Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread

[UrbanLegend]

Personally I don't even know what an RMC treatment for a simple out-and-back like Rolling Thunder (or for that matter American Eagle at SFGAm) would even look like. Either it's be the same, but steel (what's the point), or make it a twisty layout (then it's not even close to being Rolling Thunder anymore). I'm also of the opinion that Rolling Thunder shouldn't be torn down, but I'm also not in park management.

[larrygator]

I'd love to see the return of the old Rolling Thunder sign that lit up at night.

[yankeeman311]

As somebody that goes to the park regularly, I will be surprised if the Rolling Thunder rumors are true. I know they've spent a decent amount of money on maintenance but it's still the most popular family ride in the park that can be a people eater when running at full capacity. I'm not a fan of the ride and wouldn't miss it too much if it did go but I just can't see them getting rid of their most popular family ride. As far as the drop tower goes, if it's anything like Stratosfear or Dr. Doom than it should be a solid flat for the park.

[golfburner1]

Went to the park today and got some pictures of the mysterious coaster parts!

PARTS OMG

I had to tell the Drop Off bus driver to drive over there. He was cool and showed me the parts

Some big trucks and cranes.

Most of the parts.

[larrygator]

Those are some pretty small parts.

[chickenbowl]

^ I'd imagine those are just the modified supports to be put on the front face of the structure where 2-3 individual drop tower tracks will be placed.

[cmullin]

^^ I wouldn't imagine that it would need a lot of supports, since Kingda Ka's structure should be the main support for the ride.

[Philrad71]

I haven't been following all of this, but is it possible that they could actually just be replacing some of Kingda Ka's structure with those pieces?

[_IntaMAN_]

Oh well. SFMM had their record.

[boardwalkbullet91507]

The rumors on Screamscape said that it would be mounted to the rear of the tower, so given I know nothing about how they mount these drop rides onto pre-existing structures, what are the chances the supports will be mounted here to eliminate the slant that begins about half way up the rear column?

Thick black line being supports, thin black line being 'connectors' to the main tower, and the red line being the actual ride? Original Photo from RCDB.

 

Pardon my terminology in the description, it may sound a little GPish. (ie. connectors)

[Coaster_Fanatic]

^^ I wouldn't imagine that it would need a lot of supports, since Kingda Ka's structure should be the main support for the ride.

 

Except Kingda Ka's support structure isn't just straight up and down. It curves, making it pretty much mandatory to add a decent amount of supports to the structure.

 

Edit: ^Beat me to it.

[Ed Farmer]

 

Honestly, its kind of sad that in one part we have two yellow coasters, and 2 green coasters, and they're both right next to each other.... fail.

[cmullin]

^^ I wouldn't imagine that it would need a lot of supports, since Kingda Ka's structure should be the main support for the ride.

 

Except Kingda Ka's support structure isn't just straight up and down. It curves, making it pretty much mandatory to add a decent amount of supports to the structure.

 

Edit: ^Beat me to it.

Even so, it's not going to require them to use many big supports, but I had never realized KK's tower was curved, so it's going to be more than I thought.

[chickenbowl]

^^ I wouldn't imagine that it would need a lot of supports, since Kingda Ka's structure should be the main support for the ride.

 

Except Kingda Ka's support structure isn't just straight up and down. It curves, making it pretty much mandatory to add a decent amount of supports to the structure.

 

Edit: ^Beat me to it.

 

Why would they just build it on the front face instead?

[Coaster_Fanatic]

^^ I wouldn't imagine that it would need a lot of supports, since Kingda Ka's structure should be the main support for the ride.

 

Except Kingda Ka's support structure isn't just straight up and down. It curves, making it pretty much mandatory to add a decent amount of supports to the structure.

 

Edit: ^Beat me to it.

 

Why would they just build it on the front face instead?

 

If I'm not mistaken, the hydraulics room for Kingda Ka is at the base of the tower in that area.

[Locostitch]

You guys are all over thinking this. It will clearly be put on both sides of the tower

[jray21]

Pretty interesting. I'd be all for a drop ride that huge!

[Ed Farmer]

I've not gone west to sample the drop tower SFMM fused onto Superman, but Second-Gen Intamin Drop Towers are the epitome of that ride type to me* - how do they compare? I know the vehicle and restraint system are a bit different, but based on the eye test, I'd imagine the ride experience is closer to the Second-Gens than the Third-Gen Gyro Drops (at least I hope it is).

 

*Haven't gotten around to an ARM Tower yet, but I've heard only good things.

[Canobie Coaster]

I've not gone west to sample the drop tower SFMM fused onto Superman, but Second-Gen Intamin Drop Towers are the epitome of that ride type to me* - how do they compare? I know the vehicle and restraint system are a bit different, but based on the eye test, I'd imagine the ride experience is closer to the Second-Gens than the Third-Gen Gyro Drops (at least I hope it is).

 

*Haven't gotten around to an ARM Tower yet, but I've heard only good things.

 

The ARM towers are amazing and every bit as good as everyone says. I rode the one at DelGrosso's and it was intense. The ride vehicle drops like a rock.

 

If a drop tower is mounted to Kingda Ka's support structure, how much do you think the supports will sway compared to the versions at Magic Mountain and Dreamworld?

[vacoaster09]

Those small parts are likely modified support connectors that have been modified to have a attachment so that a vertical drop tower track can be attached.

[3Mutts]

I haven't been following all of this, but is it possible that they could actually just be replacing some of Kingda Ka's structure with those pieces?

 

 

The ride is only 8 years old, I doubt structural fatigue cracks could happen in that amount of time even with the force Kingda Ka puts on the tower. (Look at TTD at Cedar Point, have we seen any new tower supports come yet? I think we would be able to tell because the new supports would be darker than the rest of the tower)

[Ed Farmer]

The ride is only 8 years old, I doubt structural fatigue cracks could happen in that amount of time even with the force Kingda Ka puts on the tower. (Look at TTD at Cedar Point, have we seen any new tower supports come yet? I think we would be able to tell because the new supports would be darker than the rest of the tower)

 

Eight years is more than enough time for that to happen. Xcelerator saw structural modifications after just a year of operation. The Impulse Coasters (including Wicked Twister) also saw structural modifications not long after opening.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Ed Farmer

[coasterbill]

I thought Rolling Thunder was running well on Monday, it didn't seem any different than the times I have ridden the coaster in the trips to the park in the past month. I actually think its running smoother than Thunderhawk at Dorney this year.

 

I agree 100%. I've ridden Rolling Thunder quite a bit over the last few years and don't find it rough at all. I find it horribly boring in every seat, but not rough.

[Canobie Coaster]

I thought Rolling Thunder was running well on Monday, it didn't seem any different than the times I have ridden the coaster in the trips to the park in the past month. I actually think its running smoother than Thunderhawk at Dorney this year.

 

I agree 100%. I've ridden Rolling Thunder quite a bit over the last few years and don't find it rough at all. I find it horribly boring in every seat, but not rough.

 

Last year I got some really good rides on the left side. It was raining all day and Rolling Thunder was actually traveling quite fast! The entire return leg had solid air-time on every hill.

[coasterfreak101]

Except Kingda Ka's support structure isn't just straight up and down. It curves, making it pretty much mandatory to add a decent amount of supports to the structure.

 

Why would they just build it on the front face instead?

 

If I'm not mistaken, the hydraulics room for Kingda Ka is at the base of the tower in that area.

 

The hydraulic room is right where the track starts to curve up. Same place where Dragster's is, and there aren't any problems there with the queue taking up the infield all the way up to the end of the launch. It won't be a problem here either. There's no way they're attaching it to the back of the tower, it makes no sense logistically or structurally, or from on- of off-ride in any way at all.

 

Eight years is more than enough time for that to happen. Xcelerator saw structural modifications after just a year of operation. The Impulse Coasters (including Wicked Twister) also saw structural modifications not long after opening.

 

This isn't a fair comparison at all. Xcelerator and Wicked Twister were both modified because they were structurally underdesigned. Dragster and Kingda Ka aren't. Simple.

 

If a drop tower is mounted to Kingda Ka's support structure, how much do you think the supports will sway compared to the versions at Magic Mountain and Dreamworld?

I don't think this is going to be even close to a problem. Tall towers close in high winds because they sway too much - the standalone towers are the best example (any drop tower, any SkyScreamer or Windseeker), but S:EFK/LL:DOD is also a relatively thin tower that already sways ever time a Superman car hits the tower, not to mention the extra weight now of a Lex Luthor car sitting at the top - hence the closures when it's windy.

 

Ka's tower doesn't move even remotely close to how much a standalone tower or even the Superman tower. You'll be able to operate a drop tower on it with wind speeds well beyond what they'll allow for any of those other towers, I guarantee it. Heck, you could probably operate it in higher winds than you should Kingda Ka if you're trying to avoid any stalls or constant rollbacks.