Kennywood (KW) Discussion Thread

[PennStater]

I wonder if there's any chance they'd do temporary fencing / railings for the queue like they did when the Bayern Kurve opened last season. Probably less likely with a coaster, I suppose.

[cowboyjoe]

The carpenters at the park have been working on the queue for over a week now and all they have to show for it is that one staircase, and it doesn't even have to go up 11 feet in the air like the entrance and exit ramps do to get to the station.

Okay, it did not take all week for them to build those stairs.

So saying they will get this whole queue done in a week is a complete lie.

I said it CAN be done in a week, not WILL. I NEVER lied.* DO NOT CALL ME A LIAR! That being said, I would not be surprised if the queue is built over a span of two weeks. The queue does not need to be complete until the ride has completed testing.

Also, the entire ride IS NOT still surrounded by the original Turnpike fencing.

Oh, I'm sorry. Only 90% of the ride is surrounded by a fence. My bad.

You obviously are looking at a different construction site that I see with my very own eyes every single day at work.

You see it from the road on the way to work. I see it from inside the park. Hmmmm...

I guess I should trust you though because you must be the master of construction.

It's funny you should mention that, because that's almost the exact meaning of "architecture" in Greek which is the language the word is derived from. Coincidentally, I've been studying to become a certified architect in school.

 

It is okay to express your OPINION (keep in mind that's all it is), but there is no reason to be as RUDE as you are. You tend to be too quick to shoot others down.

 

Again, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Sky Rocket will most likely be ready for ERT at CoasterCon.

 

*This post is meant to express the individual views of the poster and is not supposed to be taken as fact by the reader.

[Houston Thrills]

You obviously are looking at a different construction site that I see with my very own eyes every single day at work.

You see it from the road on the way to work. I see it from inside the park. Hmmmm...

 

Yeah, I get the feeling he's looking at it from inside the park, as well.

 

It is okay to express your OPINION (keep in mind that's all it is), but there is no reason to be as RUDE as you are. You tend to be too quick to shoot others down.

 

Heh, that's just how he talks. He's always like that.

[EastCoastn07]

The carpenters at the park have been working on the queue for over a week now and all they have to show for it is that one staircase, and it doesn't even have to go up 11 feet in the air like the entrance and exit ramps do to get to the station.

Okay, it did not take all week for them to build those stairs.

So saying they will get this whole queue done in a week is a complete lie.

I said it CAN be done in a week, not WILL. I NEVER lied.* DO NOT CALL ME A LIAR! That being said, I would not be surprised if the queue is built over a span of two weeks. The queue does not need to be complete until the ride has completed testing.

Also, the entire ride IS NOT still surrounded by the original Turnpike fencing.

Oh, I'm sorry. Only 90% of the ride is surrounded by a fence. My bad.

You obviously are looking at a different construction site that I see with my very own eyes every single day at work.

You see it from the road on the way to work. I see it from inside the park. Hmmmm...

I guess I should trust you though because you must be the master of construction.

It's funny you should mention that, because that's almost the exact meaning of "architecture" in Greek which is the language the word is derived from. Coincidentally, I've been studying to become a certified architect in school.

 

It is okay to express your OPINION (keep in mind that's all it is), but there is no reason to be as RUDE as you are. You tend to be too quick to shoot others down.

 

Again, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Sky Rocket will most likely be ready for ERT at CoasterCon.

 

*This post is meant to express the individual views of the poster and is not supposed to be taken as fact by the reader.

 

First and foremost I would like to clarify that I didn't mean to be rude, but considering you were very snappy in your last post and shot everything I said down like you knew everything, I had to shoot you down instead. Secondly, it pretty much did take the whole week for that staircase to be built as I regularly walk over and check on the construction site when I have some free time and they just finished that up a day or two ago and just started on the ramp up to the station TODAY as I saw them putting up the first posts for it. In terms of the queue area, NOTHING else has been complete other than land preparation. Also, the platform they started a few days ago was STILL being worked on today. So like I said, that is all they have done in terms of queue line and miscellaneous work. So once again, don't expect them to be finished with the queue in a week.

 

Also, I'd like to repeat that the only Turnpike fencing left is the fencing along the old Turnpike entrance, everything else is TEMPORARY. Also, there is no fencing surrounding the ride by the photo booth and onlooker area, so this is yet another thing that needs to be done as well as fencing in other areas in the next few weeks. I'm also assuming there will need to be fencing somewhere around the second drop as the queue line is in this immediate area. If someone would hop the fence they would be in danger if there was no fencing stopping them from going in that area.

 

Also, nothing I said was an opinion except for me saying I don't think the coaster will be done by Coaster Con. Everything else I have seen with my eyes or heard from very reputable sources. But once again, I guess you know more since you're in architecture. I won't even give you the satisfaction of going into what I'm in school considering it means absolutely nothing in this case...

[jamesdillaman]

I've seen fencing put up in a day over much larger areas than this with a medium-sized crew of people. As far as construction goes, a simple queue line wouldn't take more than 1-2 weeks, tops. I wouldn't worry about it. If all else fails they can put up those temporary queue gates used at parades and fairs around the country.

um... how long would this take to put up?

[cowboyjoe]

Also, nothing I said was an opinion except for me saying I don't think the coaster will be done by Coaster Con.

When I was talking about your opinion I was, in fact, referring to your time estimates for completion. Initially, the only point I was trying to make was that I think that Sky Rocket will be ready by CoasterCon, not that you were wrong.

But once again, I guess you know more since you're in architecture.

The only reason I mentioned this is because I know that it is possible to build a queue in a week. I never meant to insinuate that Kennywood will (although I very well may have), because I highly doubt it. I do however expect the queue to be done by the time the coaster testing has been completed.

I won't even give you the satisfaction of going into what I'm in school considering it means absolutely nothing in this case

Yeah, I'm kinda sorry about that one. I was all riled up and when you sarcastically called me a "master of construction" I couldn't restrain myself.

In terms of the queue area, NOTHING else has been complete other than land preparation.

Electrical conduit and footers/slabs for lighting and vending machines are now in place. Additionally footers for an entry archway have been poured.

 

I never try to sound like I know everything because I certainly don't and I am sorry if I come across that way. I am, however very strong about my opinion and try to keep a positive attitude. Sometimes I think the problem is simply that typing often doesn't accurately represent a tone or emotion of the message.

[PennStater]

From Kennywood.com:

 

Kennywood's Open, but the Sky Rocket isn't quite ready.

 

The track is complete and work is progressing nicely on commissioning the ride. We are currently projecting opening Sky Rocket sometime during the week of June 21 if there are no unexpected delays.

 

We're working very hard to bring you this great new coaster. Check back for updates.

 

It sounds like they're trying to have Sky Rocket open in time for CoasterCon, if at all possible!

[kennywood_racer]

There is an easy fix for the short Que issue. Get to the park at 10 and head straight for it as the park opens. wait the half hour to ride it and get it out of the way early.

[phantomfan93]

Does anyone remember where the rat arm is on Exterminator?

[PennStater]

I'm thinking in the "boiler room" area somewhere as you go down one of the hills, but not positive.

[mandog987654]

does anyone know if they started testing yet?

[phantomfan93]

^No, because I think they didn't finish the pull-through.

[Kennyweird]

^No, because I think they didn't finish the pull-through.

 

They may not be doing a pull through. Not all coasters need one.

 

BTW, who's the dude in the TPR hoodie I saw at the Racer tonight?

[phantomfan93]

^Don't they need to know if it clears the launch plates first?

[AlphaMaster]

I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Jeff F. a few weeks back, and asked him about a pull through. He said they would not be doing one, but first pulling the trains through the launch to check clearances, and then slowly increase launch speed (so it does not clear the first hill and thus rolls back) until they are comfortable enough to send it through the course.

 

This is just what he told me, and passing along as-is: this information may be completely incorrect. I would assume he knows a thing or two about what they are going to do, though!

[EastCoastn07]

I'm not exactly sure how the testing schedule looks, but over the last week or so the people at Premier and several people from the maintenance department have tediously been working on checking clearances with the LSMs and trains. Basically they are checking that the magnets on the train have enough clearance on each side of the LSM motor going through each stator. This isn't as tedious on the straight section of the launch considering every stator is in line with one another, but since there are several LSM's on the curved approach up the lift hill, it becomes pretty tedious in that area. I forgot what the term for it is, but since you have a straight section of magnets going through another straight section of LSMs on a curved track, obviously you can't just set all the stators straight and hope they work. The LSMs are required to be staggered so that in no point in this particular section will the top of the channel that the LSMs go through on the train rub on the LSMs. So they've basically been raising and lowering one side or another on the channels that the LSMs are resting on to ensure there is enough clearance on all points of this curved section of stators.

 

The other day I noticed that the first car of the first train was no longer at the end of the launch and is now waiting to be hooked up near the beginning of the launch. I believe early this week they are going to hook up the train and pull both cars through the launch to double check all the clearances and then they would be able to torque all the bolts down. I'm not sure if any other testing is required, but I believe after this is done they should be able to start launching the train. I have also heard they are NOT doing a full pull through and I'm assuming this is all for the sake of getting the ride open as soon as possible. There's no areas that the train really comes close to any of the track anyways so I'm not sure its even necessary...

 

While the coaster seems to be almost done, theres still a lot of work needed to be done on the miscellaneous things on the coaster. Queue line rails still need to be installed, asphalt needs to be poured for the queue going up towards the launch and station, the exit ramp needs to be built, the team member stairs need to be built, and all the fencing going around the ride also still needs to be done. If all this stuff was done already I'm sure we'd see this thing opening really soon, but there's still quite a bit of work to be done even though the coaster is just about ready for full operation.

[phantomfan93]

Someone just get me on this beast.......

[AlphaMaster]

I have a YouTube link to a test launch of the Sky Rocket. I'm going to post it and risk it being removed- I think its worth it in this case!

 

[PhantomNick]

Beat me to it! I had heard rumblings that they ran some test runs today, so I did a youtube search out of curiosity and came across that link. Even with that being the (supposed) very first test run, I think it looks awesome!! I love the slight holding effect the brakes have on the first hill! And it looks like it travels through the course at a great pace. The barrel roll looks fantastic!

 

That said, I think it will get even better, because I highly doubt the ride will come to a roughly 20 second stop at the MCBR in typical operation. I have a feeling that was just a test on the MCBR. Just my thoughts though.

 

All in all, that video pretty much made my afternoon!

[tatertot3710]

^ Was it your afternoon delight?

[Dailey Enterprizes]

I am happy that the Sky Rocket doesn't make a loud noise during the launch. That MCBR needs some tweaking; obviously, but the train seems to maneuver the rest of the coaster pretty effortlessly. I know I was worried about capacity before, but as long as loading and unloading is fluent then the wait should be reasonable.

[Josh Linn]

Wow, those trains are hideous...they're pretty much glorified boxes.

[Myself]

The uploaded has put on a second video in which the launch looks faster, and the trims at the top of the first hill are considerably toned down:

[coasterdude5]

That's quite a difference! Despite the speed, I'm very excited about hearing what actual riders think of it! I think Kennywood has a real winner on their hands.

[the ghost]

Meh, it seems a little slow IMO. That being said I have never ridden, but the second half does not look very good to me. THat beins said the first half looks awesome. Also, their may be some awesome airtime off the MCBR in the back!