T2

So what makes this SLC so much worse than all of the others? Also, why are the trains 3 cars shorter than the rest of the SLC's? Would this have something to do with why it is worse than all of the others?

It's probably the most painful ride I've been on. Instead of shaking left/right, it shimmies forward and backward.

^Yeah, the jackhammer effect.

It's also the most painful SLC I have been on. My guess is that it was the first SLC and improvements have been made to the design since.

Im in the minority here, but I think that T2 is great. The ride that I couldnt stand was Serial Thriller at AstroWorld. That was terrible.

It was one of two prototype models, the other being El Condor at Walibi World (formerly Six Flags Holland).

There are, however, worse SLCs... F2 Fright Flight is the worst I can think of right now, though the one at Ratanga Junction gives it a run for its money.

There are so many clones of this particular ride that I find it hard to believe one is worse then the other. Did they make the wheels smaller on one train and the track bigger on another, I don't get it. I have been on top gun PCW and Mind eraser SFDL and they are both exactly the same ride. Is there no repairs or maintenance done to the rides, what is it?

^Well, I don't know if it's maintenance at the specific parks or an improvement in design by Vekoma, but I can confidentely state that T2 tracks far worse than Hangman at Wild Adventures or ThunderHawk that is being moved to MIA.

I had no problem re-riding ThunderHawk when it was at Geauga Lake.

I wonder what T2 would be like if they invested in a new set of trains (a regular set, not the newer kind going on NorEaster). Id like to know if it really a train issue or a structual issue with that ride.

That astroworld ride was terrible, I'll agree with that.

^^Hangman has typically run fairly well, and for an SLC, it's not too bad. NOTE the qualifier!! ;)

My favorite, far and away, was the "enclosed" GNE. But even with variations from installation to installation, none of them can claim to be *Batman on a budget*.

...and whoever claims that the SLCs got better with time....apparently never rode Gauntlet. ;)

The Batman area was messed up by one ride, T2. Darn it! On both SLC's, I tried it wasn't the fact that they were beating me up to the punch (T2 and Thunderhawk), but it was the feeling of what the heck is going on. On B&M inverts, I know what's going on. Maybe, it's the fact that B&M's are spaced out, and SLC's are in a jungle mess of track.

I thought T2 was just as bad as Thunderhawk. ???

The "jackhammer" effect, as Chitown called it, is a side effect of having such long trains. The average, or intended, ride speed will occur in the middle of the train; you'll feel the pushing and pulling more and more as you sit farther away from the center. If you're going up into a loop, for example, the minimum speed will be reached when the middle of the train is at the very top... riders at the front of the train will be pushed over the loop and thrown forward into their harnesses while facing straight down, while the back of the train will slow down before inverting and then get dragged over the loop.

While maintenance may play a role in how the trains respond to this effect, it's unavoidable on any SLC. *** Edited 3/7/2008 6:27:59 PM UTC by PhantomTails***

I rode T2 for the first time in Oct. '05 and thought it was a little rough. When I rode it a year later it seemed much smoother.

Rode Thunderhawk last Sep. and it was not bad. Can't wait to ride it again now that it's in my backyard.

^^

Richard. F2FF is the single most painful ride I have ever had the misfortune to experience.

R.

I've noticed something about two of the SLC's I've ridden (Mind Eraser, DL & Thunderhawk, GL/MichAdv). The roughness depends on the side of the car you ride on. The right side is much smoother than the left. Not as smooth as B&M but very much tolerable. The left side is much worse. I don't know about T2, but I wonder if the the different opinions are coming from different experiences. I make sure I get the smooth side when I ride SLC's because I think that they are actually a better than average ride given their elements. Am I saying that this is exactly why people have different thoughts about T2? No. I'm talking from my own experiences with other SLC's.

I'm one of the odd men out - I much prefer the SLCs to a B&M Batman clone.

The pacing is pretty good (meaning the ride actually slows in spots then speeds up again) and I'm just not into the +G extravaganza of the B&M ride. Plus, I've ridden so many of them. I'd rather do a boomerang personally...

But yeah, those things can be rough! My first was T2 in the front seat. At the bottom of the first drop I was jolted forward - hurting my boys :(

I sure look forward to riding the new Vekoma trains. I'm so glad someone in the industry is doing something (well, following Premier and to a good extent, GCI with the woodie trains)

I wonder why Disney likes Vekoma products so much?

Because Vekoma designs and manufactures the rides to WDI's exact specifications and they are great manufacturer as of lately too. Expedition Everest rides as smoothly as an Intamin. Now back on subject...

I have only ridden Kong at Six Flags Worlds of Discovery and Hangman at Wild Adventures. Kong was very too bad, but Hangman was actually very smooth. I love the quick burst of airtime you get in the back row when it gets yanked off the lift. I would think T² is rough because like some said it be it is a protoytype. *** Edited 3/9/2008 8:56:53 PM UTC by SONiC Senshi***

El Condor has 8 cars and I always thought that it was a much better ride than its shady reputation. It lacked the horrible, jarring stop-start speed variations that plague all the other (and even the 3rd generation) models.
Yes, it is a tough ride but it is fast and wild and I had far less headbanging on it.
I still don´t care for SLCs and during my SFKK visit I have skipped T2 for some more spins on Chang.

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PhantomTails said:
The "jackhammer" effect, as Chitown called it, is a side effect of having such long trains.

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Uh, have you seen T2's trains?

I believe this season or last T2 got some new wheels, and it did help a little bit (at least if you sit near the back of the train), but it is still the most painful ride I have ever ridden...

And the effect you're describing, phantom, is not what it does. It's closer to a vibration almost.