New footers for Vertical Velocity poured at Marine World

It sure looks to me like they are going to lessen the angle of the spikes.  The twisted spike will feel like an inversion.
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You can't spell "dishonorable" without "honorable."

Maybe it will actually have an inversion. That would be interesting. Is this stuff going on at the reverse tower as well? It wasn't clear from where the photos were shot.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Its a long shot, I'll admit, but here goes...

Looking at the photos, it almost looks as though the vertical spike is going to be moved back (farther apart from the spiral tower).  If that happens, there would be more track in between the towers, perhaps for a faster launch?  Is a faster launch needed to launch the train up a second spiral, like CP's WT?

Wishful thinking... maybe a vertical loop will be added? :)

The new footers aren't perfectly in line with the old track, leading me to to believe that there will be a left-hand curve upon leaving the station. I have no clue if there will be anything else. You can see this best here, in the 2nd picture.

There was mention on the site that the angle of the spikes is going to be changed because the coaster violates some local height restriction.  If this is true, SF is doing a great job of trying to put a positive spin on it.

If they are in violation of a local height restriction why the heck were they allowed to build it. I think they will modify the coaster with either a faster launch or a new element into the ride.

Why have they decided to wait this long to start the reconstruction of the ride?

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BMCOASTER

bmcoaster@wi.rr.com

Changing the angle of the spike doesn't change the height - simple physics says that it will reach the same height no matter what angle, unless it is extremely small in which friction will kill the height.

Actually, the footers not being perfecty in line with the existing track could indicate a loop...

Rob A - I think you've nailed it...almost.  They're putting the track right over the [existing] entrance plaza.  My guess is at least one heart-line twist [which explains the "new twist" hint on the website] into a shortened vertical spike.  That would also account for the footers being out of alignment.  How much more stunning could it be that for guests waiting to get in to see a train full of riders fly by thru a heart-line twist [or two[ ??

Im thinking a zero g roll

It certainly looks as though it's being extended, not re-angled as the rumors stated. Shorter spikes, longer launch, new element? Well, in any event, there's your proof that they're not just fixing the back spike brake. ;)

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Have you ever considered that maybe it's not the park that's the problem, but YOU?

*** This post was edited by DWeaver on 2/19/2002. *** *** This post was edited by DWeaver on 2/19/2002. ***

B&M Web: True, but they could easily slow down the launch to go with the angled towers.

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The legend lives!

How wicked would that be to have the roll just outside where you board, and to watch the station rotate around you?

Side note:  Has the coaster industry EVER seen "ride improvements" like it has in the last year (i.e. lap bars on FoF and Chiller, headrests off Texas Cyclone, now this)?

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You can't spell "dishonorable" without "honorable."

Mamoosh, I didn't even think of the possibility of an in-line twist.  For some reason, the image in my mind was that of an inverted Schwarzkopf shuttle loop... I guess wishful thinking :)

Anyway, an in-line twist sounds equally exciting!  One question... would the vertical spike be shortened because the launch is not strong enough to push the train through the inversion AND up the spike?  I'm not sure how much of the train's momentum would be "used" by the inversion, thats why I'm curious.  Either way, it sounds great!

Maybe they're out of alignment because the supports can't be directly below the track.
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Mamoosh.  The site says "new angle" not "new twist".  I think they chose the words very carefully.

The fact that they're starting construction so late still says to me that they've found a very creative way to make a change to V2, and comply with the city's height limit which may(or may not)have been enforced on the ride.
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Have you ever considered that maybe it's not the park that's the problem, but YOU?

The inversion theory sounds more likely because I fail to see how a change in the angle of the supports would make the ride "better".  I have never been on an Impulse coaster, but I would think that the vertical spike would be a more thrilling experience than an angled decent.  Its a valid theory, but it doesn't seem to improve the ride.

One thing you may or may not notice... it looks as though that some of the footers are for the structure at the base of the spike, which means that the spike would be moving farther back.  If the angle of the spike were being altered, the base could stay in the same place and wouldn't need new footers.

I wonder how much this is costing SF???
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Have you ever considered that maybe it's not the park that's the problem, but YOU?