kf2010

I agree. It looks like the car barely made it halfway up the tower. I believe Dreamworlds conversion was a quick fix over a period of a month or two, with a new car on the track and a longer tunnel. Magic Mountain's won't be ready until the Spring--hopefully they're using that time to fix the launch and to make the ride run the way it was originally intended.

Burns out ride components? As far as I understand as the car moves faster down the track, the timing between the firing of the track magnets gets exponentially quicker, and the 1996 computer system currently in place just can't handle it at those speeds. The computer loses the placement of the car on the track, and the ride shuts down. When they slow the launch down, the firing is slower, the computers can handle it, and it allows the ride to run much more consistently. There were electrical problems regarding the power cables with Superman at first, pulling too much power through cables that couldn't handle the capacity, but they were replaced long ago, and it has nothing to do with the ride not going 100mph. I believe a reviewer said that but I have yet to see a video of the ride actually going that high. I grabbed a shot of the video posted a page or two back where the ride was being launched, and the video cuts away just a second before the car comes to a complete stop. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see brakes which leads me to believe it might not go as high as previously mentioned by that reviewer. In this image, just the distance between the car and where the image cuts off is about 25 feet or so, not to mention the distance to the brakes. So for Superman, I think we're going to have to wait, PRAY, and see. Whether the ride is on a mountain or on flat ground, a car moving 100 mph will still reach the same height up identical towers, so the height distance between the launch track and top of the tower are probably very similar, its just that one of them is on a mountain. According to RCDB ToT is 377 feet tall, and Superman is 415 feet tall, which means Superman gained the height record just by being on top of a hill. Basically, it "lifted" the station and launch track, also lifting the overall height of the ride from the top of the tower to the ground. It also means the distance above your head when the car zooms over is about 40 feet. If you took ToT, lifted it, and put it where Superman is now, you'd have to extend the base of the tower support by 40 feet so it could reach the ground, and the height of the tower would probably also be in the 415 feet tall range. The car would go just as high, therefore both Superman and Tower of Terror climb vertically about the same height. Although on Superman you're 40 feet higher from the ground than you are on Tower of Terror. I drew this, hope it clears things up.

Perhaps this is a precursor to the rumored installation of a new coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain next year?? Looks like fun!

I did once have someone ask me if it was a euphemism for anal sex..my response was "Absolutely!!!" Ahahaha! I'd respond that way too! Too bad I missed out on the sale. Better luck next time!

Yeah I agree. I think what that video shows is how perceptive the ride can be when you're facing forward up the tower, you don't really notice that you're not going that high up. Hopefully, the ride will reach its potential with this overhaul, as facing backwards at only that height doesn't appear to be that thrilling. It is an old video but if you count the tiers once the car goes vertical, you can see it goes up to the 5th, and the bottom of the car clears the 4th. I marked up the youtube video image to correlate with an image of the ride sometime this year at its highest point (you can tell because Superman isn't at the top). As you can see, the photo and video image line up almost perfectly as to the height of the car up the tower, and it proves that the car has pretty much reached that point for years now: 4-5 tiers below the brakes at the top. It just goes to show how the huge tower does a good job of deceiving the actual height the car reaches. Pretty sad, huh?

The noise of the car does not comes from the ride wheels, but from the center rail of the track. The noise WILL NOT go away until the center rail that runs along the track is removed, and it won't ever be, as it controls the lateral movement of the car. The ToT ride has an extended tunnel that goes all the way to the end of the launch track. I believe that is what he was talking about. It would be AWESOME, no doubt, if SFMM did the same with Superman.

Magnetic launch technology has vastly changed since the mid 90's, and judging from those wheel assemblies it doesn't look like the new ToT car is carrying 6 ton magnets anymore. I believe that was the reason for the huge 18" and 24" wheels. Lighter car, smaller wheels, smaller assembly. It all helps

^Thanks for that link, Robb. Very interesting indeed. To me it looks like those ToT cars are brand new. First, notice the size of the wheels and the wheel assemblies. No more 18" or 24" bulky wheels, and no more heavy axle along the rear and front of the car. The train is much more open, and the seating arrangement of the rear row loses a seat. It doesn't appear as if the frames are the same after looking at the space between the center of the car and the track. Now, I'm not sure if Superman would require new cars per-se, but if they planned on improving the ride experience aka getting the cars further to the top of the tower, and I would assume that they would want the car to weigh less. It looks like that's what they did with the ToT car, and it may be what SF does to S:TE as well. Also with the backwards launch requires a new restraint system, thus it may be more monetarily feasible to just get a whole new train with the new restraints installed, instead of trying to add them aka Revolution style which could pose problems with the computer safety systems. As for the photo EBL shared, and the counting of structure sections to tell how high the car has gone, I thought some of you would enjoy this photo that proves the cars did actually make it up to the brakes at one point in time. It also shows how the trains used to launch simultaniously. As you can see, the ride had MUCH more to it when it when it was first running than it did the 10-12 years or so after.

Until they remove the center rail on the track, the noise won't change at all.

The only reason Superman ever had a remotely long line was because the park lied to customers in commercials and in the park maps and said it went 100 mph. On top of that, the structure was 415 feet tall, therefore they could claim a tallest and fastest record even though both of the records were bullsh*t. Once people rode it, and because it didn't actually hit 100 mph, and because it didn't actually go up to the top of the tower, it lost its appeal and has been seen as a lame ride ever since. I don't blame a lot of people, though. I'd be disappointed if I waited an hour, or two, or three because I'd get back to the station after the 30 second ride thinking "That was it? It didn't even feel like we were going 100 mph." The ride has never lived up to its potential. Hopefully with this revamp they will make it the ride it was always meant to be. Because even if the cars are turned around, if they don't go 100 mph OR reach the brakes at the top of the tower, it will NOT be a ride people (or me) will be impressed with, and it WILL repeat the same original fate. One thing I always wished was that Magic Mountain got a TTD/Kingda Ka type of ride instead of this one, because I feel like people of So Cal would EAT IT UP. Get a tallest/fastest record that actually achieved the record, and it would be as popular as X2. Regardless of the ride experience or coaster enthusiast opinon, nobody can see a 450 foot tower with cars racing at speeds of 130 MPH over the top and NOT think its cool and NOT want to ride. SF: You have a chance to redeem this ride. Please, don't insult our intelligence and bullsh*t us and don't half ass it. You have a chance to fix the past, get it right this time.

I don't remember claiming to not care about Superman The Escape. I loved the lapbars too, as they were the first that I rode which used hydraulics instead of pneumatics to stay closed. They were nice cause it gave you freedom to look around while you were at the top of the tower. Not a fan of the OTSR's as I've heard the thigh complaints, however I've never been on a coaster with them so I'll hold judgement until I ride. But if that's what it takes to launch it backwards then there's nothing we can do about it.

^Ah yes, I was referring to your $1 drinks by showing your pass comment mostly. Sorry about the misunderstanding. Speaking from a ride hosts point of view, when I was working normally it was the guests that slowed EVERYTHING down. Loading, checking seats, clearing trains, people pulling out cameras, etc. Hey I used to ride op at a couple different parks, and the loading system was much different and efficient, so I can side with what you're talking about. Most of the time at those parks, we were waiting on guests mostly because we were quick and were adamant on making sure all their goods went into the station cubbies. However, I don't know if you've seen but at Magic Mountain its typically a different story, and that's mostly what I was referring to. Everyones already sitting in their seats with their lapbars down and then they're waiting...waiting...waiting...WAITING for the ops to stop talking and come around and check restraints for a dispatch. Its not uncommon. So in that instance at MM, it usually is the ops taking a long time and not the guests putting their loose items on the side of the station. Typically they want to get on the ride and go!

^Honestly, when it comes to load times, the guests are usually the LAST ones slowing things down. Its not like a majority of the rides in the park are hitting record dispatch times or anything... Nah, think about it from a business perspective: they make bank off those cups. I'm guessing it costs them no more than a buck a cup (if that) to have them made and sent to the park, and a $12 profit is something they won't let go of anytime soon. I don't have a problem paying $1 for a lock er, but I do have a problem making someone throw out their $13 cup after they just purchased it. On rides like Tatsu or X, unless you have cargo pockets with zippers or buttons, you can basically consider your phone gone no matter what pocket you put it in. That $1 investment to keep your things safe really isn't that bad.

This is why SF is not a competitor in the Amusement Park industry when it comes to customer service, and probably never will be. They piss off a guest who just spent $13 bucks for a souvenir bottle and is minding his own business, but look the other way when people use profanity, wear inappropriate shirts and cut in line. Those security guards are useless, and do more harm than good.

Count me in on that jackass crowd. The benefit of $1 refills for and ice cold Coke or Freshers Frozen Lemonade throughout the day faaaaaar outweighs the hassle of carrying around a souvenir cup that's not even a hassle in the first place. Spiking the drinks on the souvinier cup rack? What are guests walking around with bottles of booze or something?

B-b-but I thought that wouldn't work because people would be snapping their necks on the launch??!?! I understand the rumors have gotten out of control, but its all in good fun and I don't think anyones getting that serious, so I don't see how that warrants some of the inappropriate comments. Not the classiest post I've seen from a Mod I can tell you that.

^I've gotten the 25% off discount with my Xtreme Pass at Panda, and I didn't even have to ask. The guy saw the pass in my wallet and said "Oh hey, you get 25% off" and I was like "Schwing! Thanks for telling me!" He pushed a button and that was it, no supervisor needed. Its really a good deal over there, as you get the 2 items and a drink for practically the same price you pay outside the park. I believe there's even a cafeteria and break area behind Food Etc. I'm guessing the employees get bored over there and head to Goliaths station to hang with, and distract, their co workers. Yeah, you're right...but if you think about it, its HARD to change the culture of a park after its run a way for so long. One guy can't be a miracle worker, it takes a park-wide commitment from everyone. Especially veteran employees or higher ups, if they don't care the people working under them won't either. But I hope the company keeps trying as they are doing better. I believe if employees get caught on their phones it is termination...but they seem to know how to use them only when authority isn't around, which goes to show the extent of their commitment to their job. "I'll follow the rules when the boss is watching, and do what I want when they're not."

Went on Thursday (26th) and lines were literally walk-on for every ride except X2. Terminator was having problems and got shut down about 4pm. However since the park was empty, ride ops were doing their obligatory "Six Flags Snail Pace" and were stacking several trains for minutes at a time. I don't blame them though, they were MUCH too busy talking amongst each other during dispatches to pay attention to guests. Very similar to the photo of the Goliath crew that was posted in this thread not too long ago, with about 4 ops standing around doing nothing, and 2 ops doing the restraint check. I sat in the Batman block brake for 2 minutes. Downside is the park is now closes at 6pm during the week, so no night rides. But you should be able to get on everything.

Good to hear! Sounds like he's moving up the corporate ladder, and in this instance its much deserved! Best of luck to Jay Thomas, you're awesome man!

From the photo it looks like the arms are going to be connected to the gondola with pivots, which can swing freely as the speed of the gondola spins faster. I don't think its a mechanically guided arm that controls where the arms move. With that in mind, I think this will keep stress fractures to a minimum. I think the pivots allowing the swings to move freely outward and closer to the tower will do the job, quite nicely, almost like an original swings ride.