Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[viking86]

I'm really hoping they just scrap them altogether and put in PTCs.

 

The problem was that the trains were too heavy. And arent PTC trains pretty damn heavy or am I just imagining stuff...??

[jamesdillaman]

^ Yeah, if you've ever had to push one (at least the three-bench PTC's), you'd know they are VERY heavy. Wrangled the Beast's trains for a couple seasons. Still have pennies and quarters smashed by the trains, so there's a lot of weight going on there. I can't speak for the two-bench ptc's, which I think would be better than evil three-benchers with their wheelseats of doom.

 

-James Dillaman

[bgwfreak]

But I thought that the trains on SOB were heavier than PTC trains?

 

Maybe not, but seems like that's what I imagined I heard. lol

 

I don't see why PTC's couldn't run on the track, the track seemed pretty standard track to me when I rode it those several, pain-filled times.

 

I'm curious what they do.

[Rocket Rodder]

What exactly happened in summer of 06 that was so bad..? Is there a link I could go to to read up? I went to the one on the fron page, but all I got was a vauge discription. :/

[bgwfreak]

Here's a link: http://www.thrillnetwork.com/stories_view.php/1628/son_beast_injures_27_riders.html

[Sean Menefee]

The link bellow has a break down of the accident. It also has a link to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's structural evaluation report with photographs.

 

Summary:

http://wcpo.com/news/2006/local/12/13/beast.html

 

Paramount's Kings Island says it plans on reopening a rebuilt "Son of Beast" ride next year without the upside-down loop that made the ride distinctive among wooden roller coasters.

 

That's how the company responded to the release of a forensic engineering report on this summer's incident.

 

Special engineering investigators hired by the Ohio Agriculture Department said a design flaw in the wooden support beams caused the incident and the injuries.

 

Most riders suffered bruises, but at least one was hospitalized for four days with broken bones.

 

The report says the first wooden support beam cracked, and that caused two other supports to fail, leading to a severe jolt on the ride.

 

LeeAnne Mizer with the Ohio Agriculture Department said, "Essentially, what happened is when this vertical wooden support beam cracked, it essentially caused a slight dip in the track, which -- to the patrons -- it would have felt similar to a pothole."

 

Management for Paramount's Kings Island implied in their statement below that daily inspections would not have caught the problem.

 

No word yet from law firms handling at least two lawsuits over the problems at the coaster.

 

Both the Agriculture Department and Kings Island say there will be full inspections of the new "Son of Beast" before riders will be able to climb aboard next year.

 

Official Department of Agriculture Structural Evaluation Report: (PDF)

http://wcpo.com/news/2006/local/12/13/noon/pki_failure.pdf

[PKI Jizzman]

I guess they couldnt have really found all the problems by walking over the track, by the looks of the pics, it was more at the base or towards the ground in the 1st helix area....but still, it should have been seen or somthing noticed wrong

[palavos3]

O.K. We all know the loop has been removed. What do you guys think will take its place? A tunnel? An airtime hill maybe? Share your thoughts.

[coasterdude5]

I've asked this before, but does anyone know what they did with the loop, after they took it down? I thought it'd be cool to know.

[jamesdillaman]

^ They took it down.

 

-James "glad I could help" Dillaman

[ebl]

^^ I'm sure it'll make its way to a waterpark. Looping waterslides are in this year!

 

Eric

[Carnage]

O.K. We all know the loop has been removed. What do you guys think will take its place? A tunnel? An airtime hill maybe? Share your thoughts.

 

My guess would be just a straight section of track.

 

They're not going to pull the loop out and then do anything crazy with the ride.

[Gutterflower]

i can see a tunnel fitting in quite well.

Surely the problem is the entrance and exit will be offset. so a straight track wont work. either the entrance or exit hills will have to be modified.

[knottslover77]

^Your right. wow! now what are they going to do?

 

--Jay

[kaliboiryda510]

See now that is the million dollar question!!! Has there been any updates on it lately, and will it be done before the opening? I guess since its not too official there isnt alot of coverage.

[PKI Jizzman]

It was already announced by a park representative that it WILL be opening by the park's opening....recent stuff? Well those pics are from December 28th or somthing....so there ya go.

[Carnage]

It's not really that big of a question.

 

They'll just rebuild that section so that the track lines up.

 

They're already rebuilding entire sections of track, so it's not much more to rework the area where the loop used to be.

[kaliboiryda510]

Oh... i missed those pictures! I guess i didnt go back to that page. Well yea after looking at the pics, its a pretty simple rebuild! Its really not that offset.

 

Now what about speed? I know it will affect that. Are there trims on that straight section? If so then thats a simple fix also!

[Robbie]

Ugh, the year I was finally going to go ride it, Cedar Fair screws it up THANK YOU CF!!

[Carnage]

Ugh, the year I was finally going to go ride it, Cedar Fair screws it up THANK YOU CF!!

 

Actually Paramount screwed it up by running it into the ground. (literally).

 

CF just has to now pick up the pieces.

[Rocket Rodder]

HOLY--!!

 

Talk about Unsafe! If I had to weigh the two reasons.. "CF Sucks" or "The ride was unsafe" .. D:!

 

 

I'm glad I don't live near that vicinity.. >_>.

[PKI Jizzman]

The ride IS safe....there was just an accident....

[thepoint4life23]

the pics on page 21 look like the ones when they were building it

[PKI Jizzman]

In some interiew or article I remember it saying that it was built kinda wrong and that, that is the reason it is so rough....maybe they are completely re-building that rough/broken area....I can not wait to see how this turns out when the park re-opens. SOB was never really on my PKI top 5 coaster list.....Im hoping now it will be on it!

[PKI Jizzman]

-bump-

 

Was browsing on PKI.com and saw that 1. they press release for 2007 is coming up, and also that they changed the picture for SOB! it used to be the loop with the hill and eiffel tower in theback round....now its just the hill! http://www3.paramountparks.com/kingsisland/attractions/category.cfm?ac_id=18

"If the father scared you, wait until you ride the son! The Tallest, Fastest Coaster on the Planet will send you screaming down it's 214-foot hill at speeds over 78 mph. You've never experienced anything like this before. Not anywhere. Not ever."

^Changed the title for it aswell! Way to update PKI....its rare