Anyone else think Thunder Road was running rough?

This might have just been an unfortunate experience on my part, but does anybody else think that Carowinds' Thunder Road was running rough last year? I got beaten up really badly on that coaster (first time in eons that I just wanted a ride to be over) last September, and I was wondering if I was the only one...

I know that part of the problem was that my lap bar didn't come down far enough (belt pack was in the way) but it just seemed teeth-rattling anyway. Hurler was MUCH smoother and less painful, and I'd been warned about it. I'm hoping that the rebuilding that's being done on it will smoothen things out a bit, because I remember TR as a really fun coaster. I just got thrown around and shaken up so much that I'm almost afraid to ride it again.

So, was this just bad luck on my part, or was this coaster getting a bit rough towards the end of the 2007 season?

CatPurrson

^Good thing is, I know a large part of the ride is being retracked... Most of the backwards turn around has been replaced (including the superstructure).

If you're lap bar is down all the way, you would actually be in for a rougher ride. If you're being held tightly into the seat, you would feel every movement and vibration more directly than being 'loose' in your seat.

(Examples: Coney Island Cyclone and Lost Coaster at Indiana Beach - both would be unbearable if there wasn't some space between you and the seat. Plus, the padding on both those rides is VERY thick - more comfy).

When many parks turned in their old PTC 'buzzbars' for the 'ratchet bars' they also added alot of weight to the trains. That translates to more track wear.

Those John Allen coasters (any coaster for that matter) were designed with the trains at a certain weight. Added hardbacks/headrests, and heavy lapbars/lapbar mechanics has added alot of weight to the trains. (I heard at one point that they add 200 lbs to each car - not official.)

Personally, I think the ratchet lapbars have caused more problems and injuries than the old buzzbars. Bigger seat pads and a larger lapbar pad would have been a nice update to the older PTC trains.

As well as a redundant 2nd lock on the left(?) side of the train/lapbar. And the rides that have them have gone down in comfort and 'plain old fun'. *** Edited 3/5/2008 5:37:35 PM UTC by CoasterComet***

Was there in the spring of last year. Hurler was running very well I thought, but it was my first time there. Thunder Road was fine outbound but pretty bad on the return trip.

My big problem on Thunder Road (other than the teeth-rattling) was with the lapbar up so high, I kept getting slammed into it-- right in the belly! OW. Just couldn't get the thing down one more notch... It was WAY off my lap. A little room *is* generally a good thing, though-- no room=no airtime! :)

CatPurrson

We went the day after Fling last year. IIRC, my impressions were pretty much in line with matt's. Hurler was running esp. well. Then again, I spent most of the day with divided loyalties between the NCAA tourney and Danny Phantom's Flyers.

PCar's wood IMO has been very much...."up and down"....for at least the past 6-8 years... ;)