Could Intamin make a bigger upgrade to TTD?

Also, when it comes to designing the rides multiple engineers for consultant firms take on multiple facets of the project. The best example I can think of is Alan Shilke. When he was hired by Arrow his job at the time was to design the support structures and only the support structures. I'll try to find the interview where he talks about this on YouTube.

So for the most part yes, Stengel contracts his work out to multiple ride manufacturers but I seriously doubt he touches anything more than layout. There's probably a engineer for the lift system, brake system, computer system (obviously we know Irvine Ondrey comes in for a lot of rides now)

Looking at new companies. Lets take RMC. They design the layout, supports etc. But used Irvine Ondrey for the controls, they used Velocity Magnets for the lift and brakes of Lightning Rod, etc. These large scale projects are often times multiple companies working together to make a single ride. Maybe Intamin chooses to work with cheaper companies that produce a lower quality product that a company like B&M?

Then there are quotes like this...

"JUST FOLLOW THE DAMN INSTRUCTIONS!"

And this...

"I WONDER WHAT THE ACCEPTABLE # IS..."

Pretty sure the folks running Shoot the Rapids were following all the instructions on the labels he provided (or maybe they were reading them upside-down)?. And the over-engineered ride still almost killed a boat-load of people.

But maybe that number of people would have been acceptable to Sandor.

Interesting reads.

And in terms of StR almost killing a boat load of people, let’s not forget it almost happened more than once.

Really? I only recall the overturning. What was the other incident? Not that I'm shocked...

As I said prior, I don’t think CP should’ve opened the ride or continued to operate it for the years they did.

Cedar Point used to allow all employees, that were currently processed in, a chance to ride the newest ride before opening to the public. After being dispatched from the station, the boat was going through the trough and sank before the first lift hill submerging all of the employees on it.

I don’t have any proof to back this up since this wasn’t a public happening. But ever since then, I never got on that death trap.

I actually remember hearing about the boats sinking, leading to them adding that grate along the bottom of the trough, effectively raising the floor/making it shallow enough so as to not lot the boats fully submerge. I don’t know if it ever happened with people, or if it happened like that at all, but it makes sense.

Why was pilgrims plunge / Girrafica removed from Holiday World? Much much taller, different lift mechanism, but otherwise seemingly similar product to the blunder that was shoot (ourselves in) the (foot) rapids?

Well, offhand I can think of the promised huge splash that turned out so that it would’ve been quite injurious to riders. Then it was toned down by raising the floor of the runoff chute but then it barely skimmed and made no splash at all. The trip to the lift was StR-style long and boring. (The best part of that ride was the lift.) And there were periods of downtime, and I heard that Sandor was uncooperative in attempts by the park for the company to make things right. I think they were left on their own with a dog, and eventually cut their losses.
I’ve also heard that HW was offered boats from StR. Pretty sure that was a hard nope. Those boats, as we know, were awful.
I had to laugh out loud when rumors were circulating about a lengthy Intamin splash coaster, (or something) for next year- leaked plans and all that. If that park ever goes with another product from the Intamin catalog I’ll eat my hat.
I also have to remind myself of Chiapas, the wonderful log flume at Phantasialand. The only bad things about it were the stifling indoor queue and the continuous-moving loading from a platform with no conveyor belt. I about did the splits trying to get in and out. Otherwise, the ride was delightful and seemed to run like clockwork with speedy lifts and many boats out on the course. But then again, that’s in Europe where things seem to go a bit differently.

If anyone should be able to nail a splashdown it’s International Amusement Incorporated geez Louise. That’s terrible. Remember the giant (and deadly) vertical-drop splash-boat ride at Knotts? I always marveled, vicariously, over that thing. Looked incredible. I digress. Seems like Sandor needs a good ole attitude adjustment. Get your product right. Or make it right. Period. Dude needs the boot.

Who’s to say what would have become of Volcano: TBC @ KD if customer relations were better with said manufacturer’s point of contact. Virginia might be losing another great “track above your head” coaster (RIP BBW) but my goodness they’re about to gain a brand new Intamin blockbuster. I, for one, can’t hardly wait to revisit the old county. Has been nearly 30 years.

Hail the return of Lord Sandor

https://images.app.goo.gl/VNLfYFz4KZ9guH249

Aah, yes, the water ride that eventually needed OTSRs because... Intamin.

Each of the park's recent Dragster update tweets references "the manufacturer". Waiting on a new part per the last one, no timetable. Glad it ran well with almost no downtime for our 2 trips this year. We've had good luck in recent years, although the new fast lane for the front train has slowed the standby line when we've been there.

The only work on dragster today was a couple of people working on the HVAC for the motor room. I’m assuming that part hasn’t arrived yet

Man, I am shocked - shocked, I tell you - that the OEM is taking so long to produce the necessary part. It's probably Stengel's fault.

I'm pretty sure that 99.9999% of people through the gates are not saying 'TTD isn't 40 feet taller! I've been ripped off!'.

Okay, here's your ultimate TTD.

^^Ironically, that's almost exactly how I imagined TTD before it was announced. I imagined this concept based on what Xcelerator was like at Knott's. I feel like it was a huge lost opportunity to have an overbank turn or two. Oh well *shrug*

Looks great! Have a POV for that?

So, even more unreliable, and with a fraction of the capacity? That's definitely on-brand.

I tried to recreate a concept or something for TTD in Planet Coaster. No, I don't have a POV because I don't have screen recording software.

Maybe they could add some sort of observation tower to the top of Dragster. Then, when TTD is down, they can operate the tower instead. Sort of a reverse Zumanjaro.