Hydra Train Dummies

I was looking at Dorney Park's website today and noticed that there is an picture of the trains arriving. If you look at this picture it looks like B&M gave the dummies some faces.

I wish they had given them the hilarious surprised look that all of those "Blow Up Girlfriend" dolls have. That would have been hilarious, a train full of very "surprised" woman water dummies.

Jason - Who doesn't know why he knows the expression on blow-up doll faces....

Yeah, I noticed that. It looks in the picture as though only 2 of them have faces. Maybe it's symbolic? You know, like when you go to an amusement park, there's a sea of faceless people you don't know, but you'll still have your friends?

Ok, I need to stay off the philosophy.. and a little Mt. Dew would help ;)

I can't believe the crap Dorney Park pulls these day...

I just can't believe they felt like they just had to blur the the Ironworker's banner.

http://www.dorneypark.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill/hydra/galleries/picture.cfm?id=299

It just seems like something Dorney Management would do! I mean who know maybe Dorney was asked to blur it but I doubt it. It just seem like such a stab in the back to the Union Ironworkers Local 36.

Other than that I can't wait to ride it. Although it would have been nice to been able to see Skyscaper as your rolling out of the heartline (I refuse to call it by that stupid name).

Ya I know I sound ungreatful about Hydra but I am actually really excited. I just started to write into more detail but I deside that it's just better to let people enjoy the park they see it. One thing i'll say is I just wish that if Hercules had to be torn down that they could have at least replace it with a new woodie.

The funny thing is that you can find an un-blurred version of that picture, with dorney's approval on dorneyonline

actually the smiley face you see actually is says

Property
Of

B+M

Spelled out that upside down,

because the dummy is facing the wrong way upside down.

I just though you all might like to know,

Have a great day and looking forward to riding this coaster this spring.

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WoodFan said:
actually the smiley face you see actually is says

Property
Of

B+M

Spelled out that upside down,

because the dummy is facing the wrong way upside down.

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Woodfan...look at the trains on the left of the picture...that's the smiley face being referred to!

Why would the water bottles be property of B&M?

The park needs those to test out the ride every year prior to opening for the season (and I'm pretty sure periodically during the season too) not just the initial tests.

Big Jim 4 Life you are correct, I did not see that, that is hillarious, but I was right about the
water bottles saying property of B&M on them.

I dont know whether the park gets those water bottles or not or if b+m only uses them during the break in period, But it does say Propert of B+M on the trains on the right upside down.

I do know that GCI uses sandbags to break in there millenium flyers, So its possible that B+M just uses theses for the break in testing period.

Anyone else want to jump if they have the answer, because i do not.

THanks.

Water dummies are owned by the park. This topic came up one before and I found a link to the company who sells them but I was unable to find it in a search.

Ok, I looked at the pic again, and woodfan, you are correct - the 2 upside-down water bottles in question do, indeed, say "Property of B&M".

So, this leads me to believe that B&M Uses their own water bottles upon testing, but the park gets a different set to keep.

The other thought that occurred to me is that those aren't water bottles but packaging of some sort to cushion the trains during transit, obviously reusable so B&M wants it back. Kinda like those blue soda crates if you order Pepsi, or the orange milk crates from Wawa...

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Alex Nagel said:
I can't believe the crap Dorney Park pulls these day...

I just can't believe they felt like they just had to blur the the Ironworker's banner.

http://www.dorneypark.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill/hydra/galleries/picture.cfm?id=299

It just seems like something Dorney Management would do! I mean who know maybe Dorney was asked to blur it but I doubt it. It just seem like such a stab in the back to the Union Ironworkers Local 36.

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I agree. This could have been some good advertisement for unions in general. Ironworkers erected Hydra, Talon, Steel Force, Supreme Scream, and Millennium Force for Cedar Fair (at least their the ones I'm sure of since) were all in my Ironworkers magazines I get every month. And I myself as an Ironworker tied rebar for Hersheypark on Storm Runner for the hydraulic building, and for the Claw for the footers and walls for the lowering floor.

You've just answered why they blurred it out. Oh, and it has nothing to do with Unions - it's about unpaid advertising.

No doubt the banner was hung, and then the picture taken and then given to dorney in an effort for the little bit of free advertising, and Dorney just said no, we're not going to give away free advertising (or perhaps they were afraid of possible legal trouble?). *** Edited 12/15/2004 3:33:13 AM UTC by dannerman***

Oh come on it's not like it's a huge Coke sign. (You know as CF parks are Pepsi)

The coaster is Dorney's property. As long is everyone is paid, Dorney never has to disclose anything about who built the ride, who manufactured the ride, or anything along those lines. It's like Disney hiding who manufactures their rides. For example, Maliboomer at DCA, an S&S Space Shot...if you look on the ends of the restraints where it usually says S&S is blanked off. Similarly California Screamin lacks the traditional Intamin car tags that identify the car and ride number and type.

It's Dorney's property, they can do what they want...

Many customers of high visibility projects are sensitive about advertising during construction. In come cases, they even require brand or owner names on cranes to be covered.

When the St. Louis Arch was built there was a major flap when the contractor put his name on the brace between the two sides of the arch. There was an actual contract clause forbidding advertising on that job.

On the original subject, B&M may want to use their own dummies during the startup testing for liability purposes. *** Edited 12/15/2004 4:05:43 PM UTC by Jim Fisher***

I just had a thought.. perhaps B&Ms test dummies are more detailed? Possibly with sensors, whereas the ones Dorney "gets to keep" are more just for added, shiftable weight to simulate "real people".

Is it too early to volunteer to risk my life to test ride the coaster? ;)

Yeah it is, Dannerman....as already noted, they have enough dummies to test it... ;)

(sorry, it was just too easy to pass up that slam...)

Does anyone else think that the one face looks *remarkably* similar to Marty Moltz? That guy really gets around, LOL...:)

Here's the scary thing...on the day before Thanksgiving, my wife and I were having lunch at a local restaurant and I heard bad puns and an peculiar laugh that I recognized instantly...I took a look and it was none other than MM himself....

...and no, I didn't go and say hi or ask him if he likes pancakes. ;)