Morey’s Piers in Wildwoods, New Jersey, has announced the upcoming reopening of the park’s Great Nor’Easter suspended roller coaster — with 90 percent of its track replaced.
The coaster opened in 1995 on the “Surfside Pier” (one of three at Morey’s Piers). While its layout is the same as Vekoma’s popular “suspended looping coaster” model, Great Nor’Easter’s supports, brakes and station are unique.
The project included the replacement of 62 sections of track totaling to 1,820 feet of the coaster’s 2,170-foot-long layout at a cost of $5 million.
The new track uses a “bending technology” to provide a smoother ride experience.
While early reports referenced a new train as part of the retracking, I haven’t been able to find any information regarding a new train. If you know more about this, please feel free to share in the comments section below.
The coaster also received a “sleek, ocean-themed” coat of paint thanks to our friends at Baynum Painting (see some additional photos of the new paint job over at their website).
All Photos © Morey’s Piers
Watch a video of the track replacement in progress below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPUzYS7VlnE
As this particular model of roller coaster has gained a reputation for being rough, it’s great to see a park investing in improving the the ride for guest comfort.
Wooden coaster track replacement is rather common, but Great Nor’Easter isn’t the first steel roller coaster to recently undergo track replacement. The Incredible Hulk at Islands of Adventure underwent a nine-month overhaul that saw all of its track, supports and trains replaced.
To learn more, visit the Morey’s Piers website.
Which steel coaster would you like to see be retracked? Share your ideas in the comments section below.
I can’t wait to hear riders reviews on this retracking
Who fabricated the new track? Was it Vekoma again?