I don't know if it is just me or not but my dad noticed this to about DZ. Last season when you were rising up the tower it was all smooth, which is normal.. well this season as it rose closer to the top I noticed it would bounce until the very top like the lift was having trouble pulling the seats up or something. Everytime I rode it, it would bounce. Is that normal? I guess its not a big problem or they wouldn't let anyone on if it was.

It could be be that the when the cable was rolling on the thing it rolls on to by the motor the cable was wound tight enought so some of it slipped. That would be my guess.

My guess is that if the motor hasn't been replaced since it was built then the motor is about to go out. The motor could be fine though. It could just be slack in the cable or something. It looks like a heavy duty wench is what pulls the seats up. If that motor has been pulling all that weight up and running hard in the summer heat every since it was built.. then I'd say that motor is about to give out. It should last a few more years.

When I go to the park on the 27th, 28th, & 29th I'm going to see if it still does the bounce thing.

Ha. Everyone is an expert. Nothing is wrong with the motors folks. The bouncing is to hard to explain but don't worry, it's just fine....As for the thing not spinning, I would explain why it's not but that's really not important. Just be happy the ride is open.

I still say it is the cable not winding tight enough on the thing that winds the cable up

And I still say your wrong....Trust me

I just didn't know what the bouncing deal was all about... it was something I noticed this season. That is all

As for the thing not spinning, I would explain why it's not but that's really not important. Just be happy the ride is open.

darn, Sparky... you really make the thing sound safe.

Don't get me wrong, the thing is perfectly safe. All I meant was, since it's not functioning to its full potential, ie the spinning, they could have very well closed it.

I would never accuse PKI of operating a ride that isn't safe. Even a lot of the "out of towners" at Beastbuzz were commenting about how PKI has a reputation for safety.

Cept for the black Friday when those three people died. Yea Dropzone is perfectly safe. If it is open you can asure it is safe.

Cept for the black Friday when those three people died. Yea Dropzone is perfectly safe. If it is open you can asure it is safe.

Wow... Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. You're thinking of Black Sunday. On that day, all of the incidents were due to malfunctions which had little to nothing to do with the judgement of the park.

Yep...he's right.

I thought one was because of somefell out of Flight Commander. And the other one someone was cleaning the lake out at Vikings Fury and the Elertical Wires weren't covered propaly and it shocked him, and then his buddy went to try and save him and the elertical current got him too.

A girl fell out of the Flight Comander, yes. It was deemed to be a design flaw in the restrains, to my understanding.

The Oktoberfest part was close. From what I understand, the first man went in to retreave a hat and was shocked, and his friend as well as a security guard went in after them and they were both killed, but the original man survived. It was due to a problem with the recirculation system, I believe.

Ryan

Flight Commander was a problem with the restraints, but it was rider error as well. She was drunk and somehow slipped out of the restraints. I wonder what it would have been like to be there when it happened. I just can't imagine watching a ride and then somebody falling out. It's almost like you would wonder for a split second if what you saw really happened. It seems unbelievable.

Yes BoddaH1994 your exactly correct. I have been hearing at work that in the 70s, a man was intoxicated or drunk. Anyways he went up tower. I guess with his family and he jumped off the tower and killed himself. Hey, when your drunk you lose your sense of reality my good friend at work who is also my partner told me thats why they have bars all over the top of the tower, is this true?

As for DZ I haven't been on that sucker since 2002 so I wouldn't know anything about it.

I have heard about someone jumping/falling off the tower either he was depending on the story i heard intoxicated or missed footing or wanted to commit suicide, i wouldnt know 100% sure if thats the reasoning for the bars at the top, but it makes sence.

Also for Drop Zone i rode it 2 monday,at night in the rain mind you, and both times no rotation what so ever, i remember earlier in the year it would rotate once. and for the "cable slacking" i know what your talking about, it seems like it takes a while for it to settle up there before the 7 seconds it sits before the drop. I did count by when there is the "cable slacking" untill the srop its self it takes 27 seconds, 7 is after it settles.

-rctfreak-

The only tower I heard was about that Johnny kid. I never new about the drunk. For being their on that black sunday thing I was there but too young to rember anything. And for Flight Commander I wonder what was said to the people standing in line and the poor ol' ride operator.

1983 - "May 13 - A teenager was killed after falling from the Eiffel Tower He was in a restricted area when he fell."

Source: PKIC History section

I believe he was on the 50ft observation tower. Although this happened on this tower, I am under the understanding that it isn't the reason why it was closed. Mainly it was from people spitting and spilling drinks from it to the partrons below.

Ryan

So, is the thing about the Johnny kid getting smashed not true?

I'm really not sure, but it sounds like a rumor. My guess is that he fell down the elevator shaft.

You said when he fell he was on the 50ft platform, would that mean he jumped a gate then to get to the steps, or were the steps ever used by the public on day to day occasion? wouldnt a ride operator have seen him jump to get to the steps?

-rctfreak-

I really don't know. All I know is that he was in a restricted area.

You said when he fell he was on the 50ft platform, would that mean he jumped a gate then to get to the steps, or were the steps ever used by the public on day to day occasion? wouldnt a ride operator have seen him jump to get to the steps?

-rctfreak-

Those steps weren't closed until about 1990, I remember as a little kid being able to go up them. I miss that some.

You said when he fell he was on the 50ft platform, would that mean he jumped a gate then to get to the steps, or were the steps ever used by the public on day to day occasion? wouldnt a ride operator have seen him jump to get to the steps?

-rctfreak-

Those steps weren't closed until about 1990, I remember as a little kid being able to go up them. I miss that some.

Is there a real reason why they were closed? I'm assuming that it was because of people throwing and spitting thing from them. It must have been interesting to be on a starecase 200+ ft in the air making your way to the top...

Ryan