Firehawk07 Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Are both Firehawk trains running now or not? 5-29-07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIAlumnus Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 As of yesterday, they were not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium33 Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 I'm hoping to make it up to the park tomorrow to ride Firehawk, because I'm assuming most schools are still in session (at least in NKY they are) causing the crowds to be lower. However, the number of trains running is might be the deciding factor for whether or not I go tomorrow. Anyone know how many trains were running today and when the ride opened? And for that case how crowded the park was today? Today should be an indication of what tomorrow will be like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hauntguy Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 They were only running one train today! -Hauntguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOFirehawkFAN Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Only running one train, and I may be incorrect in saying this but I don't think the ride has opened when the park opened a single day since Saturday. There are still signs out by the parking that say "Firehawk may open late with limited capacity" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 "Firehawk may open late with limited capacity" Par for the course at KI. I love the park, but MY GOD every single new attraction seemingly has this type of issue at first. Some of it's understandable... anything new has to be broken in. However you name it at KI and it's had major opening issues... FOF, TR, SOB, IJST, Drop Zone, Face/Off etc etc etc. What amazes me is that CP can completely rip out an entire element on Maverick, replace it, and still manage to open the BRAND NEW coaster within a weeks time with 4 trains running. Yet KI is struggling to maintain single train operation on a pre-operational coaster. Quite honestly, I fault brands and not the park. I think that KI has continually gone sub-par with their ride manufacturer choices. Premier, Vekoma are not companies I'd personally seek out for quality attractions. However, I also agree that parks really should not open an attraction until kinks are worked out. It's far less frustrating to attend a park knowing a new attraction has not yet opened to the public, than it is to arrive at the park only to find out it's operating sporadically. Shaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium33 Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 What amazes me is that CP can completely rip out an entire element on Maverick, replace it, and still manage to open the BRAND NEW coaster within a weeks time with 4 trains running. Yet KI is struggling to maintain single train operation on a pre-operational coaster. ^^VERY good point. It doesn't make sense and is frustrating as heck. What amazes me is that CP can completely rip out an entire element on Maverick, replace it, and still manage to open the BRAND NEW coaster within a weeks time with 4 trains running. Yet KI is struggling to maintain single train operation on a pre-operational coaster. I think KI made a good decision in terms of business to open the ride last weekend, even though it probably wasn't 100% ready. Memorial Day weekend must be one of the busier weekends of the year for the park, and even though the ride wasn't fully operational, it still appears to have attracted TONS of people during the three day weekend. So in this case, I don't blame KI for opening Firehawk a bit 'pre-maturely'. NOTE: When I say the ride is not "100% ready", I'm talking about the frequent down-time that I have heard about and fact that 1 train is running. It appears IMO that they didn't get all the kinks figured out yet, obiously the ride is ready to run safety-wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I, like Shaggy, think that they should have waited to open Firehawk. It was clear that they were not ready to open the ride. They had a laptop hooked up to the ride computer on Saturday to trouble shoot any issues that arose. (On my second ride on Saturday, the computer stopped our train three times on the way out of the station). They should have waited until both trains were ready to run, to reduce the wait times. To me, it was obvious that they rushed to get the ride open, and as a result, capacity was severely limited, which can cause angry guests because of the huge lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryler87 Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 But you have to admit, they were ready for anything that might have gone wrong with the ride. I think it was a great idea to open it this past weekend despite a very poor 250-300 pph capacity. I didn't see one single person walk off that ride with a frown. It was a chance for KI to open this ride to large crowds, and now that a good portion of the public knows how awesome this ride is (and that running two trains will double capacity), more people will want to come back. There were a lot of teenagers in line while I was there, and it seemed like an overwhelming amount of them couldn't wait to get back to school to brag to their friends that they had not only ridden it, but that it was more than just a decent ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 You know, I think age may play a role in tolerance of it. That's not a criticism, rather an observation. I recall waiting hours to ride Big Bad Wolf, White Water Canyon, Anaconda, and Vortex etc etc etc all when they opened. I was a teen then... but now, I just don't have that sort of drive. Sheesh, years ago, when OL:FOF opened, I was (if I have done the math right) 24 and I readily waited in line for 3 hours the day it opened. It was single train operation and kept going down numerous times. I recall when I entered line it snaked all the way down to Flight Commander. There were temporary queues set up in the plaza in front of Hanger 18 and once I entered the building I thought I was home free. Imagine my surprise when I entered and saw that endless warehouse of zig-zags. It was awful. Yet, I persisted and eventually rode that day. Now that I am pushing 36, I doubt you'd catch me waiting that long for any coaster. I just don't have that kind of tolerance I guess. I attribute a lot of that impatience to frustrations over temperamental new coasters... specifically FOF, TTD, and SOB. Shaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padfoot714 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 They really were not ready to open this ride on Memorial Day weekend and they should have waited until both trains were operational. For Pete's sake they were still painting the station platform on opening day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium13 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Since I'm assuming that when they begin to use both trains they'lluse both sides of the station, I was wondering how you get to the other side, I couldn't find a way by looking at the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 The line splits before approaching the station. One line (the side that the red train is using, stays level with the main queue line. The other goes down stairs along side the retaining wall, and underneath the queue line that goes to the left station. The stairs that go up to the right station can be seen in this picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Exactly -- and to bring up the topic of another thread, the station on your right from the view of the photo that Robbie showed you is wheelchair accessible along with the rest of the queue. Come to think of it, is there another exit route from the station that does not require stairs? There of course has to be, but I can't think of it. Can anyone chime in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 They really were not ready to open this ride on Memorial Day weekend and they should have waited until both trains were operational. For Pete's sake they were still painting the station platform on opening day! I can just imagine the complaints from both the people here and the general public if the ride was ready to run but they didn't open it because they were still painting the station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portia1780 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 My husband was on the 2nd train this morning... staff said it was the first go for that train - maintenance guys everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium33 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Does anyone know if they had both trains or stations running this weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Okay what? Both trains have ran with people in them, just not at the same time. They were using the Red train but switched to the yellow train on Thursday. Are they running both trains now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TQZ Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Exactly -- and to bring up the topic of another thread, the station on your right from the view of the photo that Robbie showed you is wheelchair accessible along with the rest of the queue. Come to think of it, is there another exit route from the station that does not require stairs? There of course has to be, but I can't think of it. Can anyone chime in? I think there is a wheelchair exit. If you are on the very back of the train, looking toward Racer/IJST, on your right, there is an exit that I believe you should be able to wheel out of. Another way to describe the location would be just to the right of you, if you are standing in queue for the very back of the train. I made the mistake of trying to exit there and the girl told me to go the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 They were running both trains.... and using one station. With at least a 5 min load and unload, that left the other carload of people hanging upside down for at least 3 minutes. The were all lifting their heads after a short time. Maybe they will open the other side.....someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 They were running both trains.... and using one station. With at least a 5 min load and unload, that left the other carload of people hanging upside down for at least 3 minutes. The were all lifting their heads after a short time. Maybe they will open the other side.....someday. Huh? Wouldn't upside down be on your backs? Weren't they just hanging? That's what they did on X-Flight, and at Borg and Batwing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIDelirium Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 That must stink badly if the sun is at the right (wrong) angle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bparrott03 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I went this morning. They had both stations working, and both trains running. the line was moving pretty fast. i got in the park at 9:50, and went with the crowd to Firehawk. Everyone went straight there, but thought that the line was all the way back to the ring toss, so they left. I didnt leave because I remember reading here that they usually wait to open it until a little bit after the park opens. So it took about 30 mins to get on.. But it was really nice! I just wish my lap harness went down another click.. I felt like i was going to slip out because it wasnt tight enough, which took away from the enjoyable ness of the ride. lol. Matanience crew was all around the track, and one in the newly opened side off the station. The red car has a few seats that do not work, but the worker said they should be fixed real soon. Today was Lexmark's day, and lines were really long, So I rode Firehawk and left. It was really fun though! Great addition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki Man Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 ^ Really? After work it looked like a slow pace. One train baking on the brake run, the other in the station. Well, I'm glad they got it up and running, one op told me that there is another train on the way and it could be silver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Another train I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bparrott03 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Yeah, I doubt they will get another train. The block brakes almost stopped the train at the top of the hill a few times this morning. Yet again,i guess today was the first day of the other side opening. I seem to pick the most amazing days to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Yes, I can confirm that both trains were running today. They were only using the station closest to the ride area, resulting in every single train stacking. I also endured a forty five minute weather delay as thunder and lightning could be seen to the west. Eventually rain came, and the shading devices in the line are not very water proof! With the weather delay, I waited two hours. And, they are selling the first rider Firehawk T-shirts for $5 at the photo booth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bparrott03 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Hmm. I wondered why they closed the other station. it was working fine this morning, althought the crew was at the platform watching it carefully. I noticed that the 5.00 shirts were with a photo purchase (i forget the ammount that had to be spent though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 So they were using both stations and then went to just one? Hmmm wonder what that was about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Firehawk is a great ride and lines will get better as train opperation becomes more efficient and the newness wears off. No longer will I wait for massive wait times on rides. There are only I few I have ever waited more than 4 hours for. Raptor on opening day, TTD on opening day, Spiderman during IOA first year of opperation, and yes the Mummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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