Death at Six Flags over Texas

[upstop]

Shaggy said "Huh? I didn't know B&M trains were advanced enough that a computer monitored each and every restraint. Firehawk does in-station... but I always assumed B&M's went by the "click" rule - thats the reason for those guidemarks at the base of the restraint pole.

I've never heard of ANY coaster E-stopping if a restraint fails. Seems like this would require a ton of diagnostic equipment on the train itself.

___

It's two clicks in the station, once you leave the station, you're on your own.

[AintNutinElse2Do]

Was Texas Giant still using the non stop loading or had that already been abandoned? If the train still moving during loading I could definitely see where an op could've neglected the unfortunate rider

[kblanken]

They don't use that non-stop loading process, they switched it back to the normal way this year.

[upstop]

_{My God....how traumatic for the family to see and have this happen right in front of their eyes....I feel so sad for those kids....I pray for all of those involved.}

[TTD-120-420]

Prayers to her family, witnesses, and the poor worker (probably a teen) who has to live with this the rest of his or her life.

Imagine signing up for a fun summer job like that and this happens. Awful.

[Jasper]

Wow, this is truly one of the worst days for amusement parks, this and the Cedar Point incident, I am speechless. Want me to add to this even more, I am going to bold this so more people will read; My best friend since 5th grade just returned from Daytona Beach this past weekend, only to tell me he was going to get to visit Six Flags over Texas this week. I was so happy for him, I told him he MUST ride the NEW Texas Giant. He was at the park on Thursday the 18th, the day before the event and happened to ride the Texas Giant. These were his words, "Most airtime I have ever gotten on a coaster, second best drop to Millennium Force and third favorite woodie." Ridiculous to think that he had ridden this the day before it all happened, just like how I drove by Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for a school baseball game on the same day that the incident on Hellavator occurred.

My prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy and hopefully this will lead to many more safety measures on coasters everywhere. I have always been fond of Texas Giant ever since I watched it on America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills, this is such a shame. After watching the news report it is almost surreal to see the scene as the ride is closed and crews are surrounding the ride, just devastating.

[UnrealNightmare]

I have gotten rides on Diamondback where my restraint only clicked twice. I'm so tiny that I never touched the restraints once. I can see exactly what Terpy means. The back of the seat caught me every time. Diamondback doesn't have any ejector air so it's not throwing you out of your seat. The airtime is gradual and you basically float with the train. The only way I could see myself falling out is if were to somehow get stuck facing downward on a hill. Your body is never moving faster than the train is.

[calakapepe]

I'll need to test this next time I go. Maybe it's the way I sit, but I distinctly remember having force up on the lap bar.
Especially in the back. And this is without me feeling the seat catch me. But again, I will want to test this for myself... "test"

[UnrealNightmare]

Do you sit back in your seat or do you intentionally lean forward?

[The Interpreter]

Yes, you'd go higher than the restraint. But not very much higher. Rides are designed to be safe while having the illusion of great danger.

Until the last few decades, many coasters had few or even no restraints. It would have been easy for a person who wanted to to get out.

It was a very different litigation environment. Look at Mindbender at Six Flags Over Georgia. Though perfectly safe to a rider who behaves, you'll not likely see that restraint system used on a modern coaster. Jack Rabbit at Kennywood, same story.

[calakapepe]

Do you sit back in your seat or do you intentionally lean forward?

*shrugs*

Probably, since that is what I do on all the wooden coasters to avoid getting painful rides from these "head rests."

I'm probably just sitting up, not forward.. but I'm definitely not reclining all the way back. I'm not relaxing, I'm having a thrill-ful experience.

And Terp, I think you are right. And I've seen articles lost on the drop in the past too. You'd be able to hang on.. but man, would that be scary..

Edit: Sorry, we can get back on topic now, if you'd like.

[UnrealNightmare]

Or look at Phoenix at Knoebels. Totally different angles of descent and different trains but I definitely come way higher out of my seat on Phoenix then I do on Diamondback.

[The Interpreter]

Corn doesn't hang on. Dummies don't hang on. Hanging on is unlikely. Reminds me of my mom trying to hold me back with her extended arm as we stopped quickly in that magnificent '55 DeSoto. No seat belts. And we always rode in the front seat.

As a tot, I had a car seat. It hung on hooks over the bench seat. It's only purpose was to raise me up so I could see.

As a 36" two year old, I rode roller coasters under a very high flip down bar. The airtime was phenomenol. I was hooked. But, by then, I'd ridden nearly three years before. Yeah.

[The Interpreter]

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2570527

Note the writer citing every possible record for the ride. Records are a double edge sword.

Note the only other death in the Park's history was on the rapids ride.

[UnrealNightmare]

I made the mistake of reading the ignorant comments posted on the bottom of that article. I wish I hadn't. There's a time and place for joking and this is not one of them.

[corn4ahead]

Do you think think spells the end of RMC?,I mean with all the settlements and such?

[YoungStud]

They are just a start up company. It may spell doom for them if they have to hire lawyers and pay fees. If the state finds that the ride did not cause it they are off the hook, but then the family would probably file a civil suit against six flags, RMC, and gerstlauer and that would cost some coin to fight as well even if they are found not liable by the state.

[The Interpreter]

It's too early to know. It depends on what went wrong here. The entire industry will watch this closely, and the incident at Sandusky.

[upstop]

I had the misfortune of being at Geauga Lake (for the first time ever ) the day the Raging Wolfbobs derailed. I had ridden the coaster earlier that day in the black train in the last car. I had circled the park and was coming back towards the coaster, when there was as popping sound like air brakes. POP POP POP POP . I looked upwards and saw the black train rolling backwards down the turn around and valleying out in a dip. You could easily see the last back car being pulled over the inner track supports. I was stunned. I wanted to go help them but my friend said to let the park security/maintenance get there and that we would only be in their way. I stood and watched, as the people were led, one by one from their cars. Needless to say, I was kind of in a state of shock...I couldn't fathom what had just happened and it affected the rest of the day. Although this was an accident and no one died on the Wolfbobs, the Texas Giant accident is far worse and more traumatizing. Not only were the family exposed to the trauma, so where the guests and staff....I'm still upset about this this morning. I pray for that these folks find peace.

[YoungStud]

It's too early to know. It depends on what went wrong here. The entire industry will watch this closely, and the incident at Sandusky.

I have a question. Because CP has to load the boats a certain way on STR's does that show there is a flaw in the ride and the lawyers would use that in their suit, making CP liable.

[The Interpreter]

Many rides have specific loading instructions. That in and of itself is not a design defect. Now, if those manufacturer instructions were not followed, that's a whole nother ball of yarn.

Terp is not engaged in the private practice of law in Ohio, the District of Columbia or any United State. Consult a competent attorney in your jurisdiction if you have, or think you may have, a legal problem. There is no specific legal advice meant for any particular client herein.

[corn4ahead]

They are just a start up company. It may spell doom for them if they have to hire lawyers and pay fees. If the state finds that the ride did not cause it they are off the hook, but then the family would probably file a civil suit against six flags, RMC, and gerstlauer and that would cost some coin to fight as well even if they are found not liable by the state.

That's what I'm saying. This type of incident would not be as detrimental to the likes of B&M/Intamin because they are veterans in the business. RMC may not be equipped to handle such an event. It would be a Shame to lose them.

[Hank]

Yes, you'd go higher than the restraint. But not very much higher. Rides are designed to be safe while having the illusion of great danger.

Until the last few decades, many coasters had few or even no restraints. It would have been easy for a person who wanted to to get out.

It was a very different litigation environment. Look at Mindbender at Six Flags Over Georgia. Though perfectly safe to a rider who behaves, you'll not likely see that restraint system used on a modern coaster. Jack Rabbit at Kennywood, same story.

The Schwarzkopf Jumbo Jet did not have any restraints either. You sat low in the car - much like one does in a log flume boat, only much lower - and you hung on to the side rails. I would imagine this was also the case for the other Jet Star models.

[The Interpreter]

Update, with video interview:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20130719-texas-giant-to-remain-closed-as-six-flags-investigates-woman-s-fall.ece

[disco2000]

again, it has been suggested that Diamondback has a primary and secondary restraint - I assume the primary is the lap restraint and what is the secondary - that the seats are inclined slightly and are made of a "frictiony" material so that you don't as easily flair around like you could on racer and beast smooth seats before they added seat belts and the current lapbar?

[pkiknex25]

The trains on New Texas Giant were made by Gerstlauer, not RMC.

http://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/references/reference-list/north-america/texas-giant-en-US/

[The Interpreter]

Diamondback's restraints are both primary and secondary. Two separate mechanisms ensure the restraint keeps restraining even if one of the two were to fail.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Wow, this is truly one of the worst days for amusement parks, this and the Cedar Point incident, I am speechless. Want me to add to this even more, I am going to bold this so more people will read; My best friend since 5th grade just returned from Daytona Beach this past weekend, only to tell me he was going to get to visit Six Flags over Texas this week. I was so happy for him, I told him he MUST ride the NEW Texas Giant. He was at the park on Thursday the 18th, the day before the event and happened to ride the Texas Giant. These were his words, "Most airtime I have ever gotten on a coaster, second best drop to Millennium Force and third favorite woodie." Ridiculous to think that he had ridden this the day before it all happened, just like how I drove by Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for a school baseball game on the same day that the incident on Hellavator occurred.

My prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy and hopefully this will lead to many more safety measures on coasters everywhere. I have always been fond of Texas Giant ever since I watched it on America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills, this is such a shame. After watching the news report it is almost surreal to see the scene as the ride is closed and crews are surrounding the ride, just devastating.

That story reminds Me if the day before the major Son of Beast accident. I was at spirit song and it was in between shows I went out to use the restroom. As I was leaving timberwolf a guy was on his phone and I heard him say "Son of Beast crashed?" I went over there and it was shutdown but not got crashing. The very next day it would have it's accident and lose its loop.

As for this accident, if she ready was making a commotion about not being secured wouldn't another op e stop or even not send the train?

I'm sure it takes multiple ops to send a train.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Wow, this is truly one of the worst days for amusement parks, this and the Cedar Point incident, I am speechless. Want me to add to this even more, I am going to bold this so more people will read; My best friend since 5th grade just returned from Daytona Beach this past weekend, only to tell me he was going to get to visit Six Flags over Texas this week. I was so happy for him, I told him he MUST ride the NEW Texas Giant. He was at the park on Thursday the 18th, the day before the event and happened to ride the Texas Giant. These were his words, "Most airtime I have ever gotten on a coaster, second best drop to Millennium Force and third favorite woodie." Ridiculous to think that he had ridden this the day before it all happened, just like how I drove by Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for a school baseball game on the same day that the incident on Hellavator occurred.

My prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy and hopefully this will lead to many more safety measures on coasters everywhere. I have always been fond of Texas Giant ever since I watched it on America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills, this is such a shame. After watching the news report it is almost surreal to see the scene as the ride is closed and crews are surrounding the ride, just devastating.

That story reminds Me if the day before the major Son of Beast accident. I was at spirit song and it was in between shows I went out to use the restroom. As I was leaving timberwolf a guy was on his phone and I heard him say "Son of Beast crashed?" I went over there and it was shutdown but not got crashing. The very next day it would have it's accident and lose its loop.

As for this accident, if she ready was making a commotion about not being secured wouldn't another op e stop or even not send the train?

I'm sure it takes multiple ops to send a train.

[YoungStud]

There is conflicts in the story. On TPR, people that has ridden it says that the restraints don't click.