Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[PKIDelirium]

They're done for this week.

 

Next week they're bringing in the BIG crane for the lift hill. It's going to be taller than the Eiffel Tower, so at least 315 feet tall.

[Rct3man777]

^I sense either sarcasm or GPness.

[PKIDelirium]

I meant the incoming crane is taller than the Eiffel Tower.

 

Update from today: August 22: http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=335

I'm a bird!!! No wait, it's just from the Eiffel Tower.

First section of station track.

The turn out of the brake run and the pre-station holding brake.

[Kennyweird]

Looking great! I think the chances of me visiting KI in 2009 are about 60% because of this roller coaster, whereas before they were 20%.

[jamesdillaman]

^^That makes sense, they'd need the crane to be significantly taller than the highest point it needs to lift to, so I can see it being taller than the eifel tower (at least the one at KI) Glad they're starting on the taller sections. It will be interesting to watch the skyline of the back of the park change while this is being built. Almost reminds me of Voyage the way the hills will pop up above the tree line...

 

-James Dillaman

[yankees15]

They are moving along very well at this point. I am very pleased with the results so far.

[coasterdude5]

It's looking good! It's not as bright as I thought it would be - I like it.

[John Peck]

I think there are only a few of such cranes like that in the United States.

 

I was hoping that they would put together the lift hill during the off season, so it would be more dramatic when i would see the park for the first time in the spring.

 

Do you know what percentage of the footers are complete? I would guess they would want to have the entire ride done ready to test by early March

[PKIDelirium]

Footers are very close to done. Really the only thing left is to finish the footers for the first drop/return run area around the train tracks, which are curing now, and do the footers for the helix over the Beast entrance plaza. Those won't be done until after the park is closed for the season.

 

A lot of the ride will be done by Thanksgiving, with all steel construction finished by the first of the year, per the schedule I've seen.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^I've watched Scream, Silver Bullet, and Tatsu go up, and B&M I can say is usually ahead of schedule when it comes to rides opening.

[Guest]

Im pretty sure Tatsu opened way later than it was originally supposed to?

[Carnage]

^I've watched Scream, Silver Bullet, and Tatsu go up, and B&M I can say is usually ahead of schedule when it comes to rides opening.

 

Those were all built in sunny southern California though.

 

Building a coaster in the north east is much more undpredictable.

 

Behemoth was way ahead schedule as well, but then a long stretch of bad weather shut down construction for awhile.

 

It's probably why rides like these are starting construction earlier and earlier. It's much better to get most of the higher work done before the snow starts slowing down construction.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^I guess that's a major factor I'm not aware of because of our predictalbe weather here

 

^^ it was delayed by three or for weeks. Intamin, Premire, and Vekoma could have delays up to 1 year.

[Craneman]

They're done for this week.

 

Next week they're bringing in the BIG crane for the lift hill. It's going to be taller than the Eiffel Tower, so at least 315 feet tall.

 

Atleast 315ft tall? for a 230ft tall coaster?

 

Doubt it, maybe 250-260ft tall.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^I'm gonna take this guy's word for it.

[Craneman]

I think there are only a few of such cranes like that in the United States.

 

Few? under estimate, there are close to hundreds of cranes capable of reaching OVER 300ft. TTD was assembled with 2 300ton capacity cranes over 430ft.

 

A 300ton crane can only pick off the side with shortest boom possible. With every foot you go up, you lose capacity in what you can pick.

 

That's why you can only pick 3-5tons 250ft up, where was 315+ ft up you can only pick 2-3 tons if that.

 

It WILL be 240 to 250 ft tall.

[yankees15]

^I've watched Scream, Silver Bullet, and Tatsu go up, and B&M I can say is usually ahead of schedule when it comes to rides opening.

 

I followed Hydra's construction and that ride was ready WAY before opening. I also believe Griffon opened early as well. Those are two other B&M's in areas that get bad snowfall and still opened on time easily.

[ginzo]

It's probably why rides like these are starting construction earlier and earlier. It's much better to get most of the higher work done before the snow starts slowing down construction.

 

We actually get very little snow in the Greater Cincinnati Area. Now up in northern Ohio by Cleveland is a VERY different story.

[gotdane]

Track seems to be going up quickly for this...I just remember construction of coasters like Xcelerator where we stared at footers for a month or so before track went up. Maybe I missed that with this coaster.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^Pony Express was the same way, but of course that whole ride could fit in a Timberland shoe box, so that doesn't count.

[Carnage]

Track seems to be going up quickly for this...I just remember construction of coasters like Xcelerator where we stared at footers for a month or so before track went up. Maybe I missed that with this coaster.

 

Perhaps those footers were larger, and had to set longer due to earthquake requirements?

 

Just a guess ...

[haux]

One of my friends was there last weekend, and he's friends with Don Helbig, the public relations manager at Kings Island. He said the park expects to have the entire track up before the park closes for the season.

 

That'll get people talking!

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Isn't That a bit soon? I mean that gives about six months of the ride just idle and ready...weird.

[yankees15]

Yeah that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Unless they want to be 100% positive the ride will be ready for next season, I don't see why they want the ride done that quick. If this is true then the whole coaster will be constructed in just over 2 months. If they finished by the new year they would be in great shape. I guess we can only wait and see.

[haux]

Just getting the ride started now is the park being 100 percent positive it'll be ready for next season. As for the entire trackwork being finished by Haunt, I sort of have my doubts. But we'll see. Adena Corp. is fast.