Hypersonic XLC in Jeopardy???

If you look at PKD's official web site, you'll notice that it has HSXLC listed as temporatily closed. And the season hasn't even started yet. Does anyone know the 2002 status of the coaster? Is it possible that we have another "PKI Bat" on our hands???

-----------------

No, like Stan said at WCS3 they are redesigning the top of the tower because it has so many forces that it is tearing apart the ride. I am geussing that this is the reason.

-----------------
Knott's Unlimited - June 31st
VertiGO Forever!

Stan sure is having problems in his calculations regarding steel stress. I love the man and his creations, but things like this (Vertigo included) will kill your reputation.

-----------------
Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
"Thank You Jeff Putz"

Zero-G said:
Stan sure is having problems in his calculations regarding steel stress. I love the man and his creations, but things like this (Vertigo included) will kill your reputation.
-----------------
Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
"Thank You Jeff Putz"

Safe rule of practice is to design everything to 4 times what you expect it to have.

Chuck, saying old Steam train boilers were desgined for 1,000 pds. per sq. inch but operated at 200-300 PSI..

-----------------
Charles Nungester
167 coasters and hopes to be over 200 by the end of 2002 :)

It not that the forces are tearing up the ride, it's been the response from the general public about the gravitational forces chaning too rapidly.

must have beeen some pretty incredible airtime.

-----------------
ROCK! www.fuzerocks.com

That airtime was hurtful, I loved it. :)

Sucks to hear they are modifying it, if it's true. It doesn't really have all that much going for it (incredibly short ride duration, horrid capacity, etc) so this is certainly bad news to me.

-----------------
"Look for the big black sack of Mofuggin Nuts at your local grocery store". -- Radio ad in FL

I can see why some GP wouldn't love that air. I'm glad that I rode it in it's original form. If they are making the crest like Dodonpa, it should roll back much less often. (Dodonpa also has drive tires at the top to give it a nudge if needed, so there will be no rollback.)

I hope it's not down too long, I was hoping to ride it again in a few weeks :(

-----------------
- Peabody

The launch was awesome. Cresting the tower was outright painful for me. I mean, I really felt it well into the next day. The lapbars didn't do a really great job of distributing your weight, not to mention the negative G's at the top were rather extreme.

-----------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Will it be ready for opening weekend?

-----------------
Daniel Haverlock
magnum count :2166
www.spiritofthepoint.com

Man that sucks!! The top of the tower was insane. The airtime was incredible. I didn't really think it hurt at the top of the tower. I hope the drop will still be vertical.

-----------------
"Nothin wrong with a little airtime"

What is the matter with S&S Power these days? Firstly, they messed up with CP's Vertigo, then they didn't figure out the effects of the Hypersonic ride upon the riders, so they're requiring modifications and expense such? I thought these types of issues (stress upon the structure, stresses upon the riders) were routinely analyzed for the design and creation of an amusement park ride. Computer simulators, water-body tests.... I mean, even if either were the first of their type to be created and run in a park, these issues don't seem so extraordinary, and I have a hard time excusing them under the 'it's a prototype, the first of its kind' excuse. Am i expecting too much?

Dan said:
Will it be ready for opening weekend?

Unfortunately, I doubt it. Their website says to "Check back later in the saeson" :(

-----------------
- Peabody

What suprises me is that they just started doing this NOW about a month before the park opens. If this is *truely* based on rider complaints, then they had that information in hand since early November. Heck by December all of Ricochet was erected, so you'd have 'thunk' that would have left plenty of time to fool around with H:XLC.

I mean it's only snowed in this area like 4 days all winter so even weather would not have been a problem. PKD should be slapped for draggin azz on this project.
lata,
jeremy
--seriously reconsidering getting a PKD pass

In my opinion the change of G-forces at the top of the tower was painful and a little much for the average rider. I can easily foresee injury in the future. I think it should be redesigned.

Personally I wish they'd leave the darn thing alone. I know PKD and S&S are businesses and they can't leave in a ride that caters strictly to the enthusiast crowd (and enthusiasts that like violent airtime at that), but WOW do I love that crest!

Goodbye, Hypersonic, we barely knew ya.

-----------------
--Greg
"The collective women in your life have more baggage than a Samsonite factory..."
My page

I agree with the general opinion that this change stinks. I never found the crest painful, but I guess some people could. As far as the timing of the change- I doubt that the park intentially waited till now. It's probably more of an issue of S&S finally having the time to do the work. I can't imagine having enough engineers to simultanously oversee Dodonpa, investigate the Vertigo collapse and redesign Hypersonic. The Vertigo incident probably knocked back overthing on S&S's agenda.

Also, I am curious how they are going to change the spike without widening the distance between the towers.

Man, lots of modifications this year w/ V2 and the such;)

-----------------
SFNE drops the "floor" on SFNE for 2002! Visit www.geocities.com/sfneguy for info. and pics of SFNE, including NEW constr. pics of B:DK!!! Formerly known as srosatsfne. I am NOT SFNEFreak!

Is the drop on Dondonpa vertical?

-----------------
800,000 years in 7 seconds: Time Machine the movie or next S&S creation?

i called pkd and there just checkin to see if it is still safe enof and there making no changes in the track or turn at the top