Length of Project Maverick

Roads aren't normally done in the winter because the asphalt plants are closed. But, like dj said, concrete can be poured whenever you want. You just need to cover it up and insulate it so it can cure.

Building in the winter costs more than building in the summer. There are factors to consider such as additives to the concrete for pouring in the winter - that costs more. Mikeybo had it right when he said they could have 2 constructions crews if they were building 2 roller coasters. You can hire as many people as you need to build as much as you need. The construction workers don't have degrees in roller coaster construction, they are steelworkers, masons, carpenters etc. they build what they are told to build. I believe it has everything to do with location. They can get a lot more done early because it is out of the way. Anyway I am rambling.
By the way for the grammar challenged the word is anyway not anyways.
*** Edited 8/8/2006 1:31:16 PM UTC by Muggsy***

Not sure about CP, but it is VERY difficult to dig in the winter- ground freezes. During november, it freezes solid and most places here do not bury the dead until it thaws in the spring because of the difficulty.

You CAN pour concrete but it highly avoided. It can cause stress on the concrete if it is timed with the ground freezing and expanding. If it isnt mostly cured at this point, it can cause it to crack.

how is this thread contributing something?

re·dun·dant nt)
adj.

1. Exceeding what is necessary or natural; superfluous.
2. Needlessly wordy or repetitive in expression: Of or involving redundancy in electronic equipment.
3. Of or involving redundancy in the transmission of messages.

halltd said:
I think they're doing it early because they could. OMG, what were they thinking?? They have a plot of land, out of the guests' way, and its summer!! Why on earth would they build something in the summer when they could build it over the harsh Ohio winters??

Its that simple people.

You do have a point: this ride is not where people are walking so close to it, so why not build it in the summer & avoid the harsh fall/ winter months? It's in its own 'little' corner. I didn't know they were building anything until I went there in June & saw the footers in the pond!

tonymtdew said:
Not sure about CP, but it is VERY difficult to dig in the winter- ground freezes. During november, it freezes solid and most places here do not bury the dead until it thaws in the spring because of the difficulty.

You CAN pour concrete but it highly avoided. It can cause stress on the concrete if it is timed with the ground freezing and expanding. If it isnt mostly cured at this point, it can cause it to crack.

I don't think I agree with you. What's the frost line in Norther Ohio? 36"? While that is a lot, a decent excavator could get through it. And the freezing would likely not be that deep until January or February, I would think.

Frost line where I am from is much deeper than 36" and while it is possible to get through it, it is extremely difficult to dig though without causing un-due stress to the equipment and running up the labor costs. The key word I said in the OP is 'difficult'- never said it was impossible.

Does the water table at the Point affect the frostline any?

I would imagine it to be affected in some way to some extent, I would need to see what, if any research has been done regarding this. In theory it could go either way- higher moisture content creating an extremely solid freeze line, or having higher water table that may posess latent heat which could keep it from freezing much at all.

I think that the testing issue is one of the number one reasons they started so early, with any new ride theres always those problems in the beginning, and they have to work out the "kinks". I think there just trying to cut back on down time and have a coaster ready go right from the get go, instead of mid season. I was there at the beginning of this season and there was in my opinon alot of down time with Skyhawk, another reason I think there building so early is because I think they're trying to build the hardest first, I think that the Antique cars will be removed and the ride will go there also, I don't know though just a guess

I think it's a really smart move to build this soon.

One, it gives people the chance to see a coaster being built.

and

Two, it'll spark attendance for this season and next season.

From what I have seen, non of the footings were that deep such that it required them to pour them in the summer. That (at least to me) is a good indication that we will not be seeing any height records.

So far, it appears the footprint of the ride is not that big so they would not need the extra time to complete it.

This is a ride that is not in the way of either road traffic or pedistrian traffic so perhaps someone is right in that they can do it, so why not. Someone did, however, make a good point about getting rid of white water landing early.

But then you have to ask why all of the secrecy. I frequently look at info on new rides in other parks and have yet to see such secrecy. If all they are doing is building a better version of something that has already been done, then who cares. They themselves know that within 1-2 years, someone will out do them. It took 1 month for MF, about 1 year for TTD and a couple of years for Raptor to have their records broken.

As far as an Intamin version of X, I doubt that is going to work due to the footings. If anyone has watched the DVD extreme rollercoaters, they spend quite a bit of talking talking about building it. The footings are over 100 feet into the ground to support the massive weight of the track and cars. The footings that CP has put in so far are quite shallow. Only reason I bring up ride type in this subject is because I mentioned the footing depth which I think rules out an Intamin X.

Does anyone remember how quiet they kept MF and TTD?

TTD was kept under leash by just working on the tower area. Like said before, it really only looked like a flat ride going in.

By the time TTD was announced, we all knew what it was. The only thing we didn't know was the EXACT specs of it.

haha yeah true, exact as in 420feet and 120mph.

ummmm... ohio winters aren't that harsh... they just suck :-)

I was at cedar point on physics day, and had a chance to talk one on one with Monty Jasper, and he was telling me two big reasons its so under wraps, is 1 to build anticipation and it's obviously working look at us (lol), and 2 because they don't want to reveal it until the time were they think no other park has enough time to throw something together and try to mock it, like they did with MF and TTD. Atleast those were Monty's words, and it's not like X because the track is not made like X, X has a whole diffrent type of track

I think I've said this 1,000 times as well: My theory is that this ride is going to have extensive theming (i.e. a mine, mountain or something "westernish" built around a portion of the ride- this is why the construction has started early- so the track is complete- and the theming and building (mountain, mine what have you) around the ride can be complete in time for May 2007. Just think- we're almost half way through the month of August- not too much time until the announcement!

I can go along with the theming idea...I have not been to CP yet this year...seeing Walt's (or whoever snapped those photos) what is the block building? Station...or something else?

Blank69 said:
I was at cedar point on physics day, and had a chance to talk one on one with Monty Jasper,

I would hope you were there since you said in a different thread that you worked at CP this summer. You were BUSY this summer. First talking to the informed construction workers with info to tell (I'm glad you edited that out of your other post finally, that and the Big Bash announcement to the staff) Now you got one on one time with Monty.

The Monty part I believe until part 2. I'm guessing you think that once CP has a ride, no other park will have one like it. How can a design be copied if they (CP) didn't design it. I'm guessing they walk (fly ,phone ,whatever) to the coaster companies and say "what can you build me that I can market". They come up with a plan and a price and hope the park likes it.

I'm sorry I'm venting like this but your original post upset me. Most Cedar Point employees past and present have pride in the park. And don't make up stories to seem like they had inside information. We were part of a great team. If the construction workers were so willing to give info, believe me someone would have posted it already here. Same goes if they announced it at Big Bash. Which I'm sure didn't happen. All I'm asking is your OPINIONS be stated that way. Instead of I was told this or that. Like the first post you made in this thread.

As past seasonal employees will tell you, we don’t know any more then the general public unless it’s related to our job. And construction projects are not on that list. So if you did have inside information, I think you are special because you are the first!