coasterphotos

Nope. Looks like they spent all day working on the track in a couple spots. Had dinner at Saltgrass and had a view of some work taking place out the window. Before we finished dinner the workers disappeared and by the time we got outside everyone was gone. There is a train on the transfer track and the one on the brake run before the station. At least one of those is missing a car because there is still one sitting down in front of the ride.

I lasted about 5 minutes out there today. Maybe all that rain last month wasn't a bad thing...at least it was cooler! They are still working on the track in various spots and still no steel on the section near Saltgrass that they've been working on the past few days.

They are $14.99. With tax it comes out to $16.23. If you'd like me to get you one, send me a private message or email and we'll work out the details.

No hats that I saw. They have two different designs of shirts. One was mostly text on the back and the other had a logo (which I bought). They are available in a few different colors. Front of shirt. Back of shirt

I'd hold off on that "Hooraaaaaaay" until it's actually open It hasn't even completed a full cycle on it's own yet.

On both occasions I spoke with Kemah employees I was approached by them when they saw me taking pictures. They were happy to talk. Just dont bother the busy workers! Lots of times workers and other people involved with the park and ride are more than happy to talk. I'll usually let them start the conversation instead of me going and bugging them though. Sending frequent emails, making frequent phone calls and seeking them out while they are trying to work will tend to get you remembered...and most of the time not in a good way. I've seen many examples of this over the years.

As far as I am aware, they are only running 1 of the 2 trains. If they are running 2 trains, one of the trains is missing one of it's cars. From what I can see, there is one train on the brake run before the station, nothing in the station, and nothing on the transfer track. A couple different designs of t-shirts are now available in the Saltgrass Junction store. As of this evening, they have sold 1. Pretty sure I don't have to say who bought it .

They did the same thing on the turn by the bay after the first test run...removed some track...rebuilt it. The profile of the turn did not change. I would think all the banks and etc would have been taken into account in the design software. It's not like they designed it on the back of a cocktail napkin and prayed it would work. With the way the weather was here during construction it wouldn't surprise me if some of the track has changed shape a bit since it was first put down. That track on the turn by the bay has been there since January.

Nothing new to report.

I'll second that. By constantly calling and asking about test runs or when the ride is going to open is probably adding extra stress they don't need right now. It'll be ready when it's ready.

After doing some research, it would seem that the plaque on each car is for the weight of that car...meaning that each car does indeed weigh 2000 pounds (1 ton), making the weight of the entire train 12,000 pounds (or 6 tons). I can't find any specifics on PTC, but Premier rides lists the weight of their wooden coaster cars at 2,700 pounds each. Never would have guessed they weighed that much. Learn something new every day I guess.

I don't necessarily think there is anything wrong...it probably just needs to get broken in. This test made it a couple car lengths further than the first one. If I remember right, The Boss had problems when it first started testing...they ended up using the trains from Screamin' Eagle on media day just so they could have it open. But yeah...the public doesn't normally get to see testing like this...but Kemah doesn't have much of a choice.

Don't they "either make it or roll back" to the station? They've stopped at the top of the hill before. I think there is video somewhere of workers pushing TTD over the top.

Something weighs 2000 pounds...either the entire train is 2000 pounds or each car is. Each car has one of these plates on it...which leads me to believe each car is 2000 pounds...but that seems like way too much.

I don't think they'd use a crane to lift the train off the track at that point...that would seem kind of dangerous considering not all of the cars are being held by the anti-rollbacks. I would figure the purpose of the anti-rollbacks would be to stop the train and then be able to pull the train over the hill and see if it finished the ride (which it should). If they were just going to be removing it with a crane, it would be much easier to get it from the spot they did last time.

I seriously doubt the company building the ride would leave before it is running.... Not being mean but the past few days the people working on the ride are mexicans, Maybe locals. The crew building the structure might be gone. You are right. Vlemicks crew was comprised 1/2 mexican and 1/2 canadian nationals, with a few Americans. Possibly some of Vlemicks stayed behind to ensure a job complete and well done. Your original post made it sound like everyone packed up and went home. I imagine a good portion of the construction crew is no longer needed (which were mostly local workers) but earlier today there were still a good dozen or so people working on the ride...defintely not Kemah maintenance people.

I seriously doubt the company building the ride would leave before it is running....

Not sure how true that is about a test run at 2am...you'd think they would have finished installing the anti-rollbacks on the third hill if they were planning for a test. It's pretty obvious the strip of them is just laying up there and not attached to anything. I can pretty much guarantee that if you ask several employees about the ride you will get a different story from each one. Not to mention I'm sure the neighbors would enjoy being woken up by a roller coaster at 2am....

It supposedly is supposed to move pretty quick over the third hill...but until the ride gets broken in, it may not. I'm guessing they want to avoid another rollback and having to rent a crane to come lift the train off the track.

Yeah...there were definitely no anti-rollbacks there on Thursday Kind of looks like it is just laying there though (like you said earlier tonight). I'm guessing they haven't finished installing it yet. Okay...I'll post one photo...a view from the other side of the third hill where you can see the new strip of wood added for the anti-rollbacks (which I didn't notice when I first took the photo)

Actually...I only took a couple photos, not really worth posting as they aren't really anything new. Hopefully testing starts again soon!

They are going for a western theme for the ride and I think the colors and and graphics they have chosen work fine.

Reworking the track. Probably changing alignment and such. All the work is on the track itself...nothing on the structure. One good thing came out of this....I finally got some nice shots of the cars!

The train is off the track and sitting on the ground in front of the ride. A lot of work seems to be taking place on the turn by the bay.