Closing Dragster for season "last resort"

I actually like the "Mid-July" or nothing response. Back when Mr. Freeze was built (St Louis) they kept saying, it will open, it will open. A few weeks here, a few weeks there, it added up. Better to be safe than sorry, especially when peoples vacation plans are involved. If they don't expect it to be open and still plan the trip there, they don't have a right to be angry. If it does happen to reopen before the end of the year, that's just a bonus for everyone.

Well hydrailic systems can be a pain, In highschool and college I worked at a gold course and damn near every mower was hydraulic run, and even thos simple machines were always having hydraulic probels, and those machines range from $12,000-60,000+, especially when the fluid is contaminated, I was just wonder contaminated in what way, wrong fluid, metal shavings, foriegn fluids? Let me tell you filters or not, once some shavings get into the system it usually requires reworking, esp with a system of this magnitude, cuz if the inside cylinder walls get scraped, pitted, or nicked, it you effect the system and but up seals and rings, and or pistons. It may just be a faulty system period, you know if you go to the store and purchase, lets just say anything hydraulic, and certain percentage will fail, and maybe since there probably aren't any other systems like this in the world, this custom one has a flaw in general, Thats my bet, because if it were anything else I don't think they would even announce last resorts to close the ride for the season, even to mention that scenerior has to be completely embarrasing for both CP and intamin. I just think the guests are the ones getting shafted, not all of the patrons but a good number pretty much only visited and bought season passes just for that ride. Believe me if CP can point the finger there get there compensation, but we don't, and to think they finally cut out most of the TTD comercials on TV, they were driving me nuts, advertising a ride thats not open and hasn't been open for more than a few days max without breaking again.

A piece of foam during launch perhaps?

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"It's not a Too-mah!" - Arnold after riding Batman the Ride

What Fxnib says makes sense, although I'd hate to admit it. Sounds like once you have some pieces coming off, that means that the chambers are going bad, and then those need replaced, in addition to the filters, and if you have pieces of hose, then those need replaced ...

The worst scenario if that *is* the explaination is that without a major rework and re-engineering, TTD may seriously be done (either that or require such a major overhaul every few months that it wouldn't be cost-effective to maintain).

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"As soon as you design something that's idiot-proof, the world will go and design a better idiot."
--Brett

Perhaps they could use the old greezed lightning counterweight launch...all they would need to do is lengthen the tower and increase the size of the counterweight. :)

BTW, sorry about that last very un-PC remark. It won't happen again, I promise.

All BS aside, I'm sorry to hear about the bugs. This is what happens under crazy deadlines with a new technology.

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"It's not a Too-mah!" - Arnold after riding Batman the Ride

Just put a really big fan on the back of the trains ... call it Top Thrill Airboats ;)

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"As soon as you design something that's idiot-proof, the world will go and design a better idiot."
--Brett

Were both hydraulic systems developed by the same italian company. I don't remember hearing about anything like this for xcelerator.

I'd like to know what the hydraulic system has over the LIM launch system. I'm in no way mechanically minded at all, I assumed TTD would use this Intamin system to... is Xcelerator hydraulic to then?

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www.ukrides.info

I wonder who's footing the bill for the hydraulic system rework...???

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Why?

Yup, Xcelerator is also hydraulic. Faster launch?

It's a neat idea (hydraulic), but seems like a lot of parts. Does anyone know which launch system is the simplest? (Counter weight, flywheel, powered tires, LIM, hydraulic, and that other magnetic type) Anyone?

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"It's not a Too-mah!" - Arnold after riding Batman the Ride

I hope this does not do to Intamin what X did to Arrow Dynamics.

Parks and coaster companies start to design new rides about three years before construction, so Mr. Kinzel's statement could mean that a future coaster built by Intamin is on the drawing boards and could get scraped.

Closing the ride for the season would be a good idea. And then if they get the bugs worked out and the ride up and running this year, the reopenning would be like a bonus.

I feel lucky to have been able to ride it a few times.

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Lets go Drag racing.

Man...am I glad I made the decision last December to wait until 2005 to visit CP again instead of making travel plans and crossing my fingers.

mOOSH

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Esplanade [v.] - to attempt an explanation while drunk.

I had no idea TTD's problems were this serious.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

janfrederick , it would appear to me that LIM's are among the simplest. There is a lot going on, but less mechanical parts than, say, a Schwarzy or Arrow shuttle. RideMan's site has a good article on that system.

Am I'm the only one that wants to see what happens when a 40 ton weight falls 400 feet? :D
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Brad Sherman
"How DARE you reduce my finely-honed thespian styling to.......mere Mother Goosery!" - Stewie, Family Guy

Hey, I've felt the "regular" sized one fall 50 feet. Small earthquake! Cool stuff!

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"It's not a Too-mah!" - Arnold after riding Batman the Ride

One would expect that Cedar Point is losing money because the ride is not open, but I'm sure every piece of the ride is under warranty (assuming Cedar Point didn't do anything to void said warranty) ... Intamin and whoever made the motor are footing the bill for that. Trust me, when they sold that ride, there was a warranty percentage added in there.

My personal feeling about moving away from LIM/LSM is probably just the huge amount of costly electricity involved in the launch, and that a LIM/LSM launch takes longer to achieve the same speeds.

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Panther Modern
SixFlagsHouston.Com
An Astroworld Tribute Site

This is not cool at all. Considering the fact that i wasnt able to ride TTD, plus how much there was overall to do at CP, my mom made reservations again for this season to visit in august. The trip is supposed to be over 4 days, making it more likely i would have been able to ride opposed to our 2 day trip(the first day starting this long period of a breakdown).

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1. Millennium Force
2. HypersonicXLC
3. Alpengeist

In an off-season tour, Jasper said that the electrical requirements for Dragster were higher, however, the issue with a LIM system would have been the length of track needed to get up to speed.

While this does certainly suck, it's not like it's the only ride in the park. I look forward to my next visit and will be there every weekend in September and October, just like any other year. There's still plenty to do.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

Hey...hold up...they didn't say it was closed FOR SURE! Don't go cancelling plans when you have until mid-July to find out.

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LeWiS

At Coastermania, they stated that rides are planned years and years in advance... that the thinking for TTD started like 5 years ago or so. When they mention future plans in the article, I am assuming they are just saying that if they have a ride that spans 2 years as a new ride, future plans will need to get adjusted.