ginzo Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 http://www.screamscape.com/html/knoebels.htm 2007 - Flying Turns - (5/29/07) The latest word from park guests claims that there isn’t quite as much work left to do on the Flying Turns as we guessed. The layout appears to be about 80% complete right now and park staff were apparently telling people that the ride could open by late June or July. Given that this is such a custom job that will need some extensive testing and tweaking, somehow I just don’t see it opening until late July or even August myself barring any problems, but that’s just me making my own guess. So far the official word from customer service is that they are hoping to open it before the end of summer. I'm hitting Knoebels either in July or August. I really hope this is up by then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiCoastal Kid Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 This ride is sex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Fan Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I'm hitting Knoebels either in July or August. I really hope this is up by then! It wont be. I dont even think it will open this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiCoastal Kid Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Yeah, considering they are dealing with virtually new techniques I'd imagine they're taking their time to get it right... unlike other parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I'm hitting Knoebels either in July or August. I really hope this is up by then! It wont be. I dont even think it will open this year! Yeah, I'm not holding my breath. I hope that they'll at least have it ready for Phoenix Phall Phunfest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Fan Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Yeah. And even when the ride is done.. I dont think they have trains for it yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCoasterny Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I heard that they do have an prototype train, but it's not at Knoebels yet. They will run only one train to see how it goes, make any necessary tweaks, then manufacture the other 2. right now, they have the structure and rings up for all the troughs, and all is left is the structure for the station, and 1st lift. The footers are already in place. They haven't put the footers in for the service track. The station and the lift hill are side friction track, which means that it can be constructed in about 3 - 4 days. They're still progressing on the first 2 layers of wood on the helix, and soon we will see the final 3rd layer. Now with the warmer weather, it should make the track bending a bit easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 There's a bit more to go than that. There appear to be no footers yet for the station itself, just for the track through it. Also, according to Coastin' Steve on Usenet, they need to build the switches to get trains in and out of the storage track even if they don't built the storage track until after the ride opens. But yeah, I think it'll open this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmoofy Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Well the footers for the station are in as of today, 31/05/2007. I just arrived back home from spending a good 7 hours down at Knoebel's. I'll upload some pictures of Flying Turns and other random shots once I find my camera. As for a "readable" update on construction work... The station footers are in. The first helix is being worked on like mad, as in they've nearly completed placing the first layer of wood on the trough since last Friday. On the top of the third lift hill they are nearing completion of the last turn into the station. The first structure for the station was being worked on today: It's right behind Looper, easily seen from riding it. It looks "log-cabin" style. EDIT: See this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 The first structure for the station was being worked on today: It's right behind Looper, easily seen from riding it. It looks "log-cabin" style. That sounds a lot like the building that was covering a giant version of one of those stupid claw games the last two times I was there. Is this thing you described a new structure, or did they take the claw game out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECZenith Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I expected this project to take a loooong time but it looks like they're finally getting to the final stages. I gotta make sure I head to Knoebels for the first (and probably last!) time before I pick up and move to Cali in the winter. I can't wait to see this thing running! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ccron10 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I was talking to my dad about heading up there when it opens, but with gas prices and the unknown opening date, it might not even happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmoofy Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 The first structure for the station was being worked on today: It's right behind Looper, easily seen from riding it. It looks "log-cabin" style. That sounds a lot like the building that was covering a giant version of one of those stupid claw games the last two times I was there. Is this thing you described a new structure, or did they take the claw game out? The crane machine is still there, this is a different structure. Turns out it is the small lift hill out of the station. The bottom structure underneath of the lift hill is log-cabin like, it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ccron10 Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I don't know, I counted 2 or 3 lifthills so far on that ride, could this be the coaster with the most lift hills? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 There are 3 lifts, the last one is really short and it doesn't lead to a drop, just to the station. I don't know whether there are any traditional coasters with more than 2. I wish they would get the webcams fixed, they've been stuck since Friday. I emailed them and I got a reply that they'd pass it on, but they still haven't updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airtime&Gravity Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I doubt it has 3 lift hills, because Knoebel's would never do that bad of a job building a coaster.(it's not an arrow mine train after all) It is probably just the angle of the photo. This is one of my most anticipated coasters of the season, and it is nice to see the owners putting so much time and effort into the new ride. I would expect the coaster to take the turns really quickly(I think the old Flying Turns especially the one at Palisades did this) , and it should be a great ride when finished. Edit: Never mind, I guess it really does have three lift hills which seems really strange given the rides size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ccron10 Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 The reason why is that these kinds of coasters have a higher chance of getting airbourne and crashing. This ride has a very low chance of getting air on it since it's all downhill. By the way, it looks like the webcam lift is starting to take it's shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob256 Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yes, Flying Turns does have 3 lift hills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmoofy Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Considering they just started building this lift last Thursday, they worked extremely fast. I'm taking an educated guess here and saying that this lift is now connected to the helix before the main lift hill. Would this mean that only the station is left to be built? I wonder if the ride's queue will go throughout the structure? That'd be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I'm guessing the queue will have to go through the structure, because there isn't much room on the station side of the ride with the Looper and Flyers there, and if you look at the layout on Knoebels' main website it looks like the wider side of the station, which I assume would be the loading side, is the inner side toward the main part of the ride. It's hard to tell if the first lift is connected to the top of the helix yet with that tree in the way, but remember the issue of needing to build the storage track switches as trough. When I was there two weeks ago, the bottom of the helix wasn't connected to the second lift yet, presumably for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob256 Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 As of 6-9-07, the first lift hill was still not connected to the helix. Yes, there is a tree slightly in its path. Also, the exit of the helix is not connected to the second lift hill. Work has begun on the footers for the station. There is a concrete walkway which runs under and parallel to the main lift hill. I'm guessing this will lead to/from the station. I also heard they are considering a "draw bridge" configuration instead of a switch to get to the service track. ...Just what I heard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I was at Lakemont today wearing my Phunfest shirt, and got into a conversation at Leap-The-Dips with a guy wearing a Flying Turns shirt. I think he had just been to Knoebels with a club. He said that if it opened this year, it probably wouldn't be til Phunfest. I didn't ask him whether that was official information or his own speculation. The issue, he seemed to think, was the train design. I also talked to a guy in the same group who had ridden the Euclid Beach Flying Turns. He said it was a wild ride, although a lot taller than the Knoebels version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob256 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I was at Lakemont today wearing my Phunfest shirt, and got into a conversation at Leap-The-Dips with a guy wearing a Flying Turns shirt. I think he had just been to Knoebels with a club. I believe he was a member of NAPHA, as they were at Knoebels on Saturday and toured Flying Turns construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim S. Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 According to Coastin' Steve, the entrance path passes under the 2nd lift hill (he doesn't say where it starts) and will allow a view of the train in one of the ~270-degree turns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 That Explanes What I Saw When Me Ands My Friends Went There Two Years Ago We Saw A Frame Of Wood With Peaces Of Bobsled Track On It But We Thought It ould Be Another Water Ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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