California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[RandallDuell]

Fair enough - seems strange that there isn't someone with a "guy" at the park that might have mentioned what is going on, right?

 

And I did note that there was off and on downtime lately - but based solely on that, I'm not sure how you can flatly say "no" when someone suggest that the noise may be an issue (again). I get that it's not as likely as some mechanical/track issue (based on the recent downtime), but seems like it could be a possibility (as the noise issues did cause downtime early on, right (meaning they had to shut it down until they erected more tunnels etc>)).

 

Anyway, curious if anyone has tried calling or emailing the park and simply asking what's up -- or, what the employees are telling people when asked?

[Tmcdllr]

Yeah you know at this point it could be either until we know more.

[Canobie Coaster]

Based on the observations of the previous posters visiting the park, something you should have been paying attention to, the ride has been experiencing a high number of down times lately which makes it way more likely it's an issue with the ride itself and not because of decibel readings.

 

When I was there two weekends ago, Gold Striker wasn't ready to open with the park. An employee mentioned computer trouble. Later in the day, I saw the train stuck on the lift hill. Other than that, the ride operated just fine all day.

[glucky11801]

When I was there 2 Sundays ago, there was a problem with the computer. I was waiting to board a train when it happened. A maintenance guy was looking at a handbook of some kind to figure out what was wrong. We were then asked to leave the station, and the queue was cleared.

It was only closed for a half hour so I guess I was lucky...

[singemfrc]

Yeah you know at this point it could be either until we know more.

No one has seen any work or activity going on the whole time it's been down. I'd guess that points towards a non-prudential problem because if that was the case there'd likely be visible activity in the form of new tunnel/wall construction. Another possibility is that they're waiting on a part to be manufactured and/or shipped.

[laqueefa]

Yeah you know at this point it could be either until we know more.

Another possibility is that they're waiting on a part to be manufactured and/or shipped.

 

Im hoping this is the case since no one has reported seeing any test runs being done since its been down. If it is a computer issue, lets hope its software based and can be flashed or patched.

 

.

[aCoasterStory]

I really hope it re-opens soon. I've already got my flights & hotels & such booked for the next weekend (8/16-17), and Gold Striker is the coaster I was most excited to ride on this trip.

 

Are you aware that the park is closed on 8/17 due to the Niners game? Hope that doesn't affect your plans!

 

The plan was CGA on the 16th, and then SFDK on the 17th. I'll be really bummed if can't ride it as it's unlikely I'll be back out to the Bay Area anytime soon.

[Canobie Coaster]

Even if Gold Striker isn't open, Flight Deck is still an amazing coaster well worth visiting for. Hopefully it will be open by then since I want to get one last ride in before I leave California for the summer.

[singemfrc]

Yeah you know at this point it could be either until we know more.

Another possibility is that they're waiting on a part to be manufactured and/or shipped.

 

Im hoping this is the case since no one has reported seeing any test runs being done since its been down. If it is a computer issue, lets hope its software based and can be flashed or patched.

 

.

If it was a controls issue, knowing IOE they would have been on top of that right away, I don't think it's likely a software issue would take this long to resolve. My money is on either mechanical or legal in that order.

[The49er]

A certain other site reports that GS's chain broke; apparently they were planning on filming the ride but were informed of this occurrence. Hope it's back up soon!

[singemfrc]

^ That sure would explain it, but I'm surprised a chain broke on a ride that's been operating for a little less than a year and a half.

[GCI Wooden]

A certain other site reports that GS's chain broke; apparently they were planning on filming the ride but were informed of this occurrence. Hope it's back up soon!

 

What is the site you find this from?

[Tmcdllr]

^ That sure would explain it, but I'm surprised a chain broke on a ride that's been operating for a little less than a year and a half.

 

That is unusual- broken lift chain not even 2 years old. Hmm, that's a real HEFTY chain, and it broke? Wow.

[singemfrc]

Chains do occaisonally break, X2's broke last year which is probably the bigget you'll find, but usually you get a lot more cycles out of it before that happens.

[Tmcdllr]

Screamscape says:

 

(8/6/14) Gold Striker at California’s Great America has been reported as being closed for the last several days with no explanation. According to the rumor going around, it may not reopen for several weeks as well. I reached out to the park for an official statement, but so far they have not gotten back in touch with me. Anyone else know more?

 

Broken lift chain, having to order then install a new one, that would take a few weeks.

[singemfrc]

^ I found which site reported it, its a site that does POVs and I believe many of their POVs arent authorized, so we probably shouldn't mention who they are, but I believe the info is probably correct

[GCI Wooden]

It doesn't seem right that a chain broke already. It has been operating for about 6 months and these chains are are extremely large. It doesn't have me convinced. It will be fun to find out what really happened.

[Tmcdllr]

It doesn't seem right that a chain broke already. It has been operating for about 6 months and these chains are are extremely large. It doesn't have me convinced. It will be fun to find out what really happened.

 

Well previously in this thread there were unconfirmed reports that there were computer problems, maybe related maybe not. Yeah I am interested to find out what really happened too.

[singemfrc]

It doesn't seem right that a chain broke already. It has been operating for about 6 months and these chains are are extremely large. It doesn't have me convinced. It will be fun to find out what really happened.

Maybe a disgruntled office worker came over and sabotaged the chain...haha. I doubt it but that would be kind of sick.

 

Well previously in this thread there were unconfirmed reports that there were computer problems, maybe related maybe not. Yeah I am interested to find out what really happened too.

Those weren't "unconfirmed reports" that was just a random uneducated guess. It is definitely not a control/software issue and almost certainly not an electrical issue of any kind, and that isn't a guess.

[Tmcdllr]

It doesn't seem right that a chain broke already. It has been operating for about 6 months and these chains are are extremely large. It doesn't have me convinced. It will be fun to find out what really happened.

Maybe a disgruntled office worker came over and sabotaged the chain...haha. I doubt it but that would be kind of sick.

 

Well previously in this thread there were unconfirmed reports that there were computer problems, maybe related maybe not. Yeah I am interested to find out what really happened too.

Those weren't "unconfirmed reports" that was just a random uneducated guess. It is definitely not a control/software issue and almost certainly not an electrical issue of any kind, and that isn't a guess.

 

But how do you know? Nothing has been confirmed yet.

[singemfrc]

If it was a software issue, then the person(s) responsible for GS's software would have fixed it already. Those kind of problems are not the kind of thing to take a long time. The park could easily contact the people responsible for the control software and the issue would have been quick to resolve the issue. Also if it were any common or electrical part then that would be something the park would either have on hand or be able to get quickly. The fact that it's been down for so long all but confirms it's the chain.

 

I don't want to quote someone who doesn't want to be quoted, please read between the lines

[Tmcdllr]

Well I'm still not convinced it's the chain, not saying it's not possible, but I guess it would just be a bad coincidence.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Tmcdllr

[IOE]

It doesn't seem right that a chain broke already. It has been operating for about 6 months and these chains are are extremely large. It doesn't have me convinced. It will be fun to find out what really happened.

Maybe a disgruntled office worker came over and sabotaged the chain...haha. I doubt it but that would be kind of sick.

 

Well previously in this thread there were unconfirmed reports that there were computer problems, maybe related maybe not. Yeah I am interested to find out what really happened too.

Those weren't "unconfirmed reports" that was just a random uneducated guess. It is definitely not a control/software issue and almost certainly not an electrical issue of any kind, and that isn't a guess.

 

Thanks for sticking up for us!! I love how it's always the poor PLC and us controls guys that always take the blame for any downtime . In this case, we have not been contacted by the park in regards to the ride so it's safe to say it isn't a controls issue.

 

You guys are also killing me with computer problems. That's almost as bad as my hated "computer glitch". PLCs having an actual internal failure are extremely rare, although easy to fix. Replace PLC, download code, reset block logic, and you're ready to go in the once every 10-20 years you might have to do that for a ride.

 

Ride shutdowns if caused by the computer are almost always intentional decisions made by the PLC as programmed responses to a piece of equipment not reacting the way it is expected or a tolerance exceeded that is deemed unacceptable. It's actually really important for us to try to get across to people that a ride shutting down is the system choosing the safest response to a detected fault.

 

Heck, our systems won't let the ride run in the case of a detected failed part, yet cars won't stop you from trying to do 70 mph on a busy highway with both the check engine and low oil lights on. Something to think about.

 

-Brian

[GigaG]

Did you know that Gold Striker's original plans in 2009 had a different layout? The pre-lift was different, and the third-to-last turn before the brakes didn't extend out as far. Also, many of the crossovers are not the same, assuming the unusual low-quality rendering is accurate.

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57569

 

 

Detailed list of differences-I will refer to the old plans as GS09 and the real one as GS13-

 

-GS09 has a pre-lift that twists under itself.

-If GS09's rendering is correct, the first drop curves sooner and is tighter, and so is the s-bend

-GS09 is twistier after the first turnaround

-GS09 exits its second turnaround crossing over the turnaround's entrance

-GS09 has a large, curving hill after the second turnaround that crosses the first turnaround. GS13 goes under itself at this part, with some smaller bunny hills.

-GS09 exits the third turnaround dropping through the pre-lift turn and makes a straight shot to the 4th turnaround. GS13 curves around its pre-lift, which is much different.

-GS09 has one long brake run. GS13 has 2 shorter sets before its turn into the station.

-GS09 seems a bit more drawn-out than GS13

[Cgavisitor]

I actually think the problem could be with the lift hill because I did notice mechanics going up the top of the lift hill and doing something testing related.