Loggers Run Santa Clara

All about the rides at Marriott's GREAT AMERICA and post-Marriott rides, too
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m11stephen2
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Loggers Run Santa Clara

Post by m11stephen2 »

What ever happened to Loggers Run in Santa Clara. I know it was still operating in 2002.
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that_guy
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Post by that_guy »

Its stll operating, same name, only its in the kids area since the park changed the name. The logs also still have the old GREAT AMERICA logo in Capital letters which is quite nice, but many of the logos have lost all their pant.
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m11stephen2
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Post by m11stephen2 »

Thats good :D I thought they might have taken it out when they expanded the water park.
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steven
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Post by steven »

Here you can see a portion of Loggers Run passing through the waterpark expansion:

Image

That's from this photo album:
http://acenorcal.org/modules/xcgal/thum ... p?album=30

That album has some construction photos and several photos from the media preview of the Boomerang Bay expansion for 2005.

Steven
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imdaman
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Post by imdaman »

Loggers run is a great ride, and I hope that everyone that visits PGA rides it at least once during their visit. When I went at the end of sept. this year, there was no line so I was able to go on this ride continuously 12 times! I hope they keep this ride for along time.
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m11stephen2
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Post by m11stephen2 »

I think its cool that it goes through the water park. Ive ridden loggers run at sfgam. I thought it was really fun. When they removed yankee clipper I assumed that they took down both but I guess not :D
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

m11stephen2 wrote:I think its cool that it goes through the water park. Ive ridden loggers run at sfgam. I thought it was really fun. When they removed yankee clipper I assumed that they took down both but I guess not :D
The upper portion of Loggers is original. The lower portion of Loggers was removed (with Clipper) and then rebuilt. See photo below of new lower flume for Logger Run.
:arrow: http://www.srcphotography.com/gallery/d ... m=6&pos=40
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

steven wrote:Here you can see a portion of Loggers Run passing through the waterpark expansion:

That's from this photo album:
http://acenorcal.org/modules/xcgal/thum ... p?album=30

That album has some construction photos and several photos from the media preview of the Boomerang Bay expansion for 2005.

Steven
Wow, Nice photos. Thanks for the pointer Steven. I've been looking for some recent photos of the S.C. water park. Loggers Run looks pretty cool in that photo.
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m11stephen2
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Post by m11stephen2 »

So all the stuff thats in the air is original but the stuff on the ground isnt? Is it still the same design?
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jonrev
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Post by jonrev »

I believe when Stealth was built Logger's Run's layout was changed a little.
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segerken
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Post by segerken »

imdaman wrote:Loggers run is a great ride.
The last time I was a PGA was when Stealth was still there. This visit was also the first time in over 10 years. Also, I was a ride operator on this ride in the late 70's.

Personally, when I rode it the last time I was there, I was very disapointent with the current version of Logger's run. There were good things, as far as the operators were concerned, like better shade at the operators position. Along with the 2nd lift position being moved from the top of the lift to the bottom. For the rider, I think the ride is half of what it was originally. All of the lanscape in the lower part was gone. It was nice that it traveled through shrub covered litle valleys when the ride first opened. With the Stealth there, it was like riding through a desert. There was nothing to look at but dirt. From current pictures, it looks like they have done some landscaping while putting in the water parpark in, but the landscaping is not up to par with the original landscaping. They have also extended the height of both sides of the flume on the upper section. Now it is harder to take in the view while sitting in the logs. After the first season, they did raise the height of the flume, but only where the water would slop up and out of the flume.
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

Here is an aerial view of the loggers layout. (after Stealth) The blue raised portion at left is original. The lower concrete portion at right was redone when Stealth was built. Note: the train is gone.

:arrow: http://www.pbase.com/image/52386880
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that_guy
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Post by that_guy »

That looks like on of those sattelite things like Google Earth which say the pictures are from present but were taken like 2 years ago.
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

I was using MSN Virtual earth which sometimes gets you in closer than google maps. At least thats what I found true for the SC park. (I didn't try google earth today, but I think the images are the same quality as google maps). I like using both sites

Here is the Gurnee park (I posted this earlier)
http://virtualearth.msn.com/default.asp ... ca1eb251cd

notice how different the flumes are. The original layout looks longer to me than the new SC version.

pan over to the right. Skywhirl buckets are in employee parking lot.
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BrianPlencner
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Post by BrianPlencner »

redfishpaw wrote: Here is the Gurnee park (I posted this earlier)
http://virtualearth.msn.com/default.asp ... ca1eb251cd

notice how different the flumes are. The original layout looks longer to me than the new SC version.

pan over to the right. Skywhirl buckets are in employee parking lot.
Yes, Google Maps are good as well. But, as that_guy mentioned, that picture is about 2 years old now, as Shockwave is still standing at the front of the park. Also (and I think I did mention this when you posted it the first time), you can tell the time of day by looking at the picture. One set of coaches for the train is behind the train shed, while the others are missing. This shows the park is open (or will open soon for the day). If you look, they are sitting in Fairgrounds, with the Blue Engine pulling them.

Sky Treck tower is up (can tell by the shadow). Parking lot has probably just been opened, as there are a few cars in the lot, but no one in the park. So, I would say the picture was taken between 9 and 9:30 AM. You can also see two trains in operation on Raging Bull. One is on the lift, and the other is about to enter the final part of the ride. Eagle (Red Side) is on the lift hill, and orbit is not yet put together for the season.
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