The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[DJeXeL]

^Enjoy your thorough manhandling.

[singemfrc]

There's a reason you're signing a medical waiver before this task.

[CoasterGuy06]

^Yep. Because it's America and you have to sign one before you do almost anything these days.

[Propeller Factory]

Thanks, I wasn't paying attention to the actual length of the marathon, and that they'd be mandated to actually stop the ride to do their usual inspection(s).

 

That's a bit of a haul from the front to the back of the park -- and I'm guessing people basically sitting for hours on end will probably have leg cramps, right? I'm assuming they'll have golf carts or something? Or maybe now I'm over thinking it!

 

I laughed so hard at the golf carts lol. I'm imagining a bunch of golf carts speeding along a dark amusement park path at 3 in the morning filled with people who are groaning and yelling holding their legs lol.

[JeromyL]

My heart goes out to all those poor souls that will be riding Colossus for this event. Hopefully they have paramedics on standby. Good news is that a few chiropractors in the area should gain a bit of business.

 

Make it interesting. Everyone do 6 shots of Jaegermeister before they start

[wiyoh1984]

Hey guys! I will be in Southern California from August 15-24. One (or two) of the days I am in town I am thinking about visiting MM. Can anyone provide me with any insight in relation to the crowds during this time of year?

[Guy T. Koepp]

Schools should be back in session, so try to go mid week. If you can't then get a flash pass. Use your Discover card to get in early and head straight to YOLO.

[wiyoh1984]

^ Thanks for the info!

[singemfrc]

^Yep. Because it's America and you have to sign one before you do almost anything these days.

I meant because 33 hours of Colossus + 3 hours of Apocalypse is likely to put you in the hospital.

[DJeXeL]

YOLO!

 

[SFMMGeek27]

Prepare yourselves for a park update tonight or tomorrow from Monday and today!

 

I'll be at the park all afternoon today.

[Rosarito19]

Well, its been a while since I've even posted on this website, let alone this forum (I had a different account once that I cannot locate). I just thought I'd let everyone know that I applied and was subsequently selected to ride in the marathon. I will bring my camera and do my best to make a TR despite it being my first attempt. If I somehow survive this endeavor, I certainly wont be the same. I'll do my best to keep you guys updated with my story.

[GigaG]

^Good luck. You'll need it. Although there are worse coasters to marathon than Colossus.

 

So does anybody think SFMM would ever restore or remodel Revolution? I'd hate to see such a classic be torn down for the next YOLO-machine. Seriously, the ride is trimmed to death and has shoulder bars that some people find uncomfortable (and, in any case, do not belong on a Schwarzkopf.) Imagine the ride without trim brakes. I'd like to see these modifications-

 

-Restraints - Lap bars only, maybe seatbelts or newer, tighter bars if California insists. If there are new trains, I'd like to see the unusual shape of the trains that they have now stay.

-Reprofiling would be like this-italicized parts have small modifications, bolded parts have large modifications

 

Start - Keep this. I love the huge second drop right into the woods.

-Second hill - I'd love to see a speed hill here. Lower it and give it some floater airtime right into the helix

-Pre-loop trims - Reduce or remove. Did the ride even have these when it opened? They actually stop the train now, or they come very close to it. Keep the brakes as a possible block brake, but make them not work as trims.-

-Loop drop and loop - Keep this drop as is along with the loop, it is a signature feature of the ride.

-Turn after the loop - Modify this to have more of a hill-top to lead into the next feature

-Drop after loop - I'd like to see this drop start quickly for some airtime. The lack of trimming before the loop would make this easier to accomplish. Carve this into the terrain a little for a surprise steep plunge.

-Tunnel - Remove the trims. dang it! The straight section after the trims is boring, but it is another signature feature as it threads the loop and it should be kept, considering you can't do much with it. Again, did the ride open with trims? And also again, keep the brakes, but don't have them work as trims.

-Hill before helix - As long as it doesn't crawl like it does now, and has a pop of airtime, I'd like this. The entry to the helix could be reprofiled a bit to make it more comfortable at high speed.

-Helix - Keep this

-Brakes - Make them magnetic (not necessary, but might make the ride a little less maintenance-heavy) and make sure you can accomodate 3 trains (in fact, didn't the ride used to be able to run more trains, possibly because the modern-day trims could act as block brakes? Also, did the ride use separate platforms a la Millenium Force at one point?)

 

-Paint - Keep it white. The ride has always been that way. Repaint it if you must, but keep it white or mostly white.

 

Control System - Maybe modernize, but still allow operation of at least 3 trains.

 

-Trees - DO NOT give this ride the Ninja treatment. The bare hill is one thing that I DO NOT want restored.

 

By the way, I did see one of Revolution's trains in the transfer track this June when I went. It had some OTSRs removed, but I assume this is for maintenance (maintenance of a part that shouldn't be there.)

 

Question for people that know more than me-

Revolution's unique "chain drive" system used to be one long chain, if I read some article correctly. As one train dispatched, the same chain would pull a train in like the "rolling block" systems used on modern B&Ms with drive tires. As far as I know, it was changed after an employee crossing the tracks was killed by a train pulling in as one left. Am I right?

[Tmcdllr]

I think the station chain has always been that way and that accident was not that long ago, 1996.

 

From rideaccidents.com...

 

Thursday, May 30, 1996 - At Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California, a 25-year-old male employee was struck by a 6-ton train on the park's Revolution roller coaster as he was crossing the track in the station. Patrons standing in line waiting to board the ride witnessed the death. The park was cited for having an inadequate safety plan for track crossings, for failing to document improper track crossings, and for failing to document any disciplinary actions taken against workers for improper crossings. The state of California fined the park $8,745.

 

Interesting video from 1978...

 

I remember riding it before the trims, so yes, it did run that way.

 

I would love to see this ride get restored to run the way it's supposed to.

 

The interesting part of the video is you can tell it runs much faster on the final turn as if there were no trims before the loop.

[tarheel1231]

YOLO!

 

ROFL!

[XYZ]

^Good luck. You'll need it. Although there are worse coasters to marathon than Colossus.

 

So does anybody think SFMM would ever restore or remodel Revolution? I'd hate to see such a classic be torn down for the next YOLO-machine. Seriously, the ride is trimmed to death and has shoulder bars that some people find uncomfortable (and, in any case, do not belong on a Schwarzkopf.) Imagine the ride without trim brakes. I'd like to see these modifications-

 

-Restraints - Lap bars only, maybe seatbelts or newer, tighter bars if California insists. If there are new trains, I'd like to see the unusual shape of the trains that they have now stay.

-Reprofiling would be like this-italicized parts have small modifications, bolded parts have large modifications

 

Start - Keep this. I love the huge second drop right into the woods.

-Second hill - I'd love to see a speed hill here. Lower it and give it some floater airtime right into the helix

-Pre-loop trims - Reduce or remove. Did the ride even have these when it opened? They actually stop the train now, or they come very close to it. Keep the brakes as a possible block brake, but make them not work as trims.-

-Loop drop and loop - Keep this drop as is along with the loop, it is a signature feature of the ride.

-Turn after the loop - Modify this to have more of a hill-top to lead into the next feature

-Drop after loop - I'd like to see this drop start quickly for some airtime. The lack of trimming before the loop would make this easier to accomplish. Carve this into the terrain a little for a surprise steep plunge.

-Tunnel - Remove the trims. dang it! The straight section after the trims is boring, but it is another signature feature as it threads the loop and it should be kept, considering you can't do much with it. Again, did the ride open with trims? And also again, keep the brakes, but don't have them work as trims.

-Hill before helix - As long as it doesn't crawl like it does now, and has a pop of airtime, I'd like this. The entry to the helix could be reprofiled a bit to make it more comfortable at high speed.

-Helix - Keep this

-Brakes - Make them magnetic (not necessary, but might make the ride a little less maintenance-heavy) and make sure you can accomodate 3 trains (in fact, didn't the ride used to be able to run more trains, possibly because the modern-day trims could act as block brakes? Also, did the ride use separate platforms a la Millenium Force at one point?)

 

-Paint - Keep it white. The ride has always been that way. Repaint it if you must, but keep it white or mostly white.

 

Control System - Maybe modernize, but still allow operation of at least 3 trains.

 

-Trees - DO NOT give this ride the Ninja treatment. The bare hill is one thing that I DO NOT want restored.

 

By the way, I did see one of Revolution's trains in the transfer track this June when I went. It had some OTSRs removed, but I assume this is for maintenance (maintenance of a part that shouldn't be there.)

 

Question for people that know more than me-

Revolution's unique "chain drive" system used to be one long chain, if I read some article correctly. As one train dispatched, the same chain would pull a train in like the "rolling block" systems used on modern B&Ms with drive tires. As far as I know, it was changed after an employee crossing the tracks was killed by a train pulling in as one left. Am I right?

 

Honestly, all Revolution needs is new trains and less trims to be a great ride.

[njcoasterguy34]

This may have been asked before, but I haven't read every page of this thread. What the heck is "YOLOCoaster"? I did not find any such coaster when I searched RCDB or when I went to SFMM's web-site.

[XYZ]

This may have been asked before, but I haven't read every page of this thread. What the heck is "YOLOCoaster"? I did not find any such coaster when I searched RCDB or when I went to SFMM's web-site.

 

It's this ride:

 

http://rcdb.com/10948.htm

 

It was inspired by the beginning of SFMM's announcement:

 

[GigaG]

I know Revolution's focus was the loop, but as much as I enjoy Anton's coasters, and as much as I love the second drop on Revolution (plunging into the wilderness), I never got why Revolution was designed to go over its hills so slowly. I guess it was to provide an intimidating view of the rest of the layout, but I really think that the ride needs airtime. I just never got the third hill. I'd like to see a speed hill there, but I guess that would be too much to ask for. Or not - maybe a few changes in the ride's layout and pacing could convince the GP that it is a good ride and give a Revolution makeover a degree of marketability.

[Woodie Warrior]

With all the discussion about restoring revolution, I guess it's time to bring out this gem again:

Edited August 1, 2014 by Woodie Warrior

[GigaG]

With all the discussion about restoring revolution, I guess it's time to bring out this gem again:[youtu_be]watch?v=3H3v5lPNEhc[/youtu_be]

 

I was going to post that, but I decided not to finish off on such a happy note after just mentioning a deadly accident on the ride.

[sxexaxn]

Anybody know if this marathon will effect the ability to ride Colossus for people visiting the park Aug 5? I'm visiting the park with my brother who lives out of state and we are going to say goodbye to Colossus. If this marathon is going on, will it be closed to the public? Because if so, this puts a HUGE damper on our plan to ride Colossus one last time.

[singemfrc]

Anybody know if this marathon will effect the ability to ride Colossus for people visiting the park Aug 5? I'm visiting the park with my brother who lives out of state and we are going to say goodbye to Colossus. If this marathon is going on, will it be closed to the public? Because if so, this puts a HUGE damper on our plan to ride Colossus one last time.

It will probably be closed, it would have to be unless they were running one public train and one marathon train, and I don't think theyd do that, especially since the marathon riders are going to have guests and supplies in the station.

[SFMMGeek27]

Anybody know if this marathon will effect the ability to ride Colossus for people visiting the park Aug 5? I'm visiting the park with my brother who lives out of state and we are going to say goodbye to Colossus. If this marathon is going on, will it be closed to the public? Because if so, this puts a HUGE damper on our plan to ride Colossus one last time.

It will probably be closed, it would have to be unless they were running one public train and one marathon train, and I don't think theyd do that, especially since the marathon riders are going to have guests and supplies in the station.

 

The ride SHOULD remain open with two guest trains running during the marathon. There are only enough riders for one marathon train, and the support people will be in the waiting area next to the ride, so that's where the supplies should be as well.

 

As I will show in my update later today, it looks like a THIRD train will be available in the next couple of days to run on Colossus. It had been sitting in pieces for a year with a completely missing front car, but it is now back on the transfer fully assembled and it looks ready to go. It would be awesome for Colossus to run 3 trains for it's last few weeks, really increasing capacity, because the crews have been on top of it, with having one train near the top of the lift hill before the other train has even entered the station.

 

I'll find out if they will run three or not soon.

[singemfrc]

^ Wow, assembling a third train to increase productivity before the ride shuts down is just...so not SFMM!