Uploaded a bit more than three weeks before Cedar Fair took ownership, this video of Paramount's Kings Island shows much that has stayed the same, much that has changed:

Just some perspective...

Credit goes to our very own Captain Nemo!

such an awesome video!! Very bittersweet. Perfect song if I ever leave Ohio, my heart will be here. It was really weird to see video of SOB operating, I don't think I ever saw it operating!

Thanks for sharing Terpy!

I just shared it, Captain Nemo did that awesome video...

Thanks Captain Nemo!

And yes, it was very bittersweet. While we now have Diamondback and Firehawk, we lost SOB and it's loop, which for a time was my favorite coaster. Then we lost the backwards racer, which also for a time was my favorite coaster and the only one I would ride outside HB because I hated the wind in my face on the drop. The TR:TR intro brought back memories. That was also one of the best rides in the park when it opened.

Now I'm kind of confused on why they switched the backwards racer to go forward. I know that Don Helbig said it will make the ride feel like it was back then but it could have been for another reason. Was it not a good idea to put PTC trains backwards? Was it an issue with maintenance? Or did they just do make it go forwards again for the reason Don Helbig stated?

Philadelphia Toboggan Company manufactured the coaster trains. In Ohio, operators of amusement devices must follow manufacturers' recommendations in order for the ride to be licensed. Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, the successor to Philadelphia Toboggan Company, now does not recommend its trains run backwards. The park, for reasons of its own, at first insisted the change was made for nostalgic reasons. Later, park representatives gave the explanation I just did. Sometimes, you market what you must do with what you would have liked to be the case...

Hey Interpreter don't forgot much of that footage was recorded by me.

Philadelphia Toboggan Company manufactured the coaster trains. In Ohio, operators of amusement devices must follow manufacturers' recommendations in order for the ride to be licensed. Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, the successor to Philadelphia Toboggan Company, now does not recommend its trains run backwards. The park, for reasons of its own, at first insisted the change was made for nostalgic reasons. Later, park representatives gave the explanation I just did. Sometimes, you market what you must do with what you would have liked to be the case...

I know that the reason you gave was thrown around on here a lot, but when did the park admit that the reason was not just nostalgic?

Whatever the real reason for turning the back-racer forward, it is nostalgic for me as I grew up with both racers going forward.

I know that the reason you gave was thrown around on here a lot, but when did the park admit that the reason was not just nostalgic?

IIRC, at the Ride Warrior Weekend Q&A, they said that PTC's recommendations had something to do with it...

Philadelphia Toboggan Company manufactured the coaster trains. In Ohio, operators of amusement devices must follow manufacturers' recommendations in order for the ride to be licensed. Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, the successor to Philadelphia Toboggan Company, now does not recommend its trains run backwards. The park, for reasons of its own, at first insisted the change was made for nostalgic reasons. Later, park representatives gave the explanation I just did. Sometimes, you market what you must do with what you would have liked to be the case...

I know that the reason you gave was thrown around on here a lot, but when did the park admit that the reason was not just nostalgic?

At the KIC event after it was first done, when Mr. Gramke took questions afterward...Also, other sources confirmed this at other park/coaster enthusiast events, often within the hearing of one Don Helbig, who continues, as far as I know, to assert it was done for nostalgia reasons to this day. IF that were the case, I can think of other, far more important changes that could be done for nostalgic reasons.

PR probably STILL sticks to the reasons it gives, but that does not in any way surprise me...why should it? They do what they have to do...

When did the red side start operating backwards? For me, there was always a backwards and forwards side....so Racer does not feel nostalgic for me.

Thanks to Captain Nemo for doing the video!

1982 -2007 the one side ran backwards.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/04/04/pjm040408racerweb.html

http://www.rcdb.com/69.htm

Similar music video I made back around that time.

Both videos are good videos thank's for sharing, they definitely bring back some memories of my first ride on SOB and when I was actually was afraid to ride roller coasters.

It's kinda bittersweet to me. Seeing Son of Beast in it's full glory kinda brings a tear to my eye, as it was at one point my favorite coaster in the park, now it is loopless and not even operating. I miss Tomb Raider the Ride dearly, the Crypt is terrible. I rode it once in '08 and haven't gone near it since. I'd like to see them make some repairs to BLSC at some point and get it up to the shape it's in in this video...what happend to the splashdown anyway? Alot has changed. Some things for the better, some for the worse. We would of never gotten Diamondback under Paramount/CBS, in fact we would of lost Flight of Fear. But to some extent I do miss "paramount's" Kings Island, mainly the theming, the movie music, and better names for the rides.

This was a very special time for me... Thanks for the memories!

If a ride manufacturer makes a recommendation and it is not followed, all the accountability is on the park. They don't want that. They want as little liability as possible. Plus as the insurance company hears that, there goes your rate.