originally posted on 12/4/2020
Photo: Jim Winslett. View full-sized image.
As if enthusiasts couldn’t love Indiana Beach and owner Gene Staples enough. After the triumphant rescue of the Monticello, Indiana, park, Staples proves savior once again for a coaster of world renown.
Dreier Looping opened on the German fair circuit and operated in nomadic fashion for more than a decade. Since those days, the portable Schwarzkopf triple-loop legend has found homes in Malaysia, England and Mexico.
When operated at Flamingoland, the coaster was known as Magnum Force.
Photo: Bobby Nagy. View full-sized image.
The partnership between designer Werner Stengel and manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf has delighted coaster fans for decades. Following much success in the 1970s, the pair produced more amazing creations in the 1980s. Portable steel legends like Dreier Looping (three loops), Thriller (four loops) and Olympia Looping (five loops) captivated ACEers, putting German fairs on many a bucket list. Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall (Alberta, Canada) became a permanent installation, showcasing the powerful positive Gs and coaster excitement for which these two gentlemen became famous.
When La Feria de Chapultepec’s (Mexico City, Mexico) future became uncertain in 2019, most fans of the ride thought it was the end of a career for the triple-loop monster. In recent weeks, images on social media of it being dismantled brought a dark cloud to its legion of followers. Not everyone was a fan of its outrageous intensity during its last years, but no one denied its power. Those who had experienced it were grateful for the opportunity to do so.
The future looks bright — now.
Photos: Jonathan Hymes. View full-sized image.
The late November announcement that two additions were coming to Indiana Beach next year was met with shock, awe and delight. Dreier Looping finding its next home in Indiana was reason to celebrate. Ironically, the second ride is also by Schwarzkopf, a flat ride called a Polyp. Staples knew the ride from its days at Kiddieland (Melrose Park, Illinois), which was a local park during his younger years.
Management of the park is fully aware of the complete history of the coaster. The primary task for Indiana Beach is to bring every aspect of the ride up to today’s safety standards.
“Safety of our guests is — and will always be — our #1 priority. We're fortunate enough to have some of the best maintenance guys in the business at our park,” said Tom Crisci, COO. “Our plans are to work with industry safety consultants to complete all of the necessary updates. Once these updates are completed and everything passes inspections, then and only then will we open the ride to the public.”
How long this will take is uncertain, but the target for a 2021 opening is certainly the goal. It is currently unclear how many trains the park was able to obtain. Back in its fair circuit heyday, the crowd-crunching ride could cycle five trains. In its final year of operation, a single train was the norm. This may be the situation at Indiana Beach, but that hasn’t been completely confirmed at the moment.
“We are in the process of dismantling everything now and expect trucks to start rolling into Monticello very soon,” said Crisci. “As for inspections, we’re more concerned with having inspections done here in the States once everything arrives and is built. I cannot stress enough that the safety of our guests will always be our top priority. Not one train will roll on the tracks without multiple levels of sign-offs from trusted industry experts.”
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.
Dreier Looping had a unique attribute in that it had stacked blocking sections, one of which contained a booster tire-lift. Much more compact than its larger cousin, Mindbender, the curving-looping icon will still stand 111 feet tall with 3,440 feet of track in its coils. One of the signature characteristics of Schwarzkopf’s ‘80s creations was the long, curved lift hill to the top point. The new addition will be the tallest roller coaster at Indiana Beach. It will also be the second Schwarzkopf coaster on property, joining Tig’rr Coaster, a Jet Star model.
At the time of the announcement, the park had not determined a name for the new ride. That news will be forthcoming. While not absolutely final, the ride is expected to be positioned near Steel Hawg.
With the passing of Schwarzkopf in 2001, it was very apparent from that day on that the creations he provided were immediately in limited supply. Little by little, his coasters have slipped away. Those homes that are proud to include one of his masterpieces among the park’s collection know of the devotion to his work. Only eight parks in the United States currently claim a looping Schwarzkopf: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Florida), Frontier City (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Hersheypark (Hershey, Pennsylvania), Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, California), Lagoon (Farmington, Utah), Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California), Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell) and Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington). This news of the restoration and salvation of one of the Schwarzkopf greats is some of the best news on which to end a quite turbulent year.
“This is an amazing Schwarzkopf and with the proper safety inspections, maintenance and care, we anticipate this being one of the premier coasters, not only at our park, but in the region!” said Crisci.
— Tim Baldwin
ACE News Editor
Photo: Alex Rigsby. View full-sized image.
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