Fury 325 closed due to fractured support

Sharpel007:

S&S handles most of the Arrow repairs, refits, and refurbs

A local fabricator I have work with local to CLE has done a handful of track repairs at Cedar Point on Mine Ride, Magnum and Iron Dragon when in need of repair. I assume fairly smaller repairs, not full track sections or anything like that... Basically, whatever gets cut out that is damaged, they will template and make the new piece that gets welded back into place on site.

As far as Clermont goes, they handle all of the track fabrication for B&M. The only thing made elsewhere are the trains, control system and other odds/ends. I think what Jeff might be thinking of is that the steel itself is made in Germany, then they take the raw material and roll that into seamless pipe in Italy, which is then used as stock material, that Clermont will then shape/welds to the rest of the track due to material requirements.

(Skip to 8:00 minutes to hear about that detail)

SteveWoA:

track repairs at Cedar Point on...Magnum...

To be fair, it's hard to repair perfection.

BrettV:

To be fair, it's hard to polish a turd

FTFY

I'm 75% confident that when I visited ten years ago (!) that they said they didn't bend the rails there. In fact, I didn't see that process anywhere on the plant floor, including the part we couldn't photograph (some assembly stage that I don't remember).

If anything, that might be their (very) proprietary process they don't like to show, or your 25% confidence could be right. I would think there would be pictures somewhere of just rail being staged outside, on a truck, something... Especially with all the people who go by the plant to scope out new projects. Not to say they don't ship it in on covered trucks that get unloaded indoors and it never is set outside, or something.

While it seems silly to break up the fabrication process like that between vendors on such a part, perhaps there is more to it.

I likely will be on site at Clermont within the next two months for an inspection... So maybe I will ask around at that time, if they care to indulge me!

There are photos of rail staged outside, I just can't find them. I saw it myself as well. But I was in my 30's at the time, so I don't remember good.

I do know some of the Arrow repairs are done locally or in-house, as obviously their math and construction are quite easy to replicate, I just know S&S does a lot of the train, new trucks, and wheel work.

Hell if you click on their Arrow page the CCMR is the coaster in all the pictures, I would of at least included the new trains for Loch Ness as well.

Considering how many loopers and suspended we are down to, I hope preservation and rehabilitation is more accessible.

The local news, which is making it sound like they broke the investigative story of the century, is reporting that they found another break or crack on the ride.

Good old fashioned clickbait and fear-mongering.

This does make me wonder if there is a design flaw inherent in the coaster, or a systemic problem with fabrication and welding at the steel manufacturer.

Well yeah, if it’s an actual second crack, MAYBE. To me it sounds like there are places where they can see the welding joints or they can see places where a crack COULD form. None of that says to me, “second crack found”.

A second crack doesn't surprise me, nor does a third or fourth crack really, as metal coasters are constantly repaired (including welding) during the off-season.

What I'm wondering about though is the supports both before and after the original crack. The "give" in the track would have been creating stresses on the support both before and after the main cracked support, yes?

We all know wood coasters flex, but it seems strange to me to think that metal coasters flex too, until you think about hot and cold effects. I'm curious to know where the second crack was detected.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07...nar_google

“weld indication”

To me says a partially failed weld, but considering they were cycling trains fairly quickly after new support, it makes me wonder if another on the same turn took too much extra stress, and not until new support went in did appear?

Our long national nightmare is over.

https://www.wbtv.com/2023/0...nspection/

So who's first?

So the next question is will this drop the Golden Ticket ranking?

Depends on how many ads Cedar Fair buys.

Probably a lot, because Fury 325 needs all the support it can get.

Its relationship with the enthusiast community is definitely fractured.

BariMan:

So who's first?

I wouldn’t hesitate. Probably the safest ride ever now.

I guess I shouldn't expect dessert when we go to CGA for CoasterCon next year.