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Vortex Is Leaving After This Fall Season


THE_BEASTmaster

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On 10/2/2019 at 1:57 PM, fyrfyter said:

 


I doubt it. I really think Vortex is a popularity issue. Most days even when the park is busy, Vortex is almost a walk-on. The more I think about this, the more apparent it becomes. They made the queue on the pathway much shorter in previous years, because it was no longer needed.

I truly believe some part of this ride is hitting failure state. Something that is of significant enough expense that cost vs benefit is rapidly playing into it. I don’t believe the brakes story and I don’t believe the controller after hearing from those on this forum.

So what’s left? Chain, anti-rollback, lift motor, Paint job, etc. Which of these items is the true likely demise of this coaster. What about the MCBR? Could there be something going on there that is costly enough that someone has decided it isn’t worth repairing?

Made the Que shorter?  Que appears to be the same as it has been since it opened, the only thing that has changed is how much the que extends out past the end of the que.  Back when I was a kid, it was often that the Que would extend out to where the basketball games are now (past the Diner), but I always knew once you entered the Que, it was approx. 15 min to ride time.  Vortex ate people and chewed them out, so even though the lines have diminished, it still regularly sends out full trains.  If they would have changed the ride to only run 2 trains, you would have seen theline extend to near the start of the que on a regular basis.

 

How do they decide who gets the last ride on Vortex?  Is it as simple as the last person in line on closing day gets the last spot?  Or do they let employees take a few spins at the end?  Seems only appropiate that VortexBFF should get a spin in her favorite seat on the last train to leave the station.

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1 hour ago, Gordon Bombay said:

Not sure if it existed for Vortex (or just The Bat), but there used to be another set of switchbacks beneath the station. Another thing I should double check with @TombraiderTy, @TOPGUN1993, or @Shaggy.

Not sure if Vortex ever utilized the under station switchbacks.

Image 5 55queue.jpg

Bat Construction - Shows the under station queue house (notice how originally you were forced to go all the way to the bottom level before station level.)

VortexCon871.jpg

Vortex Construction 1987 - Switchbacks appear to be there.

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Made the Que shorter?  Que appears to be the same as it has been since it opened, the only thing that has changed is how much the que extends out past the end of the que.  Back when I was a kid, it was often that the Que would extend out to where the basketball games are now (past the Diner), but I always knew once you entered the Que, it was approx. 15 min to ride time.  Vortex ate people and chewed them out, so even though the lines have diminished, it still regularly sends out full trains.  If they would have changed the ride to only run 2 trains, you would have seen theline extend to near the start of the que on a regular basis.

 

How do they decide who gets the last ride on Vortex?  Is it as simple as the last person in line on closing day gets the last spot?  Or do they let employees take a few spins at the end?  Seems only appropiate that VortexBFF should get a spin in her favorite seat on the last train to leave the station.

 

The queue is shorter. There used to be more railing headed back towards the diner. They removed a lot of it when KMAA was installed.

 

Those station pics are interesting- there was no bridge over the track when that station was originally built.

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16 hours ago, TOPGUN1993 said:

Not sure if Vortex ever utilized the under station switchbacks.

Image 5 55queue.jpg

Bat Construction - Shows the under station queue house (notice how originally you were forced to go all the way to the bottom level before station level.)

VortexCon871.jpg

Vortex Construction 1987 - Switchbacks appear to be there.

Where did you find these photos at those are so cool! 

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18 hours ago, Gordon Bombay said:

Not sure if it existed for Vortex (or just The Bat), but there used to be another set of switchbacks beneath the station. Another thing I should double check with @TombraiderTy, @TOPGUN1993, or @Shaggy.

 

17 hours ago, TOPGUN1993 said:

Yup, you can see the old queue rail holes in the concrete from the former queue house.

Kings Island May 31st 2010 138.JPG

Huh?  I'm confused - are we talking Vortex or Beast?  This picture is taken from The Beast's queue area - where there used to be another queue house when it opened. (That's the base of the first drop of Vortex - quite a ways away from The Vortex Station.)

Vortex never had another queue house, or outside queue than what it has now - TMK.  It DID, however, use the queues/switchbacks underneath the station for at least a few years - I recall waiting down there.  The line for Vortex always "started" next to the short concrete wall beside SR&R.  When it first opened, that line would would grow and extend down Coney Mall.  BTW - like Beast's paw prints, Vortex originally had it's logo painted on the blacktop leading guests down Coney Mall to it.

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Got my last ride in Sunday, we rode in 5-1 and 5-2.  Still a cool ride, but there is a reason that I had not ridden it in years.  I know when and how to brace myself, but just brutal with the old school restraints and cars.

Goodbye and good riddance to this incarnation.  

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21 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

To be completely honest, I wouldn't mind if they turned the station into a haunted house just because of the Victorian architecture.

Is there an echo in here? :P

2 hours ago, Joshua said:

I hope they leave the station up for the time being. I'd hate to see that victorian design go. Maybe it could be used as a new Haunt attraction? 

 

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Speaking of that Bat station picture (which is awesome, by the way): how did the post-station, pre-lift transfer track work? In my head, I always imagined The Bat's transfer track being like Vortex's, but that's not what's shown there. And there's such a slope on each track that it makes me feel like that transfer track must have been at a strange angle.

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26 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but Vortex's station looks a little bigger than SOB's

It looks like it, but having that bottom section helps out a lot. Maybe they could theme it after bats or, given the proximity, a beast of some sort? You know, really play up the park history. 

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On 10/8/2019 at 12:24 PM, TombRaiderFTW said:

Speaking of that Bat station picture (which is awesome, by the way): how did the post-station, pre-lift transfer track work? In my head, I always imagined The Bat's transfer track being like Vortex's, but that's not what's shown there. And there's such a slope on each track that it makes me feel like that transfer track must have been at a strange angle.

It was different than Vortex for the fact where you would never have to back a train up to get it back on the main line. There was 2 switch tracks (similar to Firehawks switch track) at either end of the station. 

That portion of the storage track still has the big "barn doors" on your left just before Vortex photo. :)

 

 

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That’s another great picture and explanation.

 

When someone asked this, the first thought that came to mind was TG/FD/TB transfer track and how it works.

 

I did know that to be the original station and the cutouts above the barn doors where The Bat track came through.

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50 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

Vampires? I think that would be a cool concept to play on with the building being initially built to a coaster called The Bat.

Good point! The queue house does somewhat remind me of Salem's Lot. 

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