KK Update

Mud pretty much nailed it.

The only correction I'd like to make on this thread, aside from Miniz's entire post, is that the train was manufactured by another company (Mac, or Mack? if I remember correctly), so I would assume it'd be sent back to them.

It simply boggles the mind how Intamin can spend two years 'working' on TTD, only to build a bigger brother and either not learn from the first experiment or find all NEW problems that required a month+ to fix.

I know all new coasters have problems, but of the other rockets out there (Xcel, Rita, SR, etc.), haven't they all had problems with the launch system? Either Intamin's got really bad luck, or something fundamental needs re-examining.

Actually, CincyDJ...all the OTHER coaster companies just have *REALLY good luck*... ;)

LOL! :)

SFI is cursed! Muahaha. CF rockets work, and Rita works. But then they install one in a SF chain, and you get the point. Lol jk im a SF fanboy myself.

-Colin-

*** Edited 7/12/2005 4:21:37 AM UTC by Colin Fisher***

I was just at the park last weekend and here is what I saw. The launch cable is still missing. They do have a small crane on the launch track seemingly where the incident occured. There was no real work being done any of the two days I was at the park, so I'm guessing they are still waiting for the replacement parts to arrive.

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CincyDJ said:
It simply boggles the mind how Intamin can spend two years 'working' on TTD, only to build a bigger brother and either not learn from the first experiment or find all NEW problems that required a month+ to fix.

I know all new coasters have problems, but of the other rockets out there (Xcel, Rita, SR, etc.), haven't they all had problems with the launch system? Either Intamin's got really bad luck, or something fundamental needs re-examining.

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What happened on Kingda Ka was pretty much a very big freak accident. Nobody expected something like this to happen. They made a mistake. Hopefully they will learn from it and keep this problem from ever happening on Ka or any other rocket for that matter. It's just a shame it had to happen on a rocket built at a Six Flags.:) *** Edited 7/12/2005 5:13:00 AM UTC by mudinthevayne***

Besides, TTD and KK launch at a much higher rate of speed, faster acceleration, for a longer period of time than the other Intamin launchers...so there's bound to be more stress on the parts....naturally stuff like this would happen!

For what it's worth, I too have been informed that a portion of track was rendered useless and will have to be replaced.

Coaster Lover, if you look in the other thread about the breakdown, there is a picture with the cable still there after the accident so if it is not there now it was removed during the work being done. The cable did not snap while the problem occured.

In this case, it's definately a GOOD thing Six Flags does not put employees on the trains for test runs. If they did, that employee would have most likely been in the hospital. Does anyone know why Cedar Fair puts employees on their coaster trains for test runs? After this incident, it seems like a bad idea, especially on Top Thrill Dragster.

I believe CP only puts employees on for morning test runs, not for post-breakdown tests. If I remember right, this happened during post-breakdown testing.

Yes Cedar Point atleast only does it in the morning. Every train has to be cycled with atleast one right operator on it, so they can hear or see any problems with the trains.

I was always so jealous of the CP smurfs in the mornings getting the first rides of the day!

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Besides, TTD and KK launch at a much higher rate of speed, faster acceleration, for a longer period of time than the other Intamin launchers...

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I think you may be right about KK having a more powerful launch(faster rate of acceleration) than the other rockets, but it's definitely not true for TTD. If you break down the numbers, time for total acceleration, top speed- TTD is below several of the smaller ones. I don't remember which ones exactly, but I'm pretty sure Storm Runner and maybe Xcelerator were on the list. TTD may be one of the fastest, but it doesn't really have the most powerful launch compared to the others.

According to one source, I have heard that the piece of removed track will need to be replaced. Also, according to them, the train was taken off the track, and taken by flatbed, and the train is now being held by the state until the problem can be directly found and investigated.

My opinion, people say "How can they not have fixed all the problems with rockets since TTD?" Simple fact, different coaster, different equipment. Why do older cars work flawlessly, and newer versions of the car have breakdowns? It's just a case of different equipment, there is no "guarantee" that something is going to work without flaw if its mechanical, there just isn't.

Six flags did have an employee riding that morning for the 1st 3 rides & then he got off and the next time out is when it crashed.

That's not accurate at all. I was there.

There were at least a few hours between the last time a train went out at all and the crash (which was the first run of it's testing set) and the last train of the first set had public in it. *** Edited 7/13/2005 1:57:59 AM UTC by ApolloAndy***

Some Six Flags employees do ride the coasters before the park opens. However they do not go on the first few trains that are tested. They go on after regular cycle testing and block testing.

All 4 of KK's trains are on the track. Some in the station and some on the holding area. The purple train does not need to be replaced. It will need a few parts but it should be fixed by now. Most parts for KK have been shipped to GADV and are currently being installed. The question of the opening of the ride is not when they finish fixing it but rather when will the state approve KK to open....again.

Just be happy CP is not in NJ. TTD would be closed for long periods of time. The ride would be closed for months after that cable frayed.

Edit: The crash did not happen on the first train to be tested. People were lining up after seeing it test a few times when the accident occured. *** Edited 7/13/2005 2:06:46 AM UTC by medusa3232***

I don't know about that because the cable fray was an isolated piece of equipment. This is part of the entire launch area and can be affected at many different points. I'm sure that more measures are being taken to make sure that no other piece of equipment pops loose, so to speak.

The cable fray was unfortunate but this was a disaster. The cable can be stripped and replaced as one whole part.. this seems to have incorporated many.

IMO the cable fray was worse because there were people on the ride.