camper26124 Posted September 9, 2009 Posted September 9, 2009 Hey does anyone know how much longer after october magic mountain runs colossus backwards. because i was there 4 years ago in mid november and they were still running it.
Calicoasters Posted September 9, 2009 Posted September 9, 2009 Last year I was at the park in November, and Colossus backwards was not in operation. I'm bummed that I probably wont be able to ride Colossus backwards this year because I will be busy with Knott's Halloween Haunt.
ebl Posted September 9, 2009 Posted September 9, 2009 Colossus will run backwards through Halloween, but not long after, the old Psyclone trains will come off and the even older Morgan trains will be put back on. Â Eric
robbalvey Posted September 9, 2009 Posted September 9, 2009 The last couple of years it's stopped going backwards as soon as Fright Fest was over. Â That's not to say they could decide to run it longer, but my reccomendation would not to expect to run past Fright Fest. Â --Robb
GoogleMickey Posted September 9, 2009 Posted September 9, 2009 Speaking of Fright Fest, is there any information yet on what mazes will be around this year. I really am hoping they have a new one or two or at least bring back some of their better ones that were absent last year like Carnage E. Hall and Blood Falls.
robbalvey Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Speaking of Fright Fest, is there any information yet on what mazes will be around this year. I really am hoping they have a new one or two or at least bring back some of their better ones that were absent last year like Carnage E. Hall and Blood Falls. You might actually get a response if you use the search function to find one of our Fright Fest threads and post there instead of steering this thread off topic.
DBru Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Is Colossus a really fun ride when the trains are turned backwards? I really miss riding the Racer at KI before Cedar Fair took over...
rawrtotheargh Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 ^I personally LOVE it backwards. I actually look forward to riding it. But I am not one of those people that something out against Colossus from the get go. Its rough but still fun.
ebl Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Colossus backwards isn't too bad, even when riding in the old Psyclone trains that they use. My only gripe with it, besides the fact that it is a mere shadow of its former self, is that the layout really doesn't offer a very good race. If the two trains leave the lift at the same time, the one on the left gets ahead on the first turnaround. Next, the right side one catches up during the second turnaround. Finally, it gets ahead on the third turnaround. Â It would have been better had the layout been set up for a more or less even race start to finish. Â Eric
All Clear Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 So do they run the backward train on the side of the track that normally just sits there rotting the rest of the year or do they replace the forward facing train all together?
Calicoasters Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 ^They use both sides of Colossus for forward operation. Earlier this year it was the left side and now it's the ride side in operation. Every time I've been on Colossus Backwards it has been on the left side.
kidcoaster 2 Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Anyone know why they don't run backwards year round?
haiderodes Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 ^I think its a combination of factors... Â 1. Most of the time, they only run one side. They alternate throughout the year, but its usually right or left. Could be staffing, but I notice they tend to rehab one side while the other is down (at least during parts of the year) Â 2. By only running it backward during Fright Fest, it keeps it "special" and seems to be a good draw for people to visit the park during Fright Fest. Â I also have to wonder if there is some concern that by using the trains for too long would have a detrimental effect on the structure. For so many years, we have heard rumblings that the trains were soooo heavy and really hard on the Psyclone structure. Not sure, but just a thought.
camper26124 Posted September 10, 2009 Author Posted September 10, 2009 I was thinking pretty soon they might need to get new lighter trains. and replace alot of the wood structure to keep is supported.
ebl Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 One of the things SFMM has been doing to Colossus is replacing the lower layers of wood with steel I-beams. You can see that on the opposite track as you ride. Â Honestly, I'd like to see those ancient Morgans replaced with PTCs (though I doubt that) or almost anything else. They can't operate backwards, which is why the Psyclone trains are used for that. Â I don't worry about the structure of Colossus. It was built to handle the original IAD trains, which were rather heavy if I recall correctly. Before the Morgans, the park ran four-car, three-bench PTCs---and one track ran backwards all the time (the track closest to Goliath, "right side" I guess you'd call it). Â Eric
kidcoaster 2 Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 ^I think its a combination of factors... 1. Most of the time, they only run one side. They alternate throughout the year, but its usually right or left. Could be staffing, but I notice they tend to rehab one side while the other is down (at least during parts of the year)  2. By only running it backward during Fright Fest, it keeps it "special" and seems to be a good draw for people to visit the park during Fright Fest.  I also have to wonder if there is some concern that by using the trains for too long would have a detrimental effect on the structure. For so many years, we have heard rumblings that the trains were soooo heavy and really hard on the Psyclone structure. Not sure, but just a thought.  Oh those make sense but seems like alot of work.
FLIPDUDE Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 Back in 2005 when I rode it, Colossus backwards was HORRIBLE. It was painfully rough during the fast parts, and during the slow parts it was boring.
monsterfan99 Posted September 12, 2009 Posted September 12, 2009 Anyone know why they don't run backwards year round? Not sure if it is the same as my examples but for American Eagle the backwards trains just torn apart the track. There is a big difference in the roughness on the side that used to go backwards (Blue) over the other side. Â With the Racer, Don (the PR guy for the park) told us the insurance companies put a stop to Cedar Fair doing it. Now if that is the case at all the parks or not, I have no idea.
All Clear Posted September 13, 2009 Posted September 13, 2009 My understanding was that Cedar Fair turned all the backward trains forward because PTC wouldn't service the trains otherwise. Paramount had done train maintenance in-house.
thrillseaker92 Posted September 13, 2009 Posted September 13, 2009 Actually I read somewhere in an interview that they had to turn the old Paramount Park's coasters forwards because CF's insurance would not allow them to run backwards.
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