CCMR restraints question

Rideman will probably be able to answer this one ;)

After riding Trailblazer at Hershey and Adv. Express at PKI this year, I'm wondering what it would take to get similar restraints (individual lapbars) on CCMR. Could they reconfigure the current trains or would they have to get new trains?

If they are going to keep CCMR for awhile, it might be worth the cost of changing the lap bars. It could potentially increase ridership by allowing larger people to ride who can't because of the current restraints. They also may be able to reduce the height requirement to include more of the younger set. Being able to reduce the height requirement could fill a void that the park is missing for kids who want something more than Woodstock but aren't ready for Magnum, or some of the other larger coasters.

It's interesting to note that when Mine Ride first opened it didn't have a hight restriction, there was only a sign saying "no hand held infants". And that was with the original restraints, which were much thinner metal bars.

You would think they would have redone the restraints after the "boy falling out" incident in '84. I believe they just added the seatbelts then.

All I know is I'm cramped as all hell in that ride. I have to cross my ankles or there's no way my legs are fitting. Since the new padding "upgrade" my knees have been *that* much more squished.

It sucks because I'm only about 5'-11"/6' - so I can imagine how people even taller than me must feel.

-Josh

I agree. It needs new lapbars.

...and it also needs to be able to park the train n the station without trying 3 times.
...and it also needs to go back to running 5 trains :)

They did it on Blue Streak so why not on Mine Ride. The ride runs fine with the capacity it has now. If it went any quicker the line would be always empty.

CCMR can't run five trains anymore, it only has five blocks and that's being generous, calling the transfer table a block brake.

Anyway, Hersheypark bought all-new trains for Trailblazer, and that is probably the best way to change the restraints in those old coaster trains. But why make a change like that if the ride isn't broke?

The bigger problem with Mine Ride is that somebody made the usual mistake when ordering the closed-cell foam seat benches, in forgetting that the old cushions got thinner when people sat on them!

Someone mentioned the incident with the kid coming out of the train...I think that was the incident that caused the height requirement to go from, "Must be over 48" tall unless accompanied by an adult; no hand-held infants" to "Must be over 48" tall."

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

They could re-theme Gemini's two idle trains with some fake wood and throw them on. All they would need is to put in an auto restrainst lock/release system correct?

I like the mine ride's trains but hate the restraints I am so tall I have to cross my legs and I am still uncomfortable. but the mine ride is still great though.

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Cory Marshall

CCMR is one the coasters you have to watch your hands up on because you can easily wham them on some of the lower wooden overpasses. Been there, done that! Ouch!

Someone mentioned Blue Streak here, I am always amazed at how some (larger) guests can fit on that coaster. I bet alot of them can fit on BS but not TTD or MF, that would suck!!

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Raptor Crew
120 flights till 1k! :)

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DemonDroppin' said:
You would think they would have redone the restraints after the "boy falling out" incident in '84. I believe they just added the seatbelts then.

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This is off-topic, but I've never heard about this incident. Could someone tell me what happened? Thanks.

What else is there to say? It says "boy falling out", what else needs explained?

5-year-old kid somehow comes out of the coaster train and cracks his skull when he lands on the grass. What more is there to tell? I've heard some allegations about the incident, but the items I mentioned are the only things I know about it that are verifiable facts. If I remember correctly, I think the kid's name was Patrick Camp. There is an entry in the Roller Coaster Almanac...let me see if I can find it....

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May 24, 1984: Partick Camp, age 5, falls from the Cedar Creek Mine Ride at Cedar Point, and fractures his skull in the resulting 30' fall to grass.

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--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Was that the incident where the father sued the park and Arrow, Arrow settled, the park won on allegations the kid was pushed?

Who would push a 5-year old out of a coaster? That's some tough punishment.

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RideMan said:
CCMR can't run five trains anymore, it only has five blocks and that's being generous, calling the transfer table a block brake.

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Where exactly are all of the blocks on mine ride?

Where ARE the blocks, or where WERE the blocks?

A: Loading station brake
B: Transfer table.
C: First lift.
D: Block brake before long drop that isn't there anymore
E: Second lift
F: Block brake before helix that isn't there anymore
G: Station approach brake
H: Unload station brake

Note that my designations are (presumably) not the same as those officially used on the ride. My guess is that while the transfer table brake (for obvious reasons) can stop a train, and while under the old system the transfer table brake would cycle, closing every time a train went by and re-opening when the first lift was clear, I don't think it was considered to be a blocking point in normal operation. The first and second block brakes were completely removed when the control system was re-done a few years ago. The interesting thing is that they have restored a brake up where the second block brake used to be, presumably so that they can close the brake and stop a train from rolling back and valleying on cold test-runs when the ride is being sluggish.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

CCMR has no unload station...

It's the same one as the loading station.

Mine Ride DOES have an unload station, it just hasn't been used for unloading as part of normal operation in years. Next time you ride it, notice that the platform on the unload side extends all the way through the tunnel. That's the unload platform, uptrack of the station. It was built to unload there and load where it loads now. That's why it took thirteen people to run the ride...ten of them kicking pedals and pushing the train out of the load station on dispatch.

Pete could tell you more about it... :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

What? There was nothing to "boost" the trains out of the station? That's odd.

I'll have to take a look at the CCMR station the next time I ride.