Photo's of Magnum XL-200 Collision

[cycamps]

The rain policy is definately a pain. It killed me that all the flats were running and the coasters were not. I'd have to agree that they could spend some money improving those kinds of things being that they made a pretty decent profit this year.

[RCFreak]

I don't even think that the rain was resonsible for Magnum crashing. I don't think a little rain can destroy the Emergency Brakes.

 

I'm glad you were there to know exactly what happened. There were a lot of things that went wrong for the accident to happen, and it could have been a LOT worse if it wasn't for some of the quick thinking crew. That's all I'm going to say about that that. I will say that I think the rain policy is quite ridiculous.

[kris182_2000]

I've got to pipe up a sec about CF not spending money.

 

They're spending it, but in the wrong places. Who shelled out $25 mil for Behemoth? Wasn't it CF?

 

Didn't they also purchase all of the Paramount parks a while back?

 

I'm hoping to get to CP this summer, I've never been out of Canada to another theme park besides WDW, and that was like 20 years ago, before I became a coaster fanatic.

[Tanks4me05]

Does anyone know how bad the rain is in late June to early July for the CP area? I know I'm not going until 2009 because of the CW trip, and I got a fully sunny trip when I went in 2004, but maybe I caught CP on a good day. So, what is the usual at that time a year?

 

My god, what the heck is Cedar Fair thinking?

[Carnage]

^ Hit or miss. You could have rain, or you could have scorching heat all day long.

 

A typical rainy day will just have the odd shower pass through. Although weather conditions can be unpredictable.

 

I wouldn't really worry about it though. Just plan the trip, you can't control the weather. You'll probably end up having sunny weather.

[kris182_2000]

I'd like to go in August. I was supposed to go last summer, when I had it planned, the weather was supposed to be great. The trip never happened, but maybe this year it will.

[FeelTheFORCE]

I've ridden Mantis in the hail and Millennium Force in a torrential downpour so obviously the rides CAN run in the rain.

 

Yeah, same here. I've ridden Magnum when it was pouring, Corkscrew when it was pouring, CCMR when it was pouring, and Iron Dragon when it was pouring (all Arrow coasters) with no problems whatsoever on any of them (except, of course, the usual pelting rain drops). They've always shut down TTD in the slightest drizzle, but I've seen it test with no problem in pretty substantial rain. The only shutdown that's happened to me where I understood and wasn't surprised that they shut it down was on MF a few years back. You could just see the dark clouds out on the lake, getting closer and closer and the flashes of light coming from them.

 

Now I understand shutting them down because of wind or lightning, but most of these rides can run in the rain just fine.

[Carnage]

They've always shut down TTD in the slightest drizzle, but I've seen it test with no problem in pretty substantial rain.

 

I was once taking shelter under the tiny overhang of an ATM machine located right beside TTDs hill during a massive downpour. As I was losing the battle of staying dry I heard the brakes being lowered on TTD. I thought to myself, "surely they can't be thinking of launching it in this storm". Sure enough a few seconds later an empty train came roaring along.

 

It didn't come close to clearing the tower.

[southpuddle]

So that nobody has to guess, I've worked as a ride operator the past two seasons at CP (2006 and 2007). I love my park very much, but just like all of you, I think that the rain policy at the park is completely ridiculous. My first summer I worked at Wicked Twister and last summer I was at Magnum.

 

I was off the day that Magnum crashed, but from the stories the I got from my co-workers, I'm almost 100% sure that the rain was not to blame, which makes me loathe the policy even more. Bottom line: the ride ran just fine for 18 years in the rain with no problem. It's also true that the accident could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for some very quick thinking on one of my very good friend's part. I'm not going to go any further on that subject, as I'd like to work there again this summer.

 

I can explain a few things that have been brought up in this topic. Raptor shuts down in any sort of rain (and has for the past few years) due to rust water that tends to rain down on riders. Apparently one day a few seasons ago 20-something people showed up in Park Operations completely colored orange and quite mad LOL. Not sure what can be done about this, short of repainting the entire ride and/or getting new trains. Other rides that will close in any sort of rain are Dragster (it has problems with wet friction wheels in the pre-launch area and simply cannot get over the hill with water on the track). Also, Gemini will close because it uses photo eyes to sense where the trains are the won't work if they're wet. Disaster Transport closes because the roof and track tubes leak, causing the cars to fishtail inside the trough when it's wet. That ride just needs to be demolished.

 

Someone said that each train has to cycle 15 times after a shower... it's only five. I'm not condoning their policy, just correcting you. I don't like it when people embellish their stories to make something sound crappier than it really is.

 

2007 was also a very strange year weather-wise for the park. In 2006 we had the typical thunderstorms that would come through almost every day, once or twice June through August that would soak the park for a half hour, then the sun would come back out, and it would be beautiful for the rest of the day. Now I'm from California, but from what I heard from other employees, this was normal (and quite cool for me!). Even with the current rain policy, this type of weather wouldn't pose much of a problem, as the coasters would be down for a maximum of 45-50 minutes if there was a 30 minute shower. In 2007, however, we had many days that it would simply rain all day, which is very atypical for the park. It was, as I described it, more of a California-style rain. The clouds would just sit over the park and drizzle all day. These were the days that I dreaded going to work. I was fuming inside since I was used to 2006's policies: run it unless there's lightning. I really just felt terrible for the guests that visited on those days. People just didn't understand, and the answers that we were told to give them were not only lies, but they didn't make any sense. What answer are you supposed to give a guest that asks why we USED to run in torrential downpours? "Oh, you were in danger when you rode it in the rain that one time." Riiiiight.

 

I'm very curious as to how many complaints the park actually got due to their policies. For a park that increased their operating hours the second week in May last year because enough season pass holders complained about the park closing at seven, it amazes me that they'll continue their current policies if there were a ton of complaints. If any of you guys visit the Point this summer and see a guy named Brian at Magnum, say hi! If it's not raining, I'll be in a good mood and I'll say hi back. You'll have a great time if the weather is good, too

[jmicha]

I'm not sure I'd voluntarily ride Dragster in the rain. I've ridden Millennium in a light rain and I have a slight feeling that riding Dragster in the rain would hardly be a fun experience.

[carolinacaniac]

^I recall the seeing the rusty water coming from Raptor before, but if anything Cedar Point could go ahead and fix it instead of just letting it go. This policy is rather goofy if you ask me especially since some of the rides don't even use friction based brakes (Millennimum, Dragster, and Maverick).

[DenDen]

I've got to pipe up a sec about CF not spending money.

 

Nobody said they weren't spending money.

[Capitalize]

I was off the day that Magnum crashed, but from the stories the I got from my co-workers, I'm almost 100% sure that the rain was not to blame, which makes me loathe the policy even more. Bottom line: the ride ran just fine for 18 years in the rain with no problem. It's also true that the accident could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for some very quick thinking on one of my very good friend's part. I'm not going to go any further on that subject, as I'd like to work there again this summer.

 

I can explain a few things that have been brought up in this topic. Raptor shuts down in any sort of rain (and has for the past few years) due to rust water that tends to rain down on riders. Apparently one day a few seasons ago 20-something people showed up in Park Operations completely colored orange and quite mad LOL. Not sure what can be done about this, short of repainting the entire ride and/or getting new trains.

 

Someone said that each train has to cycle 15 times after a shower... it's only five. I'm not condoning their policy, just correcting you. I don't like it when people embellish their stories to make something sound crappier than it really is.

 

That was my issue though, I don't understand why Busch can keep their B&M inverts operating rain or shine all season while Cedar Point can't. Seems they could take a page out of Busch's operating procedure and fix that problem.

 

I got the number 15 from the attendant standing at the front of ride after I asked her about the policy and Magnum's accident. I dunno if she/Mean Streak's crew that day were confused or if they just felt like telling me a random number for some reason, but thats what I was told.

[Tanks4me05]

I can see why TTD wouldn't run in any sort of rain. During the 2007 ACE event at Lake Compounce, it rained. Sure it was A LOT of rain for a few hours, but during my ride on Boulder Dash during the day, it hurt. A lot. There was even a nice amount of trees covering the ride, although there was a bit of a gap between the trees directly over the track. And that was with some trees. And Boulder Dash runs HALF as fast as TTD. Imagine riding TTD in the rain. Holy crap that would hurt like freaking crazy. Sure it's only twenty seconds compared to Dash's 1.5 - 2 minutes, but still...

 

Other than TTD, Raptor, DT and Gemini as there are real safety concerns, I can't see any other ride in the park closing except for lightning. This better be changed.

[Team Thriller]

The only reason I could think of as why CP would do this is to prevent some stupid person from trying to file a lawsuit because they felt a raindrop fly into their eye.

 

America is the land of lawsuits that pass, no matter how stupid the lawsuit is. Here in Europe, where they have crazy rides and stuff that no one would ever find in America, they run coaters in the rain. (Not in lighting though). I rode Ge Force, Silver Star, and Black Mumba all in a down pour.

 

The reason they keep the rides running is because if they closed it in a light rain all the time, the rides would never be open.

 

--James

[XII]

Other than TTD, Raptor, DT and Gemini as there are real safety concerns, I can't see any other ride in the park closing except for lightning. This better be changed.

How is Raptor a saftey concern to the rain? From what I've heard, all the other parks with B&M Inverts are able to run in the rain.

[SFGAm Shock Wave]

^ It isn't a safety issue. It is a guest clothing stain issue. It's the same thing at SFGAm. Batman doesnt run in rain because it drips rust on peoples clothes. Not sure if theres any real way to fix it. Painting the rides won't stop it. I know that from experience. My Raging Bull shirt got ruined on Batman in 2004, right after it had been repainted.

[jmicha]

Does anyone know if the rust problem on Raptor comes from the track or the train?

[Capitalize]

Anyone know what Busch does to their inverts where there isn't a problem in the rain?

 

I've spent many days in spring riding Alpie in the pouring rain and never heard/seen any problems like SF and CP has.

[trcg721]

I think it comes from the train.

[haux]

Does anyone know if the rust problem on Raptor comes from the track or the train?

It comes from the train. The wheel bogies, I believe. I rode Raptor in 2004 when it still ran in the rain, and I was wearing a white shirt. It still has a rust and grease stain on it.

[jmicha]

That's what I figured. And it doesn't help that the wheel covers on B&M inverts hold water so well. Nothing like getting a gallon of water dumped on you when entering the lift hill.

[trcg721]

If I remember, I believe Batman the Ride at SFMM has a tube going down the back so the water can get out.

[SFGAm Shock Wave]

Batman at SFGAm has those as well now. They do seem to help a little, but the problem is still far from eliminated.

[haux]

If I remember, I believe Batman the Ride at SFMM has a tube going down the back so the water can get out.

Raptor's got the tubes too, but they get clogged halfway through the season with all the rust and muck.

 

I noticed them on opening day last season when they were new and relatively clear. But I don't think they're big enough to make much of a difference with the amount of water that can quickly pool.