Ride "Crank Throughs"

Eric,

You are correct. It didn't make it up the 182 ft hill. This was the first week of operation if I remember correctly.

I was standing at the ride entrance with group of friends from out of town. We were the first people standing in line and would have been on that first train out that morning.

During the test runs, I noticed the trains didn't have water dummies in them like they usually do. The blue train was clearly the faster train during that time, yet barely made it over the first island hill.

The red train started heading up the lift without the dummies as well. Just from riding the red train numerous times a few days before I knew the red train was going to have a hard time getting over that island hill.

Sure enough, it wasn't even close. The back car wasn't even half way up that hill before it rolled back and forth for quite a while. It was strange seeing the train heading back into the first overbank and almost making it through.

We got out of line because we knew it wasn't going to be running anytime soon. We did watch as a section of track was removed and the train was taken off the track one car at a time. Later that day, a dark cover was drapped over one side of walkway tunnel that leads into Frontier Trail so people couldn't see what was going on. To this day the cover is still there.

As it turns out, the ride did open later that day, and we ended up getting on the first train out anyway. =:^)

-Sean

Sean: Not only were you standing next to me when we saw Wildcat rolled back, if I remember correctly, I shot video of the incident...WITH YOUR CAMERA! :)

I don't know about Mantis:TCFKAB, but Millennium Force has several strategically located track sections where the rails can be removed without disturbing the track structure. The sections are only about 6' long, long enough to get a wheel set through. The designs of the wheel sets on the Intamin and B&M coasters are such that it may well be easier to remove a section of rail than to remove a bunch of wheel carriers.

Also on Millennium Force, there is a groove in the track ties going over the two tall hills leading to the island, to give a tow cable a place to run should the train need to be pulled.

Speaking of Millennium Force, I was looking at that photo that coasterpunk brought up and I noticed something very interesting that I had nearly forgotten about. Anybody else see it?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Rideman,

No seatbelts installed? (maybe I'm just missing them though)

Think Tamar and you'll find your answer.

As for Joey, Jeffy, and everyone else... I don't care if you believe me or not. I don't need to prove anything to any of you, and whether you like it or not your wrong. They did infact remove a section of track to remove the vallied train.

If you don't believe me go give Brian or Janice a call.

Dave,

I knew I had that footage but I didn't realize you had shot it. Wasn't that the day of the early morning shoot?

I do have a question about the groove in the track ties. Your explanation is what I originally thought the groove was for, but I remember seeing a thread a couple months back talking about the groove and a few others gave a different type of explanation. Top Thrill Dragster also has this groove at the top.

Is the groove there for what you mentioned or could it be for something else?

Oh, and no, I didn't notice anything in the picture other than the lap bars open, the lack of seat belts, and brake fins.

I never really understood the idea of the pull through after Millennium Force opened. =:^)

-Sean

Hey rollocoast, I was actually being sincere when I said I wanted to see these pictures you have. I never said in any way or form that I don't believe you. I just wanna see the damn pictures and here you go all jumpin' down my throat. Here's the bottom line dude, post em or don't whatever tickles your fancy but do remember this, if you ain't got facts to back up a bold statement like the one you made, you better be ready for an onslaught of questioning, otherwise your just wasting time on your part and on ours!

And with that said, I've washed my hands of this. ;)

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rOLLocOASt said:
Think Tamar and you'll find your answer.

As for Joey, Jeffy, and everyone else... I don't care if you believe me or not. I don't need to prove anything to any of you, and whether you like it or not your wrong. They did infact remove a section of track to remove the vallied train.

If you don't believe me go give Brian or Janice a call.

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Yeah, I guess maybe you might be right, Corey. It's just that when you get lied to by someone once, twice, or in your case - every time your mouth opened, you might be skeptical a bit! That's all.

JC

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RideMan said:
Also on Millennium Force, there is a groove in the track ties going over the two tall hills leading to the island, to give a tow cable a place to run should the train need to be pulled.

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I initially thought that's what the groove was for as well, but I've since wondered if it's really because the wheel base is long enough between cars that the center beam needs the groove for clearance over hills. I guess only Intamin knows for sure.

Let me back up...I am guessing that's what the groove is for, but honestly I don't know for certain either. And now that I think about it, there is another possibility...that might line up with where the hoisting dog hangs down from the fifth axle. Here's something to think about...do those notches appear on any of the other hills?

Funny thing about Dragster..it doesn't have anything protruding from the bottom of the train, as the launch dog retracts as soon as it disengages from the sled (you can hear it hit the floor as it comes up if you sit in the proper seat).

As long as I am making corrections, perhaps my memory is faulty, Sean...now that I think of it, I was shooting with your camera that morning (yes, it was that early morning shoot), but I think you were shooting the Wildcat thing because at one point I think you pointed the thing at me! :)

In the Millennium Force pull-through photo, look at the grab handle on the lap bar in the front seat.

(Actually, in that photo it looks like the brake fins might be missing, too, but I'm not sure because of the angle...)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Joey Stewart and Rentzy - I wasn't aiming anything at you two speficially. It was more at Legendary and Jeff. I apologize that you took it the wrong way.

I realize with a statement like that it requires a bit of proof... But seriously think about it. Why in the hell would I make this up? What would I gain? Respect? Bragging rights? Please. I don't live for this crap, and I certianly don't need (or want) respect from enthusiasts.

None of you (posting anyways... Hey Jamin'!) were in the park in the middle of April when it happened, so really you don't have a clue. You weren't living with the guy who was operating the ride when it vallied. You also weren't there the morning after when Bob was making jokes about it, and you certianly weren't there to see the track and train removed.

Joe - Just because I have done some regrettable stuff up in the past doesn't mean I haven't learned from my mistakes. Believe what you want about me. I could care less.

Edit: I caun speel gude *** Edited 12/1/2004 5:31:14 AM UTC by rOLLocOASt***

The seatbelts are on the grab bar like S:ROS. Is that what you wanted to be pointed out? *** Edited 12/1/2004 6:05:19 AM UTC by Fanatic***

You are correct Dave, the wheel sets on B&M stand-ups and floorless trains are a pain to remove however the reason for the Mantis solution is actually two fold.

Besides the wheels being a major problem you have to deal with the fact that where it rolled back is over water. It was determined to be alot quicker and safer to only have a few people on the track opening a space instead of suspending several people in man-baskets and manlifts over the water for several hours while removing wheel sets.

As for Intamin wheel sets, you have the same problem. They are not as easy as just "pop the upstops off and lift away" as some people have suggested.

I have heard of and witnessed only two Millennium Force rollbacks.

The first rollback was in 2000 and I'm not sure how it was removed from the track (it was pulled into the tunnel and I went to work Raptor for the rest of the day).

For the other rollback in 2002, the train was not removed from the track at all. Instead it was pulled from its rollback spot on the island back to the station. All of this was done out in plan view of guests. I think even a few pictures ended up online.

*** Edited 12/1/2004 3:28:39 PM UTC by Rihard***