S:UE Getting Wicked Twister Treatment

Hello All You Coaster Fans Who Are Counting Down The Days/hours/minutes/seconds Until The Theme Parks Open,

Just letting everyone know that after a few drive bys at SFWoA there are more blue S:UE supports. After last year and all the welding being done on S:UE (just like Wicked Twister). Either SFWoA or Intamin has made the call to add supports to S:UE also. Just to let you know.

See you soon on the midways!

"The Future of Roller Coasters"
-RollerCoasterGod
http://OhioThemeParks.com

I heard that it was Intamin who made the call, Im sure we'll see these added all over the country now.

Wonder if the new supports will be set-up like the ones on Wicked Twisted, or if Intamin figured out a different way of placing the supports

I would be willing to bet it is the straight tower that produced the problem. That holding brake weighs a lot and combine that with the live loading induced when you're stopping a train that heavy, that's a lot of load on that tower. The fact that it swayed more than the front tower or either tower of WT ever *seemed* to, leads me to believe that it's the weight and live load effects of the holding brake that's doing it.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the holding brakes turned off or even removed in a couple of seasons if this doesn't work. I LOVE impulses (obvious - see screen name) but damn if they aren't one of the biggest structural gambles ... and they seem to be slowly losing in that gamble.

I wouldn't mind seeing it on the rear tower... if not for anything but for safety's sake... there's not much asthetic value when you're not even looking at the tower, so much as looking down from it...

...as for the front, I just hope it doesn't ruin the thrill up front, because when that coaster reached it's maximum height, it was only like 2 feet from the end, it felt... and you really had that feeling like you'd just blast right off the end there.

If the supports are about 10' or so lower, then it won't be so bad. It'd just be better if they kept them the same color as the track & not the supports (only to kinda blend in more).

Brett, I guess removing the holding brake would finally end the WT vs S:UE debate. People argue for hours over which is better, the rear twisting spike or the holding brake. Anyone think that SFWoA will alter the ride program the way CP did with WT by reducing the first reverse launch? And is V2 @ SFGAm or V2.1 @ SFMW having any problems with the structure? I know the front tower on V2.1 is a lot more supported and the rear tower is a lot shorter, which is why I listed them seperately.

None of WT's launches are the same as when it first opened. The power's reduced on Nos. 1 thru 4 and No. 5 which used to be just a coast, if you ride enough times in a row, you begin to feel that you're actually still being launched on the 5th pass.

I don't think S:UE will get that treatment simply because its not as much unsupported length. With WT style supports, S:UE will probably have support most of the way up the tower (like 2/3 to 3/4), so it'll probably be fine to keep the program.

Plus, who'd want to alienate those 15 freaks in the world like me who'd get pissy if they lowered it (since it would barely accelerate faster than my grandma on a Sunday drive) and would pass on WoA for all time? ;)

The reduction in launch speed on WT was not a structural, according to Monty Jasper. He said last winter it was to preserve the life of the electrical components.

That said, the second pass forward and second pass back get just as close as they did when it opened.

Oh, you've changed your mind then, Jeff? I thought you swore up and down that there has been no change in the WT launch program since it opened.

I don't recall saying that, but some people get a real kick out of remembering when I contradict myself (and these folks are the same people who say they don't care what I think, generally speaking).

Maybe it changed in the interim, but when I rode it closing weekend, it sure looked like the video on GTTP that I shot media day in 2002.

Swing 5 on Wicked Twister is still a coast. The LIMS are not firing on that final swing, no matter how many times you ride it in a row.

The only swing that has reduced power from the original opening program is Swing 2. Swings 1, 3, and 4 still fire at the same rate, and Swing 5 is still a coast.

Ok Gravity, I'll give you that you're on the WT crew that you should know best, but tell me this then ...

Why does the same magnetic interference in the speakers in line occur on the 5th swing as does on the other 4 if its a pure coast? (And no, I don't mean during the return, I mean as you're going forward, there's a burst of static in the speakers)

And I'll still maintain til the end that the third swing used to take you as close to the top of the front spike as S:UE goes ... maybe it was even only opening WEEKEND, cause I know it even had problems then. My best friend and I went up there specifically to ride and when we got off of a front-row ride mid-day, there was a huge crack in the metal cylindar above his head (a little forward of the seats, hanging off the top of the train, left side) and two rides later, the thing shut down for a while. Ok, so that little story has nothing to do with anything in this thread, but still - I was there opening day and I say it went higher, so NYAH! :)

Yeah I was there on Media Day as well, rode it 36 times, and I don't think any rides I've had on it since then compare whatsoever to that day.

Wicked Twister, IMO, was one of the most intense coasters I'd been on that day. Since then, it's just another coaster to me. I definitely like it, but know how much better it could be.

Joe

Is it true that the magnets in the station only fire on the initial launch? *** Edited 3/4/2004 9:56:51 PM UTC by Fanatic***

I don't know about "just another coaster", but every ride definitely stirs up more memories of opening day 2002 than it does leave an impression of the ride I just had (except for the first time I rode back seat this past season).

Edit: ok you changed yours - don't know how to answer that one ;) *** Edited 3/4/2004 9:58:43 PM UTC by Impulse-ive***

How strange.

I know of one person that wanted to bet me on more than one occasion that S:UE wasn't going to get those added supports "because the ride clearly didn't need them".

I should have taken him up on that bet.

Oh well, life goes on.

-Sean

Marine World beat the system... they don't use the holding brake at all. :(

Talking to many mechanics, they've never really had trouble with stress problems on V2, just train and electric stuff. What about the V2 at Great America, added supports there as well?

If it will help S:UE run more consistantly, im all for it ;). *** Edited 3/5/2004 4:02:20 AM UTC by Rctycoon2k***

The static you hear in line on Swing 5 is more than likely us switching the microphone on into the station to do the "Oncoming Riders" spiel. I've noticed that whenever we spiel to the station, the queue speakers will get static-y. The station and queue loudspeakers are both activated via the same 3-way switch inside the control booth.

Fact remains, that the LIMs aren't firing on Swing 5. To be inside our electrical room when the ride is cycling, you DEFINETLY know when those LIMS are firing, because it sounds like a jet fighter taking off inside there.

Whew. You know the off season is getting a little too long when people are fiercely arguing about a few feet of "launch time." I hope and pray that for everyone's sake opening day comes fast.

~me *** Edited 3/5/2004 6:33:40 AM UTC by nelson324***