Corkscrew got seatbelts.

I don't really care about this ride, because the line is so short anyways so this really won't affect it too much. However, it is actually a safety bonus. It doesn't affect the ride much anyways, and if somehow those otsr opened, i'd be thankful for those seatbelts!

When has a horsecollar on an Arrow failed?

...And even if it did, how, exactly do you expect to come out of the train?

Unless Corkscrew parks, Demon-style in one of the inversions, AND the shoulder bar fails, nobody is coming out of that thing without trying pretty hard.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I never said that it was likely, or I expected it to happen, all I said is that we can now be sure we will never fall out! The seat belts really aren't necissary on this ride I agree, but everyone knows with all the current law suits and such, CP wants to take every precaution so a major law suit doesn't come there way.

I rode Corkscrew twice on Friday June 24th. And what I noticed first is the stacking of trains. Both times, you would have a train in the station and two out on the brake run. It's also worth mentioning that they also had 6 ride-ops (3 on each side) checking lap bars/seat belts. So even with extra workers, the seat belts are slowing the ride down.

We all remember what happened with the Mantis when it was stacking, they permanently removed one of the trains. I predict the same is going to be happening on the Corkscrew sometime in the near future.

I'm afraid you are probably correct with your prediction. :(

On the note of removing the train, when was Mantis's train taking apart and put under the storage track? You'd think they'd keep it togather as a spare (if needed).

EDIT: I mean disconnected, its still put together, but each car is seperated. *** Edited 6/25/2005 8:36:11 PM UTC by Kyle Dersch***

It was during an off-season. when they are taken apart for overhauling. I forget which off-season, but I want to say either between the 2000-01 or 2001-02 seasons.

Last year they had to bring the shrink wrapped train up and get it ready, and then shrink wrap another train at the beginning of the season. If you will recall, Mantis ran one train the first week or two of the park being open, then the crew had to cycle the one train empty many times to get it in service.

I finally rode Corkscrew on 6/26. Many problems with the safety belts. First of all, there is no way for the ride attendants to check them. They were asking us to check them, which in some cases is as good as no check at all. Second, I discovered that it is so awkward that at the end of the ride I had to be a bit of a contortionist to get into a position where I could actually release the buckle. If the seat next to me had been occupied, I probably would have been stuck unless that person were willing to let me out.

I think the solution (assuming that simply getting out a pair of shears and cutting the things off the train is not an option) is to attach the belt where the buckle is now, and use a spring-clip or a carabiner to hook the belt to a ring mounted between the checker-handles. Such a system would be 'binary' unlike a seat belt latch (either it's hooked or it isn't) and thus could be checked visually.

Actually, looking around the park today, it seems there is a very serious need for some kind of seat belt buckle that can be reliably checked visually. Hmmmmm...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I fiinally rode corkscrew with the belts yesterday, and I'll agreee with Dave. It's really hard to undo the latch, its pretty uncomfortable.

Another complaint I have with those seatbelts is, while they may swing over the heads of shorter people, when the restraints open, that buckle headed right into my face.

Now, I'm pretty sure if I wasn't expecting that in enough time to get out of the way, it might have stuung a little bit. Maybe it's not enough to seriously injure someone, but if it catches someone off guard it could leave a mark.

-Josh

I also finally got on Woodstock Express with the "new" seatbelts. and let me tell you i was tempted to get out my car keys and stick them through the hole so I could get out. I dont like being trapped in a little train like that where my knees are hitting the front, and I have no way to get out, so I just have to sit there.

I suspect that they mounted the belts so that they are hanging down because there is no way people will miss the fact that the ride now has seat belts. I mean people have been riding it for 29 years, why would belts be added now, right? If they mounted them at the bottom of the seats, the metal clip would be hanging down by the floor where most riders couldn't see it. This would cause the ride ops would have to prompt the riders to reach down and buckle their belts which would time onto the loading process even more.

Now I came to this hypothesis using a some logic and common sense, so I may be giving the park too much credit if you look at their track record with the way they have approached many of the other operational changes around the park...

I still think this configuration was used because it saved on the cost of screws and the manhours for having to drill only on one end of the belt.

People still ride corkskrew?? :)

It was my first coaster as a kid and I refuse to ride it now because it is so rough. If I'm going upside down on a coaster, its gonna be a B&M. :)

I didn't realize so many people still rode that thing. Compared to most of the other coasters, it may as well be classified as a "Family Coaster".

The first time I rode Corkscrew (may 2004) it was exceptionally rough so that scared me away from it so I never rode it after that. When I went to CP this past May it had no line at all so I decided to give it another go and it was great. I braced myself for a painful ride but it wasn't rough at all. I really enjoyed it. I think it is a great coaster and even though many people don't ride it, it's very visually pleasing the way it goes right over the midway.

I thought it was smoother this year, too, but I've only been on it twice so far, so the jury is still out.

Yep, the seatbelts look ghetto. I can not see how it is possible for the crew to hit interval at all now. 2 trains here we come!

I swear, no thought is given at all to capacity when new things/ideas implemented to an existing coaster. In 2003, Corkscrew had a delay on the lift that didn't increase to full speed until B Block was clear. This made the ride run with exactly the same capacity with 2 trains as it would have with 3. This was eventually fixed about a month later.

Corkscrew Crew 2002
Corkscrew ATL 2003
Midway Market Server 2004

-Justin *** Edited 7/3/2005 1:48:53 AM UTC by Sapman***

I finally rode thursday night. There's no visible reenforcement on the belt at the bolt that runs through it to loop it around the harness. I wouldn't be suprised if they'll wear out really quickly and start ripping.

It also looks, as I suspected, that the buckles (which are almost completely unreachable for anyone over about 60 pounds) are anchored to the fiberglass, and not to something more sturdy.

Complete and total hack job. It's almost as though one day somebody said "let's put seatbelts on Corkscrew" and they were installed that night.

As for stacking... it's normal for Corkscrew to stack one train for about 30 seconds. It's not normal to stack two for over a minute and a half. I'll let you guys guess which scenario is happening now.

Oh, one more thing- even though I was being careful when exiting the train, the seatbelt still hit me in the face and scratched my glasses. Not cool at all.

Justin, I think you've sussed it.

Who is Cedar Point's Director of Ride Operations (or whatever the official title is), anyway? Traditionally, nothing happened on a ride without consideration for how it would affect operations. Now, suddenly it seems like operations isn't even being considered when changes are made. This is a 180-degree change in the way Cedar Point does business.

I hope they get their act together before they hurt someone in the name of 'safety'.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I rode it tonight for the first time since belts got installed. Definately a poor job. With the empty seat next to me, I was able to do some feeling around on the back side of where the buckle is, and indeed, it is fastened to the fiberglass and nothing else. And like Michael Darling stated above, even though I was mindful of the belt getting out of the train, it still managed to whack me in the face pretty hard.