The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

^Your logic confuses me. If they did that (and I hope they DON'T), there would be 2 lifts and 2 mid-courses, hence at least 5 blocks allowing 5 train operation. Even without 2 mids, there would be plenty of blocks to run at least 3 trains.

^ Lets remember what park we're dealing with here. Half of Colossus has gone unused for years, Tatsu's second station only gets used a handful of times per year, X2's unloading station isn't used at all anymore. They rarely launch Superman trains with Lex gondolas, which would be pretty simple if they wanted to. They're not big on making the most of what they have even when they have it. I wouldn't hang any hopes on any kind of dueling, racing, or high capacity configuration.

They haven't needed to use both sides. Colossus isn't popular enough. It would've been nice to have 3 trains for the last few months of operation, but even with only one track and two trains, waits haven't commonly exceeded 25-30 min. So it still isn't that popular.

I've seen both sides on Tatsu running 9/10 of my visits this summer, and the one time they weren't was because they were only using one train, with a mechanic actively working on the other one in the other station. They don't use both right after opening or right before closing. But they do use both most days all afternoon. I've seen it on weekdays and weekends, so that's not true.

X2's unloading station was ditched during the 2008 renovation. Capacity is better using the old loading station for both loading and unloading.

Superman and Alex already have terrible capacity. Imagine how much lower their capacities would be if they were timed together.

 

If they do one long track, they can't really run 2 trains without having horrible capacity. Beast can get away with 3 large trains, 36 people each, and I don't think that its capacity is terribly high. RMC trains tend to have a capacity more like 24 people per train. Two trains combined with a very long ride would be torture.

They should use five trains and a dual loading station. Similar operations to California Screamin'. If not, then 3-4 trains and one loading station. If the ride is that long, there needs to be high capacity.

^Your logic confuses me. If they did that (and I hope they DON'T), there would be 2 lifts and 2 mid-courses, hence at least 5 blocks allowing 5 train operation. Even without 2 mids, there would be plenty of blocks to run at least 3 trains.

I'm saying that Beast barely gets away with 3 trains, RMC trains are shorter, and SFMM might not manage with more than 2, maybe 3. Just because the ride CAN run 3+ trains does not mean that SFMM will run it that way. We all know that SFMM seems to limit itself to 2 trains and on some occasions, a single train. Hopefully they will work more logically on a length record-holder.

Hopefully they will work more logically on a length record-holder.

^Your logic confuses me. If they did that (and I hope they DON'T), there would be 2 lifts and 2 mid-courses, hence at least 5 blocks allowing 5 train operation. Even without 2 mids, there would be plenty of blocks to run at least 3 trains.

See this is why I like verbolten. They always run all five and it works and it's not confusing. *shrugs*

I really hope that they convert it to one long track with 2 lifts. It would be perfect to break the distance record and you could certainly have different elements on each "side" of the track, although I am not sure that you would have radically different profile for each side because part of the cost efficiency of doing the RMC makeover is being able to rely on re-using the underlying wooden structure. Still, i could easily see a situation in which one side does an inversion as it enters or exits one of those flat turnarounds, and the other side has a huge overbank, just so that your experiences are quite different on each side, and maybe interact with each other at times.

In terms of capacity, if RMC sticks with the short trains (which are a capacity nightmare), I would keep both stations for loading and you could probably have a ~1 minute dispatch without a midcourse block, just using the lift hills and variable speed motors as a blocking device. RMC circuits run superfast and I would think it would kill the flow to try to create a block at the right place on this layout. If the course ran super fast, like the pace in Outlaw Run and Goliath, so that it was one minute from the top of the lift hill to base of the "second" lift hill, then your blocks could be top of the lift hill to a base break at the end of the first course, at the base of the second lift hill. The New Texas Giant runs about the same length course in about 1:20, but that is a profile with lots of up and downs - if they lower those huge, slow colossus turnarounds (which I am sure they will do), lots of Colossus runs should low to the ground and fast, so it might be a 1:00-ish run per side. You really would not need a mid-course block under those circumstances because I don't see a better than 1:15 dispatch interval.

So, they could maybe get a 1,200 pph capacity without a mid-course break, IF they loaded both sides so that they had trains stacked at the base of each lift hill ready for immediate dispatch when the block clears, and ran the trains full. I know, this SFMM we are talking about, so we are probably looking at a miserable 800 pph.

Im sorry, I honestly know very little about construction, much less RMC Iron Horse makeovers, but wouldnt a long coaster with two lifts be incredibly dull and repetetive given the current stucture? I mean, unless RMC is planning on adding a LOT of new wood structure to the course (which would kinda defeat the purpose of a treatment rather than demolition), wouldnt the second segment of this so-called 2-lift coaster be almost identical to the first half? Because really, Colossus is just one big wooden structure with 2 tracks right? I mean, I fail to see how that would be exciting unless RMC started from scratch, because the current structure, even with 2 tracks, only gives ONE ride.

Also, to think SFMM would be able to keep up with five-train operation is silly. Rarely does this place run coasters at full-capacity...can you imagine the waits for this thing, even if theyre consistently running two trains (which, lets face it, would be a stretch)??

If Colossus is getting Iron Horse'd, I would think it would become one big rollercoaster utilizing the current structure and only ONE lift, OR (more likely given Six Flags' love of gimmicks), the world's first dueling RMC. They can market it as the first dueling modern hybrid (enthusiasts get excited because of RMC, GP gets excited because they see the word "first" and dont realize the word modern leaves out Gemini, the true first dueling hybrid). Maybe not those exact words, but I could definitely see that.

But a 2-lift course on Colossus' current structure...no thanks.

More of my pipe dreams. I seriously should go into engineering and design coasters...

Here is an idea for Iron Colossus. On a straight section, maybe the "speed hill" today (Yes, this would get rid of a massive airtime opportunity, but it would add something awesome), make a "dueling interlocking roll." Here's how this works-

Imagine side A on the left and side B on the right. Side A rolls in a stretched corkscrew (almost a heartline roll) over side B as as side B's train passes under. Now side B is on the left and side A has rolled over to the right. Then, Side B would do an identical element as side A passes under. This would also give the opportunity to move the tracks sideways a bit. I think a dueling RMC really should use this, it would be like an even more awesome "high-five."

Im sorry, I honestly know very little about construction, much less RMC Iron Horse makeovers, but wouldnt a long coaster with two lifts be incredibly dull and repetetive given the current stucture? .

I see what you are saying, but you could still have very different ride experiences on those similar layouts based on choices of where to put inversions, overbanks, bunny hills, etc. For example, consider the bunny hill after the second turnaround (where the block brake was installed years ago), the right side could install a zero-g-roll at the point and the left side could be an airtime hill. On the second turnaround, the left side could do a barrel roll and right side a severe overbank -- basically at each critical point in the ride layout, each side could be doing something very different.

but I agree that the best option would be to the extend the hill to 200+ feet and have one massive layout that runs most of the entire course. In fact, nothing says that you even have to use the entire Colossus layout for both sides of the track - you could have one massive drop, run the course through one entire side and then just use part of the second side course to return back to the station without completing the whole second circuit.

Lots of cool possibilities - i am intrigued to see what they end up doing.

I honestly hate the whole "one long track" idea... RMC is known for their short intense coasters and that's what I think we'll be seeing... Two short racing side by side coasters next to each other.

First off, kudos to everyone who did the Colossus marathon!

Secondly, am I the only one against the idea of iron horsing Colossus and Cyclone at SFNE? They're both park icons and SFI should learn to preserve and maintain the past, not let it it rot! Seems like I'm in the minority, rather I think I'm alone lol.

First off, kudos to everyone who did the Colossus marathon!

 

Secondly, am I the only one against the idea of iron horsing Colossus and Cyclone at SFNE? They're both park icons and SFI should learn to preserve and maintain the past, not let it it rot! Seems like I'm in the minority, rather I think I'm alone lol.

I agree with you completely.

I'm really kinda sad that the marathon dropped so much. They went from 24 riders to 11 in less than 12 hours for a 36 hour marathon. Why even bother signing up if you're not gonna try?

GO CAESAR!

TPR's Caesar is one of the final 6 riders in Six Flags Magic Mountain's Colossus Marathon! Over 230 rides so far! We have posted recent updates to our FB and Twitter pages! Show your support by sharing them!

GO CAESAR!!!

Thanks for taking one for the team Caesar. Keep up the good work... ...errrrrr... ...fun?

I'm really kinda sad that the marathon dropped so much. They went from 24 riders to 11 in less than 12 hours for a 36 hour marathon. Why even bother signing up if you're not gonna try?

 

GO CAESAR!

Heard from a lot of people that many wanted to keep trying but the heat was such a huge problem and if they even got off to apply sun screen or get water they'd automatically get disquallified. Plus, most people were trying but the rules were really strict, you had to come back on time from breaks and 5 people who were just 30 seconds late got disqualified, so it wasn't for lack of "trying" You could only get up during breaks as well and they were only 15 mins, so there's more truth that what you believe.

I'm really kinda sad that the marathon dropped so much. They went from 24 riders to 11 in less than 12 hours for a 36 hour marathon. Why even bother signing up if you're not gonna try?

 

GO CAESAR!

 

Heard from a lot of people that many wanted to keep trying but the heat was such a huge problem and if they even got off to apply sun screen or get water they'd automatically get disquallified. Plus, most people were trying but the rules were really strict, you had to come back on time from breaks and 5 people who were just 30 seconds late got disqualified, so it wasn't for lack of "trying" You could only get up during breaks as well and they were only 15 mins, so there's more truth that what you believe.

You had to be back from breaks on time?!? What kind of crazy rule is that? And no getting up when not on break? It's almost as if they are trying to make them ride continuously during an event where they signed up to continuously ride...

GO CAESAR!

I'm really kinda sad that the marathon dropped so much. They went from 24 riders to 11 in less than 12 hours for a 36 hour marathon. Why even bother signing up if you're not gonna try?

 

GO CAESAR!

 

Heard from a lot of people that many wanted to keep trying but the heat was such a huge problem and if they even got off to apply sun screen or get water they'd automatically get disquallified. Plus, most people were trying but the rules were really strict, you had to come back on time from breaks and 5 people who were just 30 seconds late got disqualified, so it wasn't for lack of "trying" You could only get up during breaks as well and they were only 15 mins, so there's more truth that what you believe.

 

You had to be back from breaks on time?!? What kind of crazy rule is that? And no getting up when not on break? It's almost as if they are trying to make them ride continuously during an event where they signed up to continuously ride...

 

GO CAESAR!

Good job, Caesar!!!

Caesar is the true #ironbuttrider

GO CAESAR!!!

I have a headache just thinking about this. But go Caesar!!

Now that the marathon is officially over: CONGRATS CAESAR!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your four free Gold Passes, T-shirt, and piece of Colossus!

I can't wait until Caesar himself posts here a review of the event.

I am new around here, and I do not know Cesar, but I feel like I do. Congrats man!!!!!

Hey, I might be heading to California sometime in the future and I was wondering if this park is really worth hitting while in California. I've heard the park is awful, so is it really worth the trip? Thanks for the help.

Hey, I might be heading to California sometime in the future and I was wondering if this park is really worth hitting while in California. I've heard the park is awful, so is it really worth the trip? Thanks for the help.

I was there today for my first time. It really wasn't that bad. Maybe I went on a good day though.

Basically it's a coaster park. That should tell you a lot right there.