CP 7-20 Dragster went down AGAIN!!

I had to work third shift Saturday night, 11 to 7, so I got a late start. I came home, changed close real quick and was able to make up some time on the Turnpike. I was planning to meet a collage buddy that I haven't seen in about a year. I arrived at the toll booth at about 9:40. I could see that TTD was running so I drove around back and entered through the Soak City entrance. Just as I entered the park, a train load of riders went up the tower, kinda teetered at the top and rolled back. Arms up on the way up and still some arms up on the way down. That was the last train to run all day. Later in the day, there was a boom truck that was parked by the station and they had what I think was the launch sled on the back of the truck. Bummer. One of the CP Police said that some nylon something had melted?? There were workmen working up on the launch track all day and untill closing.

I walked over to MF and got in line for the back seat. I called my buddy and he was just starting out from Euclid Oh. Then I headed over to Mantis for a quick ride and then got my freeway for MF.

I headed over to Magnum and got in a few quick rides and then headed up to the front of the park. My buddy hadn't called yet, so I took a few quick rides on Blue Streak. After getting of, I checked my cell and my buddy had left a message. I called him up and he was just across the midway at the Kiddy Kingdom.

I met up with him and his family. Not only did his wife and little boy come, his brother and parents came too. It was nice to see them all again. We spent the rest of the day taking Declan 1 1/2 years old on the kiddy rides and the drive-it-yourself cars and other rides that we could get him on. Jeff and his wife are not real big into rides, so we rode the milder ones like the Mine Ride, Cork Screw, Gemini and Blue Streak. I was able to get his wife on Raptor later in the day after the line went down, but I could not coax Jeff into it. At about 8 PM, we said our good-byes and they headed home.

I went over and hit WT in the back seat and then Chaos. Then I hit Raptor a few more times. After buying some fudge and a T-shirt, I went back to my truck and dropped them off and grabbed a Mountain Dew. I planed to hit MF once and then Magnum a few more times to end off the night, but MF had an hour wait ant I was really getting tired and didn't feel like the wait, so I went over for a few walk-on rides on Mantis, one in the front seat. Then I headed over to Magnum for a few back seat rides. This is still my favorite for night rides I think. This got me pumped up for my long ride home. That and more Mountain Dew. :)

I was really bummed that TTD was not running. Though Jeff and his wife would never have riden it in a million years, I really think they would have enjoyed seeing it run.

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Keep your Arms Down, Head back, and Hold On!

The launch sled doesn't use wheels, it has runners made of nylon which have to be replaced periodically. That's what melted. They have a rough idea how long they last, but sometimes they come up short.

If that's true, it's quite possibly the worst design imaginable. Why on earth would they use nylon?

They use nylon plastic because it has a rather low friction, is cheap and does little wear on steel.

Bartman

Yea, but with a little maintenance(oil&grease), wheels with roller bearings would last all summer.

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Keep your Arms Down, Head back, and Hold On!

Not as long as you think.Considering the size the wheels would have to be and the speed you'd be frying bearings all the time. It would be difficult to keep them lubed properly for any length of time.