Ka Major Breakdown....again!

During the Coasters After Dark event for season pass holders at about 9:45pm Ka launched an empty train after breaking down. But there was a loud bang at the end of the launch and there were reports of sparks flying up. The train did clear the tower. After this security made everyone leave the area. Looks like Ka ate itself again. :-(

Edit: On the bright side the Batman side of the chiller is open again! *** Edited 5/6/2006 5:58:42 AM UTC by medusa3232***

I had a friend there that had to leave the area (Golden Kingdom) when it happened. Wow.

Well is it wierd that the fact that the blue side of Chiller is running makes it all better? I'm SO happy about that. :)

Damnity! Sounds like the brakes came up too fast. I've seen pictures of the brakes on the camelback with scratches also. Kinda dangerous if you ask me. *** Edited 5/6/2006 8:29:18 AM UTC by Antuan***

I feel bad for the hoards of people who travel hours to ride this thing and it being closed. Easter weekend it was running great. not a breakdown the whole day. we got 2 rides on it that day. I'm goin to the park 2da, I'll check the status on Ka.

Im glad I got my credit in April!

It is sad to see the ride have so many problems as it runs so much better and efficiant then Dragster.

Looks like your second point is now debatable. Sure Dragster has had LOTS of downtime, but it hasn't had any major "incidents" has it?

Disclaimer: The preceding comment was in no way intended to carry CP Fanboy connotations :)

*** Edited 5/6/2006 2:39:57 PM UTC by Peabody*** *** Edited 5/6/2006 2:41:15 PM UTC by Peabody***

Six Flags updated thier website.

It says Kingda Ka is Temporarily Closed, so that can't be a good sign.

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/greatadventure/Rides/KingdaKa.html

There are some people who are claiming that on the last passenger train a cell phone fell out of somebodies pocket and that one train ran it over and caused problems.

Would there be sparks if the cable snapped?

Why would the brakes coming up too early cause sparks or a loud bang?

Um...

...because giant magnetic brakes coming up against a giant moving train could cause a multitude of sparks, noises, and many other bad things, I imagine.

And, if I recall correctly, a similar thing happened to Red Train on TTD before it ever opened to the public in its 1st season...on either the first, or one of the first, rollbacks...causing Red Train to be out-of-service for quite a while. I think it was Red Train, anyhow.

You'd think they'd get that right the 2nd time around.

the brakes did not come up early.

The train made it over the top.

It could have had a cable snap which messed up the catch car, or one of the wheels on the catch car came loose.

I am just speculating anything that could cause a "bang".

That is too bad about KK though and especially all the people that were hoping to ride it

But even if the brakes did come up too early, it wouldn't have any different of an effect than when the train hits the brakes at the end... it would just slow it down. There's no contact, so there would be no sparks.

I just saw at another site a rumor that on the previous train someone's cell phone fell out and landed and became lodged somewhere in the launch area. The following train "ran over" it and caused whatever happened. No rumored damage tot he brake fins, but damage to the cable and catch car. *** Edited 5/6/2006 5:05:16 PM UTC by Peabody***

From what people are saying the brakes did not come out during or after the launch. Which is a BIG problem because if the train did not make it over the tower it would rollback at full speed through the station until it hit another train.

^ While that TOTALLY sucks, and Ka may no longer be on the CC line-up, it sounds infinitely less destructive than what happened to Ka last year...

If Toro *and* B:TC are up and running, I'll call it "better than a draw"...

ITs not a brake problem. It is either the cell phone thing or the launch cable snapping.

It could be something else entirely but i dont blame it on maintanance . They were actually there when it happened. They are always at the ride.

Medusa3232: You can delete your own via the edit button *** Edited 5/6/2006 5:54:36 PM UTC by Peabody***

Glad nobody was hurt.

I wonder if the Discovery/Travel channel is going to make another special for it.
:)

With no solid refutation of the cell-phone idea, I think that's looking like the proximate cause.

ANYTHING being "lodged in the launch area" should cause an immediate system shutdown from the control system. Something still ain't right with the design if you can launch a train with something (or, theoretically, someONE) in the launch area...

Whatever got messed up mechanically needs fixed, but with all the *sensors* on these rides, something shoulda CAUGHT that the launch area was "occupied".