CP Maverick Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Beast used to run 4 trains. It also held 40 passengers at one point. And the helix was modified because lateral forces are not enjoyable with seat dividers. Also, has GCI stated that they won't go past 12 cars on flyer trains? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonODiamondback Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 It would be a lot easier to just open the park till Midnight every Friday and Saturday night all season long istead of a few weekends in the summer. Night rides are what The Beast are all about and the park should make it a point to get as many night rides in as possible during those times. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freaks76 Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 There would be a few that would really enjoy that. The park would probably be dead most of the time, though. With most folks working through the week and all. Not to mention most people have eaten dinner before 10 pm, so they aren't gonna sell much food. They may sell some souvenirs, but not much. Except for maybe some special events, I wouldn't think you'd ever see that happen. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigaG Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Beast used to run 4 trains. It also held 40 passengers at one point. And the helix was modified because lateral forces are not enjoyable with seat dividers. Also, has GCI stated that they won't go past 12 cars on flyer trains? The ride ran for 30 years with the original helix. I believe it opened with extra padding on the trains. In addition, I think it opened with seat dividers if I have my facts right. The 40-passenger trains were unusual 4-bench PTC trains, which had issues (probably tearing up the track as large PTC trains sometimes do.) The station is still configured for 4-bench trains, which is why the gates are in groups of 4. As for the 4th train, I've been told that it is impractical in the ride's current state due to the lack of a block brake before Lift 2. I believe that the 4th train was a maintenance spare and was rotated off every year, but I could be wrong. (I've only been going to KI since 2008, so I'm not an old-timer. I've just read a lot of info that I probably don't totally remember.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I thought dividers were added with the headrest and individual lap bars in the 90s. The long brake shed used to act as a block section. It was quickly discovered that 4 trains didn't benefit capacity enough to continue operating all four. (Diminishing returns) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigaG Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 I thought dividers were added with the headrest and individual lap bars in the 90s. The long brake shed used to act as a block section. It was quickly discovered that 4 trains didn't benefit capacity enough to continue operating all four. (Diminishing returns) Thinking about that, think how long the block from the shed to the second lift (keep in mind you have to wait for the train to drop off the second lift) compared to the block from the first lift to the shed is. The 2nd lift is a much better place to put a block brake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 But what benefit does it provide? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigaG Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 But what benefit does it provide? Capacity-wise, putting the block brake on the base of the second lift would probably allow more consistent fast 4-train dispatches than using the shed as an MCBR. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Do you think they are loading trains quickly enough for that to matter? The shed was halfway between the two lifts, so it would allow for faster dispatches than putting a block right next to the 2nd lift, which is already a block. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 The "Brake Shed" was never a "block" or a place trains could stop at. Lift 2 however was divided into 2 block zones, one block being from bottom of the lift to 2/3 of the way up and the other block zone being 2/3 of the way up to crest of lift 2.Thus you could send a train over lift 1 with a train about to crest lift 2.Indeed 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagoda Gift Shop Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 If that is true, then what was the purpose of the unique kicker tire system installed at the end of the "brake shed"? It doesn't seem like those tires were needed/used during normal operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Just because it wasn't used for very long, doesn't mean it was never used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Yeah, pretty sure it's always had trims. It's just more noticeable than the skids were. Not always. I heard that story of the KI bigshots getting drunk in the office when they had the bright idea to go for a ride on their newly built Beast. (not open til public yet) If I remember right, the trims had not been added yet, so here are these drunk guys blasting through the woods holding on for dear life. I guess when they got back to the station, the story was they were all sober and wondering just what the heck they had just created. haha! I'm sure some of you have heard that story, but for anybody that wants to hear Dennis Speigel tell this hilarious story watch this video starting at 30:50. Funny story! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastien6221 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 ^An awesome Coaster for sure Sent from my XT1526 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Yeah, pretty sure it's always had trims. It's just more noticeable than the skids were. Not always. I heard that story of the KI bigshots getting drunk in the office when they had the bright idea to go for a ride on their newly built Beast. (not open til public yet) If I remember right, the trims had not been added yet, so here are these drunk guys blasting through the woods holding on for dear life. I guess when they got back to the station, the story was they were all sober and wondering just what the heck they had just created. haha! I'm sure some of you have heard that story, but for anybody that wants to hear Dennis Speigel tell this hilarious story watch this video starting at 30:50. Funny story! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0vWqBbJJXI But the helix tunnel wasn't finished until 1980 I thought? I have seen videos without the tunnel. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 It wasn't. And I didn't need to watch a video to see that. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 It wasn't. And I didn't need to watch a video to see that. To see what? That the tunnel wasn't added yet? Dennis probably said tunnel and meant helix. Everybody is so used to saying tunnel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Someone over at Coasterbuzz told me that The Beast never ran 4 trains. I thought I had remembered that it did, but maybe I was wrong? Can't remember. That was back in the 80's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver2005 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Here's a Beast POV from 1979 with the 2nd tunnel split into 2 tunnels and no tunnel on the helix. Also, its before the first turn after the first drop was profiled to bank the turn and the ride has the kicker tires. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 ^ At 2:35, it's obvious that safety standards were not at the level they are today. Kings Island would not dispatch a Beast train today with workers standing on the catwalk inches away from where the train passes. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 ^ At 2:35, it's obvious that safety standards were not at the level they are today. Kings Island would not dispatch a Beast train today with workers standing on the catwalk inches away from where the train passes. I thought the same thing. Also, looks like they already had the idea for the tunnels, just hadn't completed them yet. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP Maverick Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 It certainly looks like a block brake, with the control panel and kicker tires. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagoda Gift Shop Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 The video title says "March 1979". That's before the ride opened to the public, hence the video is from during testing. Based on how slow the train is going, I wonder how many cars were in the actual train on that day. The train design was later changed to one that didn't match the station quite as well. That's why there are still arrows painted on the floor in the station pointing to the row of your seat. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I find it amazing that KI was able to pull off The Beast using "in house" people. That is unheard of now days. I'm sure the guys they had were great at what they do, but they had never built a roller coaster before, correct? KI had a lot of balls to attempt it, but thinking about it, I imagine there were very few companies or even individuals who specialized in building coasters in those days. The fact that The Beast is still running and still one of the best today shows the level of planning that went into it IMO. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback96 Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 For 2019 The Beast should get a station reconfiguration and either reconfigured PTC trains or Millennium Flyers. Neither of these things will happen though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Thunder Road got new trains in 1978 or 1980 and the station was reconfigured.... It might happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 But what is the Return on Investment? Are there enough people complaining about the trains now to justify changing? Or, are the trains doing enough damage to the track to justify such a change? Neither of these are problems I've heard of either from the park or the general public. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I know it may not mean much, but I believe The Beast is an ACE Landmark Coaster.....so changing the trains would take that distinction away I'm sure. Not that many folks care about it, but the large number of ACE members may. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Why? The Beast isn't an ACE Coaster Classic. I know of no reason whatsoever that train modifications or replacements would affect ACE Landmark Coaster Status. Terp -- who learns the darnest things here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 The Beast is a Coaster Landmark through ACE: http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=3Modifications to the trains on Blue Streak are what caused it to lose the status from what I understand, see Jason Hammond GOCC's president's post here: https://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/interesting-observation/2#558845 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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