Confirmed off-season work at CF/SF parks

[NOTE - I deleted my previous post because I felt it was poorly worded. Sorry to those whose posts were also deleted.]

Check out this Canadian construction firm website's "Works In Progress" page:
www.martin-vleminckx.com/mv_en/work_in_progress.htm

For those who don't click on the link:

It confirms the company is doing work on at least 5 CF coasters including track work on both Wolverine Wildcat and Shivering Timbers. They are also doing an overhaul and adjusting the torque [checking bolts] on Millie and Wicked Twister, which I assume is normal off-season maintenance, as well as working on the 2003 coaster.

Over at Six Flags they're doing some major work at La Ronde, removing Tapis Volant [Zierer Flying Carpet, Astronef [Vekoma Time Warp a-la KW's Aero 360], and the bumper cars.

Also three more major projects to be announced....

Now, they use the term "reprofile" but lets not get into hysterics. Its entirely possible that what they think of as "reprofile" is completely different than how we normally use that term.

Perhaps Kara can comment on Wildcat and Timbers, if she knows what's going on?

Moosh

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S&D Greetings...coming back online very soon!

Let me guess,the three major projects left to announce for SF are :Viper's relocation to SFKK,S:UF @ SFGRAM & R"N"RC's relocation to Great Escape right?

Those are the only parks remaining in the SF chain that are solidly confirmed to get major attractions even though two of them are used rides being relocated.

It would be nice to see them do a little work on Ghostrider and Mean Streak while they''re at it. CF needs to get something going in the wood maintenance category, thats for sure.

Donny, just doing a little wishful thinking, that's all!

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"The Moose says your closed, I say your open"! Chevy Chase-Vacation

Donny - what's wrong with Ghostrider? It goes into rehab twice a year...seems like they're doing a good job of maintaining it.

Moosh

*** This post was edited by Mamoosh on 11/26/2002. ***

No kidding!

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- Peabody

Moosh... Man I hate to whine, but when I went at the first of November it was rough everywhere. Plus didn't they just finish maintenance (during Gator's trip). They were running the tan trains that day.

I think I'm just spoiled by HW's &IB's CCI's, I don't know, I am in no whay saying the ride is bad, it is the most intense "larger" woodie I have been on, just not a very smooth ride. but hey, I'm just one man don't mind me.

Moosh, have taken a spin on it since they did Maintenance? Maybe they messed something up. (just a thought)

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"The Moose says your closed, I say your open"! Chevy Chase-Vacation

*** This post was edited by Donny S on 11/26/2002. ***

IIRC, the train on GR valleyed sometime "recently", and didn't it have something to do with a rider's *loose article* falling onto the track....wondering if that didn't affect the ride. Last time I rode (at Con) it was still a great ride, amazing for its size....(if only it had been located at SFMM, where the ops and mgt. were more friendly)....even my GP friend noticed it immediately, "wow are they slow and hateful"...

Of course, if HW is your homepark, *everything else* would strike you as rough...;)

I wouldn't say that Ghostrider is rough, I think it is just really forceful at times.

There are several parts on the ride where you get pulled way out of your seat, and are slammed back down fairly hard. Several parts of the ride have pretty strong laterals as well. Perhaps this could be interpreted as roughness sometimes.

In fact, on my first ride, I bumped heads with the person sitting next to me.

I have certainly had some less than perfect rides on it, but as of late, it has been running quite well, with the Copper and Gold trains on the track.

And by the way, a few months ago they added cubbies to the station, so you may be on to something rollergator! They don't MAKE you take all of your loose articles with you anymore...

*** This post was edited by CoasterFanMatt on 11/26/2002. ***

Matt, airtime and laterals are at a max on Ghostrider I completely agree with you in that aspect. That is what makes the ride so great. That is not he roughness I was speaking of. The roughness I was talking about seemed to be more in the wheels of the PTC's or the coaster's tracking.

I'm not sure what all is included in Maintenance as far as Ghostrider goes,(help anyone).

I don't know, it could have just been the trains, but every ride I took that day, the trains were washboarding.

Please don't get me wrong the ride is awesome, and I am not bashing it in any way, I just think that they need to take a look at they're maintenance a little more closely that's all.

Can anyone else confirm this roughness or am I just going mad?

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HW & IB, I love living in Indiana!

Anyone else think it's time for some major work on Timberwolf and turning the daym brake off?

Chuck, who thought it was a very fun coaster as it was but sees a lot of potential.

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Charles Nungester.
Is it about coasters or friends? I say both!

Donny, a more logical reason is that you just caught Ghostrider on a day that they were trying to break in some new wheels or the ones they had on needed to be replaced.

A lot of the time the roughness is a result of the train and not the coaster so much.

I don't get all up in arms about brakes and I think if T-Wolf's were turned off there'd be a lot more bumps and bruises walking off the ride then there already is. But again I'm not one of those people that get all hot to trot when a park is using trim brakes so some of you may find my opinion not worth reading :)

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

*** This post was edited by Feel the Strike on 11/26/2002. ***

I would have to agree to keep the trim on T-Wolf. Although it's effect is minimal, it will help reduce wear in the long run. Unfortunatley WOF does not have the maintanence resources to maintain a top-notch woodie. (don't misread this...the maintanence staff is more than willing and able to...but sometimes money speaks louder)

As long as they don't even consider putting "G" trains on it, I will be happy.

NOT TIMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANYCOASTER BUT TIMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Take the brake off Timber Wolf. Let him run wild like he once did. The ride ran all-out for several seaosns without getting as rough as Ghostrider (and I don't mind the roughness). In my opinion, the effect of the brake is more than "minimal." It signifficantly reduces the speed and thus, airtime. The most noticeable effect of the brake is how slow the train comes out of the top of the helix. It barely makes it like when the ride first opened, but by the second season, it was whizzing right through the anti-roll-back at the top.
Also, the airtime entering the first turnaround isn't very noticeable unless you're all the way up front.

I hope and expect the work on Timbers to be just routine maintenance. Almost every off season parks replace and retrack some parts of their wooden coasters. I think the retracking and reprofiling will continue on Wolverine Wildcat and some more retracking on Timbers. It will be ok and it will probably only improve the ride.

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Mike
Favorite Wood: Viper at SFGAM,Shivering Timbers
Favorie Steel: Magnum and Raging Bull

Both of the mentioned Mich Adv woodies were worked on quite a bit last off season. It wouldn't suprise me that they would be thinking about doing some more work on them, as they each have spots that could some additional work; however, I have not seen any such work take place yet. And for those of you who have been wondering, the infamous off season reports should begin this week with photos I took there just yesterday.

And don't freak about trim brakes; yes...it was a wide-spread rumor among the crew this season, but I doubt it will happen. Kinzel promised that he wouldn't mess with it like that when CF acquired the park in '01. Also, how often was there a wait with two train? Hardly ever. There just isn't a need for three trains.

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Kara (car-uh)
1024 Laps
621 in '02
52 visits to 4 CF parks in '02 with a season pass, free. Knowing I saved $1603, priceless.

Feel the Strike said:
"Donny, a more logical reason is that you just caught Ghostrider on a day that they were trying to break in some new wheels or the ones they had on needed to be replaced."

So what are you saying? If the wheels are old the ride is going to suck, but at the same time, if the wheels are brand new, it's gonna suck too? That would be a *very* tempermental coaster...

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"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

In order TWolf to be a top 10 coaster again then are going to have to bank the curves. The flat curves make the coaster extremely rough. The coaster has received a little TLC here of late, however it is about due for a retrack. Maybe that will be the new ride for 2003. I would accept that over a new bathroom.

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SWOOSH
http://www.themeparksonline.org
(In cyberspace no one can hear you scream)

2Hostyl, well yeah that is the long and short of it really. It usually takes about half a day for new wheels to break in and once old wheels are shot they're shot.

However, there's a lot of time after the train breaks in its wheels and before they're shot. I'd say wheels (depending on the park's maint. crew) should really only a problem (in having to break them in or running on wheels that need to be replaced) maybe one day a month.

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

Ghostrider's track is in great shape. Its the trains that have the troubles. For example, just after gold got out of rehab, the ride was super smooth on gold, but copper was still a mofo.