Crazy things you hear while waiting in line...

One time my friend and I were riding Magnum after we got off work, and these 2 young boys insisted that when you go into the tunnels, theres a loop in there. So, everyone that heard him, started freaking out.. but we tried to calm everyone down. First of all, you'd have to have some kind of shoulder bar to protect you.. and Second of all.. in the tunnels, there is no room for a loop.. its so small in there.

Well I have one but I wasn't even in line at Cedar Point when I heard this one. I was sitting in a Bar in New Hampshire when someone there told me about this.

He told me that about 15 years ago there was a ride at Cedar Point called "The Bat" and that it was a flying coaster. Well he then went on to tell me that someone fell out of the coaster and hit one of the support columns and died. He then went on to tell that so many people died on that ride that they removed it and installed Iron Dragon.

So, I guess you can say it just doesn't happen in the waiting line...

Will I heard some big guy talking to his friend about going to the store later after leaving and getting stool softeners for the pain he's been having the past day's. And medicine for his bloody stools as will and what he ate last night. *** Edited 6/20/2004 11:20:10 PM UTC by daniel smith***

Hey daniel,

That was a private conversation I was having. Thanks for letting the world know....

:)

I was waiting for Magnum with Avalanche Sam. We heard a guy say to his family, "I'm going to go get the kid, he'll like this." He leaves line and jumps back in dragging this thrashing child of no more than 10. The dad bangs the kid's head on one of the line rails, probably on accident, but the kid is crying. He starts yelling at the kid to stop crying and that he'll ride this or he won't get any ice cream.

King Island,

I have seen the same or almost the same thing in line with parients yelling at there kids for doing come thing. Then if they didn't stop that there will be no ice cream or (this is a big one) NO DINNER!!!

David Lucas said:

He told me that about 15 years ago there was a ride at Cedar Point called "The Bat" and that it was a flying coaster. Well he then went on to tell me that someone fell out of the coaster and hit one of the support columns and died. He then went on to tell that so many people died on that ride that they removed it and installed Iron Dragon.

To tell you the truth, there was a ride called "The Bat" in another good Ohio amusement park (King's Island) back in the 80's. It was Arrow's first "suspended" coaster, and they had not yet completely worked out all the bugs and whatnot.

So 2 years after it opened, after structural damage and many mantinence headaches, the ride closed. What ride took it's place, you ask?? Top Gun did not (as would be assumed, considering it is another "suspended" coaster). Vortex did, using the same station as the previous "Bat" did. I think that this is a good thing though.

So, Mr. Lucas, your drinking companion was not all that far from being accurate.

rogue kielbasa,

Thanks for the facts; I should have looked at RCDB first. But the whole conversation he was telling me that it was at Cedar Point and that someone had died. I didn't know about "The Bat" but I did know that no one has ever died at Cedar Point. Well he kept insisting that they've had many deaths.

I'll keep my ears open when I'm at the park over July 4th to see what I hear in line...

Well... this isn't exactly on discussion, but it somewhat applies. This guy is selling a Top Thrill Dragster media day pass from 2003 and he is calling it "Top Fuel Dragster"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13878&item=3917866521&rd=1

People on EBay sure are weird. They sell signed air-guitars and stuff on there. One guy just came out and said that you are bidding on nothing, just give me money.

Why is he trying to sell that anyway?

ummm, to see if anyone is stupid enough to give him money. I think I may go try and sell my signature right now for $10

Back to the conversation at hand, no one has heard about the new "flesh eating bugs that infest the Wicked Twister station every day"? How about when Raptor "was in the back of the park but riders' legs hit the trees so they moved it"?

And you can't tell me you forgot about the time "Millennium Force got hit by lightning and burned it down, so they had to rebuild it with the extra parts of Top Thrill Dragster", that one has to be my favorite.

And oh yeah, according to the guy in-front of me in the Mantis line "Top Thrill Dragster is just a temporary installation until they get the real one in".

Sometimes it's great to have a good laugh at a place we all love. :)

On opening day of STORM RUNNER a man in front of me told me that when he rode that ride last year it was alot smoother.. and that he hopes nobody falls off of this one like the one in ohio

Last August, I was in line for TTD and some guy near me started explaining to his buddy how the ride was "steam powered, just like the catapult aircraft launches on an aircraft carrier."

I thought the TTD launch was propelled by hydraulics that involve oil and nitrogen or something like that. But this guy was equating seeing mist off the launch section of the track with steam.

Could someone please set the record straight on this?

Otherwise ...

Off we go, into the wild blue yonder.

Boatman,

I'm no expert at this, but I can take a shot at it.

The launch of TTD and that of Aircraft on carriers do carry some resemblance. No, not everything is the same but the concept of using either steam or hydraulics is there. On carriers, the steam is used to push pistons that in turn push the sled. The launch of an airplane happens when the catapult safety observer on the flight deck gives a signal which opens a valve which allows the steam to flow push the pistons. A 60,000 pound airplane can go from 0 - 150 MPH in 2 seconds (it's also using the jet engine(s) on the airplane to accomplish this as well). As we know from reading Walt’s explanation of the TTD launch that TTD is launched when the valve opens and lets the oil flow rapidly through the hydraulic motor. This in turn drives the motor which pulls the train. So, I would say yes, their similar just carriers have been doing it for decades and its older technology. I read an article that a company has been awarded a contract to design a new aircraft carrier where electromagnetic aircraft launch system will replace steam.

Thanks for barring with me as I try to describe the similarities. Maybe Walt can help with this as well?

I got some information from Ask Jeeves and Walt's article on TTD Launch

I belive the mist is suposed to represent the smoke from pealing tires. Like on a real Top Fuel Dragster.

I thought the mist was there to cool the cable and pullies. If you notice there is one mist spray at the start line where one pully is, and there is one at the end of the launch area where the other pully is.

Maybe Dave can let us know since he left that out of his article on how TTD works.

John

I thought the mist at the end of the launch was to keep the cables and pulleys cooled down, so that they don't overheat?

Now I feel bad for saying Walt wrote the article on the TTD launch. Sorry Dave....

I just e-mailed the guy who was selling the TOP FUEL DRAGSTER media pass and told him the name of it....within seconds he changed it! Here is another one....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=52366&item=8114288536&rd=1

Some people. I e-mailed him also...hope you get to see it before he changes it!

It is a "RAPTURE" hat that he is selling, when is says "RAPTOR" in plain view on the picture.....I couldn't resist. *** Edited 6/25/2004 3:07:18 PM UTC by CurrentlyDownDueTo FillInTheBlank***