During Winter?

Correct me if I'm wrong but could they not just "push" the train out into the launch area where there is more ground clearence and pull them off there instead of in the station? Just a thought.

~the clean up crew~
*** Edited 10/7/2005 11:11:39 AM UTC by clean up crew***

Well seeing as how there's a removable fence there and removable section of track, yeah, that's where they remove it.

Shawn Meyer said:
Some of the trains take shelter under the picnic pavillions. I asked about that to a ride host last season, they said Millennium Force trains keep shelter under there along with Mantis.

MF trains along with many of the other rides are kept very close to the actual ride. (see below) The picnic pavillions are used to do rehab on them over the offseason.

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?a=382

The way the trains sit out like they do, it makes me wonder if the wheels get damaged like that? I mean because they take them off, but don't but the trains on anything, just on cinder blocks to hold the train up. The wheels of the trains are just sitting on flat ground!

Actually, Shawn, it looks like the wheel carriages (if thats what they are called) are resting on the ground, not the actual wheels. This can be more clearly seen in this pic:

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=2125

The wheel carriages look like they extend down beyond the bottoms of the wheels, providing a flat, sturdy surface for the trains to rest on. Not sure if this design feature is intentional or simply a byproduct of something else though.

Jeff said:
Well seeing as how there's a removable fence there and removable section of track, yeah, that's where they remove it.

Here I thought they removed the bumper on the front spike and kicked up the speed of the launch to propel the train onto a net that has been mounted on the helix of Disaster Transport directly in front of it.

I'm an engineering student for this online class called Jerry-Rigging 101 so I'm fully qualified to make this statement ;)

~Rob "Can't I have fun?" Willi

I heard the first testing of that idea was quite dramatic.

For the most part most roller coaster trains are easy off/easy on, for maintenance purposes. The hitches are removed between each car. The individual vehicles are then rolled to the end of a transfer track and a crane picks them gently using nylon slings. The car is then pushed further off the end of the transfer track till it's clear. It is then placed on a palet for easy transportation. Rides like Iron Dragon and Twister are very hard to work with because they are overhead. The body/seat are removed first using a palet to fit and removing the mounting pins and lowering down and off. The rest of the train (axles and housings) is a "trailer type" design. In other words the first car has 2 axles and the rest have one axle. This design is the same on most at Intamin rides and the Iron Dragon (same with Corkscrew). Thats why there is one more axle than there is cars ie; 7 cars - 8 axles. The hitch is removed and a palet raised up to the frame, it is then lowered through a removal spot in the track. The Arrow suspended coaster for example has a section under the station at the storage area near the first lift where a structure is located for train removal.

Seems that the question has been answered: http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/fun_online/blog/index.cfm?entry=16db40ef-bdd6-43b4-a52c-ea4c8284000a

I've always wondered how they get the trains back up to station level on Corkscrew and Iron Dragon.

Well, as normal, Dave was right. You can check the lastest blog entry. They have posted a picture of the removable piece of track, and stated that there was indeed a removable pice of fence to go aloong with it. I have been a member here for over a year, and a lingerer for at least of three years...and If I've leanred one thing for a fact, it's that Dave almost always knows what hes talking about. But then again..."who the hell is Dave Althoff?"

The trains are pulled back for the storage tracks under the stations via a winch system located at the ends of the storage tracks.