TEDodd

You think they built all the track and shipped it already? Maybe, but there were no reports of a big pile of track at DW, so I don't think so. I think it's being built and shipped in many parts. I don't think RMC has space to hold all the track at once and make one big shipment (and all the other project as well). I don't think DW would want to store all the track for months as they install it.

Right, but when will, it be done? Weather can be a big driver and is unknown. And when will the new track be manufactured, when delivered, and when installed. Right now that's all unknown. Transportation of goods is a mess. Lots of limits on manufacturing and installation that could change at anytime. Either could be shutdown for 2 weeks if someone tests positive. Just way to many variables to predict.

All of the coasters are usually open, just like in Nov/Dec, subject to minimum operating temps. But usually not a problem. Only the water rides wait for warmer weather. LR is an unknown. The retrack work may not be finished. Just have to see what March/April brings.

I've gone in March and April. Weather is a toss up. It could be in the 70s and clear, or snow. One year I went in late March and it was nice all week, then snowed the next week, enough to close the park (and Newfoundland Gap to the south). And I've been there when it was below 40 and still had a blast. Ear muffs help My only concern with May is they might loosen the restrictions (I know, not likely) and a surge in the crowds.

Still many of us rode multiple times on multiple visits. I know one trip I got 4 rides including 2 after dark. And another trip 3 times, with one after park close. Honestly, enough that I've lost count, and didn't even try to count.

Note they are closed Tue and Thu in May and only open 10-6 Mon, Wed, and Fri. But given that, yes usually pretty dead during the week in March, April, and May (other that the week of local spring break, Apr 5-9 this year). Weather affects that though. If it warm early it might pick up. And of course restrictions due to the current virus will affect that too. If things change by May, there could be a surge of pent up demand. But I'm not holding my breath on that.

I doubt you'll notice a difference. Same profile and the old track is to new to have much wear. If anything it might be more intense with the new track (less track flex so curves are tighter and less drag from the deformation)

Hoping for good weather then. I'd like to see it open all season. It'd be nice to have a win.

I saw the pic. My question was where is that. Someone suggested the old wagon shop (short time pottery shop)

Oh, the wagon shop. Which reminds me of my earlier comments about craftsmen. Not just a different craftsman there, but one less. Most of the craftsmen are gone now, just selling stuff made off site, and most not had made either. Which do we loose next? Glass blower? Candle maker? The belt guy? (Didn't he do more than belts in the past?)

Just saw this https://blog.dollywood.com/index.php/2021/01/14/january-2021-whats-happening-at-dollywood-this-off-season/ Wonder where they are moving the blacksmith to.

Supposed to always stop at the line to the far right of the station. They do the same at all the stops, they always pull to the line.

I never found it bad or madness , just long waits and some random people that couldn't follow the "rules." So I'd avoid it if it looked like more that 2 or 3 trams. Did a long wait before they redid the loading area (and moved the lot C stop) and it wasn't bad, but the new area doesn't seem to work as well.

I usually pay the upcharge for Preferred parking. The hill is a b*tch at the end of a long day but beats waiting on the tram. But since they increased the upcharge I've used normal parking on slow days (when I usually visit) and when I get there early enough.

This has nothing to do with SARS-CoV-2. The craftsmen I talked to in 2018/2019 said DW wasn't as good to work with vs the past. Charging higher fees, larger percentages of sales, and overall making it less hospitable. A few that were there in '18 said they weren't coming back in '19 and they didn't. I started noticing it before the illuminights stuff was started. Much like the decline of world craftsmen and food during Festival of Nations in recent years.

Could be, I just noted their absence as they are personal favorites. They've already screwed up the harvest festival, with few craftsmen around and not featured like in the past.

No Bluegrass & BBQ No Festival of Nations

Topper track is the same size as regular wood track like Thunderhead. They remove the top two layers (2" lumber) and replace it with the steel tube. Underneath it's the same six layers of 2" lumber as traditional wood track. It was designed as a refit. Remove the top layer and install the topper. The whole point of topper is to mimic the dimensions of traditional track. RMC has even done partial refits. So a few sections of topper and the rest traditional wood track. Cyclone at SFNE was one. Went several years like that before getting I-box. And I've seen no coaster with topper track called a hybrid until you called LR that. RCDB lists all the rides with topper track as wood, whether built that way or refitted. And while you claim many always thought it was hybrid, I don't remember any such statements back when LR was being built. I-box is all steel. All layers of wood are replace by the steel. Still, it's designed to mimic wood track for refitting. Such a good idea GCI is copying it. 75% of the track is wood. A 12" stack of wood with a 4" high steel rectangle bolted in top.

The first of it's kind launch wasn't the problem. The fastest wooden coaster and the extreme elements are. Yet there's a steel plate on top of the wood. The whole length of Thunderhead. LR was never called hybrid until you chimed in after the rumors of it getting some I-box track. Now magically all the wooden coasters with topper track are reclassified as hybrid?

I'm sure DW had a lot of input, pushing the limits for a record setter. I'm sure all involved thought it'd be OK. On the edge sure, but OK and the computer simulations agreed. They were wrong. Something wasn't modeled directly, some variable was off, etc. I'm a test engineer and can't tell you how many times I saw a product work in simulation but not real life. Or the dozens of adjustable parts are included to allow some adjustments without having to remake lots of parts. We can make better assessments by looking at what changes once done. But my guess is a few elements could be toned down and it be fine. But new track was deemed the best route.

The recent downtime (most of 2020) appears to be related to the track. And we know they did some work last year too.

As I said, I don't find any universally accepted definition. I'll note all the people claiming RMC's Topper makes it not wooden. And I found old comments about the prefabs saying the composite construction didn't count as "wood." It's minutiae though. Unless LR is drastically changed (layout not just track), it'll always be a woodie to me.

To me it depends on how much I-Box track they end up using. At the same time, all I-Box could still be a wooden coaster. Just depends on how you define things and I don't think there's a universally accepted one. The point of I-Box is to mimic the normal wooden track (much like RMC's topper is). The design tends to follow the same rules as wooden track vs tubular steel. It gets iffy when you get to inversions, and more due to the support methods/structures than the inversion. Could the be done with wood? If not then clearly not a wooden coaster. But if you could build wooden track in it's place I'd not have an issue thinking of it as a woodie. That where the RMC'd cyclones move into hybrid territory. The inversion as they are couldn't use wood track. Meanwhile New Texas Giant is still, a woodie at heart. And LR could have a traditional wooden track. Maintenance would just be a nightmare as the wood can't take the forces. I missed when the pre-fabs were a topic, but I'll bet there was the same arguments about the use of plywood and adhesives instead of 2" pine boards and nails. (Plus the metal used to join sections)

The video just linked confirmed my thought. And full retrack, not just replacing sections with I-Box. That's a large expense. And his word choice seems to confirm that the issue was track strength in the more "dynamic" sections. Maybe we've found the limit of wooden track? Regarding MM's restraints, at 5'9" they've never bothered me. Not that I'd miss them, just never a problem that they are there.

Then I have a good idea which I'll confirm later. And if I'm correct, it's interesting he mentioned launch reliability as previously he was quite adamant that the launch was fine. Was this event under an NDA? If not I think public comments like that would be attributable.