Hades @ Big Chiefs - CoasterBuzz

Chuck - if you do direct him to this thread. I'd love his input [I know he posts here on occasion].

There's absolutely nothing that has to be "checked" or "inspected" while a ride is running. Nothing. The bottom line is that it's unsafe, and there's no valid reason for anyone, employee or otherwise, to risk it.

-Nate

Hi Nate,

For what it's worth, I've been on the Santa Cruz Giant Dipper MANY times when there have been maintenance folks walking the track. From what I've read here on CB, it sounds as if this is a somewhat regular occurance on other coasters as well.

Kevin

Nate, are you having that not-so-fresh feeling?

Honestly, I remember waving to the guys installing LoCoSuMo props on my first ride.

-'Playa

NOTE: Severe fecal impaction may render the above words highly debatable.

He doesn't care, Kevin.

Those photos were probably posted on the Gravity Group's website for marketing and/or our enjoyment. Since the photos are on the designer's website, and all of the Gravity Group's employees are highly trained engineers, I wouldn't worry too much about why someone was in the tunnel. There are probably very legitimate reasons for being inside there while the ride is cycling.

Will do Moosh!

The fact that some people STILL can't grasp the fact that during initial testing engineers are almost ALWAYS walking the track and checking things is amazing to me. It's common sense, they can't see all problems that might arise from inside the station. This really doesn't seem like a complicated thing to understand. What if the ride was lurching or making an odd noise at a certain point in the tunnel... how else would they know about this? The fact that this is a wooden coaster (one much larger and more daring than many others) is even MORE reason as to why people would be checking things out on the track.

Nate is just stirring up a bee's nest here...

Normally, ol Nate is supporting Big Chief/Mount Olympus....most of the time, vehimently...

Here's one such thread... http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=32243&page=3

I know there's more, but I couldnt find the topics. I do remember one thread where I complained about the way they were running their new water coaster and he defended the park to the hilt.

Nate likes confrontation. Plain and simple.

Certain victory.

Rastus, anyone? ;)

The Flying Turns makes all the right people wet - Gonch

Mamoosh said:
Mt Olympus didn't design the coaster or the tunnel, Gravity Group did. And I'm sure Mike Graham and the boys would have a heartly laugh over your accusation that their design is unsafe.

Where, exactly, did I say the design was in any way unsafe? Please at least be courteous enough to not put words in my mouth.

For what it's worth, I've been on the Santa Cruz Giant Dipper MANY times when there have been maintenance folks walking the track.

As I said, that doesn't make it right or safe.

The fact that some people STILL can't grasp the fact that during initial testing engineers are almost ALWAYS walking the track and checking things is amazing to me.

That's a given. It doesn't, however, need to be done while the ride is running.

Nate is just stirring up a bee's nest here...
Normally, ol Nate is supporting Big Chief/Mount Olympus....most of the time, vehimently...

Wrong again!

I honestly feel it's unsafe for someone to be in the tunnel while the ride is running, no matter who it is. If it's easier for you to just pass off my arguments as "stirring up the nest," good for you. Just because I have defended some of Big Chief's operating practices doesn't mean I agree with all of them. I am not a fanboy.

I know there's more, but I couldnt find the topics. I do remember one thread where I complained about the way they were running their new water coaster and he defended the park to the hilt.

Uh, no. I think the water coaster is a poorly-designed piece of crap.

Nate likes confrontation. Plain and simple.

If anyone likes confrontation, it's people like you who make it a point to reply to each and everything I post.

-Nate

Nate, If you don't like confrontation, why are you attacking EVERYONE who doesn't agree with you wholeheartedly?

--George H

Some people are correct, some are wrong, The banking is 90* exact so loosers pay up.

Chuck, who will say no more other than IT's INCREDIBLE and may open sooner than Memorial Day but probably not this weekend.

Nate, you've repeated your opinion 5-6 times now. It might be nice to expound on WHY instead of just repeatedly stating your opinion as fact. ;)

I strongly endorse lock-out / tag-out, but there will be times when designers / maintenance will have to be near the tracks to observe a ride's performance in person. As long as it doesn't endanger riders and the workers have the appropriate training and are clear of the trains, I don't see the problem with it. I'm not a designer or maintenance tech, so I have no experience to judge individual cases.

I find it interesting that people are choosing sides over the photo issue without having any idea of where the photographer was standing or what was involved. :p We don't know all the details, so give the photographer some credit and assume that he knew what he was doing. :)

Anyways......there was this guy named chickenlittledude318 who kept running around yelling, "The sky is falling! The sky is falliing!!"

We all know where that got him!!

Wood Coaster Fan Club - "Sharing a Passion for the Classics"

The banking is 90* exact so loosers pay up.

You sure about that? I still think it's overbanked. Maybe I should go check for myself. Just hollar when the train is on the way so I know to stand aside a bit. ;)

Nate, If you don't like confrontation, why are you attacking EVERYONE who doesn't agree with you wholeheartedly?

I'm not. I stated that I felt it was unsafe for a photographer (or anyone, for that matter) to be in the tunnel while the ride was running. Three or four people have come into this thread to tell me that my opinion is wrong. I've only defended my opinion and my position, but I haven't told anyone they're wrong, and I haven't attacked anyone.

Nate, you've repeated your opinion 5-6 times now. It might be nice to expound on WHY instead of just repeatedly stating your opinion as fact.

Because I don't think there's any such thing as "safely" violating lock-out procedures. You stated, "As long as it doesn't endanger riders and the workers have the appropriate training and are clear of the trains, I don't see the problem with it. " If this were a situation where an employee was inside a ride area, but on the ground and easily clear of the track I wouldn't have as much of a problem. In this case, however, that tunnel is extremely narrow, and the only "safe" place is a very narrow catwalk along the track. I don't feel like it's safe to be there while the ride is operating, and I don't feel that there was even a valid reason to be in there in the first place.

Anyways......there was this guy named chickenlittledude318 who kept running around yelling, "The sky is falling! The sky is falliing!!"

Oh please. I'm not the one who screamed and cried because of a minor reprofile on the Comet.

-Nate

Yup, 90* :)

That easily beats any other woodie in banking.

Chuck, also mentioning the first drop is the steepest in the US.

No Nathan...I'm the one who told you that Cornball Express is arguably the best coaster in Indiana. And I would hardly call what Great Escape plans for the Comet *minor* dude!

Chuck, that banking sure looks more than 90*. The picture with Korey shows a ledger right next to him that is farther away from the tunnel wall at the top than it is at the bottom by his feet. Take a real close look at it. I could be wrong, but I usually have a very good eye for these things. Just ask Mike ;)

Wood Coaster Fan Club - "Sharing a Passion for the Classics"

Well, Im not gonna argue a designers word.

Thats all I'll say.

Thrillerman said:
No Nathan...I'm the one who told you that Cornball Express is arguably the best coaster in Indiana. And I would hardly call what Great Escape plans for the Comet *minor* dude!

Although I'd probably disagree with calling Cornball the best coaster in Indiana, it's still a damn fine coaster. I don't recall getting that from you before, however.

The Great Escape has no plans for reprofiling the Comet.

And BTW, only my mother calls me "Nathan."

-Nate
*** Edited 5/6/2005 5:57:24 AM UTC by coasterdude318***