coastrfreak2000 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Seven Carowinds employees were taken to the hospital with minor injuries Saturday after something went wrong with a mechanism on the BORG Assimilator roller coaster, Carowinds spokesman Scott Anderson said Sunday. Anderson said the employees were taken to Carolinas Medical Center as a precaution, and all were treated and released Saturday night. Most had only minor bumps and bruises, he said. Today, workers are investigating what went wrong with the BORG Assimilator, the park's tallest coaster. The S.C. Department of Labor also will investigate. The theme park is scheduled to open next Saturday, and Anderson said the park will still open as planned, although the ride might not. Anderson said a group of 16 employees were on the ride Saturday at roughly 5:30 p.m. for the coaster's 51st test run this season when something in the mechanism that holds the seat in the proper position disengaged. That triggered a safety precaution built into the ride: the car the employees were riding in stopped at the base of the vertical loop. The ride hits a peak of 115 feet - or 11 stories - at its highest point, according to the Carowinds web site. When the car stopped, the employees were about 8 feet from the ground and climbed down a ladder to get off the ride, Anderson said. Each of the park's rides are tested hundreds of times before the park opens each year, and the BORG Assimilator had already passed a South Carolina state inspection this year, Anderson said. This is the first time in four seasons that the park has had a problem with the coaster, he said. If an investigation can't show what went wrong, the ride won't open along with the rest of the park next weekend. "We're not going to open it until it's safe, and we know what happened and whether it will happen again," he said. http://charlotte.com/115/story/55754.html Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 wow...BORG is taller than Top Gun?! TG - 113ft BORG - 115ft. Hmm...this is unusual.....another CF coaster falling apart! Hopefully this is a small problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuggles Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 HA! I knew it would happen someday!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryH Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 When I rod ethe Borg in April 2005, the coaster shook like a bag of beer cans. I thought it would fly apart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Good thing I rode it the opening season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Menefee Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Ahh Stealth, the gift that keeps giving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masked_Maverick Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 So this is what we have to look forward too from Firehawk in a few years? Woo-Hooo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I have taken YEARS of Son of Beast pain.....I can take anything! Bring it on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan King Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 We Love Vekoma, Oh Yes We Do! We Love Vekoma, As Much As You! Oh Vekoma We Love You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Why are you guys attacking Vekoma? The ride did what it should... Sure sometimes things happen and I can't seem to remember a ride manufacturer with a clean record. It just so happens that Vekoma has more rides than many companies out there so things will happen. Honestly people may also find that this is an issue exclusively with the prototype as it has a different mechanism for raising and lowering the seats... So don't be so quick to attack Firehawk. Seriously I'm not a huge Vekoma fan but they make rides that work and appeal to many people. Honestly if they weren't around some parks may not be around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan King Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Why are you guys attacking Vekoma? The ride did what it should... Sure sometimes things happen and I can't seem to remember a ride manufacturer with a clean record. It just so happens that Vekoma has more rides than many companies out there so things will happen. Honestly people may also find that this is an issue exclusively with the prototype as it has a different mechanism for raising and lowering the seats... So don't be so quick to attack Firehawk. Seriously I'm not a huge Vekoma fan but they make rides that work and appeal to many people. Honestly if they weren't around some parks may not be around... It was only a Joke, and so are a lot of other things in this thread. I agree, Vekoma makes really great rides. Im a fan of Vekomas, and dont mind riding them. And yes, the ride did alert that it was in need of repair. But Vekomas ARE known to be a little rougher then other rides, and tend to break down more then others. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Why are you guys attacking Vekoma? The ride did what it should... Sure sometimes things happen and I can't seem to remember a ride manufacturer with a clean record. It just so happens that Vekoma has more rides than many companies out there so things will happen. Honestly people may also find that this is an issue exclusively with the prototype as it has a different mechanism for raising and lowering the seats... So don't be so quick to attack Firehawk. Seriously I'm not a huge Vekoma fan but they make rides that work and appeal to many people. Honestly if they weren't around some parks may not be around... Three words for you.... 1. TOUNGE 2. IN 3. CHEEK --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haux Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Can anyone tell me how it stopped in the base of the loop? No pictures I've seen show brakes in the loop, so the only thing I can figure is the on-board PLCs engage some sort of brake on the wheels themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asimowalk Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 The way I see it, it's probably a redundant (heh, haven't use that word before) system on the train. Possibly mechanical that does it by itself without the need of a computer. That's like the only way it can stop there intentionally. How it works, I have no clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 The way I see it, it's probably a redundant (heh, haven't use that word before) system on the train. Possibly mechanical that does it by itself without the need of a computer. That's like the only way it can stop there intentionally. How it works, I have no clue. Now that would cause a rush of blood to the head, along with killer bruises on the shoulder. Ouuuchhhh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verticalzero Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 The riders were lucky it stopped near to 8ft above the ground, imagine if the OHR opened when it was going down the 1st drop or through an inversion. You would get plenty of if that happened, No-one can blame Vekoma for this mishap, all coasters will go wrong / malfunction in their life-times, it's a question of when and what happens. Everyone was safe and that is the main thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Seven employees? It's four per row, so either more than one row unfolded... or whatever mechanism stopped the train really slammed the breaks on. Although I doubt more than one row suffered the same problem at the same time. But oh god, what a ride position they'd have been in. Like riding an inverted coaster backwards and sat upside down =D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptorcrew2002 Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I have taken YEARS of Son of Beast pain.....I can take anything! Bring it on! Don’t know why that just made me laugh. And they thought the ride was rough before. As for how did it stop before the loop. “something in the mechanism that holds the seat in the proper position disengaged. That triggered a safety precaution built into the ride: the car the employees were riding in stopped at the base of the vertical loop.” I know on X-Flight they had a trim break on the valley before the loop, other then that I don’t see how the trains communicate position along the track to flag an error. ?? Other then your usually sensors, and block not clearing, unless they have something that transmits a wireless signal, etc. to the main computer, or console to E-stop it. But highly doubtful. I think what happed was the operator at controls, or platform saw the issue and E-stopped, not the ride safety system. God if that thing was e-stopped at the valley of the loop, and that one brake did stop it. “OUCH” Facing up, laying on your back head first, stop. Ouch! Something in the news report seems off. Interesting to see if anyone on here works at the park and reports what did actually take place. The news sounds way to dangerous verses the result. "hurray media" ************** New in 2008. Air bags on all Vekoma coasters, including by request side air bags!! Whoohoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I thought it sounded like the coaster train's on board computers detected what it thought was a seat row coming out of the flying position. Because of that error it brought the train to a stop with whatever braking system it has on the train. I believe that the flying cars are the heaviest out there (other than B&Ms insanely wide divers) and they must contain extra systems for stopping the train if a car ever comes out of flying position. My guess is that it could also be something to do with the way that the prototype flyer cars work compared with the production ones. Well in any case it is unfortunate that it happened but honestly it just makes me hope that the brakes are well enough tuned that they won't stop the ride in the top of the loop... yikes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coreyml Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 at least they weren't over water. I hope they fix it, im drivin there next wknd... if they dont, I wont be mad tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Hopefully it will be up and running after a few days of testing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 I wish the best for hurt Employees. Weren't the BORG supposed to hurt people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxman47 Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 www.wsoctv.com/news/11298370/detail.html seems that Carowinds knows what went wrong, although they have yet to officially release the cause to the public. It seems they have hope for Borg opening rather soon, so It doesn't seem like a major repair is necessary. I'm sure most of the time will be spent getting the ride certified by the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgwfreak Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 The repair is to fire the guy that pushed the button! I'm hearing rumblings that it will be running Saturday. As Simon Cowell says "whoopee". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacknite2oo7 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I hope it is open on opening day because i dont see why but it seems every one love it. Thats where everyone seems to be, and if it aint open dang that means like a 5 min wait on rides, but if it is open and people are to scared to ride it , yay mulit rides on borg for first time for me. last year i only got to ride it 6 times. but me and my buddys managed 62 rides on Thunder Road (both sides combined) in one day. yay for short/no lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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