Six Flags New England (SFNE) Discussion Thread

[Nitro1118]

Even if the T-bar law is true, there is no reason they couldn't have added El Toro's U-bars. The T-bar design DID have a small effect on the accident (allowing him to slip laterally out of the train), however the real issue was no sensor alerting the staff he was too large to ride. That is why in 10 years of operation a ride like El Toro, a slightly more extreme ride than Superman, has never had an accident. The amount of walk of shames can get a little ridiculous, but it allows Toro to use very minimal restraints in a safe manner.

 

I also never understood how making the lap bar bulkier made it more safe. I would understand if it covered a greater area of the lap like the B&M clamshell does, but the point of contact is actually smaller on the new trains than the old trains with T-bars...hence why they are quite painful (same issue that Skyrush has, just to a lesser degree).

[CPmillenia94]

^My theory is that the extra padding was supposed to help accommodate larger people, since it allows the restraint to fall further forward on the thighs giving a little more room. It definitely isnt safer or more comfortable, so I dont know what else it could be. Entirely speculation of course..

[coneyislandchris]

Wicked Cyclone ERT up next on the schedule, pencilled in for Saturday, August 13th from 10:30-11:30 AM. Nothing on the Six Flags website yet, but they created a Facebook event for it.

[camthedominator]

This brings up a really interesting point; how much does the GP really care about ride comfort? Six flags must know about the numerous issues involving their trains and yet, they choose not to fix them. If it was really that important, they'd probably fixed them by now. I remember early last year riding Goliath back seat with some non enthusiast friends, and I was the only one who took notice of the brutality of the ride.

[FaithPlus1]

Any fireball updates?

[neil009]

This brings up a really interesting point; how much does the GP really care about ride comfort? Six flags must know about the numerous issues involving their trains and yet, they choose not to fix them. If it was really that important, they'd probably fixed them by now. I remember early last year riding Goliath back seat with some non enthusiast friends, and I was the only one who took notice of the brutality of the ride.

 

Six Flags can only "fix" rides within their budget and also their ability. Six Flags itself can't just invent new restraints for Superman or fix whatever makes the Goliath train so terrible, it's not that simple. It may not even be possible as far as any of us know. Do we even know why the trains were changed in the first place, in either case? Obviously there was a reason.

 

My point is that yes, the GP care about rider comfort, I hear complaints all the time after people get off painful rides like SLCs, in fact if anything I'd say non-enthusiasts have LESS patience for rought rides, the only difference is they're less informed and may not know the ride could be better than it is. In any case that isn't the only factor in whether or not the issues will actually be addressed. It is a factor but this is Six Flags and costumer satisfaction is even less a priority than it is at other parks.

[Generational]

In the case of Superman, the restraints changed after 2001 following the brake failure incident, and again in 2004 after that guy fell off the ride. The restraints are that way because Six Flags is stubborn, and even after 11 years of smooth sailing on the part of the ride after the most recent incident, they'll never go back to the old restraints. In their minds, the restraints were added, and nothing major has happened since, which means they must be working. As much as everyone, including myself, would like to see lap bars that rival that of Millennium Force, I don't think Six Flags would take that risk in terms of "safety" and "liability"

 

As far as Goliath goes, no one has a clue.

[coasterbill]

This brings up a really interesting point; how much does the GP really care about ride comfort? Six flags must know about the numerous issues involving their trains and yet, they choose not to fix them. If it was really that important, they'd probably fixed them by now. I remember early last year riding Goliath back seat with some non enthusiast friends, and I was the only one who took notice of the brutality of the ride.

 

Six Flags can only "fix" rides within their budget and also their ability. Six Flags itself can't just invent new restraints for Superman or fix whatever makes the Goliath train so terrible, it's not that simple. It may not even be possible as far as any of us know. Do we even know why the trains were changed in the first place, in either case? Obviously there was a reason.

 

My point is that yes, the GP care about rider comfort, I hear complaints all the time after people get off painful rides like SLCs, in fact if anything I'd say non-enthusiasts have LESS patience for rought rides, the only difference is they're less informed and may not know the ride could be better than it is. In any case that isn't the only factor in whether or not the issues will actually be addressed. It is a factor but this is Six Flags and costumer satisfaction is even less a priority than it is at other parks.

 

That's just the thing. It seems like it would have been more within their budget to not spend a ton of money on a brand new, prototype train when the old one (key phrase but from the outside looking in) seems fine and runs fine on every other giant Boomerang.

 

They claimed it would increase capacity but it has the same amount of seats (or less since from time to time they just randomly remove some) so any impact is from the lack of having 2 belts and it's minimal. My guess is that they were told it would help with the downtime / constant saddling issue but that clearly hasn't happened and it made a good ride rough as hell in every row but row 1... which would be fine except there's no choice of seat so waiting in line for Goliath is like playing skull bashing Russian Roulette.

[larrygator]

In the case of Superman, the restraints changed after 2001 following the brake failure incident, and again in 2004 after that guy fell off the ride. The restraints are that way because Six Flags is stubborn, and even after 11 years of smooth sailing on the part of the ride after the most recent incident, they'll never go back to the old restraints. In their minds, the restraints were added, and nothing major has happened since, which means they must be working. As much as everyone, including myself, would like to see lap bars that rival that of Millennium Force, I don't think Six Flags would take that risk in terms of "safety" and "liability"

 

It has nothing to do with stubbornness, it is to protect them legally. If they were to change back to a more open restraint and there was an accident, the park is going to look a lot worse in the eyes of a jury and judge. The judge and jury and not going to care about what Cedar Point or any other park are doing, it will be about SFNE.

[Generational]

In the case of Superman, the restraints changed after 2001 following the brake failure incident, and again in 2004 after that guy fell off the ride. The restraints are that way because Six Flags is stubborn, and even after 11 years of smooth sailing on the part of the ride after the most recent incident, they'll never go back to the old restraints. In their minds, the restraints were added, and nothing major has happened since, which means they must be working. As much as everyone, including myself, would like to see lap bars that rival that of Millennium Force, I don't think Six Flags would take that risk in terms of "safety" and "liability"

 

It has nothing to do with stubbornness, it is to protect them legally. If they were to change back to a more open restraint and there was an accident, the park is going to look a lot worse in the eyes of a jury and judge. The judge and jury and not going to care about what Cedar Point or any other park are doing, it will be about SFNE.

 

You're right, and I think I was approaching that point as my post progressed. "Stubborn" probably wasn't the best word to use in that context. But I believe that if S:RoS went back to the old restraints, I highly doubt that there would be an accident like the one in 2004. It's track record for the last decade or so has been fairly clean (except for occasional chain lift problems and all that). But in any event, you're right about SFNE not wanting to run that risk in the event that something DOES happen.

[camthedominator]

This brings up a really interesting point; how much does the GP really care about ride comfort? Six flags must know about the numerous issues involving their trains and yet, they choose not to fix them. If it was really that important, they'd probably fixed them by now. I remember early last year riding Goliath back seat with some non enthusiast friends, and I was the only one who took notice of the brutality of the ride.

 

Six Flags can only "fix" rides within their budget and also their ability. Six Flags itself can't just invent new restraints for Superman or fix whatever makes the Goliath train so terrible, it's not that simple. It may not even be possible as far as any of us know. Do we even know why the trains were changed in the first place, in either case? Obviously there was a reason.

 

My point is that yes, the GP care about rider comfort, I hear complaints all the time after people get off painful rides like SLCs, in fact if anything I'd say non-enthusiasts have LESS patience for rought rides, the only difference is they're less informed and may not know the ride could be better than it is. In any case that isn't the only factor in whether or not the issues will actually be addressed. It is a factor but this is Six Flags and costumer satisfaction is even less a priority than it is at other parks.

More whay I was getting at is that the average rider just doesn't care as much about the small things. Similar to if you had a wine connesure and the average Joe try a cheap wine. Odds are the average Joe won't be able to pick up on the fine details and differences between a $300 bottle of wine and a $5 bottle of wine let alone care. The average Joe just isn't as seasoned as the connesure or tried as many wines and he therefore has noting to gauge it to. Most of the people visiting Six Flags probably haven't visited another park beyond the occasional carnival so in their minds, Bizarro is about the best ride they know of. However, the people chatting on this forum know what a good intamin restraint should feel like. Six Flags knows most of their demographic isn't going to be visiting a lot if other parks so they put their priority on keeping the rides looking pretty and in this case, giving the public something seemingly new.

[Generational]

Any fireball updates?

 

Foundation is being broken/laid, but there are no pieces of Fireball at the site yet.

[Paradox]

Any fireball updates?

 

Foundation is being broken/laid, but there are no pieces of Fireball at the site yet.

 

Actually it's pretty much done.

 

[Generational]

Well color me surprised. I must have had old news! Thanks for the update!

[FaithPlus1]

^^Pretty soon we should see a pull through and then some testing.

 

It's kinda funny how big that crane is just to put together that little loop!

[coasterbill]

lol yeah it's a carnival ride they can put it together in like 3 hours once the foundation is in place. Great Adcenture's went up in a day.

[WindexCyanide13]

Jen emailed me back with clarification about the headrests! Seems like they will be replaced with something new!

[Nitro1118]

Good to hear! Hopefully they are similar to MF's headrests, which are relatively open and non-obstructive.

[Generational]

Fantastic news! Renewed excitement in S:RoS. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!

[Zand]

Best case scenario is MF style headrests. Worst case would be TTD style which really aren't all that different from the old Bizarro headrests.

[Vonni]

I wonder why none of the other parks in the chain that are getting Super Loops have theirs put together yet? SFNE has theirs up very early for SF standards.

[necoastergp]

I wonder why none of the other parks in the chain that are getting Super Loops have theirs put together yet? SFNE has theirs up very early for SF standards.

Probably because SFNE's is built on Twister's (top spin) old pad and foundation, and the other parks have to do a bit more to get the site ready, just a guess.

[FaithPlus1]

I wonder why none of the other parks in the chain that are getting Super Loops have theirs put together yet? SFNE has theirs up very early for SF standards.

Probably because SFNE's is built on Twister's (top spin) old pad and foundation, and the other parks have to do a bit more to get the site ready, just a guess.

 

You really just ave to figure out a nice flat spot to park the ride.

[Password121]

I wonder why none of the other parks in the chain that are getting Super Loops have theirs put together yet? SFNE has theirs up very early for SF standards.

Probably because SFNE's is built on Twister's (top spin) old pad and foundation, and the other parks have to do a bit more to get the site ready, just a guess.

 

You really just ave to figure out a nice flat spot to park the ride.

I know you're not a troll because you make legitimate posts in general but when it comes to super loops and saying the name "Lightning Rod" correctly you just really don't give a f*ck, do you?

[coasterbill]

I wonder why none of the other parks in the chain that are getting Super Loops have theirs put together yet? SFNE has theirs up very early for SF standards.

Probably because SFNE's is built on Twister's (top spin) old pad and foundation, and the other parks have to do a bit more to get the site ready, just a guess.

 

You really just ave to figure out a nice flat spot to park the ride.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2016 by coasterbill