coasterphotos

Not much new to report. The rain continues to delay construction. The track is still being installed and work around the ride (queue, landscaping, etc) continues. The gift shop nearest Saltgrass now has some BB merchandise. Cups, glasses, shot glasses, keychains and magnets. No t-shirts yet. View from the tower.

I don't think there is really a problem...I just think they are working on things in a certain order. There definitely has been progress on the turn at the top of the lift over the last couple weeks. The fence in the back by Saltgrass is still there.

It has some wood on it now, there were pieces of wood laying up there so I'm guessing they are currently working on it. http://www.coasterphotos.com/maingallery/v/Kemah/2006/071407/Kemah-Construction-071407-10.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Not much new to report. Installation of track continues. Landscaping, fence installation and other work around the ride has been taking place as well. Still appears to be quite a bit of track with no steel on it. Track being installed. Landscaping and fencing. Ride entrance. It appears there will be a ticket booth just to the left of the "Boardwalk Games" sign.

Here are a couple bonus photos for this weekend taken at night. Boardwalk at night Bullet at night

Not a lot of visable progress since last week...but that is to be expected since it is nearly complete I guess. One of the trains is on the track Track still being installed on the first drop Overall view of the ride from the parking garage One of the many billboards popping up around the Houston area

If the current weather keeps up, make sure to pack a boat! I was down at the boardwalk tonight to see the fireworks but didn't take my camera (was a last minute decision to go by). Crowd was pretty light for a Friday...I imagine due to all the rain earlier in the evening. The coaster is now lit up at night by flood lights...I'll try to get some shots of it at night in the next week or so.

Yeah, I saw that article...not really suprising I guess. The fact that people actually do own the house right next to the coaster kind of surprised me as I've never seen anyone there and Kemah Boardwalk appears to take care of the upkeep on the lawn. The posts in the reader forum are what I'd expect for an article about something Tilman is involved in...a lot of people seem to hate that man. Nice shot of the ride from the bay.

Kemah Boardwalk and the rides are open 11-10 363 days a year (for the most part). Some special events will keep the Boardwalk open later (such as Fireworks Fridays). Hours for rides vary a little depending on crowds and of course bad weather or maintenance can result in them being closed.

The official opening time for the rides is 11....but it varies a little bit. If you get there at opening on any day, you are usually pretty safe for a couple hours and at the very least, you should get a good parking spot. I like to wait until later in the day for photos for better lighting where the sun is behind the ride instead of in front of it or directly over it...but with the chances for rain this weekend, I just went when it wasn't raining.

I imagine they've still got 3-4 weeks of work and testing to do before the ride opens. I think it'll be close if it opens this month or not. We've been lucky on this side of town that we haven't got much rain lately (unlike what lorddoonga seems to think). It's raining today, but they don't work on Sunday so nothing is lost. No word on a cost, but it will be included on a wristband (which will most likely be priced higher than the current wristband). Looks like my weekly trip for construction photos is approaching an end...it's been fun. I'll still go until it opens, but I imagine there won't be too many noticeable changes once the track on the drop is finished. For anyone planning a trip to ride it when it opens, unless you like large crowds and fighting for a parking spot, try to avoid Friday nights, Saturday evening-night, holidays, and any day where they have a special event scheduled. Those times are usually pretty crowded as it is...and I imagine it will get a little worse when the coaster opens. I went down yesterday afternoon around 1pm to take pictures and parked on the 3rd level of the parking garage which only had maybe another dozen cars on it. By the time I left about 30-45 minutes later, the 3rd level was full and the top level (4), was filling up fast. Not only was it a Saturday, but the annual Kemah Classic Car Show was taking place.

The structure for the ride was completed this past week, they are still working on getting all the track done. One of the trains is on the transfer track. View of the ride from the ground. Overall view of the recently completed structure View of the first drop and turn at the bottom

Photos from today below. We've had rain off and on for the past week and this next week isn't looking much better. What appears to be the entrance and queue. View from the southwest corner. View from the Sky Tower

Take your standard PTC train, imagine it in a light brown color (that can be seen in my photos from a couple weeks ago) and there you have the Boardwalk Bullet trains.

Kemah has every right to ask GG and M&V to keep information quiet...it is their ride. Why they don't want more details about it out...I don't know...but that is their decision. Also, what more updates do you want? I've been taking photos weekly since November when the coaster was just stacks of wood!

Boardwalk Bullet seems to be a lot more complicated to build with the way it is in such a small spot. It'll be ready when it's ready.

Well, after rain and cloudy skies for Saturday and most of today, about an hour ago the clouds finally gave way to some blue sky and enough light for some decent photos. Construction of the final hill Entrance or exit ramp First drop structure being built

Just because it is raining in one part of Houston doesn't mean it is raining everywhere. The Clear Lake area (including Kemah) has gotten very little rain from this system. There have been a few passing showers but nothing major. I seriously doubt there has been much affect on the construction for the past week from rain.

I think the trains are made to look like a wood grain. Yes, there will be 2 trains and I don't think there will be brakes "throughout the track course" because there is no reason to. A coaster can run 2 trains without having brakes on the ride course...such as Texas Cyclone did. The track that goes along the entrance path is the turn at the bottom of the first drop and will be in a tunnel.

Yep, 2 trains and there is a transfer track. It's just very hard to see it from anywhere but from the windows of Saltgrass at the moment. If you look in this photo you can kind of make it out... http://www.coasterphotos.com/maingallery/v/Kemah/2006/060207/Kemah-Construction-060207-2.jpg.html

Update from today. More photos available on my site. Trains are now on site. Entrance ramp can be seen on the left.

I think the one nearest the ride is owned by Landrys...I've seen Kemah Boardwalk groundskeepers mowing the lawn a few times and I've never seen anyone in the house. I've seen people at the houses across the street several times. There definitely appears to be someone living in the one nearest the water.

No one said it wasn't a valid obeservation...it's just that most of us would actually enjoy it and think of it as more of a reason to eat there.

Me too! Heck...I'd probably eat there more often.

I think there are a few reasons it is taking a while and the size is one of them. 1.)With the way it is all crammed in there to me it would seem more complicated than most wooden coasters to build and they are taking it a bit slower. 2.)Weather has defnitely been an issue, especially in January where they didn't get much done during the month due to the almost daily rain and the fact the construction area was one big mud pit. Now in the past couple weeks we've had almost daily rain in the area and construction has slowed. There have been a couple days where they haven't worked on it at all. 3.)Kemah Boardwalk is open all year...they aren't trying to meet a deadline to get a ride open for the "season". They aren't working extra hours or extra shifts on it. They pretty much work Monday-Saturday from 8-5.