Look at this...

Look where they are storing the TTD trains for the winter.... right in front of the station! hahahha.

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/inside_park/webcam/camera2.cfm

I don't see how it's that funny. I found storing mantis out in the middle of the parking lot humorous.

-Eagle

That's where they put them while they are pulling them off the track. Then they'll bring a flatbed in, load them all up at once and transport them out to, I'm guessing, the pavilions for their winter make-over.

They'll reappear by the station around march/april while they put each one on and make sure everything is working, then in mid-late April you'll see launches begin again as they start doing testing leading up to state certification.

They are not stored by the station all winter.

Actually, the trains are now in the same place as they were last offseason. (Okay, they're in a nice neat row this year, but that is probably where they'll stay until March or April.)

Laura

Coaster trains get rotated in and out of rehab locations all over the park all winter long. They still spend the bulk of their time in a parking lot or on a midway.

Yeah I don't find it that funny either. That is exactly where the trains were last season.

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Cory Marshall

What are you talking about, that's really funny. What tell me now, they cover the picnic shelters with tarps and bring the trains through rehab in there. :)

This probably doesnt mean anything but I am curious.Looking at the
empty Cedar Point midway in front of Dragster I notice the trains stored neatly in front of the station(which I know is normal proceedure).However I am curious about the one that was left on the track and is sitting in the station.
I figured they would pull them all off at the same time but I guess not.Just curious to know why it has been left.Possible off season testing?
Not making a big deal about it ---just wondering thats all.
thanks in advance.

Probably. What, did you think the last train of the season was the last time Dragster would run until opening day?

I would think the ride would a difficulty getting up that tower these days. Since the park closed temperatures dropped at least 15 degrees. Trains have trouble going over at 50 degrees.

Storing TTD trains outside of the station. That's hilarious.

1870 said:
Storing TTD trains outside of the station. That's hilarious.

".. My sarcasm meter is going off the charts!"

I know no one will know the answer to this, but what's up with the train still being on the track on Christmas. It was put on the transfer track a few weeks ago and hasn't moved. The ride could have run after the park closed in October, but in December, I'm almost positive that the ride can't run in temperatures we get now, and the snow wouldn't help much. And they have trouble getting the train over the tower at 60 degrees, HA, try 10 degrees.
*** Edited 12/25/2004 3:38:49 AM UTC by Gomez***

There's no technical reason I can think of that the ride can't run in cold temperatures as long as the track isn't obstructed by ice.

My guess is that if they're attempting to do anything in the off-season, it's to try and get trains moving around faster between the various blocks around the stations, launch, and stand-by areas.

I haven't seen the pictures you guys are talking about - but can anyone tell if it is the red train that is still on the transfer tracks?

Am I correct in assuming that most of the random brief periods of downtime were associated with blocking issues? I imagine if that was the reason then that would also justify running 5 trains instead of 6.

After some of the threads in the summer, I think it was kind of obvious that they really get better capacity with 5 trains than 6. Blocking issues aren't what stops that, the ride would need another block to run 6 trains keeping a good capacity.

- I can't tell if it is the red train or not. Might be?

If pairs of trains moved together instead of the front one moving then the back one moving (and they moved at the faster speed that we have very rarely seen trains shuffled around at) the ride might be able to pull 6 train-op off a little better.

As it is now with each train moving individually, we aren't going to see it happen. There are enough blocks on the ride, it's just that without trains moving in unison it's not going to work.

Well why coulden't the planners of this ride see it coming istead of wasting money on a 6th train thats not needed. Also would the compacity be the same with TTd only running 4 trains?

4 trains is like running 2 on MF. That means 2 in loading and 2 that launch and unload. John basically described that the ride doesn't move the trains together in pairs that it should do. When the trains are cleared out of the station the trains should both start moving together at the same speed. If I recall they did try this out in 2003, but they could only do it when it was dry since the tires that advance the trains can slip if they are wet.