Really fun SLC

[Axman]

About a year-and-a-half ago, I ended up at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, with my parents and sister and her boyfriend, for one reason or an other. I rode T2 a few years prior, but when we got to it, I was all "What the hell, let's ride it!"

 

Now, after already having ridden it, I was almost positive that this was a BAD IDEA. This ride was the epitome of painful Vekomas, as it was the first SLC in America. The line was long because they were running 1 train, so as we continued, I wasn't sure if waiting any longer would be worth it. Naturally, seeing as this is Six Flags, they were running 2 trains on Chang, because it would be stupid to run multiple trains on the low capacity coasters. Anyway, we finally made it into the station, where things really slowed down. I began to notice that you could actually SEE the trains shaking and rattling side to side and back and fourth during the inversions, and I though to myself, "This is @$%#ing stupid. What am I doing." Once our train was next, we decided that it was too late to turn back, so we awaited or destined fait. We the air gates opened, and we sat in our seats. At this point, I realized that these weren't the trains I rode in two years ago. They weren't worn and torn much, and none of the paint had chipped or faded yet. The harnessed looked the same, but in sides od the OTSR has new pads, which felt as soft as memory foam. That when it hit me. "I knew I wanted to ride this monster for a reason!!!!" I hadn't heard of a train recall or anything like that, so I knew i was lucky.

 

The ride itself was incredibly bumpy and shaky, but not rough. I couldn't believe it. These new "restraint pillows", as I call them now, absorbed all of the painful head-banging! The old restrains felt like they had thick, rubber, inflated pads, which actually bounced your head back and fourth during the ride. These new ones just sank in whenever I smacked into them. Amazing.

 

As a result, I came off the ride feeling like I just waited in an hour for a great inverted coaster, even though I knew it was just T2. Am I the only one who's had this experience?!?!

[Crazy4Coasters!]

^ I guess you really like comma marks...

[thrillrideseeker]

^ I guess you really like comma marks...

 

I agree with you! That is like the only 19 periods and there were 27 commas LMAO! WOW! Am I the only one who thought this was a really pointless thread?

~Matthew

[Axman]

I just wanted to bring this up. Everyone says that all SLCs are painfull. This one isn't. I MUST TELL THE WORLD!!!!!!

 

 

I make run-on sentinces. Sue me.

[christianscoasters]

Instead of padding the restraints, they need to put on new, tighter wheels. If you notice on coasters, it's the wheels that cause bumps. They aren't riding on the track. They're just a couple of inches off.

[Crazy4Coasters!]

^^No one's going to sue you but PLEASE READ THIS!

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21962

[Crazy4Coasters!]

I also have a feeling this is going to get locked up pretty soon!

[Wes]

Why would it get locked? It's a well written post that has some interesting information and opinions that is certainly up for discussion.

 

All you backseat mods should probably quiet you.

[Crazy4Coasters!]

^ Well written post? If this is a well written post then SLC are the smoothest coasters on earth

 

By the way no offense to you Axman. I just honestly really had a hard time reading and understand your post... and actually still do! LOL

[USRoadTripper]

I agree with Wes. Grammatically, I see very little wrong with the post. He's got great use of compound sentences! Maybe he goes to the same high school I went to

 

And to keep it on topic, I guess I will give T2 a courtesy ride this year, and will hopefully have the same reaction as the OP.

 

-Julie (MLK represent!)

[Medusa1861]

This is nothing off to me, I've never been on a rough Vekoma.. and yes.. i have ridden Vekomas before.. 2 boomerangs, 2 SLCs, 1 invertigo, and one kiddy. None of them were rough, I don't think the trains really did it, Ithink you just came around to abandoning the stereotype that Vekomas are rough.

[Crazy4Coasters!]

I agree with Wes. Grammatically, I see very little wrong with the post. He's got great use of compound sentences!

 

I didn't say it wasn't "grammatically" incorrect, I just don't agree it's a "well" written post. And if you guys are trying to defend Axman you guys don't have to because I wasn't trying to attack him or offending him in anyway...

 

Remember guys I come with Peace And Love!!! LOL

[mudvayneimn]

I agree with Wes. Grammatically, I see very little wrong with the post. He's got great use of compound sentences! Maybe he goes to the same high school I went to

 

And to keep it on topic, I guess I will give T2 a courtesy ride this year, and will hopefully have the same reaction as the OP.

 

-Julie (MLK represent!)

 

Make sure you make it the last ride of your day!

[the sound]

Whilst it shouldn't' be locked, it did have way to many commas, not that it should matter. AT least it was punctuated!!!

 

I thought that i had ridden a smooth SLC (Lethal Weapon, Blue train i believe..) but when i rode it again, i was wrong. Screwy piece of Junk.

[peter_rowland1]

Kumali in Flamingoland is very smooth, mind you I have never personally found vekoma SLC's to be that rough, maybe its the way I'm built. The old corkscrew and whirlwind models are painful though and need to be turned into razor blades as soon as is humanly possible.

[KrakenKing]

I've only been on one SLC, Hangman at Wild Adventures. The ride was actually very smooth and enjoyable, I loved the legchoppers. I'll find out about T2 later this year.

[hemmy]

Instead of padding the restraints, they need to put on new, tighter wheels. If you notice on coasters, it's the wheels that cause bumps. They aren't riding on the track. They're just a couple of inches off.

 

I am sure that is not the reason. Despite their lack of great rides they are smart guys and if it was something that simple, they would have done it.

[verticalzero]

I'm not a great fan of "Hang n Bang" SLC, but if "Infusion" at Blackpool is smooth, my view could change but i'm not counting on it.

 

"Wild Mouse" at Blackpool is smoother than an SLC.

[CGM]

Instead of padding the restraints, they need to put on new, tighter wheels. If you notice on coasters, it's the wheels that cause bumps. They aren't riding on the track. They're just a couple of inches off.

 

I'm tired of hearing this. It's not as simple as snugging the wheels up to the rails, that gap's there for a reason. If the Wheels were touching the track all the time, the coaster wouldn't be able to go in any direction but straight and it wouldn't allow for expansion at all. Most coasters have a gap there, it's just not always as obvious as on the SLCs although some manufacterers have managed to get the gap down by spring-loading the wheels

[Scaparri]

For me, there's a lot more wrong with T2 than just headbanging. The constant shuffling that jackhammers your back and makes you unable to have kids because of the leg divider does me in. It's nice to hear that the restraints are better for your head, but I still say take the thing down. Plus, I'll give the pads two months before they are ripped to shreds by guests.

[Darien Laker]

I've never been on T2, but i've been on three other SLCs.

 

I found them all to be rough, but not unbearable.

 

SFA's seemed to be the shakiest, but probably because the rest of the park's coaster line-up is totally solid, making it seem worse by comparison.

 

Mind Eraser is the roughest steel coaster at Darien Lake, but it's not too far off from most of the other coasters in the park (Boomerang,

Arrow Looper, Summers/Dinn woodie....yeah). About the same could be said for Top Gun at Canada's Wonderland.

[ParkTrips]

I found T2 to be one of the smoothest SLCs, smoother even than that B&M it neighbors...

[Wes]

I've always heard the reputation of T2 being one of the worst SLC's. I was looking forward to it on the midwest trip...but if it's actually not terrible, then I'm gonna be so disappointed. It's up to SOB to bring the pain.

[Airtime&Gravity]

I actually loved T2 when I rode it last year. It really makes me wonder why Vekoma gets so much crap, because all of the Vekomas I've ridden are great. T2 was incredibly fun, and while not as intense or smooth as Batman, it was just a fun ride. I'd even take T2 over S:UF too.

[Fallen Heretic]

I hope Infusion is not all that rough. Hopefully Pleasure Beach will look after it and keep it at least bearable if not glass smooth.

 

About the wheel thing, its rarely the gap between the wheels that causes roughness. The shaking is more likely a worn wheel or worn track, and the violent jerks entering or leaving elements is mostly down to track design. Its general opinion that the three wheeled design (one safety and two road wheels) does allow a little too much shuffling and shaking. Its not expected for inverts to run on the safety wheels much when they are designed but the SLCs sometimes take the inversions so slow they 'fall' onto the safety wheels. If you look you will notice that they have switched to a four wheel design for the new trains, which is much more stable. You might also notice that many of the arrow rides accused of being rough use a three wheeled system as well but it affects regular sitdowns much less as they don't have the extra distance between rider and wheels.

 

This only applies to trailered designs, as other train types have two wheel sets per car so only need one road wheel and one safety wheel per set for stability.

 

Oh, sorry, did I bore anyone? lol.