My current home park is PCW and I really enjoy the Sky Rider. Problem is even if line is inside the queue house and just the chutes are filled..it's generally a 30 - 45 min wait. The ride ops seem a bit lethargic but also looks like it's not really designed to be all that efficient. The B&M stand ups seem to be designed to be a bit more effiient than the Togo or Intamin but could also be since they're fairly new.
In my ride experience I've found Arrow looper trains the their Vekoma cousins to be the easiest to check. Most annoying are Arrow Mine Train and PTC with seatbelts. (Floorless and Inverted can be hard on the legs due to guests that excitedly kick thier legs as you check their restraint) Again never worked at a park with a stand up so curious about this.
Design the control system so that one row LOCKS at a time. Have the attendant walk down the row, instruct people to *STAND* and, only then, close the restraints for that row. Proceed to next row, do the same....
Having the entire train lock at once then having to UNLOCK each row and re-check restraints for each *non-standing* guest, just CRUSHES the capacity on those things...
Not that Chang is something I need to ride again though, LOL. SkyRider, OTOH....that really DID give me that King Cobra feeling...:)
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
I never quite understood the whole lets unlock two rows at the same time thing. B&M, uses shorter platens to release/lock restraints...why not make them even shorter for a single car? *** Edited 6/28/2005 5:37:34 PM UTC by haiderodes***
...and such
Interesting how a recent trip report to PCW also noticed this the slow throughput on Sky Rider. I guess thre's a combination of under staffed, under motivated there. At other coasters in the park usually see two loaders and unlaoders. Never seen more than one of each as Sky Rider. Oh well possibly operations will figure this one out.
RideMan said:
'Gator, that's what Vekoma did with their flying coasters. The foot pedal on the platform locks the restraints for the corresponding row.
Thanks Dave, gotta love it when Vekoma is "leading the way", LOL...:)
Now that you mention it though, being "unable to lock the row" is what put the first train out of order on X-Flight. ;)
Then the new guy tried to walk us out thru the maze, ROFL...we had to show HIM the way to the other side of the station....good times! :)
Stand-ups require better ops, more of them, and most especially good signage and *clear, LOUD, and instructive directions* to maximize capacity and operations...it's the price you pay for having a stand-up....but if you get one like Scorcher or Skyrider, then you're just way luckier than the people who got stuck with a Vortex...or WORSE! ;)
*** Edited 6/29/2005 5:18:18 AM UTC by rollergator***
rollergator said:
[stuck with a Vortex...or WORSE!Not sure how much worse it can get from Vortex. I've given Vortex a two or three attempts in a handfull of visits to PGA. It's the only stand up that get gets me in mostly in the head, but also man parts and neck. I can remember shortly after being upper cut on the first element, cringing as I'd see elements arriving on the course. At least it's blessedly short -so kind oflike getting a tooth pulled, then having the dentist chair collapse and the dental tool tray fall on you.
At Carowinds they also do the "seats locking in 3...2...1... Locked" spiel as you are getting on the train. It is very helpful, but they still usually have to unlock one or two sets of rows each time. I don't know, maybe the sign that says "Stand Up Straight" is just too complicated for the GP here in NC/SC? That's probably the problem....
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