Flying Turns Update

I will...this October :)

I hope to make PPP this October :) especially if there are so many from here goin'
Also, new June pics:
http://knoebels.com/whats-new.asp Not sure if anyone has noticed them yet or not, they're awesome, I love aerial shots. Is that walkway going to be part of the queue or exit? *** Edited 6/16/2007 2:47:42 AM UTC by P18***

According to one of the construction crew, the walkway is the queue. It looks like it's going to connect to the station at the helix end, unless they double back to ramp up to the station slowly. (I think there's room to do that, but it's pretty tight in there.) I'm guessing that the exit from the station will be on the opposite side and opposite end, and come out right next to the queue entrance.

I was there this evening. In just one day they put up all the supports for the track from the bottom of the first lift back to the turn at the top of the third lift. No other station structure is up yet, and there's no track on the first lift, but huge amounts of conduit have gone in everywhere, so hopefully the brakes and motors will be installed soon so that it's ready to test when the track is finished.

Haha, sorry for the mass confusion. Should have explained it a little more, but the last turn off of lift 3 is higher then that of the beginning of lift 1.

Since the project is getting closer and closer to being done, I will try to snap more photos next Sat. of the station area...The que line in my one photo is the entrance. You will enter in front of the Elecronic Galley, go under the track to the station, turn left and go under the main lift hill and then turn left again to enter the station. The exit will simply be on the other side of the station, (Looper side) and exit where you enter. Only problem I see with this is people will get hit with stuff flying off the Loooper. Lol, that and the Turns will be a huge distraction to operators at the Looper since you can see all three lifts when operating and will be able to basically touch the station from the ride.

I've put up more pictures from yesterday at http://www.pbase.com/jim_shaffer/ftc

The pictures aren't in chronological order, but rather in the order of the elements of the ride. I've tried to update the captions somewhat to reflect what views are out of date.

This might be the dumbest question, well maybe the 3rd or 4th dumbest question, but I don't recall it ever being asked or addressed before.

Is all that "superstructure" around the ride temporary or a permanent part of the ride? I'm thinking in particular about all the members spanning the top of the trough (helix and figure 12). Looks like a lot of wood to remove, and it's obviously fastened quite securely. Then again, all the pictures I've seen of other Turns rides are "open" to the sky.

BTW, I think it's great that the queue will take riders so close to the ride structure. It will definitely add to the anticipation. Most other parks seem to be more worried about disguising the actual length of the queue, so they take you off in all directions, nowhere near where you can actually observe the ride. Kudos on Knoebels on this move.

There are/were some temporary columns that were in the trough area supporting structure above until the rest of the ride was built. I'm not certain of exactly everything that is temporary or not. We will obviously find out once the ride gets closer to opening.

You can see some of the temporary supports in this video.
*** Edited 6/18/2007 3:11:05 AM UTC by Jason Hammond***

I was wondering that too Bear, I don't think that's a stupid question at all.

I am pretty sure every thing in the main portion of the ride, and the helix is permanant. I coudn't tell you exactly why the other portions of the ride are open, but it probably has to do with that part of the ride being the tallest or it being the most likely place to shake more due to speed of the ride or it climbing the trough.

D.

Yeah, I'm thinking its all permanent, because the steel towers were made taller just for those supports, but it does seem funny since the early ones had no supports that went over the trough really, they were just open as Bear said, so maybe these will create wicked head-choppers lol.

Or give the ride more longevity that the previous incarnations didn't have.

BTW, the cameras were not working today. *** Edited 6/19/2007 12:47:51 AM UTC by Jason Hammond***

wait are you guys talking about the wooden beams in the middle of the track inside the track????

No, we are talking about the wooden beams across the top of the trough, seen here:
http://tinyurl.com/2renfp
and here:
http://tinyurl.com/37g2vf

No offense but how could anyone mistake that for permanent or temporary?

^Sure doesn't LOOK like temporary bracing, those are securely fastened as though they were permanent....

OTOH, due to the nature of the "barrel-faced contraption" (TM-JF), maybe the extra-secure bracing is needed to ensure the ribs and suppporting members stay in perfect alignment during construction? If only we knew someone who could tell us for certain... ;)

edit: probably also ought to consider that there has *never* been a flying turns constructed in today's litigious climate dominated by insurance concerns (kinda like the trains)...
*** Edited 6/19/2007 1:29:05 AM UTC by rollergator***

I am like 100% sure they are permanent (at least i think) because its part of the support stucture! anyone have any new pictures or updates? also i wonder if a finish date has be discussed?

I am 100% sure they are permanent (at least i think)

LOL...must be that "new math" they're teaching these days ;)

^Not in my class. ;)

1. Because I don't see any similar structural members in these pictures, which is basically the same ride as the one Knoebels is building.

http://www.riverviewparkchicago.com/generic24.html

2. Because I've seen framing that substantial used as temporary framing-- granted not for a coaster, but it still was only temporary.

Can anyone here say what construction methods were used to build any of the original Turns rides?

^I was looking for those pics, thanks for the link. I'm sure they are permanent, just was wondering why not leave it open like the older ones, I guess it is more structurally strong.