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Phantom Theatre Parts


Bob Dole
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I wish I had a camera with me at all times, cuz if i did, i could have taken a picture of the wheels of the Phantom Theatre cars... there's like 16 wheels on each of them. Plus at least one motor. And then the other day, I saw the actual cars out by PKIU. And Dank, if you're still around, I couldn't find the Merth Mobile in the PKIU graveyard. too bad.

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They need to restore and fixz up the Paramount Story, or get rid of it all together. The NC-1701 Enterprise, looks like it had a bad day with a flock of birds, and then crashed into a mudpit with all the crap thats on it. Clean it all, or ditch it all. I think they should also get out some new props from some new movies if they are planning on keeping it, and then, they need to change it bi-annually, if not annually.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Clearing up things.

-Each of Phantom Theatre's carts did not have a motor. There was a motor under every third car but it was not responsible for turning the cars. Rather the motors were attached to a wheel assembly and propelled drive tires that ran along a coaster track underneath. A guide assembly rode on an interior steel rod and controlled the turning of the cars. The technology used was the same as that designed by Arrow for Disney which Arrow later used for X.

- The Smurfs are long gone, and not on property. Employees and interested outside parties purchased them in 1992 immediately after Phantom Theatre was built. There is a home in Cincinnati that displays quite a few of them at Christmastime each year.

- There is not any immediate plans to return the Myrth-mobile to the park. It has been junked.

Shaggy

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I will be. I stand by my word.

Pictures of what? The Phantom Theatre cars? I was given a guided tour and explanation (as well as a look underneath the track) by the Technicans in-charge of the ride 2 months ago. Every car had a unit that turned it, but it was not a motor. The propelling motor was located on every 3rd car.

Re: Smurfs... they are not there. If you want to see one, ask Kevin Eldridge or Jerry Neiderhelman both full time folks at PKI... they own some of the Smurfs.

Re: Myrth Mobile... It sat in the maintenace area behind HB for years but is gone. It had rotted away so that it was just a hunk of rust. It was gone as of earlier this season, and when I asked I was told it was sold. It will not be placed back in the park.

Shaggy

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What you have seen is the complicated axle mechanism that rotated the cars. A motor did not turn the cars.

Underneath each car there is basically an axle that may, in your eyes, resemble a motor, but it is not a motor. This "axle" had a guide arm that rode on a rail that existed , basically, in between the tracks running rails. The rail that the guide arm rode on curved in and out depending upon the desired turn to the car. Every third car had an actual motor that propelled wheels that ran on the standard track. Just study the track of X at SFMM and you will get the same idea. There is a seperate rail that turns or rotates the seats throughout the course. It is the same principle here. No individual motors turned the cars, but they did power the entire length of cars along the track. Another way of explaining it is to think of locomotive wheels. The arm that extends between locomotive wheels is a similar principle.

For next year's Scooby attraction, the turn of the cars is being changed. And areas that you used to face towards will now be areas you pass with your back turned. To "change" the rotation of the cars at various points, the park has removed that inner running rail and is re-welding/bending/twisting/straightening it. That is why the PT cars are off in the first place. The work must be done with the cars removed. Once it is completed, the cars (every other) will be added back on and the guide arm placed along the new inner rail. When they fire the ride up, the cars will turn in new directions.

If we went by your thought that a motor turned each individual car, then it would not make sense that they removed the entire undercar mechanical unit. All they would have to do, in theory, is re-program the motors to turn at different times. For the change to "Mystery Machines" they could have just taken off the fiberglass shells and replaced them. That is not what they are doing.

Since you work at the park, I am sure you know one or two of the Technicians. Ask them sometime if they can tell you about it. Most of the time they can and will. I guarantee you that if they take the time they will explain the same thing I just did.

Go take a closer look at them... heck, take pictures if you insist. You'll only see what I have been explaining.

Shaggy

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Cheap? Why on earth would they replace the track when it operates fine? All they needed to do was change the directional turns of the cars.

I guarantee you that the money they saved by not gutting the whole ride and starting from ground zero helped with the funding for other projects in the park for 2003. And I am not talking just Delirium.... there's more than people expect next year.

Shaggy

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Nope, you are reading more into my statement than necessary.

In 2003 PKI will add several substantial attractions and will concentrate on esthetic improvements throughout the park. There announcements so far prove that.

Enthusiasts who are counting on a single huge coaster, or ride project in 2003 are just kidding themselves. If they were doing something enormous, then we would know or see it by now.

Shaggy

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I agree, I think Delirium and Scooby's Castle (and I'm guessing something with WaterWorks) will be the BIG additions for next year...

BUT, I also think that they are going to work on the overall look of the place. If you recall, a few years back when they completed re-painted Hanna-Barbera? Of course that also included a few ride-name changes...which I don't see happening anywhere else in the park. But I definitely see a new coat of paint on a lot of things and just some general clean-up.

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  • 14 years later...

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