A new appreciation for Magnum

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Avalanche Sam said:
I was wondering, who decides to make the trims mandatory except for when trains are almost empty or it is cold? Is it operations, or maintenance?

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I think the trim is less about controlling forces on the ride and more about getting the interval right. Remember, unlike new B&M rides, there aren't two blocks just up-track of the station. The transfer has to be clear of a train or the next one gets stopped on the safety block after the last tunnel. Unless they changed it with the control "upgrade," you need to manually go out there and release it and reset the ride.

The point is that you need every second you can to get the train loaded and out of the station, or you'll cause a set-up and stop the ride.

I love Maggie. One of the best rides around in my opinion. She's bumpy but that's to be expected. She's old. *** Edited 9/30/2004 5:55:29 PM UTC by delphi94***

3rd hill was re-profiled after the 1st season. All the pretzel track was
replaced in'94. The spine that the track ties are attached to is larger than the original. Follow the track under the trims and you'll see where it changes diameter.

The trims were installed on TOP of the 3rd hill early in 1st season. They were there when the train stalled out twice in 3 days(in June that yr if memory is correct, I'd have to find my newspaper clippings of incident).

They remained there for awhile (at least 3 yrs),til they moved them to bottom of 3rd drop. I can't remember what yr that was.

If you go down the beach walk and look at the supports around the trims, you can see where the track originally made contact to the supports, much lower. I have photos of this, but I don't have them posted.

I'll have to check that out next weekend. They don't open to resorts till 11 on Saturday so I'll have to take a morning walk and check it out.

I wan't really refering to trims so much as a mid-course block brakes. Magnum has trims but no mid-course block. Something about them that lets you catch your breath that takes away from the ride.

I didn't know the block after the tunnel was a manual reset. That would explain why trains rarely get stopped there.

It might be just me since I'm growing up in this new age of smooth coasters, but Magnum isn't what it is all hyped up to be.