A view from atop Kingda Ka

I came across a video taken from the platform atop Kingda Ka. It was apparently taken by a ride mechanic.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ki3g_aMo_9Y&mode=related&search=

My apologies if it's been posted before (I did a cursory search, but didn't see anything).

Neato. I didn't realize there were brakes on the tophat of KK. I guess that's what gave me the really painfully bumpy ride once. :(

^ The two rows of steel fin plating on the top are not what gave you a painful ride. Those are there to reduce the speed in which the train crests the apex of the hill if it were to be going too fast. If anything, it should have helped make your ride a bit smoother. :)

It was kinda bizarre, really. Our first ride of the day was smooth as silk, just like Dragster. But our second ride vibrated all the way down and gave me quite a headache. This was in the Fall of '05 and I haven't ridden it since then, mostly due to the crazy queue lengths.

I assume it was a different train than the one that you rode in the first time? If so it was probably due to differing amounts of maintanece performed on them.

Not the kind of thing you post on the internet if you want to keep your job..

Reminds me of those moron kids who videotape themselves destroying a house or beating someone up.

^I had sort of wondered the same thing Rob. Also, based on the commentary, I am not certain the guy with the camera actually is a ride mechanic...

Not

In

A

Million

Years!

I actually went weak in the knees just watching the part where he walked down the steps. Reminds me of that old footage that showed the guy bolting on the antenna to the top of the CN tower. Yikes!

Shaggy

Based on what I've seen of SFGAdv's operations, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't even get talked to because of this video.

Yeah... those SFGAdv employees are nothing like the fine, upstanding employees up at SFNE. ;)

Oh, you're clever Tyler. But trust me, the difference between SFNE and SFGAdv operations is like night and day.

WOW. Course what would have been interesting if they had launched a train while they were up there.

What I imagine is that someone was up that high to install the the catwalk in the first place.

Isn't there some kind of static line to connect to? Ya'know...just in case?

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WildThingNative said:
What I imagine is that someone was up that high to install the the catwalk in the first place.

Isn't there some kind of static line to connect to? Ya'know...just in case?

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Anything like that would have a fall-protection system, most likely a cable that goes along the catwalk. Now that doesn't mean everyone always uses it...

If it was a mechanic what did he even do? He sure didn't inspect anything.

Well there was two guys up there. Perhaps one of them (the one with the camera) was just along for the ride.

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Red Garter Rob said:
Not the kind of thing you post on the internet if you want to keep your job..

Reminds me of those moron kids who videotape themselves destroying a house or beating someone up.

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Why, how do you know he didn't have permission? Who got fired for putting the webcam on top of TTD?

He had to have permission. It's probably not that easy to just hop on the elevator and take a ride to the top.

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Ajrides said:
Why, how do you know he didn't have permission? Who got fired for putting the webcam on top of TTD?

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I don't doubt he had permission to goto the top of the ride but probably not to video tape and release it to the public. Parks tend to be pretty cut and dry on what is allowed out.

As for the TTD webcam. Let's see. It was put there BY the company for the promotional use on the companies own website. So I'd imagine no one got fired over that one because it was the company doing it.

*** Edited 6/1/2007 3:33:30 AM UTC by Red Garter Rob***

I don't think the "videographer" was necessarily a ride mechanic on Kingda Ka; it's more likely that he was a ride mechanic on other rides in the park and decided to go make a "movie." He seemed rather nervous to be up there and I doubt that would be the attitude of someone who works at the ride all the time.

I think that's a more likely scenario than he just being some patron or fan getting some unusually candid access.

And I guarantee they have fall-protection systems in place. No park or business wants to have its employees get hurt; that's a sure way to get into trouble.

*** Edited 6/1/2007 3:49:28 AM UTC by Infamy***