Kennywood (KW) Discussion Thread

[EastCoastn07]

Thanks DE!

And @ East: It's in the press release at Kennywood.com

 

After the high-speed launch, riders will experience

a vertical ascent to 95ft before a brief cliffhanger pause at the top and a 90-degree drop into a

maximum G-force pullout.

 

But like I said, that doesn't mean its going to be a complete stop for a few seconds like on the dive machines. A brief pause could mean many things, and I don't think this is going to be anything like the dive machines.

[DenDen]

After the high-speed launch, riders will experience

a vertical ascent to 95ft before a brief cliffhanger pause at the top and a 90-degree drop into a

maximum G-force pullout.

 

But like I said, that doesn't mean its going to be a complete stop for a few seconds like on the dive machines. A brief pause could mean many things, and I don't think this is going to be anything like the dive machines.

 

I disagree. The word "pause" doesn't mean "slow to a crawl", it means "temperarily stop". Though, I do see your point, and sometimes rides will say one thing and do another, but the technology is there to do exactly what it says, I have no reason to doubt it. I do think however, it will be really quick. Not a few secons like the dive machines, (Which we do agree on) but more like the stop on impulse coasters, very quick to startle you. Pretty much the same technology used here.

[EastCoastn07]

Well, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but track for for the first hill arrived in today and the only thing on on the track at the crest is sensor mounts like seen in the picture below. The next piece after that is the vertical drop, so like I said, this thing isn't going to have any sort of brake like many people thought.

 

http://kiextreme.com/gallery/albums/ijstgoldpass-29april2005/29april19.jpg

 

Also, they've had piece 29 in for awhile and its the piece directly following the MCBR and it also doesn't have any kind of bracket for brakes (or sensor mounts like the first hill). I've linked a picture of me next to this piece to show you what I mean.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4425142157_41b5ea2d40.jpg

 

So as I said, I think Kennywood was exaggerating by saying this was going to stop the train on either of these drops. If anything, the train will crawl over the top of the first hill giving the sensation of hanging over the cliff, but it's not actually going to stop the train in any way. Which in my opinion is good news, I really think a brake would ruin the pace of the coaster.

[DenDen]

Also, they've had piece 29 in for awhile and its the piece directly following the MCBR and it also doesn't have any kind of bracket for brakes (or sensor mounts like the first hill). I've linked a picture of me next to this piece to show you what I mean.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4425142157_41b5ea2d40.jpg

 

So as I said, I think Kennywood was exaggerating by saying this was going to stop the train on either of these drops. If anything, the train will crawl over the top of the first hill giving the sensation of hanging over the cliff, but it's not actually going to stop the train in any way. Which in my opinion is good news, I really think a brake would ruin the pace of the coaster.

We really won't know till it's done. No bubbles bursted yet. Either way, it's gonna be a fun ride. I've said before, I know KW's history or exageration, but until we see it assembled, I'm still "with CoCo". LOL. I do agree that the 2nd cliff hanger would ruin the pace, but not the 1st one.

[KPfreak519]

Well, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but track for for the first hill arrived in today and the only thing on on the track at the crest is sensor mounts like seen in the picture below. The next piece after that is the vertical drop, so like I said, this thing isn't going to have any sort of brake like many people thought.

 

http://kiextreme.com/gallery/albums/ijstgoldpass-29april2005/29april19.jpg

 

Also, they've had piece 29 in for awhile and its the piece directly following the MCBR and it also doesn't have any kind of bracket for brakes (or sensor mounts like the first hill). I've linked a picture of me next to this piece to show you what I mean.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4425142157_41b5ea2d40.jpg

 

So as I said, I think Kennywood was exaggerating by saying this was going to stop the train on either of these drops. If anything, the train will crawl over the top of the first hill giving the sensation of hanging over the cliff, but it's not actually going to stop the train in any way. Which in my opinion is good news, I really think a brake would ruin the pace of the coaster.

 

That's not bad news at all to me, I was gonna be pissed if it had a "cliffhanger-reverse-chain-pause" brake thing, that works on B&M Dive Machines but I think it would be pretty lame on this, not just because of the lack of height but also I think it would be really stupid to launch only to come to a complete stop at the top of the hill...

[EastCoastn07]

Also, they've had piece 29 in for awhile and its the piece directly following the MCBR and it also doesn't have any kind of bracket for brakes (or sensor mounts like the first hill). I've linked a picture of me next to this piece to show you what I mean.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4425142157_41b5ea2d40.jpg

 

So as I said, I think Kennywood was exaggerating by saying this was going to stop the train on either of these drops. If anything, the train will crawl over the top of the first hill giving the sensation of hanging over the cliff, but it's not actually going to stop the train in any way. Which in my opinion is good news, I really think a brake would ruin the pace of the coaster.

We really won't know till it's done. No bubbles bursted yet. Either way, it's gonna be a fun ride. I've said before, I know KW's history or exageration, but until we see it assembled, I'm still "with CoCo". LOL. I do agree that the 2nd cliff hanger would ruin the pace, but not the 1st one.

 

Well, you won't have to worry about the 2nd one having anything at all because there's no brackets at all to hold brakes so I'm going to say there's a 99.9% chance it's not going to have them. Secondly, unless they are planning on having the "cliffhanger element" on the vertical drop, the first hill too won't have a brake. To put it simply, there's 5 pieces that make up the first hill. The first piece (S9) is the ascent upwards, (S10) is the vertical pieces, and (S11) is the crest. (S12) is just like (S10) and is the vertical drop and (S13) is the bottom of the drop. The piece that I have seen pictures of is the crest of the hill (S11) and the only thing it has anywhere on the track is mounting brackets for the sensors. So unless this brake is gonna stop the train on the vertical drop (which would be very lame) I just don't see either drop having a brake. It's pretty much confirmed that the 2nd drop doesn't have anything, but I'm going to say I'm about 80% sure the first hill doesn't either. But I'm not ruling anything out on the first hill because like I said, the brake could be on the the first portion of piece (S12) which isn't in yet.

[DenDen]

http://www.kpconnection.com/cu406.shtml

 

New update is up at KPconnection, the latest shipment of track supports a cliff-hanger theory.

 

[kennywood_racer]

From what I'm told, the break will be magnetic. I can't wait for this thing to open.

[PennStater]

Me neither! I'm definitely pumped for it, and will probably be there the first day it opens regardless if I have to take off work, cancel appointments, etc.

[kennywood_racer]

Me neither! I'm definitely pumped for it, and will probably be there the first day it opens regardless if I have to take off work, cancel appointments, etc.

 

I've been saving up a sick day just for the day Skyrocket opens too.

[phantomfan93]

Anyone know opening day, because I got to plan my sick day from school.

[PennStater]

Anyone know opening day, because I got to plan my sick day from school.

 

May 8th!

[kidcoaster 2]

Anyone know opening day, because I got to plan my sick day from school.

 

May 8th!

 

You mean for the park right?

[phantomfan93]

Sorry I meant both the Coaster and the Park.

[kidcoaster 2]

Yeah the park does open May 8th but for the coaster as another park says

 

"It will be done when its done"

 

But the rate they are going I can see a late may or early june opening.

[PennStater]

Sorry I meant both the Coaster and the Park.

 

Ahh, sorry about that. Yeah no certain date is set yet for the coaster opening. I was wondering the same... I'll be there one way or another. Work can wait!

[phantomfan93]

^Its fine, because its my fault for not wording that right.

[EastCoastn07]

No new track has gone up since the Friday before Easter weekend...my sources say that the crane is now off site as well. Things aren't looking good and a Memorial Day weekend opening is getting farther and farther out of reach. They have however began work on the station and the transfer track rails are now installed.

 

As for the "cliffhanger" element, my sources also say that Sky Rocket's brake on the first hill is merely a trim and is not going to completely stop the train and hold you like the B&M dive machines...sorry to those guys who wanted it to be that way but supposedly it's not going to be. I however think this was a very good decision as a complete stop would completely ruin the pacing of this coaster.

[KPfreak519]

As long as Sky Rocket doesn't open on opening day Im fine with it. Normally I wouldn't say that but this is going to be the first opening day I can't go to because my AP Bio test is scheduled that morning...and I want to be there for the grand opening of Sky Rocket so Id be a little mad if they opened it while I was taking that test

[phantomfan93]

My parents are letting me miss school if Sky Rocket opens on a weekday during school.

[EastCoastn07]

As long as Sky Rocket doesn't open on opening day Im fine with it. Normally I wouldn't say that but this is going to be the first opening day I can't go to because my AP Bio test is scheduled that morning...and I want to be there for the grand opening of Sky Rocket so Id be a little mad if they opened it while I was taking that test

 

I'd be very surprised if this thing opens by Memorial Day...construction on the actual coaster seems to be at a stand still and they haven't put anything new up since before Easter weekend. You have to think it took them about a week to finish what they have now, and that is a pretty small portion of this coaster. They have yet to even start supports on the tallest parts of the coaster so they still have a long way to go with this coaster. I really don't think you have to worry about this thing opening by opening day, because like I said I'd be very surprised if it even opened by the end of May.

[OrangeMango]

The crane being gone isn't necessarily indicative of anything. I walked past a construction site every day last year that would change cranes frequently. Sometimes there was no crane for a day. Other times, they would have the new crane in place without me every seeing them change.

 

As for new steel not going up, that could be because the footers weren't fully cured yet. It's possible that the crew simply got a week ahead of schedule and had to sit back and wait for the concrete to dry. After all, the first day, they only put up 4 supports. They put up, what, like 3x that amount on just the next day alone? Or maybe they got to work erecting steel knowing that it was likely they were going to have to pause and wait for the concrete.

 

It takes about a month for the footers to dry, and I think that once the last footer drys, we still have to assume another two weeks at least. That is, two weeks if everything works exactly as it is supposed to the very first time; which I doubt. But even if you say 3 weeks after the last footer drys, that still only takes us no later than Memorial Day. (Which assumes the last footer was poured today. As far as I know, they've been done for a couple days at least) Another thing: I don't think the park can afford to still be building this by the time daily operation rules around on May 20. Having an active construction zone right at the entrance of the park would most likely be a disaster. If all that is left is wiring, testing and stuff like that, it's not such a big deal. But still building it could cause major problems.

 

Long story short: If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet on when this coaster will open.

[EastCoastn07]

The crane being gone isn't necessarily indicative of anything. I walked past a construction site every day last year that would change cranes frequently. Sometimes there was no crane for a day. Other times, they would have the new crane in place without me every seeing them change.

 

As for new steel not going up, that could be because the footers weren't fully cured yet. It's possible that the crew simply got a week ahead of schedule and had to sit back and wait for the concrete to dry. After all, the first day, they only put up 4 supports. They put up, what, like 3x that amount on just the next day alone? Or maybe they got to work erecting steel knowing that it was likely they were going to have to pause and wait for the concrete.

 

It takes about a month for the footers to dry, and I think that once the last footer drys, we still have to assume another two weeks at least. That is, two weeks if everything works exactly as it is supposed to the very first time; which I doubt. But even if you say 3 weeks after the last footer drys, that still only takes us no later than Memorial Day. (Which assumes the last footer was poured today. As far as I know, they've been done for a couple days at least) Another thing: I don't think the park can afford to still be building this by the time daily operation rules around on May 20. Having an active construction zone right at the entrance of the park would most likely be a disaster. If all that is left is wiring, testing and stuff like that, it's not such a big deal. But still building it could cause major problems.

 

Long story short: If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet on when this coaster will open.

 

That crane has been on site since the first week before supports started going up...the fact that its no longer on site and no steel has went up in over a week is hardly a good sign. I don't think this has anything to do with the footers either because there is a piece of track sitting on site that could have went up so I have a feeling this problem is bigger than we all think. While some of the footers in other areas probably aren't fully cured, the footers in the area of the surf curves were all poured at the same time so there should be no reason why they couldn't continue on. But like I said, this isn't a good sign considering they really wanted to get this thing open as soon as possible.

 

You're being very optimistic with your expected opening. Two weeks to finish the rest of the track? I doubt that. Considering it took almost two weeks to put up everything they have up now, two weeks to finish more than half the coaster (including the the four tallest elements) is really really optimistic. Then you have to factor in the amount of time it will take to get the station, queue and everything else built, not to mention all the electric work and what have you. You also have to keep in mind there is so many hours of testing they will have to do once the coaster is finished, which sometimes can take almost two weeks. So in all honesty, I want this thing to open as much as anyone, but if this stand still continues into next week and beyond, a May opening just isn't looking very good.

[OrangeMango]

I still don't think the crane disappearing is a bad thing. They could have simply taken it to another site for the weekend. Now if there is no crane by Tuesday or Wednesday, then I would say something isn't right.

 

I made that assumption based on the idea that they could put up track at roughly the same rate they poured footers (and so roughly the same rate they dried). If they were able to hold to that, then they could have everything erected within days of the last footer curing. That could leave a week and a half for testing. But I do think that is overly optimistic. For a launch coaster, I don't think there is anyway they are ready to go after just a week and a half. The two weeks wasn't a prediction. I was saying that I think it will take at least that long, and probably longer, to get the ride running. That also assumes they are able to get much of the station and launch work done building the rest of the coaster. If I recall, weren't the footers for the launch poured pretty early? And they have started station work, I think.

[EastCoastn07]

Work has continued on Sky Rocket's station area and the track for the station/transfer track as well as part of the turn after it are now installed. Kennywood Connection has put up a new update, while you're there, take note of the interesting use of the station track as the transfer track as well. Looks like they took a page out of Mr. Freeze's book.

 

See the full update at: http://www.kpconnection.com/cu414.shtml