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TurnOfTheCentury

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  1. there was a pretty-credible looking post on reddit late last summer from someone who claimed to know the issues and they essentially boiled down to issues with the structural supports/ excessive stress on certain segments of the ride. Essentially the ride was engineered very close to the margins for cost savings (not unsafe), but that resulted in tons of maintenance and ongoing structural strain, especially since it's possible the forces on the serpent roll (for example) were slightly higher than anticipated. Apparently one "temporary" fix was S&S recommending only one train operation. the current plan is to extensively replace and shore up certain supports of the ride. Looking at the structure and the $9M price tag for a coaster that size, it doesn't surprise me, if true. Sometimes, you do get what you pay for.
  2. I am definitely intrigued by the TTD mystery. Based on what we know now, it's looking like a conversion to LSM launch? My guess is that they will be keeping the launch track and tower track (otherwise why go through the effort of first removing the brake fins and hardware, but leaving the launch track in place -- wouldn't you just take off the track as a whole and remove the hardware on the ground?). I'm not entirely sure why they are moving the station unless the train dimensions are changing significantly or the launch needs to be lengthened (but I thought I read convincing math on TTD having plenty of launch length). I am secretly hoping that they will do a dual track loading station to TRY to get a train in place to hit the launch window on time -- given the likely small trains, hitting a 45 second or so launch cycle is key for capacity. Anyway, eager to see what they come up with.....
  3. Yeah, I agree. I don't doubt they can find the length. Just not sure the technology can get it up to 120mph or whatever (I bet it can - I just don't know of any ride that uses LSMs to achieve that speed - doesn't mean they couldn't. It's only about 10 mph more than the Ferrari LSM coaster in Spain). What I do have some doubts about is whether CF is willing to go right out to the cutting edge AGAIN with Intamin on LSM technology, on the SAME Ride when they went cutting edge and paid a steep price..... But, given speculation is fun, I think they will simply keep the same ride profile, maybe change trains (lighter trains?), and essentially just replace the launch system and move the line . . .. (Maybe fancy enclosed light show like Montezooma?)
  4. Well, I initially thought they would re-evaluate the ride and make serious changes to the launch.... knowing full-well that had nothing to do with the accident, but when I re-viewed the capacity and maintenance logs disclosed in the state investigation you could tell this ride was a maintenance HEADACHE with very, very low capacity. So, it makes complete sense to consider what to do with it. But then lots of people made valid comments about the expense of all that... and would it pay off? Then I saw what they are doing to Montezoomas revenge, and that, on the surface, seemed to have as little economic sense as TTD re-do. .... Now I'm just confused. but it's cools that CF leadership is interested in not just abandoning historic rides. The obvious thing is to (somehow) convert it to LSM launch -- I just forget the math on whether they can reliably get it up to speed with a Ferrari World-type launch on the TTD launch length (is length the sole limiting factor or does the technology somehow tap out at a given speed?)- there is a substantial amount of post-launch straight track at the end of the launch and one could put LSM partially up the hill. That seems to be quickest way to resolve the issue. The reverse spike/launch idea seems way to complicated - not only are you building the spike, installing the LSM system, but you also now need to slide the station over or otherwise reconfigure the connection from the reverse spike to the launch because of capacity problems - I don't think they could launch 24-person (or bigger capacity) trains and the tophat wasn't configured for a long train? For me, the true dream is that they will repurpose the enormous top hat for a full circuit conventional coaster - somehow get a near-vertical lift up there and then build off the break run out toward the lagoons or something (I know, will NOT happen....)
  5. I think it's pretty clever and cool idea to pay tribute to the ride, but also do something totally unique. So many people complain about cookie cutter Six Flags coasters: and here we have something original AND it looks like fun, with airtime
  6. hmmmm..... those markings at TTD..... the safest guess is that they are simply re-configuring the line area (not sure why that necessitated an entire down season, but maybe they needed the findings to come out, consider a variety of options, and finally execute on a plan....) I do suspect that they must have considered scrapping the ride because of the enormous costs and downtime on it. But as much as a LSM or multiple launch like Pantheon would make sense if built TODAY, from a return of investment standpoint, it makes very little sense to invest in an entirely new launch system on this ride because of all the reasons others have mentioned (new trains, LSM system, control system, etc.... -- that's a many, many millions investment for a change that the general public wouldn't even notice and so how do you market that investment? ) Now, I have to confess that the irrational fanboy part of me was hoping they would simply repurpose the tophat to create a 400 foot-full circuit ride (somehow)
  7. yeah, I just rode Jetline at Grona Lund, and it was pretty stinking smooth and great. Whizzer at SFGAm remains excellent. Revolution at SFMM remains great (setting all of the awful train mods)
  8. yes, one of my bigger regrets was not venturing to Die Efteling when I was in Amsterdam in 2017-ish? It looks amazing.
  9. fun report. Wodan is way up there on my list! As is Europa park in general. I think Wodan, Silver Star and Blue Fire are all three quality coasters, and several others are fun. Not to mention all the other fun dark rides, and the overall quality and vibe of the park.
  10. Went to Tivoli for first time in my family's scandinavian trip. Both Grona Lund and Tivoli showed me what you can do with limited space, and still create great atmospheric, themed parks. I thought Tivoli was just gorgeous: lush landscaping, well-themed, well-maintained, and just exuded old school charm. If the story is true, I can see how Walt Disney got inspiration from this park. The park is much more than the rides, but we have a blast on the rides, especially Alpengast(?) coaster (and it's history) and the also really enjoyed Demon (I can't remember any of the names). Completely charming.
  11. Visited Grona for first time last Friday. Holy cow, what a fun, surprisingly well-themed little park, with really fun coasters! I loved it! Monster had a great themed line, efficient two-train operations, and the ride packed a punch! Loved it's pacing, the foot choppers, and the final little airtime moment (which I never experienced on an inverted before). The great gray color and cool supports only added to it. The sleeper hit for me was Jet Liner. Wow: super fun Schwarzkopft, with great pacing, smooth as can be, and easy old -school lap bar train. Extremely re-rideable. Twister was reallly fun in the back and well-placed. oVerall, extremely well done, fun, and far exceeded expectations (because I entered into it with virtually none!)
  12. Makes me sad. This was my childhood park back when it was still called Marriott's Great America (and before the Turn of the Century became The Demon, hence my name). The truth is that it felt like the park has been on borrowed time for many, many years, off and on. I always wondered why it didn't ever get greater attendance? Part of it is the region (there are a lot of competing things to do in the Bay Area, particularly outdoors), and part of it is frankly the relatively lousy ride investments. While it's "sister" park in Chicago got the American Eagle, we later got Grizzly (smh); Batman vs. Top Gun (now flight deck), Iron Wolf vs. Patriot (formely something else). Nearly always the smaller versions. There was never a true signature ride: Demon was as close as we got.
  13. I (obviously) have no idea what CP plans on doing with this ride. I was surprised to hear them preemptively say it would be closed for the entire 2022 season, and I initially would not have thought they would close the ride permanently. But then I think about this: II think they knew pretty quickly what the cause was -- the plate and bolts were recovered immediately in August 2021. I would not *think* (?) the fix to better secure the plate would require THAT much additional engineering and repair (given it's nearly 20 years of operation with those bolts, so it doesn't seem to a core design flaw). The metallury report indicates that one bolt sheared off instantaneously (causing the second one to fail under increased load). It could be something as simple as a bad bolt, or, if they imaged the other bolts and saw similar fatigue, you may need to increase diameter/ tensile strength of the bolts and/or add an additional bolt. Now, since I'm no engineer, maybe that is a more complex engineering issue requiring Intamin re-design, test, manufacture the parts and design, etc.? Same with the protecting the line: you could provide a higher side wall and partially enclose the line fairly easily? And the damage to the track appeared limited to a brake bracket. All these repairs wouldn't seem to require more than 1 year? My suspicion is that this accident has caused CP to want to consider much more carefully the future of Dragster. We all know it has been a maintenance nightmare, and they attach tons of pages of maintenance logs to this report, along with its true hours capacities. Its cost per ride has to be astronomically higher than any other ride in the park. Maybe, just maybe, they are thinking: we got nearly 20 years out of this ride; it's expensive as hell; it's ridership levels are relatively modest in comparison to its cost; let's cut our losses and move on?
  14. So I went to Magic Mountain for the first time in over 20 years on Saturday. I was surprised at how clean and relatively "lush" the park looked, especially in the area from Viper over to Samurai Summit. For me, the surprise hit was X2 -- I simply could not believe that first drop and the subsequent switchback hill (raven turn?) in the first seat. It may be the best first drop I have ever been on? I thought the entire ride was disorienting (in a good way) and spectacular -- and incredibly intense. I also have my first ever calf bruises from a rollercoaster ride. I left the park hoping that Schilke would find some way to make a next generation 4th dimensional ride with RMC technology/ design. I also thought Tatsu was excellent: a great layout, and the flying coaster design really works better soaring that far above the ground. Finally, Twisted Colossus is a blast: very different feel from the RMCs I have been on (Goliath and Steel Vengeance) with a ton of quick pops of air, and I loved all the head choppers from diving around the structure. Great ride. Although operations were slooow, I was impressed by the park and thought it actually looked "nicer" than what I remember.
  15. ... well that dream is dead It's worth the early morning. Seriously. I mean, we’re probably doing it anyway. How early would you suggest arriving at the parking gates? Do you think 45 minutes before park opening is good enough to get through the parking line and get into the park? It should be. I got there around that time and had plenty of time - was in park by 640am or so
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