Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[scruffy]

Parts of Son of Beast where retracked before it opened this year. I am not sure if this was in the area where the wood failed.

[Carnage]

If the problem was that the supports failed wouldn't a retracking have nothing to do with that?

 

What would be the difference between new or old track having it's supports buckle?

 

Then again, I'm no engineer.

[the_rock401]

Here's my diagnosis on this. Keep in mind that this is coming from the mind of a senior one semester away from his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree, and a member of ASTM, an organization that writes standards for just about everything:

 

This crash sounds like either A) miscalculated wood fatigue or B) a bad piece of wood. Based on the fact that more of the structure didn't collapse when the beam/column let go, I'd say a bad piece of wood. The piece of wood has been loaded cyclicaly since the inception, and it chose sometime after Sunday's inspections to let go. Suddenly, the load distribution pattern changes, and when the first train gets to the weak spot, there is less stuff under the track, and the track deflects beyond the allowable limits. After the train passes by, the track returns to it's normal position until the next train comes along, when it deflects again. On the train, it feels like you are hitting a pothole. Each train that passes over the weak spot hits the pothole harder (and deflects the track further) than the last, and this continues until such time that hitting the pothole caused injuries to riders.

 

Not sure who's going to catch the most heat over this. PKI, RCCA, the PE (professional engineer) who signed off on the plans, the general contractor, or some combination therof.

 

As for your question about the track movement, most woodies (and all structures, for that matter) have a built-in deflection tolerances. The structure is designed to move some amount. The parts on a wooden coaster that are designed to move a large amount on a regular basis must be replaced every so often, as wood is TERRIBLE in fatigue loading.

 

Paul "This is my fifth attempt to post this" Miller

[rollermonkey]

I know there is no standard of who is responsible for ride inspections, but the Department of Agriculture?

 

RCCA? Hey they made the woodie at Yomiuriland, too. It all becomes clearer.

[CoasterFanatic]

Cool. Just in time for them to close half of the woodies on the Spain trip!

[Freefallbestrideever]

^^^ Good to hear, my uncle will be an engineer soon as well so this might be the end for the gimmick coaster which i never got to ride

[Calaway Park]

No guys, you got it all wrong. When Cedar Fair takes over its going to be a 700 foot high, 58689594 foot long inverted rocket woodie.

[I Spy A Retard]

Jeesh. O_O

 

Hopefully they can do something about this problem, I've never gotten to ride Son Of Beast.

[cannonballer]

I still want to ride it at least once, I can even factor in an extra two days onto the trip for hospitilization!!!

[DenDen]

I know there is no standard of who is responsible for ride inspections, but the Department of Agriculture?

 

It's the DOA in many states that's responsible for ride inspections. Not sure about the history behind how the DOA got responsibility for this, but I think it has to do with the fact that in ancient times (cough) instead of creating a new government office, they picked one that had experience in large machinery. (ie. farm equipment.)

[cannonballer]

they had farm equipment in ancient times?

 

Thats kinda odd though, like puting the police dept. in charge of ambulance inspections cause they both have sirens!!

[disneygurlz2s]

My theory (on the DOA) is that this became their responsibility as a result of their connection to the local fair system here in OH. Ohio is pretty much know for it's county fairs and having the largest State Fair in the US, which has a ton of rides every year.

 

Shari "That's just my theory, but I'm sticking to it" Shoufler

[Golfie]

No guys, you got it all wrong. When Cedar Fair takes over its going to be a 700 foot high, 58689594 foot long inverted rocket woodie.

 

LOL! And that's so true, also!

[jamesdillaman]

Seriously, isn't there a chance (since it already runs steel coaster train stock, basically) that they can keep the wood structure mostly, just change to steel track. Making a 200+ foot steel coaster, hopefully running smoother, and finally giving KI it's "hyper". Think I stumbled on the ultimate solution...?

-James Dillaman

[pvcoasterguy]

^ But the accident investigation showed that there were problems with the structure. Therefore, that wouldn't be a viable solution right now.

[jamesdillaman]

I said "mostly" I realize it would have to be reengineered, plus I'm "mostly" kidding. Not a hint of sarcasm in any of my posts

-James Dillaman

[FlyingScooter]

And PKI sued the manufactorer over it being unsound in the first place. (at least that's what the innitial article said.

Obviously they'd fixed that problem.

 

i imagine Ohio seasons played on that coaster, and due to its height and length, perhaps affected it more than other coasters. Look at how rough the Villian has gotten, and that has a metal frame.

[jamesdillaman]

well since nobody else apperciates what I found humorous... I'll join the hordes saying "Burn it down, SOB's a witch! Burn Her Burn Her! She turned me into a newt!"

 

-James Dillaman

[Imhotep]

Maybe they can change to steel structure and keep the wood track... probably not the most economically viable right now, but I can imagine deaths and lawsuits aren't either.

[CoasterFanatic]

Look at how rough the Villian has gotten, and that has a metal frame.

 

Trust me, the structure on Villian is solid as hell. Now if they would only retrack it and switch to PTC trains ... you would have one damn good ride.

[FlyingScooter]

^my point exactly, Ted. I've never even heard that metal creek or rattle.

Retracking did the trick for RWB, but that isn't 7000 feet long or anywhere near 200 feet tall.

 

First time i saw the Villain, i thought: What a cool Erector set!

[TheKlockster]

"I know for a fact that it jumped the tracks"

 

From the 11pm video

 

I saw that... If it jumped the tracks - that idiot would be dead...

[Carnage]

Aren't wooden coasters supposed to "jump the tracks" to some extent?

[verticalzero]

Thanks "CoasterFanatic" to say SOB also needs to have PTC trains and re-tracked asap

 

I bet King's Island will tear it down if someone dies on it.

 

Someone try to get a member of Kings Island staff to read these posts and see what their reaction is.

[FlyingScooter]

^I'll bet they tear it down before that happens.

 

Last i heard, that thing costs a ton to maintain. Like 250,000 a year.

Imagine the coasters they could build with all that lumber.