Look at this…just look at it for a few seconds. It’s our number two White Trash Carnie Ride, the Hi-Roller. Can you possibly think of a ride that looks more unappealing? Grey steel, red crusty bars, big old lights, scaffolding; if you can say that this ride looks ‘nice’ then you’re absolutely, positively, without a doubt a bold-faced LIAR.
The Hi-Roller (also called Crazy Train,) made by Larson, is one of those rides that you look at and just think, “What the hell?” The ride, for all intensive purposes, is simply a large oval track with a train of caged cars that can ride around the track. The ride is themed with a casino motif complete with slot machines, cards, and other gambling paraphernalia. The track and cars look exactly like what they are though; a big ugly steel track with grimy caged cars.
The cars are worth noting; they are face to face and have a triangular shape. After being stuffed into the tiny looking cars, the caged door closes in front of you with a big padded lapbar attached to the door for you’re safety. When you enter the curve of the oval, the front of the cars practically hits the one in front of it; I would imagine that you get a clear view of the other passengers horror during these encounters. I’d also hate to think what would happen if the cars were to become stuck on one of these turn-arounds!
The Ride
Riders enter one of the five, 4 person cars and are secured in. First the train of cars begins to travel around the oval track while it is still in the vertical postion. Eventually the oval track begins to rotate horozontally, throwing riders all over the car I would imagine. I’ve never been on the ride so I can’t give it a proper on-ride review. some might say “well how can you include it if you’ve never been on it?!” Just look at the photo again, that’s why!
Other Info
I have to say that the motion on Hi-Roller looks almost unbearable; I do want to ride it someday though, I need to know what kind of torture this horrid oval is capable of dishing out. The funny thing about this ride is that when the train is traveling across one of the flat sections of the oval track, the drive mechanism struggles to turn the track until the train reaches the apex and then swings down fairly fast. If there were a set of weights on wheels running opposite the train, then it could alleviate this problem, then again I’m no engineer so what the hell do I know! Of course, eliminating that balancing problem would take away some of the trashiness that is the Hi-Roller!
After browsing YouTube for various Hi Roller/Crazy Train clips, there’s one thing that’s evident; many of the people have noted that they have ridden it and gotten sick afterwards. I guess my notion is true!
Lynx: Crazy Train Video: YouTube Link (not Ozzy!)
Back to WTCR
Hi Roller, another great ride. Would like to attempt to ride it for at least two hours. Anyboby want to take me up on this bdbdll1940@yahoo.com
Around 1990, our high school in San Jose CA had a carnival with rides one year. I was really daring, but my best friend was not. The carnival was not doing very good and most of the rides sat there not running for lack of guests. This ride looked like a tame Ring-Of-Fire and I talked him into going on it. We got and and it started going around the track and I was happy that it was slow. But then, all of sudden, the ride did something that I never suspected. The entire track started to rotate! I was extremely scared… Not that I was going to die, but that my friend was going to throw up on me! Some how we made it through, and although I have never seen one of these again I’ve never forgotten it!
The jist of this ride as a rider would be best compared to riding in a clothes dryer. The 1 and only time I rode this I was about 5’0″ and 95lbs, when I was 12. Now that I’m 5’9 and over 200 I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like for me.
This is actually one of my favorite rides of all time. Underrated ride IMO. I also call it the “clothes dryer” as it feels like you’re being tossed around like a sock in a dryer. The best part of the ride is going around the curves, which have some very strong spinning power that makes you squish the person next to you (or they squish you). You also literally come face to face with the people in the car in front of you.
I hate the “2 riders required” rule with this ride. I always have to find someone in line to ride with me. I think I could handle this ride by myself.
This ride always makes me laugh hysterically. It’s fun!
This is actually My favorite ride. Since the cars are shaped like wedges they all fold onto each other on the curve. I went on with my sister in one car, and my little sister and her friend in the one facing us. The first thin I noticed was the padding on the roof of the car. I was like “why would you need padding up there?”
But once the ride starts you are basically thrown against every surface in there in a pattern, squishing each other.
The fun part is that you hit the curve, your cars come face to face and you see the other people thrown up against the side and it just starts a full-out laugh fest. We laughed so hard seeing each others faces on that thing that we had stomach aches when we got off.
Definitely go on it, and bring a few buddies so sit in front of you, you won’t regret it!
I agree with everyone else’s comments! This is a fun ride that I don’t see around anymore. It’s funny to see it now on a WTCR list because I remember when this ride had first come out and was brand new and nice looking. It was the ride everyone wanted to go on. Many years later I went on one again that I don’t think had been cleaned since it first debuted. The plastic cage windows were all scratched up and you could barely see through them anymore because they were yellowed and filthy. The last time I saw one was at a small travelling carnival. I think it was closed. It looked so old and decrepit I can’t really blame anyone for not wanting to go on it.
Trust me, you are completely justified in including this ride on the list. The High Roller pretty much defines the term “White Trash Carney Ride.” It combines brutality, claustrophobia, hilarity, and excitement to much the same degree as, although in a distinctly different way than, the Zipper.
I actually did ride one of these solo one time and received a merciless pummeling. More recently I rode one with a total stranger (a lady somewhat younger than I) who needed a partner for the operator’s (completely reasonable) two-rider requirement. It was an awkwardly intimate experience, a good first move for a randy teenager but a bad bet for a middle-aged married man. We did our best to avoid one another, but the laws of physics ensure some (and not just a casual) degree of physical contact will occur.
Looks like hell, really… I was completely surprised at a funfair during my USA holiday, when this thing just turned! I had the complete “wtf” face on, that’s for sure….
I guess European safety standards would NEVER EVER allow something like that… or the zipper… lucky Americans
“I guess European safety standards would NEVER EVER allow something like that… or the zipper… lucky Americans
”
That’s funny Max… I think the same thing about the ride Tagada in Europe. hehe. All great rides though.