Initial problems w/ Beast

In reading a news thread, I have seen people post that the Beast, like its son, had all sorts of problems it's first year...actually that it had more problems than its son. 60 % downtime? What was wrong with it its 1st year and what has Kings Island changed about the ride since then?

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Coasters...the best natural buzz available.

Quite frankly any coaster will have to be tweeked it's first season or two. I've read where all the great designers and buiders of the past have had to go back and rework rides. Sometimes what looks good on paper (or on the printout) doesn't work in reality.
With the Beast there just wasn't anything like it built in recent memory. What exactly it was doing and what they did to correct it I'm not quite sure. I do know that there was some recontouring done. Anybody out there have knowledge of the specifics?

I dio not have the whole story, but it was something about the double helix. The helix was built over a large area of rock, and the welds were not holding. The welds were repaired on a weelky basis (at least once a week) for something like the first 6 years it was n operation.

*NOTE* this is all second hand information, so if I'm wrong, please correct me!

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So you want a coaster in your backyard? I hope you have a big backyard.

Yes, Soggy is correct. I have a buddy who works for the company that welded the helix once a week for 6 or 7 years. That's true. Since, it was built on rock AND the side of a ravine, the centrifugal force was pushing it into the ravine (not really, but by inches). Once a week, at night, they would re-weld the structure to the rock. I guess, now, they bedded and concreted re-rod into the ravine and the structure does not need as much mantainance as it did in the 80's. I hope this helps?!?!

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There's nothing like a woodie...

Welds? The Beast is a wooden coaster. NOTHING on that ride should be welded.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

The support legs have steel bases to hold them into the rock slab under the helix. remember, even wood coasters include about 50,000 or so punds of steel botls holding them together.

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Everybody calm down, the coasters do not open for another fifteen minutes. *** This post was edited by WildOne on 11/18/2000. ***