Gemini Repairs?

According to the Cedar Point website, the wood in the Soak City parking lot is going to be used for repairs and general wood replacement on Gemini.

For those who have not seen the wood:

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=2704

Does this seem strange to anyone other than me? This wood isn't even close to the color of Gemini, and would look pretty darn silly if it were used to replace a few boards "here-and-there" style.

Does anyone have any thoughts or comments on this?

The wood will weather and blend in given time exposed to the elements.

I rode Gemini numerous times Sunday and noticed a lot of new wood in place on the red train side immediately as you leave the station. So it looks a little out of place, but oh well, the ride is 27 years old and still runs great!!!!

Also, I remember reading on some board that Monty Jasper stated that Gemini and I believe CCMR are all going through a phased wood replacement program. Thus their entire structures will have newer wood installed !!!

I'm happy that they are doing that. It is pretty old. Will it make the ride a lot smoother, just a little bit, or not at all? just wondering.

Replacing wood on the structure of Gemini probably won't affect the ride experience much (if at all), but it will keep the ride from falling over which, in my opinion, is still a good thing.

Yes, John, I checked with Monty on that one. It is, in fact, a good thing.

;)

Its not going to affect the ride performance either, but if you don't replace the wood, down the road you could have some major problems such as wood crackings.

I would consider the ride falling over a pretty sever impact on the ride experience. So I guess even though the wood replacement won't immediately improve the ride experience, it will keep it from getting worse.

I do know on MS that they replace wood every year, or at least it appears as such since there are less weathered boards scattered throughout the structure.

*** Edited 11/1/2005 6:20:07 PM UTC by JuggaLotus***

So, I still have a difficult time understanding the color differences in the wood in the SC lot and the wood on Gemini. I understand that wood will weather... but c'mon now. That wood is dang near black, whereas the Gemini's wood is pretty light. Are they gonna leave it there for like 50 years?

Agreed...it will blend in with time.

Actually, I would like another coaster like gemini in the park. And if I had my wish, it would be to get it in '07 in the WWL slot. I love the look of the wood, with the feel of steel.

Okay, you can't agree with me and say it will blend over time. That's contradictory. You see, I don't see how the wood could fade that much in, lets say, 5-10 years. Are they gonna be mismatched for that long???

Additionally, we're more likely to see a steel structure/wood track hybrid as opposed to the opposite... sadly.

Sledge said up above that he heard that both Gemini and CCMR are going through phased wood replacement, meaning that in 2-3 years time all the wood will have been replaced. As long as all the replacement wood is the same color, it will all match when the project is done.

Michael Darling said:
Replacing wood on the structure of Gemini probably won't affect the ride experience much (if at all), but it will keep the ride from falling over which, in my opinion, is still a good thing.

My guess, That is a good thing. lol

You people crack me up. djDaemon is correct. The wood in the parking lot is very dark, and will never match Gemini if it weathers. Dark brown-to-black is not going to fade to a light reddish-brown. Let's talk sense here. Makes me wonder if they are going to stain Gemini a dark brown this year, or if that wood is really for CCMR instead, while more wood is coming for the Gemini.

Unless of course they are going to do a complete wood replacement over the next couple off-seasons, then it doesn't matter if this wood matches the current wood.

What Jugga said makes the most sense so far. What sledge said does not, except for the phase-replacement part.

So, I'd have to say that the wood will ALL eventually be darker, as they replace it over the next few off-seasons.

djDaemon said:
You see, I don't see how the wood could fade that much in, lets say, 5-10 years. Are they gonna be mismatched for that long???

When wood is "processed" it is coated in a tar like substance to prevent water from soaking into rhe wood and this tar fades very quickly to a reddish color. Railroad ties are coated in this same tar-like substance. If you look at the ties on CP&LE RR you can see this very same substance. Granted it takes 1-2 years to fade but it will turn to that lovely red color that you currently see on Gemini.

~the clean up crew~

on the web site there is alot of wood being used on the new ride for next year. If you look at the video there is alot of wood connected with that project. there is a fence around the ride which looks like the wood in the parking lot.

About wood repair, there's something with CCMR that has always worried me...

http://www.rcdb.com/ig18.htm?picture=4

That wood seems to go right into the lagoon...who knows how far down the footers are. It has always scared me that this wood is rotting away... One of those weird phobias I guess.

That lagoon gets drained every winter, so I'm sure they at least check it out then.

Thanks, clean up crew - thats what I was looking for. Although, I have to say I was sort of (secretly) hoping that Gemini might end up being a slightly darker color in a couple years. That might have been neat.