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dropdasher

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Posts posted by dropdasher

    New Job

    in Kings Island

    Posted

    I will be working Orion for sure. I don’t know if I’ll be on other rides yet, but I’m guessing I’ll be trained on other rides. As a way for you guys to know me, I’ll be wearing a Magnum enamel pin. My orientation is Sunday 

    • Like 5

    What if The Bat 1981 was a success?

    in Rumors

    Posted

    3 hours ago, disco2000 said:

    Associated with the right maintenance is having the budget to perform that maintenance, and that is usually higher for a steel coaster than a wooden coaster.

    Sure steel is a strong material, but it doesn't last forever and is only good for so many cycles.

    There is a big part you are missing, and that is service life and repair costs of steel coasters compared to wooden coasters, and that is why we see things like Vortex, Firehawk, and King Cobra disappear, and eventually our other steel coasters will leave as well for the same reasons.

    A wood coaster can last longer because it is easy for the parks to buy lumber in bulk and the type of laborer needed and access to the piece that needs replaced is easier than for a steel coaster.

    Our wooden coasters are walked daily and if you visit enough, there are times you can see a piece of wood has been replaced mid-season as a result of these daily inspections.  And then sometimes we get off-season sections replaced as we have seen recently.  Due to the design of the wooden coasters (walking paths the entire length) and the type of laborer needed for wood (compared to a welder), it is cheaper to maintain wooden coaster than a steel coaster.

    While steel is stronger than wood, it is subject to higher loads, fatigue and as such has a defined service life.  Sometimes the service life is shorter than expected, and sometimes it is longer.  So many factors come into play.  Maybe it got bad steel; or the stress loads were higher than anticipated; or the temperature of the location of the ride impacted the steel more while it was being operated.  Steel can only handle so many cycles before it starts to fatigue and it typically deforms and weakens at the welds.  Steel coasters are subject to annual non-destructive testing inspections for the integrity of the welds. Other testing such as holiday testing, ultrasound, and several other methods are used to detect imperfections that are not visible to the naked eye.  And at times portion of the track is removed in the off-season for destructive testing.  At some point these inspections provide how much longer the ride is able to operate until wide-scale fatigue failure occurs.  Sometimes is matches up with the intended design life or service life, and sometimes it doesn't.

    Sometimes prototypes are overly designed (factor of safety) and can last a lot longer, and other times it is determined that it was under designed or didn't meet the factor of safety the manufacturer was looking for and results in expensive modifications during its first year of operation and/or a service life not as long as other coasters.  I think the original The Bat fell in this latter category and would have been gone much earlier and may have been gone before or during Paramount.  I don't think the coaster as built/with modifications would have made it to the Cedar Fair era.

    Part of the maintenance of steel coasters is repairing any welds that are beginning to fatigue. This is extremely expensive. The ride manufacturers require certain methods, type of welds, materials, etc. to be used on their rides.  Plus, unlike wooden coasters with a walking track the entire length, steel coasters usually only have that on the lift hill, MCBR, and final brake run.  So now you need cranes or other equipment to hoist the laborer and material in place.  With a wood coaster, you can carry a couple of pieces of lumber with you to the location. The specialty labor required for a steel coaster weld repair, along with the parts cost is orders of magnitude greater than for a wooden coaster.

    You may be asking well why don't parks re-track and replace components yearly on their steel coasters like they do for wooden coasters? Again, the answer is cost.  Depending on the nature of the repair, it could cost more to repair than a new coaster.  Same thing with automobiles - sometimes the cost to repair a vehicle after a crash is more expensive than just buying a new car.  Or restaurants.  Many times it is cheaper to demolish and rebuild on site than it would be to remodel and get it up to current code.

    The initial build and fabrication of the steel coaster is always cheaper in the factory and onsite in an open field than 30-something years later.  Access is more difficult, more levels of approvals are needed.  More specialized laborers are needed.  The cost of the materials are more expensive, etc.

    Further, by the time the ride has reached its original design life, many of these rides will have lost enough ridership as they have aged that the ride's popularity would not justify replacing all the steel components needing replacement, especially if it would be cheaper to simply build a new coaster. 

    Does that mean that no steel coaster is ever rehabbed and track replaced - no - it has happened and will continue to happen on a case-by-case basis.

    I agree with you. I just don’t like when people say a model in general has a service life because there’s too many factors to take into consideration outside of the model. Like you said, bad steel can doom a coaster from the beginning or a multitude of other things

    • Like 2

    What if The Bat 1981 was a success?

    in Rumors

    Posted

    2 hours ago, johnjniehaus said:

    This is also a valid point. Does anyone know how long an Arrow suspended coaster can actually last seeing as numerous ones were removed perhaps prematurely? (XLR-8 closed with Astro World, Bat (1984) for other reasons, and Big Bad Wolf has controversy that perhaps it actually could have gone a few more seasons, don't have any info on why Eagles Fortress was closed) however I don't think any of the 4 defunct ones operated over 30 years. I believe all the operating ones left are now 30+ years old. I'm just curious, does anyone actually have any information on approximately how long they last? (obviously certain ones have the potential to last longer or shorter periods of time because of speeds, track stress, etc)

    From someone studying in engineering I don’t really like the “service life” debate. There are so many factors as to how long a coaster can last. Corkscrew is nearing 50 years, but Orient Express barely hit 20. Viper is still going, but Shockwave only lasted about a decade and a half. I think if a park wants to keep a coaster going, they will. Look at Vampire and Chessington WOA. It was having problems, but they change the trains. Steel is a pretty strong material, so a well-designed coaster should be able to last forever (figuratively) given the right maintenance. Look at Matterhorn. It’s the oldest tubular steel coaster yet it is still up and kicking. Only 2 B&Ms have closed and it was because of expansion and not overuse. If I had to put a time, given the parks that still have suspended coasters, I think 35-40 years is their “service life” because big Cedar Fair parks and Magic Mountain take pride in their coasters. Given Bat’s problems, I think it would’ve closed right around the time Cedar Fair took over. Potentially Firehawk finds a new home in Vortex’s plot in a head cannon?

    • Like 2

    What if The Bat 1981 was a success?

    in Rumors

    Posted

    I have always wondered this.  What would KI look like today if The Bat 1981 was a success?  How would that change how the park looks today from coasters, flat rides, potentially not being bought by some chains, being potentially bought by some chains, and how that would change its sister parks.  Does anyone have any alternate reality for this?   I have no clue where this should go so rumors it goes.

    • Like 3

    Potential Surf

    in Coming Attractions

    Posted

    SeaWorld Orlando just announced Pipeline: The Surf Coaster. With KI having a lack of inversions and a launch, what is the potential that KI ever gets a surf? After seeing Pipeline announced, my guess is it will be the eventual replacement to Vortex or (heaven forbid because there’s a lot of other space) Congo Falls/Invertigo plot. With Cedar Fair trying to capture nostalgia, I’m guessing it would be themed to King Cobra 

    • Like 4

    Kings Island Boomerang Home Video

    in Kings Island History

    Posted

    I remember seeing a post about a show that featured Kings Island during the 70s (or 80s but I’m pretty sure it was 70s) that someone recorded on a rerun and a KIC member purchased it and dropped it. I can’t find it. Can someone link me to it please? I could’ve swore it was here but I can’t find it or I just need to take my dunce cap off. Thank you 

    Top Thrill Dragster Incident

    in Other Amusement Parks & Industry News

    Posted

    Here’s my prediction on the matter. S&S is coming in to put an air launch on it. They recently built Tumbili at KD so they have worked with them in the past. I think this also goes into KD getting a coaster in the future called Hypersonic XLC based off, well, Hypersonic XLC. Cedar Fair has gone the nostalgia route recently. The hydraulic gets replaced by air compression (and I wouldn’t be shocked if Xcelerator gets it in the future) for reliability and KD gets Volcanos true replacement 

    • Like 1

    The Beast Retrack Work Reviews

    in Kings Island

    Posted

    It improved the ride. It is no doubt smoother but it didn’t feel as forceful this time around, but it may have been because I have ridden more forceful rides now. You can get a pop of air on the first hill after the first drop if in 1-2. Speaking of 1-2, IMHO it’s the best seat

    • Like 1

    50th Anniversary Opening Day

    in Kings Island

    Posted

    14 hours ago, Coasterteam said:

    Oh you can bet I will! I will be continuing to make updates here whenever I get new information on the work. I'm also going to be at Coasterstock this year, so I will be taking lots of photos of Beast should there be a backstage tour again this time. 

    When is Coasterstock?  I would love to go, but not sure if my schedule accommodates it.  Also is it too late to buy Coasterstock tickets?

    50th Anniversary Opening Day

    in Kings Island

    Posted

    7 hours ago, Coasterteam said:

    I am; will be primarily focusing on Beast (but with a ride on everything else) 

    will be getting a FLP as soon as those go on sale 

    Could you give updates on the retrack?  I'll probably be on Racer a lot since I wasn't able to get on it last year 

    • Like 1

    50th Anniversary Opening Day

    in Kings Island

    Posted

    Who is going to Opening Day for the 50th Anniversary?  I want to go, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.  It's April 16 if you didn't know.  If I go (or whenever I go) I plan to ride every 1972 attraction and get a lot of pictures of and on the Eiffel Tower.  Just curious as to who's going and plans if you go.

    • Like 1
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