Magnum's '94 closure

I was just talking about CP to someone I went with in mid June '94 to ride the brand new Raptor. We stayed for 3 days. On the first day there was a sign saying that Magnum would not operate. When we asked we were told that it had been closed for many days and they didn't know when it would reopen. Finally, at 8 or 9 pm on the our third day there it reopened.

I was just wondering, does anyone know what caused CP to close Magnum for a week or so in 94? When there we were told that track sections were being replaced. That seems to me like work that would take place during the off-season. What would make them close Magnum for such a long time in mid-June? Anyone remember that, or anyone know why?

Just curious.
-Peabody

Was that the year that the motor died, and they borrowed one from Disaster Transport in time for CoasterMania?

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I think the lift motor failure was in '98...Wasn't '94 when they replaced the turnaround (pretzel)? I'll have to find out..
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CP ride host -
*2000 - Cedar Downs crew, WildCat/LaserShow crew
*2001 - Cedar Downs assistant team leader

That would go along with me getting told that track sections were getting replaced. What made them close the ride and replace track mid-season? It must have been something critical.

-Peabody

It was sinking! :)

Was '94 the year? I can never remember the year, but I can remember what happened. During the off-season, they replaced the entire turnaround with new track that has a larger spine and is made from thicker-gauge steel. Unfortunately, something went wrong. When the ride opened that year, it had a very nasty lateral kick at the transition point from the old track to the new track. A CP maintenance official explained at CoasterMania that they were getting "excessive wheel wear" at that point. At least one CoasterManiac noted that they were also getting excessive RIDER wear there.

During CoasterMania, there were two track sections sitting in the kill zone beneath the turnaround. Apparently the closure happened either the day after or the third day (Monday) after CoasterMania. During that closure, the track sections leading into and out of the new turnaround were apparently replaced. Whatever they did, they fixed the problem.

A fellow coaster nut who was there on the last day of the closure expressed his surprise that in the morning he walked back to the turnaround (there's a public walkway along the beach) and took photographs of workers welding the track sections in place. By the end of the day, the coaster was carrying paying customers.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Damn Dave beat me to it.

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-daniel j. haverlock-
'99 Magnum Count: 801
www.spiritofthepoint.com

Thanks guys! So that's what happened. That same thing happened to me too Dave. On the last day of the closure I saw workers doing stuff to it (I forget what) and at 6 or 7 pm was told that they STILL didn't know when it would open. Before the night was over, I had 2 rides! CPs stock went up even more for me that night. They went beyond the call of duty and even kept it open late.
-Peabody