Titan stalls at top of lift, riders evacuated

This can't be good. Looks like the CPSC has yet another blow to the fixed site regulation. Thanks god for small favors.

Why? Nothing was unsafe. The safety system was doing its job. How does this empower anyone to regulate anything?

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

While I agree that it's great that the safety system is doing it's job, it seems kind of dangerous to not be able to restart the ride and force people to walk down a narrow staircase 250' in the air with nothing around them but a metal rail. All it takes is for one person to get dizzy and faint or something like that...

Perhaps they weren't yet certain that whatever caused the ride to e-stop was that trivial. I'm sure they had to do a pretty thorough check on the ride to make sure nothing was out of whack, which may have taken longer than the 45 minutes they made those people wait before walking them down. Should they have left those people up there for two hours while they determined it was safe to restart?

*** This post was edited by Fierce Pancake on 7/20/2001. ***

Any good ride control system engineer/designer would make sure that all of the error detection problems were displayed on a computer screen. If maintenance couldn't figure out what the problem was or what caused it to E-Stop within a few minutes then the ride control system designer/programmer didn't do a thorough job. Additionally, not being able to re-start the ride if the problem went away is another example.

Kerby Walden
Automated Control Solutions, Inc.
http://www.acontrolsolution.com

I was told that the problem WAS a malfunction of the computer, however. So if the computer is saying one thing but there's really not a problem, it takes awhile to verify that.

I find it funny how this happens almost EVERYDAY at a park somewhere.

The day this happened I know of at least 2 walkdowns at CP that day. Yet wait.. where were all the news people then?

I agree Jeff.. this is shamefull...

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MF 2000 - 269 laps
MF 2001 - 101 laps (as of 7/13/01)
June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100

I'm guessing that the Sandusky walkdowns didn't get media coverage because Sandusky is small enough that the local media don't have helicopters for the nice pictures, and the cleveland helicopters are just out of range.

I agree with Kerby that some roller coaster systems don't seem to have the disgnostics to allow maintenance to quickly determine what is wrong. Of course, any bypass of a safety system should be key operated and follow rigid procedures because of the severe consequences that can result from bypassing the system at the wrong time. Also, the bypass should be used only for clearing passengers, not as a way to continue operating the ride without the safety.

It must have been a slow news day.

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Titan rides 21

They had that on the 6 o'clock news where I live about 2 hours away. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I was just mad because I wasn't one of the ones on the stuck train. Of course, it would be a little tough enduring the 105 degree heat up there, but at least you'd have a nice view and a breeze. ;)

I would like to know how they got the TV Helicopters out there within 10 minutes and who called the TV Station.

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Not all Coasters are Created Equally

the guy in the report said it was "255 ft above the ground". these news people need to get their facts straight in that its only 245 ft. i know its only 10 ft but it says a lot about the way the media spins these things. also the reporter assuming that six flags told the guests not to talk to media people is just stupid

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This is Recockulous! - Adam Carolla

The media is pretty bad when it ocmes to roller coasters, and that will never change. Jeff is right, this only shows how safe the rides actually are. If it didn't stop on the lift, then something really bad could have happened. I actually would have loved to be up there!

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CDNSN *** This post was edited by Craig the Coaster Freak on 7/20/2001. ***

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[Ed. note: While it's always interesting when something like this happens, it's hardly news. The live cut-ins on television news are nothing short of disgraceful. The ironic thing is that Titan stopping demonstrates just how safe the rides are, with the computer stopping the ride because it thought something was wrong. Mainstream media should be ashamed. -J]

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Who ever wrote this, I'm glad you wrote this, who ever it is (probably Jeff).


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Don't Fight It: Ride It! Raging Bull

I guess the missing intern story really had slowed a bit, huh?

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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you

Damn, this is the worst thing. The media had "TITAN STUCK" on the news over "PARENTS LOOKING FOR LOST CHILD". In fact, according to channel 4,5, and 8, this was the cover story in D/FW.

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Dude,Dude, Dude, Dude, Dude, Dude.....Dude. I've guess you've got a point there.

WASSUP!

I had to be evacuated from the top of apollo's chariet and steel force but they were lower than this and my experience was scary i can't imagine theres

Or maybe it's just the fact that it's not a big deal to us. Just think of the other 99% of the people on this earth who are terrified to ride a coaster as large as Titan, Goliath, or Millennium Force. I mean it may be no big deal to us, but I bet more than half the people on that train had never seen a ride that big in their etire life, and were already scared enough to piss in their pants just getting on it. Much less walking down the tiny steps on the lift hill.

Also the reason this was a big deal is because it was hanging over the top, most walkdowns accur maybe 50ft from the ground where this is about 100ft higher. Also if this is such a regular accurance then maybe these rides aren't designed right. And I also think that the media likes to get these areticles out because parks are a big part of peoples summers and they think the public would like to know what is going on at these places that they don't know about.

I'm pretty dang sure we'd be the only ones that would go on a hyper coaster if we knew it would be stuck at the top and we'd have to walk down. I think sometimes you guys get to out of whack when one negative thing goes in the newpapers about the amuesement industries. Just think if you were a professional athlete or actor and everything put into magazines or on the news was negative towards you. You guys just need to get over it.

BTW this thread wasn't directed just to this thread, but more of whole attitude to other negative coaster stories as of late.

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"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner *** This post was edited by IOArules on 7/20/2001. ***

I was the guy on the cell phone. The 4 in our group up there certainly weren't scared. While sitting on top enjoying the view and the cooling breeze we noticed a news helicopter filming us. Bored and armed with a cell phone, we tracked down the station from directory assistance (recognizing the colorful peacock on the side)and thought it would be fun to talk to him. It obviously was a slow news day, since they kept me on the phone for a long time and then a radio station called us back and wanted to talk some more. Eventually 4 helicopters were circling. Of course we were never in any danger and everyone I talked to seemed to enjoy this unique twist on riding Titan.

The railing and stairway were very secure and I didn't notice too much commotion even as we were walking down. IT WAS NO BIG DEAL!

I've been stuck on other coasters too, but have never before been lucky enough to get walked down. We all completely enjoyed the experience!

Everybody is correct when they point out that the ride's safety system did what it was supposed to do - shut down if something is wrong.

The 4 of us sure benefitted from a slow news day, we've got some great vacation video courtesy of Dallas' channel 5!!

My advice to all is ride Titan every chance you get and pray that you get stuck up there. It was great!