Kingda Ka Construction Update

Sorry if there is already a recent thread on Kingda Ka construction, I did a search and couldn't find any. Anyways, SFGAdv's website has a nice new picture of track going up the main tower. The picture was taken on Nov. 10th and by the way it looks, I'd say the tower is about 150' tall right now (the construction log states that each tier is 50' tall, but it looks like the first tier is about half the height of the rest). Progress is looking good and now that the base is nearing completion, we should see the tower portion rise quickly. Here's the link, enjoy!

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/greatadventure/images/golden_kingdom/14.jpg

Edit: Looking at the updated construction log, the height as of the 12th is 179'. *** Edited 11/14/2004 9:30:28 PM UTC by Coaster Lover***

Maybe its for that overbanked turn? ;)

My guess is because if you stand and watch TTD at that section, it shakes like a bee-otch when the train passes over. The whole launch track wobbles back and forth for that matter. I know someone will say that the swaying is by design, but the fact that they added supports to Wicked Twister would seem to indicate that sometimes things don't work quite as designed.

the last support placed (away from the tower) in that picture looks like the supports right before storm runner's hydraulics building.. its not possible that the launch will go that long and actually up the incline is it?

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Mamoosh said:
Maybe its for that overbanked turn?

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Ha!

Nice. :)

Wow, Looks like things are fine, as long as its better than TTD and is more improved (if intimin has learned from anything) Otherwise things are looking fine!

Does anyone think it Kingda Ka and the whole Golden Kingdom section will be completed on time for season opening??? *** Edited 11/15/2004 12:11:16 AM UTC by coastertraveler*** *** Edited 11/15/2004 12:11:47 AM UTC by coastertraveler***

Its at 179' so its taller than GASM already. They said the construction is on time as long as the weather keeps up this good. I guess until the snow.

Bad Moosh! Very Bad!

Now go to my room;).

anyone guess that maybe the half-size level is equal to height difference from ttd; ie they added the difference at the bottom instead of the top.

Well DaCoasterMan, if all the facts are correct, each tier is 50' tall. Top Thrill Dragster has 7 of these tiers plus a pyramid shaped support on the top. Knowing that, the top pyramid shaped tier is about 70' tall. At the moment (well as of the 12th) the tower has two full tiers, a nearly completed third full tier as well as that "half tier" on the bottom and the total current height is 179'. So, that's 100' for the middle two fully completed tiers, about another 45 feet or so to the top of the uncompleted third tier and that would make the bottom "half tier" about 35'....which would make sense because Kingda Ka is 36' taller than TTD...so it seems your suggestion is correct...

^ & ^^Wow, I'm impressed, i never woulda thought of it that way. Seriously, I hand it to the both of you.

That would also seem to imply that Kingda Ka's verticle drop distance is the same as TTD, and only the pull out is longer...

i don't think that the virticle drop is the same because you still have 36 more feet. it is possible that the pull out would be longer and start earlier to reduce g's. but what you are saying is that they are just throwing 36 feet out the window. it looks like so far that the incline and decline tracks are parrellel so that means unless the incline starts higher then ttd then the decent has to be longer.

what you are saying would imply that the towers are sitting on a decline ing the elivation of the landscape as compared to the loading station this would be the only way that it could be the same drop. as posted in a tread a long time ago.

The drop on KdK is 418', 18' more than TTD. I would imagine that very little of it is in the vertical section. *** Edited 11/16/2004 10:06:12 PM UTC by ApolloAndy***

So basicly half the added height is going into the verticle drop and the other half is going towards the pull out...

Just stumbled upon some new construction photos.

This angle is just sickening. *** Edited 12/21/2004 8:22:11 AM UTC by rOLLocOASt***

The way that pic looks it just looks like a freakin beast man, that would be ausome to play in the back yard and watch a coaster like that go up. I'd be out there everyday.

<and Corey wishes he was back in Jersey more and more everyday>

Jealous? =)

I have a hard time looking at the construction because I'm distracted by how awesome Nitro looks. I've never been to SFGAdv before! :(
For those of you who have experienced them all, how does Nitro measure up to the other two "Mega Beemers" in the U.S.?