California's Great America: General Discussion

Sam · 1st Aug 2012

Latest news on the GCI woodie at CGA from Screamscape:

Screamscape said:
2013 - Gold Striker / GCI Wooden Coaster - (8/1/12) California’s Great America has started their online teaser for the 2013 coaster on Facebook and sent out an image of a miner that says Striking New Records, August 29th. There is also a small box that says “Au13” in it. “Au” is the symbol given to Gold in the periodic table, but the atomic number is really 79 not 13, so I can only assume this is a reference to 2013. (Fun Fact: If you count all the coasters removed from the park over the years, this new coaster will also be the park’s 13th coaster.) Now if that wasn’t enough, Cedar Fair has also just filed a trademark for the name “Gold Striker” this past week, which fits right in perfectly as the name for this new ride. We’ll find out on August 29th.
Oh… and in case anyone was wondering, Gold Striker has now gone vertical according to this latest picture sent in.

Cheesy.

Let's remind ourselves of that awesome layout:

Looks like another instant classic from GCI!

Mattmash · 1st Aug 2012

Needs another train

Really does look awesome though, love that layout!

Charlee · 1st Aug 2012

Great layout, Cedar Fair are really good with most of their layouts, but I just can't help but hate Cedar Fair, I don't know why, I just hate them..

Sam · 1st Aug 2012

The one experience I've had with a Cedar Fair park (Knott's) admittedly wasn't amazing. I don't know why... they had some decent enough hardware, some good theming... it just didn't quite add up to the sum of its parts...

CGM · 1st Aug 2012

About time! This park has been needing a major new coaster for years. I used to go there on a yearly basis when very young so it's a park that holds a lot of sentimental value to me. It's nice to see them finally get a coaster to put them on the map and it looks like it could be one of the best wooden coasters out there. The last big thing for the park was Stealth and that didn't go particularly well.

Sazzle · 1st Aug 2012

Omnomnomnom.. wood... is goooooood

.

That layout looks spectacular! GCI really have got their hands full with 2013 projects!

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Sam · 6th Aug 2012

Meet... the new GCI! Photos from CGA's Facebook:

"Check out the progress of Au13. Miners have been working hard on this much anticipated project! Details coming August 29th!"

Adam James · 6th Aug 2012

That woodie looks scrumptious. Does anyone know if it's replacing anything at CGA?

BigAl · 6th Aug 2012

Adam James said:
That woodie looks scrumptious. Does anyone know if it's replacing anything at CGA?

It looks like it's going here from those images. The only thing near this site is the large building here and this souvenir shop that's located opposite the Carousel. I don't know if this coaster has affected either of these or not?

Sam · 30th Aug 2012

Virtual POV!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJlkI-XH46I&feature=share&list=UU1cjzId0rn62LQOouQJYvTg[/youtube]

I dunno, looks fun, but possibly a bit GCI-by-numbers?

Sam · 19th Nov 2012

Construction photos from GCI:

"Foundations for the midway curve — at California's Great America"

"All of the bents in Curve 3 standing — at California's Great America."

BigAl · 21st Nov 2012

Purecoaster has uploaded some images of Gold Striker being constructed recently:

GOLD STRIKER CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Guess who got Gold Striker construction pics? WE DID!

PureCoaster reader “coaster mech” sent us a set of construction pics showing off the latest on this new GCI beauty.

Now, as someone who finds trip reports of twister coasters VERY confusing, especially if it’s at a park I’ve never been to, so I’ve made a chart that hopefully helps to clear up exactly what the photos are showing.

Orange; dueling turns
Green; double overbanked turns
Red; showcase turn, (because it looks really showy)
Overlooking the park entrance from the Star Tower, with the new 49ers Standium in the back.

Flight Deck invert on the side, got to love the greenery in the park.

Onto Gold Striker!

An older image, with construction focussing on the now complete double overbanked turns.

The two overlapping turns appear to be finished, (view from behind)

The inside view of the double overlapping turns.

Work continues outwards.

More footers, maybe for the “showcase turn (labelled red)”

Well that’s it for Gold Striker construction pics, we hope to get some more pics soon to show you guys. Thanks again to CoasterMech for sending us the pics.

BigAl · 27th Nov 2012

The AU13 Blog took these images of construction a couple of days ago...

From outside the gates, you can see that the lift has gotten taller!
Yes, there are workers inside working on the bents!

A rare aerial view of the Midway Turn's footers.

Midway turn from inside the park. Celebration Plaza looks very different now!

The foundation still being prepped for cement. You can see that all of the queue has been pretty much
removed and will be significantly altered once the construction is complete.

The lift rises from behind the Carousel Souvenirs shop.

And an overview of the site at night. I really can't wait to ride this thing!

There were also several lanterns set up inside the park. This was in the carousel's
reflection pool. It was very surreal to see.

More light displays with Gold Striker in the background.

And a final shot looking towards the park's gates.

Edit: From the Facebook page for California's Great America...

Craig · 30th Nov 2012

Must resist urge to drive here if it's open when we're over there in May

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Alastair · 3rd Dec 2012

Good shot of the lifthill from the GCI FB page:

And the angle of the banked turn...

BigAl · 11th Dec 2012

AU13 has more construction photos from two days ago:

After a healthy storm that hit the bay area, some of the concrete slabs have been formed.

Workers are working on the bottom portion of the first drop, being the 'double-down' section

Not much has changed here since the last update but definitely looks more solid now!

Steel tracking has been placed on the Dead Man's Curve facing Xtreme.

A look at the steep banking coming out of the initial drop.

Wood being delivered to the newly slabbed area.

You can't say they don't have enough workers! It also looks like there's some more track
to be laid down coming out of the midway turn.

Evening shots of the lift structure and the bottom of initial drop.

Work is done for the night.

BigAl · 20th Dec 2012

West Coaster has another update for us:

BigAl · 31st Dec 2012

AU13 has one last 2012 photo update on Gold Striker's construction for everyone.

BigAl · 30th Jan 2013

According to Screamscape, Gold Striker will be completed today. They'll hopefully be able to provide some images in the next few days.

Testing soon!

Edit: (04/02/2013) More new photos of the Gold Striker coaster being built from CGA's own Facebook can be viewed here.

I'm the only one updating this.

Sam · 4th Feb 2013

From GCI.

"Part of an upper lift hill bent being lifted"

"Moving an upper lift hill bent into place"

"Raising the upper piece of a bent for the "topping off" ceremony."

"Topping off" the ride

"Our crew fastening the top portion of the bent for the "topping off" ceremony"

"A view of the lift hill that will soon be obstructed by an exciting first drop!"

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California's Great America: General Discussion

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