ride it before bashing it. If the ride experience is no different, then they made the right decision. Quit the clownin
@@jcspotter7322 oh my pretty easy to see with my eyes it’s not the same ride
@@jcspotter7322 pretty sure he didn’t bash it to bad honestly it’s crap 💩
What’s the difference he hasn’t rode it since the chain lift it’s no faster than any other RMC chain lift this guy knows his stuff because they did this coaster dirty
Most boring RMC conversion, ever. It needs a 200 foot drop and inversions.
Sorry you feel that way. But I do agree
it saddens me to see that they've replaced it with a chain lift. i haven't been to Dollywood since the modification, but i recall my sibling, who is more familiar with coasters than i am, informing me about the imminent change -and how they intended for the chain lift's speed to parallel that of the original launch, which they evidently did not make a reality.- (edit: they never announced this; i misread their post about adding the chain lift. thank you to @titatoverteefje8168 for pointing this out.) this is a MASSIVE downgrade from the unparalleled thrill of the old Lightning Rod launch
Let me clarify this. The speed the train CRESTS the end of the lifthill is the same speed as it did with the launch.
@@titatoverteefje8168 thank you for that clarification. i accidentally misread the post where Dollywood announced the new chain lift and misconstrued it as supporting my sibling's claim that the lift would be the same speed as the launch (i don't think that's physically possible to do)
@@titatoverteefje8168it is absolutely not the same speed that it used to crest at. And no where close to how it was in 2016 when it first opened.
@@DanielBlaney Its not the same speed as 2016 version but 2021 version. And statics dont lie.