(November 17, 2020 BLOG) In today’s blog post, Area Manager of Digital Marketing Don Helbig takes us through some of the offseason work being done on The Racer, with more than 500ft of track being replaced. BLOG: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/november/more-than-500-feet-of-track-being-replaced-on-the-racer-roller-coaster

Oooh! That's really exciting. Will you post a side-by-side video of a POV with old track versus a POV with the new track once the ride starts testing in the spring? Something similar was done with the Coney Island Cyclone a few years ago:

I'm honestly curious if retracking that much of the ride will cause it to run faster.

This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI?

Yes! I absolutely love that the park is putting so much time and dedication into maintaining and preserving The Racer.

 

I think with track work for this 2020-2021 off season, I bet we get a fresh coat of paint during the 2021-2022 off season!

7 hours ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI?

In-house. Let’s not forget that Kings Island is home to a world-class wooden coaster maintenance team.

Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood.

Large piece: $200

Medium piece: $125

Small piece: $65

1 hour ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

This is really exciting. Does anyone know if it is 500 feet of new track on each side or total? Also, is this being done in-house or by GCI?

500 feet of track on both sides. 

18 hours ago, DiamondbackFan said:

Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood.

Large piece: $200

Medium piece: $125

Small piece: $65

 

I can use the wood to build another Racer....

I wonder if Kings Island has The Racer on some multi-year re-tracking and upgrade plan with each year one part of the ride being re-tracked. The past two years, the turnarounds on both sides were re-tracked and now almost everything from the base of the first drops to the turnarounds will  be re-tracked. Now the only large sections with old or original track that will remain will pretty much just be the sections from the turnarounds to the brake runs. Also of note is that The Racer received a  new LED light package in 2018. With all this considered, it really looks like the park is committed to keeping The Racer updated, and I hope they continue doing so. Could Kings Island be re-tracking The Racer right now because they plan to paint the track soon back to its original colors? I could see them possibly re-tracking more of The Racer next offseason before restoring it to its original colors and maybe even restoring the original color scheme of the trains all for its 50th anniversary. I know repainting The Racer is on the park’s long To-Do list, and I am sure long-time Kings Island fans would really appreciate it!

Source for repainting The Racer being something Kings Island wants to do: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/may/readers’-mailbag-what’s-happening-in-2020-gold-pass-ride-nights-and-more

Also, @DonHelbig, whatever happened to the Reader’s Mailbag blog posts? I really enjoyed reading those every week! 

We put this info into its own thread so we can keep up with updates during the off season and discuss its progress. 

It is exciting to see additional work done on The Racer! 

Here is a pic on IG we reposted by KI.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHwOq2ohj4a/?igshid=553y8xe2gvzm

On 11/17/2020 at 6:08 PM, DiamondbackFan said:

Coming Soon: The Racer collectible scrap wood.

Large piece: $200

Medium piece: $125

Small piece: $65

I would buy some. Don't judge me. I am still salty over missing out on Vortex slice. Twice. 

On my lone visit to the park a few weeks ago I though both sides were smooth

5 hours ago, grsupercity said:

On my lone visit to the park a few weeks ago I though both sides were smooth

what seats did you sit in because of my rides this season I thought the front seat was the smoothest with the back being the roughest 

We did near the front on the red side. Non wheel seat and the middle on the blue side non wheel seat 

An update on the KIBlog:

 https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/december/photos-racer-roller-coaster-track-work-at-kings-island

 

 

I know this subject I'm going to talk about belongs in the dream thread, but I thought since we're talking about Racer might as well talk about it here. I've seen this photo many times lately where the track is missing in the above photo, but in my dream Kings Island practically demolished the whole blue side of Racer and built it from the ground up; all GCI style. The good news was they announced they were adding those special trains like what Mystic Timbers has on it.

Monday's update!

 

Cool update pic.

 

57 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

Cool update pic.

 

I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch?

39 minutes ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch?

Quote

Carpenters are currently busy removing the stacks of wood used for the track from the base of the first drop through the 65-foot tall fourth hill on both sides of the ride.

Seems clear to me that the entire length between those two points is being redone, with no gaps.

33 minutes ago, jsus said:

Seems clear to me that the entire length between those two points is being redone, with no gaps.

I guess you’re right, but judging based on the pictures it looks like Kings Island is probably going along removing and replacing smaller sections of track at a time instead of just removing and replacing all the track at once.

From the last blog and last two tweets, it doesn't seem they've removed anything from the top of the split hill itself. Height thing maybe, like need a rental crane for that?

1 hour ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

I guess you’re right, but judging based on the pictures it looks like Kings Island is probably going along removing and replacing smaller sections of track at a time instead of just removing and replacing all the track at once.

They may well be demo'ing sections at a time, I was just saying it sounds like the whole length should see this work before the off season is up.

I'm not too concerned on how they're doing it, but in any case, I feel Racer has improved in ride quality over the last few years.  I've had some of my best rides ever on it in the last 5 years or so, particularly on the Blue side. 

4 hours ago, silver2005 said:

I'm not too concerned on how they're doing it, but in any case, I feel Racer has improved in ride quality over the last few years.  I've had some of my best rides ever on it in the last 5 years or so, particularly on the Blue side. 

I agree with you. The last few years, particularly after GCI re-tracked the turnaround, The Racer has been pretty comfortable. I have even noticed on some days the the queue has been spilling out into the midway. Speaking of the queue, though, I think Kings Island should maybe reconfigure it because they only ever use one side nowadays instead of having two separate queues for each side, and sometimes the queue is overflowed when it is only half filled.

15 hours ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

I am a little confused with the track Kings Island is replacing on The Racer. I know they said they are replacing track from the bottom of the first drop through the fourth hill, but are they replacing the whole continuous stretch of track or smaller segments within this stretch?

It is a continuous stretch.

Another nice update pic.

 

New track work starting soon.

 

A question I have. Its stated that its being done in house which is 100% fine, but why isn't GCI coming back to work on it? Is it because of Covid or is it a money thing?

15 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

A question I have. Its stated that its being done in house which is 100% fine, but why isn't GCI coming back to work on it? Is it because of Covid or is it a money thing?

If I were to guess, I would say that they are looking to reduce cash burn yet keep full timers on the payroll so this talent stays with the company.