Longest or Worst Lift Stops

What was your longest or worst lift-stop? I was stuck on Stealth laying out in the baking sun for 45 minutes. It was 90 degrees, absolute hell! Probably not the only stuck-on-Sealth story. Always bring emergency sun screen.

Worst?

Hmmm. I guess another Vekoma flyer comes to mind. My first ride on Batwing resulted in a stop of about 15 minutes on a very hot day. I was also stuck on the lift of SFOG's Ninja for over 40 minutes before everyone was escorted down the lift.

-Sean

Another Vekoma Flyer for me...Stealth, one of the media days in April 2000 (the day I met Sean for the first time, BTW). The sun is out and it's very warm. Our train stops in the brake run, which is hella uncomfortable, as you are lying on your back with your head pointed downwards, causing all the blood to rush to your head. Of course, the park chose this moment to remove a camera mount from the other train. After spending 20 minutes in sun-baked, head-rushed agony, we were finally wheeled in. Needless to say, everyone on the train needed a break after that!

The worst would have to be Son of Beast. The lift has numerous hornet/ bee hives and is VERY LOUD!

I can think of two.

Shockwave at SFGAM I was in the front seat and the train stalled at the top of the lift (the front was already over the top but didn't have the weight to pull the back end over yet). There i sat uncomfortably for ~30 minutes leaned forward into my restraints.

Another time on Raging Bull there was a problem with the blocking so we got stuck twice on the lift for about 10 minutes each, then stuck at the mid-run block section (just east of the station) for about 20 minutes, then stuck at the breaks right before the station for about 10 more minutes. Luckily it wasn't too hot of a day, but it was just annoying having to spend an extra 40 minutes on a ride when I could have been doing something else.

The worst by far: 95 degrees, high humidity, not a cloud in the sky, 10 feet from the top of Mean Streak. If I recall, I believe the only break we got was that the sun was not directly in view. Oh yeah, did I mention I was riding with someone who was not a very experienced coaster rider and that we had to beg to go on with us.
We were up there about 30 minutes or so. I believe there were a couple of threats of bodily harm and even death during that time. *** Edited 7/22/2004 12:31:55 AM UTC by Kahnverse***

Any stop on Borg/Stealth's brake run is bad for that reason, you are facing head down and at the sun.

My worst was at PCar in May when we're on the Brake run and I'm puking up lime green slushy all over myself(and ApolloAndy;)) in the front seat...

Although i wonder what the experience of waiting on a lift in sweltering hot weather would be like, i consider myself pretty lucky. I have never been stuck on any lift, or been braked to a stop on any ride, and have been riding for over 12 years....that has to be some kind of record.

Worst for me was during my first job running the Whizzer in Santa Clara. Whenever we had a lift stop, the operators would have to run up and push the train when it was restarted. You push hard as heck and then stand up once the train gets up to speed. It is easy to lose one's balance and I almost took a spill from the top once or twice.

The weather was nice though. Would have been a nice day to die. ;)

My worst was not really too bad, but also involved a Vekoma Flyer. I was riding X-Flight at SFWoA (now GL) for the first time, and we were in the front seat, just cresting the top (so we were REALLY pointing head first) and then the chain stops. To top the matter off, it then began to sprinkle rain. Fortunately the hill resumed within ten minutes, but when you're being hung head-first against your will in the rain for an undisclosed amount of time, it gets a bit frustrating. ;)

Second place comes from early high school (oh so many years ago) when my friend and I got stuck on the Beast and were late to be picked up by my friend's father by a half hour. He (the father) was pretty ticked, and didn't really want to believe us that we were late because 'the ride broke down'.

I was on the same train with Bass ;)

Ah, but did you sit in the seat behind him then spot him eating pancakes later Mooshy?

-Jim;)

I've been stuck on Borg's life quite a few times so far this summer, luckily it was cloudy every time. I would MUCH rather be stuck on Borg and put up with the sun then be hanging in that awful position on the B&M's. I have heard the horror stories of life and brake run stops on those before. To me Borg's lift and brake run are comforatable... and people WAY overexagerate the blood rushing to your head on the brake run. It's not that much of an incline.

When you're stuck on the lift you're at a 30 degree angle so it's not too bad.

Now to get stuck on the brake run is an all together different story....the blood does go to your head,as that part of your body is slightly lower than your legs & waist,I've been stuck on Batwing's brake run before & it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Yet another vote for a Vekoma Flyer. A bunch of us were stuck on the lift of Batwing for about 10-15 minutes. I'll have to agree that it would beat the B&M hanging position. Now as far as the brake run on Batwing goes, I can tell you from experience that the blood rushing to your head gets real old. During the Discovery Channel Shoot we rode over and over again, and I started dreading that brake run the more times we rode it. *** Edited 7/22/2004 7:52:14 PM UTC by Intamin Fan***

Yeah, the brake runs on Vekoma Flyers are horrid.... at least Carowinds was smart enough to put a large sun shade over the brake run so that you didn't have to stare at the sun the whole time... I think it would be possible to drown in your own puke if you puked on a Vekoma Flyer's brake run.

Got stuck on X-Flight for 1 hour and 20 minutes on Sunday of opening weekend - it was cold as it was, but it got much colder as we layed there. Did I mention it was raining? I was in the front, just at the edge of the station with no cover. So I was dizzy, cold and wet by the time they evac'd us out. :(

It was cool as hell to be "removed" from the train by way of an allen wrench and a hammer.

I-Fan: you were on the discovery channel shoot for Batwing? I'll have to check my tape to see if I recognize you in the final version,most of the on ride footage is of media day & Sam Marks doing the final POV shot at the end of the segment....do you recall what row you were in?

I've seen them have to take riders off of Batwing from a reclined station position.....it's not an easy thing to do & I'd hate to be stuck in that situation myself.

SFDL -- i remember we had an issue with superman ros where the whole system basically shut down when the train was at the top of the 200 foot first lift... stuck for almost 2 hours, they ended up having to have intamin do something manually remotely i think... but we had to get all the people outta it and walk them down the lift eventually before they attempted to work on the systems... i think that was pretty bad.

I didn't make the cut:( There were actually two days of shooting, and the weather was much better on the second day (it was freezing the day before and cloudy if memory serves me correctly). I didn't make the second day. They also used footage from media day. If you look closely, you'll see Colby from Survivor the Outback, Survivor All Stars, and of yeah, those shaving commercials.