El Toro 2nd train on yet?

I am considering going this sunday, however, if only 1 train is still running, i think i will pass. No matter how excited i am about a coaster i just cant wait 3 hours...i still havent ridden Kingda Ka yet!

I was at the park Thursday 6/15, and the ride queue opened at 12 but the station didn't open up to guests until 1. Throughout that hour, operators were testing both the A and B trains but then took the B train OFF the track again. I waited ten minutes until the queue opened, as trains were cycling through.

The security guard at the gate began talking to anxious guests about why the ride was taking so long to open. Her words were: "The second train is from europe and still needs to pass safety inspection. The first train is American and has already cleared tests." I found it irritating because the second train had obviously been tested and riden by ride operators

She (the guard) was instructed to allow forty guests in every five or ten minutes. I rode twice, waiting about 1.5 hours (including pre-queue wait) for the first and using my 'season pass priority' pass for the second. El Toro's A train was very comfortable, but the stapling was a letdown. Both rides in the back were insane. This was where the first drop gave one of the most breathtaking falls I've experienced on a wooden coaster.

So, if you can tell that there is only one train on, just get there early and wait it out.

You won't be waiting 3 hours even with one train. Trust me, the 1.5 hour wait is totally worth it.

2nd train will probably be on within a week. Maybe this weekend, but if not I would assume by next weekend at the latest. However, I have no insider information, just guessing.

One of my friends who went today said that there was only one train operating and there were only 2 ripe ops working on the ride.

P.S. The post before mine was posted when I was still posting mine, so I didn't get to read it. *** Edited 6/16/2006 10:25:24 PM UTC by High Speed Thrill Coaster***

^^^ "The first train is American". LOL! Nope, it's Intamin too...but a nice try on her part nonetheless.

The second train may very well have been ridden by operators, but until it passes NJ State certification, it may NOT be used for guests. An on-the-job operator injury (hardly likely, but nonetheless) is a worker's compensation claim, a guest being hurt on a train that isn't yet certified by the State is SFGAdv being sued like no amusement park has been sued before...

edit: The ^^arrows only work if no one posts while you're posting....ROFL!

*** Edited 6/16/2006 10:28:43 PM UTC by rollergator***

^I hear the girl say that too. What she said was that the B train still has European part/parts that need to be switched over to American before it was certified. Right now they are apparently waiting for that part to come in. Somebody brought up a good point that it could be an electrical part because they use different voltage or whatever over in Europe.

I still don't really buy it because Intamin knew they were making the trains for an American park so why wouldn't it be "Americanized" from the start? Although there really is no good explanation for the train to not be running other than a maintenance issue of some kind.

It will be on soon though and capacity hasn't been particularly horrible with the one train, so with 2 it should be a people eater.

I'm going tomorrow, I'll let ya know.,

We were there on 6/15 as well, and I have to say GREAT RIDE! GREAT STAFF! If you head out to El Toro in the afternoon and see Holly say HI! She was great, and knows her stuff about this ride.

While I don't know about the European parts issue, I do know from listening to the maitnence employees and ride-ops that the train keeps over shooting the sensor at the end of the final break. It is running 7/10ths of an inch over (at least that is what it sounded like one of the guys saying to a suit.) I did notice a few times in the station that the ride did have to "reset" and the train slooooowly rolled into the station.

No matter the wait, get out and ride this coaster!! I decided a day on El Toro was better than a day at work, and we had a blast. The DJ's are funny, and the staff is getting the hang of the loading. My only issue is that you are in the station for quite some time, and hear them announce to at least two trains DO NOT pull down on the orange lap bars!! Every train there are at least two idiots that don't listen, and that ties up the loading speed. And be prepared to get STAPLED in, but you definately need it. I felt a little uncomfotable at first; a fair trade for this ride.

OLE, OLE, OLE, OLEEE!

Only 2 ride ops on a new coaster? Typical six flags...

---

the second train had obviously been tested and riden by ride operators

---

this does not mean that it has passed inspection, however. I have been on a few rides that havn't passed inspection, but the ride was not allowed to be open to the public yet.

edit: oops, looks like somone beat me long ago... sorry ;)
*** Edited 6/17/2006 4:53:17 AM UTC by SFDL_Dude***

This is not a forum topic! This should be talked about in another thread. This is the third el toro thread going. Not impressed!

---

crazyhorse said: Only 2 ride ops on a new coaster? Typical six flags...

---

Yup. We gotta find something to bash Six Flags on, even though they've built a Top 2 woodie.

I don't buy the "2 ride ops". I've been there 3 times already and everytime there has been one "ride op" (which is all they need) and 2 people checking restraints. I can pretty much guarantee that was the situation today. As you can see, HighSpeedThrillCoaster said "one of my friends said...".

The ops have been doing a great job so please refrain from the "typical six flags" comments until you have seen it for yourself. Sure they are only running one train, but they are doing a great job with that.

And CoasterDiscern, are you kidding me? I remember when The Voyage open almost ALL of the active forum topics were about that. I believe I remember seeing 8 (eight!!!) current Voyage topics at one time. Not one person said a word because everybody loves to kiss their ass.
*** Edited 6/17/2006 6:59:47 AM UTC by MrX***

A guest enquired to the operator today why exactly there was only one train running, and in response he said they are still working on the computer system and electrical setup, which should be complete in the next week or so.

What an incredible ride though. Dive in to Rolling Thunder is probably the biggest dose of airtime I've ever experienced.

---

MrX said:

I still don't really buy it because Intamin knew they were making the trains for an American park so why wouldn't it be "Americanized" from the start?

---

She's just a guard. She wouldn't really be informed about such things. Generally, ride ops, attendants, and dippin' dots guys aren't as well. Asking a guard why there are 2 trains running already will be just as reliable as the guy working the bathrooms.

excuuuuuusssse me coasterdiscern...but i think this deserved a separate topic because it was a very specific question. the other el toro topics dealt with evaluating the ride (which i had already read and figured out that it is quite impressive) ....i didn't want to sift through old topics to see if someone happened to answer this very specific question regarding whether there were two trains on yet.

PS...it wasn't intended to incite six flags bashing...but, hey, if the shoe fits, wear it. I have travelled the country to ride coasters and have valid concerns and observations. If sf wants the bashing to stop they should run their parks like some of the other companies do. I have lived near ga my whole life...and quite honestly, it is at the bottom of my list of parks i actually enjoy going to. And to be fair...I am big enough to say I have seen some improvements the last few years...but they have a long way to go to catch up to the premier parks...)

It was not on all day Saturday. IT didn't even look like it's been tested. Someone at Coaster Celebration asked when it would be ready an the ride op said he had no idea but hoped soon he was sick of the 1 train op.

---

MrX said:

---

crazyhorse said: Only 2 ride ops on a new coaster? Typical six flags...

---

And CoasterDiscern, are you kidding me? I remember when The Voyage open almost ALL of the active forum topics were about that. I believe I remember seeing 8 (eight!!!) current Voyage topics at one time. Not one person said a word because everybody loves to kiss their ass.
*** Edited 6/17/2006 6:59:47 AM UTC by MrX***

---

Holiday World asks what "we" want in a coaster. Then they build it. That deserves some arse kissing. I think the reason we see so much holiday world bias is because they are one of the very few parks that have a strong relationship with the coaster community, and they use that to their benefit. I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing.

Yes, this board is a bit biased but I really choose to not get involved. There should have been plenty more news related articles concerning El Toro because it really does deserve the attention and credit. It is the first & only prefab Intamin woodie in the Unites States. No one really seems to care about that though. I think Holiday World's number 1 credit was a given. I think El Toro's is more a shock. As more people get over to New Jersey and ride the thing, I think we'll see more light shining on the bull. *** Edited 6/19/2006 7:34:52 PM UTC by DorneyDante***

Dante, El Toro is an absolutely fantastic woodie, no question about it.

However, Great Adventure DOES deserve some criticism for having only one train running AFTER the ride opens so late (we can pass the buck all we want as to whether the fault lies with the park, Intamin, unions, the state of New Jersey, or Halley's Comet, but the bottom line is it opened late), and then for the insufficient staffing. Two ride attendants to check a 36-rider train, while insisting on said attendants being the ones to lower the bar, is resulting in atrocious dispatch times. As great as the ride is (and kudos to Six Flags and Intamin for that), we need to call things as we see them, and the current operational situation, well, sucks.

I'm blaming it on garden gnomes.

---

DorneyDante said:

Holiday World asks what "we" want in a coaster. Then they build it. That deserves some arse kissing.

---

Multiple threads about the same coaster = arse kissing?