Mean Streak (Before)

Do any of you know what was there before MS was Built? Also do any of you have any photos of the area before MS was built? Or was it just forest? Thanks in advance for ant information.

Trees, and the railroad and perimeter road were routed differently, if I remember correctly.

go check out thepointol.com. in the history section, you can find some maps of years gone by.

There was nothing back there in the park. The tracks were the edge of the park at that point. And yes, the perimeter road went pretty much right through the MS site. I guess you could consider it a "parking lot coaster" in theory. :-)

I can remember riding the train at the end of the 1990 season and seeing all of the trees cleared and the hundreds of footers placed.

There's a small piece of that area featured in this old postcard:

http://www.thepointol.com/cponle/postcards/wwl.jpg

And it shows the old caves from WWL. Nice find Kyle.

the caves aren't on WWL anymore?? WOW!! when did they take those out?? i haven't ridden that in a couple years, so i guess i never noticed. :(

You can see how it looks now here.

This is kinda off topic...

Although it's a horrible ride, I think Mean Streak is really cool to look at. The ride has beauty. In restaraunts and hotels around Sandusky, you also see alot of pictures of MS. I love to look at/watch this ride, but i HATE riding it.

Also, have there always been brakes on the first drop? It totally ruins the ride and first drop experience. It's one of the tallest first drops on a woodie, but you dont get the whole feeling of it. Did it sue to be fun actually before they put those annoying brakes on it?

--brennan

Brennan,

That is one of the biggest complaints about MS. The brakes on the first drop.

As it is, I believe the park employs 6 full time carpenters (unionized) to maintain the ride--as I mentioned--as it is right now. As it was before, it would take much more to keep it from tearing itself apart.

And I agree with you, the thing is a marvel to look at, especially from Lighthouse Point/Camper Village at night! But just think of what could be put in it's place...

Whoa, I don't want to go there! There is enough "wishful thinking" going on in other threads.

MrScott

Although I couldn't tell you when the brakes were added, I do know that you can get lucky sometimes during the last few weeks of Halloweekends, they have it turned off. I've heard they do that because they re-track the ride in the off-season.

That must be why there was wood track with the letters MS on it next to MS.

Yes, I believe some wood may be replaced on MS nearly every year, different wood, mind you, but the upkeep costs for that woodie must be staggering. They walk the track daily, too. I've seen them. Banging on the track like you wouldn't believe.

MrScott

I say destroy MS. Build a better coaster there.

I used to work with someone who did sound recordings of the coasters for the POINT. He told me that when they first tested MS, that it was too fast and did some damage. They had to put the brakes in to keep it on the track safely.

I'm not sure if they really turn off the trim brakes near at the end of the season. I think the train ahead of you determines if the brakes will activate or not. I thought I read on here that if you want a trimless ride, you should get on a train after a nearly empty one leaves the station. I could be totally wrong though.

I don't know why, but that seems like a strange view of that area Walt, in that MidwayVision. I've never seen that area from that point of view before, I like it.
*** Edited 9/28/2005 4:19:00 AM UTC by Vince982***

It seems like its only a matter of time before MS is in fact taken down. With the monumental maintenance requirements, stacked up against the amount of complaining about the ride, CP has to have at least considered the prospect of razing the area for future attractions.

Like others said above, it is a beautiful ride to look at, but the amount of area it takes up is pretty substantial, and could swallow a huge hybrid (or at least the bulk of it, the station and what-not) as well as other smaller attractions, such as shops, flats or maybe even a water coaster or (don't flame me for this) the station of a larger strata/uber-coaster in the future.

I've always loved the way MS looks and used to enjoy riding it, as I'm a pretty big woodie fan. But. I just can't see it being around beyond 2008-09 or so.

I used to work with someone who did sound recordings of the coasters for the POINT. He told me that when they first tested MS, that it was too fast and did some damage. They had to put the brakes in to keep it on the track safely.

It ran for quiet a few years without brakes on the first hill. So it definatly was not when they first tested it.