Just curious about the rides in the offseason.

I was just wondering......what kind of repairs are done to rides during the offseason? Do the constuction crews check every part of every ride just to make sure its safe for the coming summer? I drove down to Cedar Point last Monday since it was a beautiful day and I saw construction people on Mean Streak doing something and I saw them on Gemini. I also saw ,I believe the same people were putting the Magnum carts on the tracks...Thats what I think I saw atleast. I just want to know how they keep the rides in good condition through the winter season....any one know?

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At the turn of the Millenium......there were signs...

If I remember correctly, I recall someone saying MS was getting retracked this off season. Im sure that they walk the track and replace things as needed every off-season on every coaster. I have always been curious about the off season as well. I would love to see more photos of the park covered in snow. For those of us who havn't seen it, it's something new (I know it sounds kind of boring). There's a couple pics in the gallery and Jeffrey Spartan has some on his site (don't have the link handy) if you want to see them.

BTW- Where were you that allowed you to see Magnums trains getting put back on? Did they allow you in the Breakers lot?

*** This post was edited by Winston306 on 3/2/2002. ***

As far as I know, the general stuff they do year after year to each ride is to make sure everything is still 100% perfect. If anything shows wear they reaplace it so that it won't become a problem in the future. Like how they mention that they take apart the coaster cars to take them apart and check each individual part. Although I would like to see the park in the winter too. I guess that is for a select handful of lucky people. :) I have been to Bay Harbor a few times before in February and March, but isn't really good enough for me to say I've seen the park in the Winter. :)

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- Chris -
Computer Science - Ashland University
Witches' Wheel/Monster - 2002
3rd Shift Trash Removal - 2001

That would be pretty cool.

GOOD JOB ASHLAND FOR BEATING GANNON IN BASKETBALL TO MAKE FINDLAY OILERS #1.

Greg

Really? I haven't really followed the sports teams here. :)

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- Chris -
Computer Science - Ashland University
Witches' Wheel/Monster - 2002
3rd Shift Trash Removal - 2001

OK during the off-season every ride unit is taken apart and rebuilt. The check all the tracks and fix anything that needs replaced. In fact over the next few winters the whole wooden frame for Geminni is being replaced bosrd by board. I hope that was helpful.

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Disaster-2000
CP&LE RR and White Water Landing 2001
Mine Ride-2002
weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

well you see,I saw all this when I drove along that side rode that goes back to the hotel breakers.On the weekdays if you take that really long road off cleveland road before state route 250 you can get onto that road without being told by the security guard to turn around.I always go that way,its longer but its worth it if you want to see the park better. If you go off route 250 that security guard will tell ya to turn around.On the weekands I have notice that road that goes back to the hotel breakers is closed.So go on the weekdays:)I love driving out there on nice sunny days.

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At the turn of the Millenium......there were signs...

CedarPoint!, you're the first person in 2 years of me being here that has ever posted my real first name...even if it was inadvertant. :)

There's a few athletes with the same name, Link's enemy in Zelda, and apparently a College too!

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MF count: 23

Winston, I have some off season photos of millennium force, midways, "the bones", among others and I also have some from this winter (wicked twister) most of which are available at my website. (Still trying to get the rest of the offseason pics from 2000 on there so it'll be awhile, sorry.

Evan www.cedarpoint.filetap.com

Mean Streak is perpetually re-tracked year-round, as needed.

Coaster cars and other verhicles are removed and "palletized" so they can be easily moved around. Several of the picnic shelters are enclosed, heaters added, and vehicles are overhauled and subjected to non-destructive testing.

On the Wicked Twister construction tour some of us did, we got to see one of the temporary shops near the main gate, where the yellow Mean Streak train was being stripped and tested. The wheel assemblies of an Iron Dragon train were also being tested. A Blue Streak train was there getting a new (perhaps more reliable) lap bar locking component.

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Thanks for the link Anonymous. Jeff- What is "non-destructive testing"? Do they load test the wheel assemblies some how?

RideMan could probably be more specific, but it's things like X-ray, sound waves, dyes, etc. to see if there are any cracks or defects.

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Thanks for the term, "palletized." ;)

Basically, everything is tested, checked, and fixed. From trains, to hot dog cookers, everything is repaired, replaced, or rebuilt, just to prevent problems.

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Tim, who hopes to work at Cedar Point one day and understand half of this site.

You just know that Cedar Point is all about customer satisfaction if they check their hot dog cookers :)

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Tommy Penner - http://www.phuzzy-logic.net/~vx3k
"Yes. The Force is strong in that one." -- Stifler, AP2

Thanks for all the feedback! I appreciate it alot.

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At the turn of the Millenium......there were signs...

On all the trains, all nuts and bolts are replaced with new ones.

For a basic look at the off season activities, please see the new thread...CP Off Season featured in Cleveland PD.

Actually, Jeff, those new Blue Streak lap bar mechanisms were installed LAST year, but last year they sent the trains back to PTC for rehab. This season was merely the first time Cedar Point has done the rehab on those locks.

As for non-destructive testing, NDT is not load testing. Load testing is either (a) mostly useless as it indicates that the system will function under a particular load (although it's reasonable for simulating normal operation), or (b) a form of destructive testing in which a prototype component is loaded to the point of failure in order to determine the failure characteristics for that part.

NDT is the search for problems in a component. That means any excessive wear, breakage, or cracking. Typically that means pins, couplers, axles, frames, and just about any other high-stress part you can think of. Some parts are X-rayed, some parts are treated with a penetrating dye that will call out the cracks, some parts are measured with ultrasound or magnetic particle testing, some parts just need looked at real close.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Thanks for the info Jeff and Rideman. Very interesting.

his topic has proved interesting.

"Swim If You Want To Battle Your Up @#&% Creek WIthout A paddle."