Hersheypark (HP) Discussion Thread

[FeelTheFORCE]

The way the trains are set up, you really can't have lap bars, as the two staggered seats per row have no anchor in front of them to attach a lap bar to. Having the two staggered seats with OTSRs and the center seats with lap bars really doesn't make sense and makes the train as a whole more difficult to design and assemble.

 

Not necessarily. Something similar to the restraints on the Winseekers, Maurer Söhne X-cars, or the Vekoma Junior Coasters might have theoretically been possible. None require an anchor point in front.

Windseeker

Maurer Söhne

[A.J.]

The systems that Vekoma and Mondial use are exactly like what Intamin uses. The X-car system wouldn't work because those restraints open laterally outward, which would obstruct entry to the seats behind. Even though the outer seats on Skyrush are placed backward, all four seats are still placed evenly horizontally across the train. Judging by the 4-across X-car train concept art, the outer seats are pretty far away from the inner two.

 

Personally, the only reason I think Intamin uses the over-the-shoulder straps/restraints is because the lap bar portion isn't large enough to anchor the safety belt to. If the lap restraint was more bulky like the Windseekers', I'd bet that they wouldn't have to use an OTSR.

 

Honestly though, I am truly excited about this ride on its own merit and I don't see a problem with the OTSRs being used. I have never felt my shoulders press against the shoulder restraints on an Intamin ride, as far as I'm concerned they're not even there.

 

[someonepleasestopmeiamtiredofbeinganerd]

[coasterfreak101]

IIRC, Hershey told us at ECB this year that they had settled with Intamin on I305-esque restraints.

 

which is the same as maverick, kingda ka, stormrunner, etc., correct ?

 

No. The new restrains on I305 involve a lapbar that comes down over your head with two shoulder straps attached, similar to those you'd find in a NASCAR car. It's very comfortable.

 

And while we're all on the topic of what we think about OTSRs, I think that nobody here has a say in it anyway, and most don't know what they're talking about at all. For example:

 

I think over-the-shoulder harnesses should only be used for coasters with an inversion (unless it's a loop), but other than that I think that a lap bar is all that is needed. Though, a few expections would be a suspended coaster.

 

That's great. But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't enjoy yourself on I305 without those straps to keep your body from being the epitome of a ragdoll.

[FeelTheFORCE]

^^ The X-car restraints might work if used on the outside seats only, which is what I was implying. Vekoma and Mondial use an OTSR without shoulder straps, essentially classifying it as a lap bar. Even something similar to what is used on S&S Screaming Swings might work, as they have a system that doesn't block the seat next to them while the restraint is open. The point being, you originally said that no lap bar style of restraint is even possible because a lack of a front anchor point, when there are many designs out there without front anchor points that theoretically could work.

 

Either way, whether they should be used or not based on the forces this ride exerts is a different story. I'm assuming the fact that it's an Intamin with I305-style track, shoulder straps are most likely a must.

[Synshine]

I just watched a video of 305 and was surprised they even need OTSR on it.

 

II don't think that the transitions on Skyrush wil be as extreme as on Intimidator 305, but having the straps on Skyrush will be much better than the normal Intamin "over the shoulder lapbars"/OTSRs.

 

It's hard to say yes or no, but the photo evidence is looking promising; in some aspects it looks more and more like a mini-Intimidator. They did mention zero-g transitions on the announcement video but I guess until we see things assembled it's just cross your fingers.

[A.J.]

Oh no, not the whole "mini Intimidator" thing again.

 

The only way (IMO) Skyrush will resemble Intimidator305 is in the lift and track style. There are obviously going to be intense positive forces at work, which is why the double-spine track is used. If it wasn't, they would have to spend so much more money supporting the thing.

 

As for the layout, this seems to be more like Intamin's previous mega/hyper coasters than anything else, because it all just flows. There really aren't any insane transitions, and the airtime hills are long and exaggerated.

[UnderCoverDrummer1]

Oh no, not the whole "mini Intimidator" thing again.

 

The only way (IMO) Skyrush will resemble Intimidator305 is in the lift and track style. There are obviously going to be intense positive forces at work, which is why the double-spine track is used. If it wasn't, they would have to spend so much more money supporting the thing.

 

As for the layout, this seems to be more like Intamin's previous mega/hyper coasters than anything else, because it all just flows. There really aren't any insane transitions, and the airtime hills are long and exaggerated.

 

I think the layout, including transitions and airtime hills, is going to be a lot quicker and more forceful than you think. Having seen the construction site in person, the amount of space the main part of this coaster is going to take up, its much smaller than the simulation would lead you to believe. At the height this coaster is supposed to be I think we can expect transitions closer to that of I305 than the Intamin mega coasters of old. Especially considering that the first drop goes immediately into a turn unlike every Intamin mega coaster I know that either fully or almost fully pulls out of the first drop before changing direction.

 

Just my two cents. Take 'em or leave 'em.

[Ccron10]

Some of the station and lift hill track has arrived. You can check out the update here: http://keystonethrills.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/hersheypark-skyrush-construction-update-44-10211/

 

[Intarider]

So I presume the yellow bars will form the "lift hill spine" ?

[coasterfreak101]

^I would think that one lone yellow bar would be for something like the transfer track. I305 shipped its lift supports in something like nine or twelve pieces that were connected on-site. It would be pretty unfeasible for them to build the truss piece-by-piece at the construction site, so I imagine the few scattered yellow pieces there are will be for a different purpose.

 

Granted, I believe I305's truss was also shipped with the lift track already installed? So I guess they might be doing things a bit differently this time around.

[coasterlover420]

^I305 was a huge truss though, because the entire lift hill is supported only 4 places. From the looks of it, the lift pieces are not connected to anything, whereas I305 the track is welded directly to the truss. Also, from the looks of those pieces, there are a lot of connection points, so I doubt that is simply for a transfer track.

[coasterfreak101]

^Sky Rush's lift hill is supported in just the same way, only with smaller gaps between supports because of the difference in height/outward run. I know that it depends on the scale of the project whether a bridge is assembled all on-site or whether it's assembled in chunks and then shipped, but it just seems odd that they're changing their technique here.

[A.J.]

What do you mean by "changing their technique"? They've only made the truss-style lift hill once!

 

The track with the yellow braces is most likely lift track because it has the opening for the cable...if it's not lift track it's track for the station just before the lift.

[coasterfreak101]

^Okay, but after they built Colossos at Heide did that method of prefabricating wooden coasters not become their technique? What's your point? How efficient can it possibly be for them to build the truss for this ride on-site, when Intamin has the machinery it needs to fabricate and ship it in sections?

[coasterlover420]

It's actually not that difficult to assemble a truss...

[Ccron10]

http://keystonethrills.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/hersheypark-skyrush-update-45-46-10-10-10-12-11/

The top and bottom for the lift hill has arrived along with many more pieces!

Somebody needs to see if this is 50 degrees.

 

FInally, here's a calculated guess on what Skyrush would look like in the Hersheypark skyline.

[coasterlover420]

Well the doodle is at 48 degrees, so it's pretty damn close. That lift is going to be insane!

[XYZ]

The only problem is the yellow track is very odd for Hersheypark, a blue would be much better with the surroundings.

[crazywolf88]

I guess this time they want it to stand out, not blend in.

[DougMJr]

I don't think the yellow will stand out any more than fehrenheit's orange track... In fact, I'm a huge fan of the Lamborghini yellow track

[gisco]

I think the yellow will stand out at first because it is new. Then it will blend in just like the rest.

[HPCrazy]

There is nothing wrong with the yellow track. We already have blue, orange, red and dark purple so it's definitely a welcome addition.

 

Also, anyone here who may be planning a trip out to Hersheypark in the Dark this Sunday (the 16th), Keystone Thrills will be having our fall meet-up at 2:30 p.m. at the Hershey statue by the carousel. If you plan on being in the area, it will give you a opportunity to meet some of us and talk some 2012 stuff as well as what we all love! I'll also be hanging out at Chocolate World prior to that so if you would like to meet up there, feel free to email or PM me.

[UnderCoverDrummer1]

Which ride has dark purple track?

[KI Kidd]

^I believe Sidewinder has purple track.

[amy_mel]

Sidewinder is brown and a white-ish color. Unless Great Bear is considered purple, there isn't a coaster at Hershey that is purple.