PKIVortex

I honestly still can't admit to myself I'll never ride Vortex again. It's going to missed so much. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

They were a piece of track that lead into the storage shed that was removable so it was easier for them to remove the trains. You can tell this piece of track wasn't traveled on much as they are no marks left from the wheels. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Looks like the transfer track is just completely moved over, that's what they do when they remove the trains. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

It doesn't have to stop in the midcourse if they are still a train unloading. They are a set of brakes outside of the unload station that will stop a train if it's unloading. Flight of Fear was designed to run 4 trains that's the only reason it even has a midcourse in the first place. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Yes meal and all season drinks work for Winterfest. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Vortex was also my first looping coaster way back in 1987. I have no idea how many times I've rode it, but it has to have been thousands of times. I'll have so many memories that I'll cherish for the rest if my life. I'll miss it. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

One final sun set shot before my final ride. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Taken during Winterfest in 2018. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

It was last Completely repainted in 2001, I got to see it happen as I worked on ride crew that year, they painted it early season when the park was only weekends. It did get the rails repainted in 09. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

That's crazy, it ran like a champ last Saturday. This makes me believe even more they found something wrong with the ride, and that's why they made the decision to retire it. Vortex is very rarely has issues causing it not to open for the day. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

That's honestly what upsets me the most, with something that been apart of KI for over 30 years it deserved more than a 30 day notice. That's what makes me really wonder if something was discovered? Or was this a decision all along? Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Last year it closed in mid October, when they started putting up the Winterfest lights Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I stated riding Vortex the year it opened when I just 7 years old. I still remember the first ride that I took with my Brother. It was love from the start. I used to marathon the ride the last hour the park was open during the 90s, they were also a certain operator who would let the last train go twice which was always awesome. I remember my Mom finally getting brave enough to ride it and she loved it. I got the pleasure of being on the Crew in 2001, which was the year the ride got a complete repaint. Vortex has always been my all time favorite ride, my first big steel and first looping coaster, it's going to be hard to say goodbye, and I've already have had tears. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I was at the park on Friday, the eyes are up, as they were using the 265 foot Platform instead of the 275 foot. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

They are multiple blocks, Load, and they can park a train between unload and load in the turn around of the track that you can't see. They are also another block before you go into the unload station, then of course the MCBR. So that's 5 blocks so yes it could have ran 4 trains. However the ride never ran with 4 but they did have 4. When the restraints were switched to Lap Bars only 3 trains were changed. They still have 3 trains, but they don't operate it with 3. They rotate a train out each year, one train usually goes through rehab during the season so technically they only have to rehab one train during off season. AE does this as well. As Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk