Millennium Force Collapsing?!?!?

Okay First things first, this is not a rumour like magnum sinking or anything, but when my brother and I went to Cedar Point, we noticed something strange about Intamin's new Behemoth...
When the MF train goes over the hill towards the island, the whole track shakes!! i mean the supports and everything!!! watch the track next time right next to the path-tunnel underneith the Hills. Like this thing Wobbles soooo much! And it was VERY strange seeing a brand new STEEL coaster rock back and forth sooo much.. it looked unsturdy... is there an engineering reason for this?!?!?!?
-Slamdog
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!
better sell it to six flags ohio real quick!
--------
3 Force rides:
3-2, 5-1, 9-2
LOL at punk. Ok, have you ever heard the expression, "the toughest steel breaks first". Thats the whole point with this, if you look at mantis as it goes by, it shakes, and bends with the train. They are made to flex a little.

-------------
Car 5, Discovery Channel, look for me on the
on-ride discription.
MF Rides-14
It was designed to shake. If it didn't than it would most likely fall apart do to all the stress for the trains roaring past. If you look close enough you will see that all things made of steel and wood alike (roller coasters, buildings, bridges, homes, etc., ect.) will move anywhere from 1/8" to 10' of movement. If they don't move than they would fall apart from all the stress that they are put under.

-------------
Monster Ride Host
2nd Year *** This post was edited by Monster Ride Op on 8/24/2000. ***
Nah.punk,I think it would be better at Kings Island:)

-------------
:) *** This post was edited by eric on 8/24/2000. ***
I wouldn't care if it was collapsing, it wouldn't keep me off of the ride. All of the flexing looks normal to me though.

-------------
You can fool others, but nothing you do is hidden from God.
JESUS rules :) :)
If you want to watch a coaster shake, flex, and dance all over the place, watch Raptors supports as it makes it's drop just after the mid-course brake run. Now that's what I call SHAKIN'!!!

-------------
"Magnum + Prozac= Millennium Force
Jeff's avatar
And along those lines, watch Space Spiral through the Raptor supports as it flaps around in the breeze.

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 35
If it doesn't shake, it'll break. That's the easiest way to put it. It's normal. It happens to every coaster, no matter wood, steel, old or new, it just has to happen. You can't escape it. And if you argue that point, I'd love to see you TRY to prove it wrong. Oh well, anyway, it's just normal. :)
One of the best ways this was explained to me was in Panama City, FL. I had just ridden (I don't know what it's called) what I call a reverse bungee, where the cords are stretched and you shoot straight up. Anyways, the guy running the thing said to me, "think of a twig from a tree. The stiffer it is, the easier it is to snap. But if it's able to bend, it's very hard to break."

-------------
UCSigep
Rides to the top of the World: 8
Its called the Ejection Seat
Have you ever seen Superman: The Ultimate Escapse when it goes up the corksrew tower that shakes a lot. But the ride is extremly safe.

MF rides, 8 in 1 and 1/2 days
Superman UE at Six Flags Ohio! The corkscrew tower centers the force. You are always above the supports (unless you are below them). The vertical tower on the other hand. That has at least a ten foot sway.

-------------
Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!
It's the smoothest coaster I have ever ridden, so if it shakes, so what. Check out Mine Ride if there is ever a line again. That thing shakes real bad, yet it is still standing after 30 years.
Okay I am glad because yall really got me nervous

-------------
Millennium Force Rides:2
Magnum XL-200 Drop:3
Another interesting bit of track flex can be spotted from Challenge park near the Grand Prix raceway. The Magnum bunny hills have a very short support inside a rectangle of chain link fence which is located in the area where the race cars return to the station. Between the main Magnum lift hill supports and the fence, there’s quite a bit of relatively stable material to sight off of. If you watch the magnum track as the coaster train rolls by, you can see that the track flexes about an inch or so, and this is in an area where it is very close to a solid support.

-------------
- Raptor Dave
then agan,remeber the sway that mean streak used to have the year it came out.they worked on it and it doesent sway nearly as much as it used to.
You guys are right. Metal HAS to flex to absorb the stresses. Just like aircraft wings. The Boeing 747-400 wingtips move upwards of 14 feet from static to takeoff. And if you ever fly in an A330, the carbon fiber wings flex unlike anything you have ever seen! Millennium Force is just fine and was awesome on June 13th when I rode it 4 times!

If you wan't to see engineered flex, watch The Boss at SFStL. The last helix is really neat looking....kinda like paper when the train goes by.
--------
"You can never Safety Dance enough"
If you have ever watched Superman: ROS at SF Darien Lake, you'll know how much a steel coaster can shake! As it finishes those last two bunny hops, the track shakes almost until another train passes through.

You must be logged in to post

POP Forums - ©2026, POP World Media, LLC