CP 8-16 Red train is back

Nothing really new to report other than the red Dragster train is finally back. Forgive me if someone has already noted this. The park was crowded, but I was able to get a fair amount of riding in. I arrived at the park a little before nine and TTD was not testing so I parked up front and walked over to the Marina entrance. The line was not very long, but it took forever to let us into the park. I had a MF ride in by 10:30. I wanted to get a second in, but the line was already an hour long.

Over to Mantis for two quick walk on rides and then over to TTD. Of course when I get in line it breaks down, so I left and went on Magnum three times, about a half hour wait for 6-3 each time. The best ride for the wait in the park I think. In the 1-½ hours over at Magnum, TTD only launched about 6 or 7 times. People in line were joking about 2 – 3 launches an hour, there doing good. Last year, the ops would not let the station fill up with people and it made it easier to get in line for the seat that you wanted. This year, they let the station fill up and it’s hard to get to 1-3 or 6-3. I think they should go back to holding people back when the station starts to fill.

Back to Gemini for a ride. I was in the red train and it lost. No hand slapers on board. The queue was full, the longest I have seen it in a long time. I don’t know why they don’t load the station from both sides like they used to. Everyone gets bottled up at the back and seats go out empty in the front.

One ride on Mean Streak was enough. It does not seem as rough as last year, but it hurts my ribs and upper back. I must be getting old. I used to be able to tolerate it.

I had a few beers and then headed up to MF for my freeway pass at two and a front seat ride. Absolutely great in the front.

TTD seemed to be running well now so I went over and jumped in line. What was really weird was I got in line wi the same people who were in front of me earlier when I was in line. This also happend on TTD on my last visit. Weird. I had about an hour invested and was almost to the last queue section before the station when a train made it to the top, stopped, sat there for about 5-6 seconds perfectly balanced and then slowly rolled back. ( I think everyone leaned back so they would get the rollback.) :) They tried to get it restarted. After about 45 minutes, I gave up and left. After my last visit, I said that I was not going to waste time on TTD again and I should have listed to myself. TTD is now running worse than it did last year in my opinion. Maybe it is just my bad luck. TTD is a great ride, but not worth wasting that much time on. The red train does look really good. It was on the maintenance track, still five train operation. I have never seen all six trains running.

A few more quick rides on Magnum and I went up to the front of the park for PT, Raptor, BS and WT. I took the turbo drop side of PT. About a 15 min. wait. Raptor was about a 20-minute wait each time. Rode twice in the back and once in the front. The bugs were really out during my front seat ride. The crew was really moving the trains out, most of the incoming trains never stopped in the brake run, just rolled into the station. If they did stop, it was only for a few seconds. Great job Raptor crew. WT was bout a 45-minute wait for the back. BS was about a 10-15 min. wait for the back seat both times.

I got in line for MF a little after nine hoping for a final front seat ride, but they had the front closed off by the time I got into the station. I am sure that there were more trainloads of people than they had front seat riders, but oh well. I took a great back seat ride and then headed home. *** Edited 8/17/2004 8:20:05 PM UTC by CP ismyhome***

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They tried to get it restarted. After about 45 minutes, I gave up and left. After my last visit, I said that I was not going to waste time on TTD again and I should have listed to myself. TTD is now running worse than it did last year in my opinion. Maybe it is just my bad luck. TTD is a great ride, but not worth wasting that much time on. The red train does look really good. It was on the maintenance track, still five train operation. I have never seen all six trains running.

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When my wife and I were up there Sunday - Thurday of last week, the max we saw running on TTD was 5 trains. I was able to get in 4 rides on Dragster over the course of the trip; I guess it must have been having a good week. For all of its problems, it it still the best coaster I have ever strapped in to. :)