GayCoasterGuy Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 ^^Thanks for the Cyclops reminder. Not just about the maintenance issues there, but that Cyclops is a top ride with OMG real airtime (on the first drop and subsequent speed bumps, not just the big drop!) Probably one of the best real air time machines that we have left. Everytime I ride it, I'm grateful for that ride. What will happen with the park? Will Cedar Fair buy it one day and put a complete STOP before the big drop? There are already rumors of the ride getting the old Hades train - that means ratchet bars No good from most points of view. I know... wrong thread. How bout that Goliath! I wonder if there will be a single rider line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tribar Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 ^Thanks for the Cyclops reminder. Not just about the maintenance issues there, but that Cyclops is a top ride with OMG real airtime (on the first drop and subsequent speed bumps, not just the big drop!) Probably one of the best real air time machines that we have left. Everytime I ride it, I'm grateful for that ride. What will happen with the park? Will Cedar Fair buy it one day and put a complete STOP before the big drop? There are already rumors of the ride getting the old Hades train - that means ratchet bars No good from most points of view. I know... wrong thread. How bout that Goliath! I wonder if there will be a single rider line? I don't think it would. With Rajun Cajun leaving, there would be no ride here with it. Seems like SF isn't big on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayCoasterGuy Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 ^They could really use a single rider line one some rides. A Saturday in July on Raging Bull, 2013: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. M Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Six Flags intentionally runs their rides under capacity in order to sell more flashpasses. Once you've come to terms with this simple fact, everything else in life makes more sense. Even my marriage improved after I accepted this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Turbo Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 ^Plus they would actually have to manage the crowds in the station in order to make the single rider line useful, and they don't want to have to put in that effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcdllr Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Six Flags intentionally runs their rides under capacity in order to sell more flashpasses. Once you've come to terms with this simple fact, everything else in life makes more sense. Even my marriage improved after I accepted this. Lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayCoasterGuy Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 ^^It's really a shame... I had operations and capacity pounded into my head working at Cedar Point in the early 90s - it was a blessing and a curse. A curse because it drives me crazy to see how poor the operations can be at some parks. Seems like they run at about 60% efficiency. And it's not just about the number of people you have running a ride; it's because they set the expectations so low. The training is completely different today. ^^^I think the park would sell the same amount of flash passes if the efficiencies were good. I also think they would have happier customers and more customers who wanted to come back (and tell their friends what a great time they had) if the lines moved faster. 700 people per hour on a 2 train B&M coaster is not something to brag about. Rant over. Working on acceptance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 More track going up for the overbank this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildStangAlex Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'm hoping for a Facebook or Twitter update from the park soon. It is difficult to see the progress from this angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Plus they would actually have to manage the crowds in the station in order to make the single rider line useful, and they don't want to have to put in that effort. If they had to train with the guys from Olympia Looping I guess a good percentage of park attendants would shortly have a heart-attack... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goooose Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'm hoping for a Facebook or Twitter update from the park soon. It is difficult to see the progress from this angle. AGREED! I've driven by and the track is installed on the other side. It looks really nice from the ground, with the curvy red track as the highest point on the structure. Photos with my iphone from off property look terrible though so hopefully they will get out there and give us an update. I was expecting one Friday but maybe they are waiting for the overbank to be 100% finished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayCoasterGuy Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'm hoping for a Facebook or Twitter update from the park soon. It is difficult to see the progress from this angle. But you can see the snow, and that's all that really matters here in Chicagoland If they had to train with the guys from Olympia Looping I guess a good percentage of park attendants would shortly have a heart-attack... It's funny how people forget about the long line they just waited in when their train pulls up, isn't it? I vote for German fair training! Get in and go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 ^How are those operators, exactly? Because I've never been to a German fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny B Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 German fair training!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayCoasterGuy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) ^How are those operators, exactly? Because I've never been to a German fair. I haven't been to Germany, but I've heard they get you in the train very quick (and send that train the second they get the chance). It wouldn't go over in America too well... When I worked on the Cedar Point Blue Streak when it was all manual (we had only a few seconds to get each train out, otherwise face a shutdown), the complaints grew and grew each year from guests feeling rushed. That was a large factor in the ride converting the station and brake method. We averaged over 1,200 pph in 92/93; when I was at the park in 2011, a ride op told me they could do about 850 in a good hour (granted, the ride has twice as many restraints now - either way, it all sucks.) Edited March 26, 2014 by GayCoasterGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiMiT Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 From what I understand, Olympia Looping will run up to 5 trains at a time. The ride-ops have to be unbelievably quick to prevent 5 trains from stacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerstlaueringvar Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Is Goliath getting three trains instead of two like iRat? I don't think rushing to dispatch the train is needed when it only has two trains. Ride ops have plenty of time to unload and load the train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GayCoasterGuy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 ^It's getting 2 trains. The important thing is how many people you can put on the ride per hour... For example, Phoenix at Knoebels has a train on the lift while the other is still coming into the station. So there is "dead time" in the station, with no train present. They get you in, and off you go. It used to be that way at Great America, but as we know, things change. I'm sure they will do the best they can with dispatches and filling trains; but the training is very different today. What my crew learned to run Blue Streak in the early 1990s is not even a thought with a modern crew. We were expected to get a minimum of 1,200 pph. The quota is much lower now. Crews have been great with X-Flight most of the time, so I have a feeling there will be a hard working crew for Goliath. I mean, Whizzer and Demon continually stack 2 trains (and 3, of course - but on a side note - isn't it great they still run 3 trains on those?), but I'm sure there will be special attention for the new hot coaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 It really is looking great! It does look incredibly huge in the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium_Maverick Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I gotta give it up for RMC. For the first time in forever, somebody is actually making SCARY looking rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatAmerican2234 Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Could this be the start of the lift hill?? Two cranes working in the same place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 ^Maybe. But I thought they would take care of the dive loop first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacoaster09 Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 ^Maybe. But I thought they would take care of the dive loop first. It would make sense that the lift is the next to go up (even though the dive loop is not finished).... There's a lot of work that has to be done on the lift (like installing the chain, motor, sensors, speakers, and getting all the wiring done) that doesn't have to be done on the dive loop (aside from sensors, if any). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBears Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Could this be the start of the lift hill?? The crane to the right appears to be in Camp Cartoon. The had another crane just like that the other week in Camp Cartoon putting cars on a kids ride so I'm not sure if that's for the first drop of Goliath. It wouldn't surprise me to see the first drop and zero-G stall started shortly but they kind of have to finish the overbank turn first before the drop and zero-G stall actually go vertical else they can't back the crane out of the middle of the ride to drive under the airtime hill. With that said, I could see them starting and finishing the first drop and zero-G stall before completing the remaining sections of the dive loop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jynx242 Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I'll first chime in with the usual....ride looks awesome....can't wait to see it run...yadda yadda yadda.... But I just need to note that the little curving around the edges from the web cam just ANNOYS THE CRAP out of me for some reason. looks amazing....never seen the like...wow....OMFG... David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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