thrillseeker4552 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Lightning Rod confirmed closed for the rest of the season. Perhaps a little teasing too? Photo credit goes to @sparky3528 on Instagram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaCoasters Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 Bummer. I'm heading out there next month for the first time and was really looking forward to it. Oh well, it gives me a reason to come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdcfan88 Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 LOL say I am not surprised. I'd laugh (as unlikely as it might be) if they did redo the main hill and add a chain lift as several have joked and speculated on here. More realistically I suspect it may be some track work along with a new launch system/trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstephe9 Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Rumor around the park is that they are iboxing part of the track but not all of it. Just a rumor and probably very unlikely. I'd say it's very unlikely because they have already been redoing a lot of track this year, unless they found issues while redoing the track they have currently been working on I'd say with the minor trackwork they've done this year, they have found more serious problems and what better time to fix than now? Unsure why they are teasing us though with lightening strikes twice! Ha Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenban Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) Replacing the launch track and high stress areas with IBox makes a lot of sense to me. IBox will hold tolerances a lot tighter then topper track and will spread the forces out across more of the support structure. For example if the train has had alignment issues with the launch or with the brakes IBox should help with those issues. It does not take much of a misalignment to cause serious issues on a launch. Plus the issues with what has been described by riders as potholes in the track, IBox would likely be a permanent fix. Most of the track is likely fine, but I could definitely see sections get replaced. Edited September 26, 2020 by kenban Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyUD06 Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Might just be switching to the newer-style RMC double-wheel trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillseeker4552 Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 I wonder if this is more substantial than trackwork or general maintenance. The fact that they said "receiving an upgrade" and "lightning strikes twice in 2021" seems like it is something more. I could see them give it RMC's second-gen trains that perhaps work better at such high speeds and sustained forces, as well as potentially installing I-box track on the high G sections. Who knows! I highly doubt they will change anything about the launch/lift though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 I'm glad they finally put something up now that it's been closed a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Unsure why they are teasing us though with lightening strikes twice! Maybe it’s going to run two cycles with riders next year before it closes for a month again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abovethesink Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 They definitely seem to be teasing something more than a simple retracking that the GP wouldn't outwardly notice. Switching track types makes a lot of sense. RMC is gonna RMC an RMC. Man, the English language is weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Wow I'm glad I altered my planned October Tennessee/Texas trip to an Orlando/Texas trip last week. I still haven't been able to ride Lightning Rod and going back with it closed yet again would have been beyond frustrating. Easy for me to say, but if it turns out we'll see a partial or full i-box replacement I think it will be for the better. If it means LR has less downtime and (fingers crossed) can launch full speed again then I think everyone wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Based on how the most recent issues have all seemed track related, I'm guessing this will be an I-box. However, the Lightning Strikes Twice part suggests there will be some sort of marketable feature in this. Retracking the ride alone probably doesn't make it more marketable, but for me, I just want to see the ride run reliably because I think it's the best ride in the world when it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dankeykang Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 If it does get a full I-Box retrack, I would love to see the debates on whether or not it's a new credit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djwadeknox Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Dollywood has a new trick to make you forget LR is down . Apple pie Cinnamon bread for the fall harvest festival. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougMJr Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 If it does get a full I-Box retrack, I would love to see the debates on whether or not it's a new credit I mean, not to be “that guy,” but... If it ends up going I-Box plus a reprofiling that introduces a new element or two...? That’s pretty compelling as far as “new credit” goes. I suppose the threshold for “new credit” is going to be pretty subjective depending on what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodie Warrior Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Unsure why they are teasing us though with lightening strikes twice! Maybe it’s going to run two cycles with riders next year before it closes for a month again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeykaise Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 "Lightning strikes twice" means that they'll open it next year and the up/down will start again and not talking about the rides themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
u4icmusic Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 Based on how the most recent issues have all seemed track related, I'm guessing this will be an I-box. However, the Lightning Strikes Twice part suggests there will be some sort of marketable feature in this. Retracking the ride alone probably doesn't make it more marketable, but for me, I just want to see the ride run reliably because I think it's the best ride in the world when it does. Have you ridden Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point? It's by far the best coaster I've ever ridden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
u4icmusic Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 I wonder if this is more substantial than trackwork or general maintenance. The fact that they said "receiving an upgrade" and "lightning strikes twice in 2021" seems like it is something more. I could see them give it RMC's second-gen trains that perhaps work better at such high speeds and sustained forces, as well as potentially installing I-box track on the high G sections. Who knows! I highly doubt they will change anything about the launch/lift though. I don't think you can add I-box sections. The entire track would have to be replaced because I don't think you can go between the two types of tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) I’ll wait and see what they actually do but if they end up having to re-track the entire coaster after four years of existence and like... 2.5 cumulative years of wear and tear since it’s always closed that’s pretty much unprecedented, isn’t it? We all love RMC but that would be stunningly bad engineering from a modern coaster manufacturer. Then again, Steel Vengeance spent 2 years opening late and having tons of issues while people worked on the structure in a lift multiple times a week so I guess structural problems are on brand. I love RMC but if I were a park looking at one of their rides as an investment that would be mildly concerning. Personally I’d be really surprised if the ride were actually THAT f*cked up and if it is... woah. Edited September 28, 2020 by coasterbill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 ^A full re-track would surprise me for the same reason, but who knows I guess. If RMC determines their trains can run on both types of track simultaneously I think we could see I-box replacing the highest stress areas first with more sections added in subsequent seasons if needed. I really have no idea, but I'm excited to see whatever this ends up being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenban Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 My speculation has been the launch, and high stress areas are going to be replaced with I-Box. As far as I know the dimensions of the track are the same. So it’s really just down to how they are connected together and frankly that does not seem that difficult. GCI just did something similar to White Lightning. Retracting the entire coaster seems unnecessary, but I have no idea how often maintenance is having to work on the track and structure. It also depends on how much of the track needs upgraded. The lightning strikes twice makes me suspicious of just how much work is planned, it gives me this feeling it’s going to be a lot more then I originally thought, or I am trying to read too much into a simple sign. I believe we will see the original front to the train return as well, I would think the removal will no longer be needed once it has been fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 I just hope for more uptime. I haven't visited since 2014 and I've had the chance to visit many times since then, but I couldn't bring myself to risk spending a lot of time and money to get to a park that's kinda tough to get to and the star attraction could be down for a whole 3 day visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCjunkie Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 ^ Same here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppedup Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 "Lightning Strikes Twice in 2021" Clearly they are adding a second launch to spice up the lackluster second half of this ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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