Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[robbalvey]

According to screamscape, they are widening the turn after the drop on I305 to be able to remove the trims and cut down on wear and tear of the trains and provide for a more comfortable ride.

If only Robb could confirm this...

I was told by Intamin that I could not post the information I was given, and I'm sticking to that. All I'm going to say is this. I would imagine that if I was told NOT to post something, other people were most likely told the same. And if the information posted to Screamscape is the same as what I was told, then I'm sure Intamin would not be happy with the source as they have broken their trust. But having seeing who the "source" was (it wasn't Screamscape...they were just reporting what they saw), it does not surprise me at all they would break the trust of someone to get a "scoop."

 

--Robb "Relationships are for more important than being first to report something." Alvey

Edited December 4, 2010 by robbalvey

[Guy T. Koepp]

^QFT!

 

Robb, I wish everyone had this much integrity. It's really something to be commended.

[johncolon91]

I just had a great idea come to mind...If I-305 still has trims once whatever is going on is done, we should just paint them like what happened to Pony Express and *BAM* no more trims! Its genius.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^But, what if it rolls back into the station? Don't you think if they already knew that painting the trims would cause them to not work, then doing it on purpose would result in negligence. That is a bigger lawsuit coming than it being by accident.

[Hayzle]

Damn i didnt know I305 could defy the laws of gravity!

[chadster]

^QFT!

 

Robb, I wish everyone had this much integrity. It's really something to be commended.

 

What Guy said.

 

I fully didn't expect Robb to comment on what Screamscape had posted, and honestly was surprised when I read it given that Intamin made Robb swear on a stack of Bible's that he'd keep mum. Keeping his word is certainly commendable, many applause, and may many virgins be bestowed upon you.

[CorkscrewFoley]

It's an Intamin, the laws of gravity don't apply to them.

[johncolon91]

^aint that the truth. Tell it to that dreaded Intamin cable though, it hasn't got the memo.

[Lenaapple1974]

Knowing what he knows, Robb has to be laughing at everyone and all the speculation! I wonder if anyone has it right. Hopefully, we will find out soon!

 

You go Robb!!

[Fooz]

http://www.coastercrew.net/intheloop.php?page=play&file=386

 

On this podcast ("In the Loop") tonight, John Pagel (Public Relations from Kings Dominion) announced that the turn is being widened, with the goal of removing the trims from the hill all together. The whole turn has been removed as of now, and no track has yet arrived.

 

[chadster]

well, suppose that's settled, will have to make another journey next year to try it out

[robbalvey]

At least it's now been announced by the park. Shame on that other group who spilled the beans when I'm sure they were told not to. But it doesn't surprise me given the source. But really, even with the trims, I thought the ride was awesome.

 

Oh, and I should just say it to all the people who kept bitching and complaining over this season...

 

 

I TOLD YOU SO!!!

 

 

Seriously...how many times did I say "They aren't done...you'll still see changes...I'm sure you'll see another re-configuration of the trims before it's all done...just give it time...

 

--Robb "More people need to listen to Elissa and I..." Alvey

Edited December 14, 2010 by robbalvey

[Skycoastin Steve]

I really wonder what widening the track will entail, and I wonder how well it will curb the positive g-forces experienced during the turn. Guess we'll find out in a few months!

[coasterlover420]

I TOLD YOU SO!!!

 

[jarmor]

Really, people were expecting anything different than widening the turn?

[KDcoasterMAN]

^ People will expect any that sounds plausible...

 

The trims will probably return to the tall, third hill like originally...

[BeemerBoy]

Pleading ignorance, do these modifications come out of Intamin's wallet, or the park's?

[WildStangAlex]

I want to say the park's because that's how most construction projects work: the contractor screws up, you pay! Maybe they've worked something out, however.

[redfoot12]

Maybe they'll get a discount on the Intamin prefab that will replace Hurler (wishes...)

[jarmor]

I want to say the park's because that's how most construction projects work: the contractor screws up, you pay! Maybe they've worked something out, however.

Thats not how most construction projects work around here. If you contract someone to do something and they screw it up, its up to them to fix it. Thats the cause of a law suit....but in this case I have no idea. This doesn't seem like intamin screwed up at all. Its just an intense ride that the general public wasn't quite ready for.

[redfoot12]

Really, people were expecting anything different than widening the turn?

 

Overbank turn? Probably too radical of a reprofile. While I think one would have been cool I'm kind of glad the low-to-the-ground turn will remain in some form.

[chadster]

^ agree. the low to the ground gives a better sense of speed, Prowler can speak to that, and since sustained speed is what this ride is all about (ok maybe the twisty's too) widening the turn seems to be the best and most logical option.

[robbalvey]

I want to say the park's because that's how most construction projects work: the contractor screws up, you pay! Maybe they've worked something out, however.

Let's also take a step back here for a second...

 

There is one really important point everyone seems to be forgetting. i305 was "supposed" to have several weeks of testing and tweaking before the park and the ride opened to the public. The delays that happened during construction, mostly due to weather, created a situation where they had to either choose one of two options: A. Open the park with the ride having only the minimum amount of testing and tweaking done to ensure safety, and continue to tweak during operation, or B. Delay the opening of the ride until a later date.

 

The many changes that we saw happen (trims on 2nd hill, trims on 1st hill, more trims on 1st hill, etc, etc....) were all part of the tweaking process that happens on EVERY ride. The changes on i305 were more visible to everyone because the ride is HUGE! And not to mention arguably the most important ride to open in the US in about a decade.

 

Had there been weeks of testing and tuning available prior to opening, I'm sure we would have seen quite a few changes made, and the ride that would have opened to the public may in fact ended up being closer to what we will see open at the park Spring of 2011.

 

So who's fault is it? You can say it's the park for rushing the ride to be open, you can say it's Intamin for the ride needing changes, but to be fair, I don't think anyone is really at "fault" here.

 

When you are building a ride as big as i305, that in many ways was a prototype, you should expect changes, even as big as pieces of track being replaced. This is not something new, and happens more often than you think. It's just part of the ongoing process when you build something as massive as Intimidator 305.

 

To answer the question, I'm sure the park and Intamin have worked something out, and I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't part of the original contract for the ride.

 

--Robb

[BeemerBoy]

I'm assuming it's also fair to suggest that a company like Cedar Fair doesn't shy away from a company like Intamin because the majority of their parks operate seasonally, and they have the offseason to build? I mean, thinking in a business sense, that's several of their recent installations (Maverick, that water flume thing at Cedar Point, and i305) that have either had delayed openings, or in i305's case, narrowly avoided it, but was still able to open and continue running during ongoing adjustments.

 

Although, after typing that, I guess I may have contradicted myself a bit too. Considering their parks do operate on a limited seasonal schedule, I guess you could also suggest that it's a slight risk to continue working with a company that relies on tweaking things as much as they've proven they've had to recently (for one reason or another). All in all, CF's not hurting too bad from any of their choices, but from a business standpoint concerning budgets, it's an intriguing scenario when deciding whether to go with a more "bland" company that will 99% of the time build something that seems guaranteed to open on time, to a company known more for pushing the envelope a bit, and producing more radical ideas and rides over the last half of the decade.

 

To me, I couldn't care less anymore who builds the ride, when it opens, or if it needs modifying......but the whole process is definitely interesting.

[redfoot12]

^^Robb--you need to come back to KD opening weekend and take some more video!

I know you enjoyed both versions of I305, but did you like a particular iteration more than the other?

What we get in I305 will be a perfect marriage of the the two--trimless first drop and soft restraints!