Beam Lights and Rollbacks

So at the first Friday night of Halloweekends tonignt, I was very pleased to notice that the two big lights that send twin beams of light into the sky were back on TTD. Haven't seen those since May. It looks like the one on the drop side was relocated to avoid blinding the riders. It looks really cool. Also, tonight was a hot night for rollbacks. A few trains ahead of mine had 3 in a row, meaning they got launched 4 times before they made it over! And I finally got my first rollback! Front seat of the gold train!

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-Chris Woodard
Friday, September 18th, 2003 at 10:10 PM. It finally happened. Rollback on Dragster in the front seat of the gold train!

Yeah those lights are awesome. I was so glad to see them come back.

Man, I was waiting in line the same time you rode and there were so many rollbacks it was unreal. I was surpised after you're gold train rollback that they lanuched again in like 2minutes... As opposed to the 15 that it seemed to be taking for most of the night.

I was on a rollback last night, and before we took off, we sat there at the launch for about 10 minutes, then it took another 5-10 to inch our way back to the launch and another 5 for them to decide what they were gonna do. But it was still worth it.

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TTD Laps-11. 2-rollback 2 frontseat
"The Day Is Mine!"

Someone please post some photos you took of the beam lights. THANKS!:)

Friday was the first I've seen TTD at night, so I don't know what the lights used to look like. But I'll agree it looked SWEET! It almost looked like the lights shined down from the sky, really cool!

I was fortunate enough to get two rides, and the rollbacks before the first one were nuts. We got there around 7:00 and got right in line, just in front of the bleachers. Once they actually opened the line, we walked right into the station, but every other launch was rolling back. And I saw the one roll back 3 times, the lucky bastards. After that they started loading just the first 4 rows, and there wasn't a rollback after that, (well at least not till after we rode)

We got back in line just before 11:00, and line was pretty short because I think it had been down for a while. When we got in line they were still just loading 4 rows, but it was running great with no rollbacks. They started loading more rows, and eventually had all but the last two filled. But of course, as we were the next to load, it broke down. Pretty frustrating because 10 more launches and everyone could have gone home. But they got it fixed in about 30 minutes and we all got to ride. Cool thing was walking through the completely empty park after riding. Sure makes it easier to find the car.

Was it cold outside the night of the rollbacks? I was at CP Saturday & Sunday, and it was in the 70's both days. I rode Dragster 3 times (twice in the front seat), and all 3 times there was never a breakdown nor any rollbacks (though the trains were barely making it over). The wait was about 2 hours at 1:00pm Saturday, 1 1/2 hours at just before midnight, and about 45 minutes at 11:30am Sunday.

And those twin beam lights are amazing - they go so far up that perspective makes them appear to vanish straight over your head in a clear sky - even when you're far away from Dragster. BTW, were those lights another last-minute addition to the design - I don't remember them in the initial theme description.

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"Oh my God - only 2 came back!" - a passerby after seeing a normally empty Dragster train enter the load station with 2 people still in it
*** This post was edited by Kevin Lehman 9/25/2003 1:42:22 PM ***

They were part of the original theming and were to be included all along. Somebody just didn't realize that you can't shine something that bright into people's faces on their way down, so they weren't used between mid-May and now.

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-Chris Woodard
Friday, September 18th, 2003 at 10:10 PM. It finally happened. Rollback on Dragster in the front seat of the gold train!

Just got back from a weekend at the point last night, saw a TON of rollbacks (I think I personally saw 17 total over the two days) some were repeats (2 rollbacks on same car). Unfortunately didn't get one myself, but after waiting for all those resets, a rain delay, and a few breakdowns I wasn't too concerned. Maybe the colder weather is increasing rollbacks? Seems like after each period of shutdown 2 of the next 4 or 5 launches would roll back, then things would be back to normal for 30 or 40 minutes.

And yes the skylights are really neat, at one point there were some VERY high clouds and you could see the beams hitting them way up, really cool. Imagine flying a small plane overhead and all of a sudden getting hit by that beam :P

Am I the only one who thinks that the lighting they put on TTD is as ugly as the structure itself? Yes, just white lights is kinda cool, saying that the ride speaks for itself and all, but the thing looks like a giant male genitalia (espcially if the Witches Wheel is in vertical mode and you're looking at it from the right angle) in the middle of the park and after the wonderful lighting job on Millie and Power Tower, I was expecting a lot more for WT and TTD. Anyone else disappointed by that?

I will admit, seeing the shadow of the structure reflected on the clouds above it last Sunday was impressive ...

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Resident Launch Whore
--Brett

I will agree that its not the most beautiful caoster in the world, but it is definitly the most remarkable, intimidating, and perhaps one of the most solid looking hunks of metal I have seen. I think your stretching it with the male genitilia... and whats wrong with the lighting? You cant have every coaster with similar light choreographed, color changing systems...I think its displays the ride as it is...Basic but Solid... I guess some people will just never be satisfied.
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-Adam Carolla is GOD
-*Perturbed at the world*
-No good deed goes unpunished- Ben Franklin

I personally love the lighting and I dont think the structure is ugly at all!

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2003 Stats: Top Thrill Dragster: 14
Magnum XL-200: 59
33 trips to the Point

Somebody PLEASE post some photos of the beam lights! The reason is because I'm not going to be able to go to CP for Halloweekends this year and see them!!!!:(

My opinion: The whole ride, especially the tower looks great lit all up. I think CP did a great job lighting the ride.:)
*** This post was edited by cp&le rr guy 10/1/2003 6:30:33 PM ***