Magnum came to a DEAD STOP. Ouch.

I was in the park the last weekend of June. My son, brother, and I were on one of my old favorites, The Magnum, it was all good until coming out of the third tunnel the train came to the hardest stop I've ever experienced on a ride. My head flew forward and I swear I could feel the vertebrae in my neck straining to keep my head on. My neck hurt for a while after. What I was more concerned about though was my son. After we got off the ride, we watched multiple trains go through to see if they would stop where we did and none of them did, they slowed down but never came to a screeching halt. Anyone else experience this? I love the Magnum but that was pretty scary.

I know there is a trim brake after the third tunnel. There must have been a stacking issue at the station, but you do have some pretty good speed coming out of that last tunnel. I would imagine it would be a pretty hard jolt, especially if you had your hands up and were not expecting it.

This is normal it's because one train is on the break run outside the station and one is in the station not yet going up the hill so the one outside can't advance and your train slams to a halt on that break run.

I'm not positive, but didn't they add an extra set of brakes at that point after the crash a few years ago?

As stated before, if a train is on the ready brakes, the safety brakes after the third tunnel will stop the train. Normal behavior and nothing scary about it, that is how it is supposed to work.

I've been stopped on the safety brakes many times as I ride Magnum a lot, it is a brisk stop but vertebrae straining is a bit of an exaggeration. I don't think it is any harder then what Wildcat used to do coming into the station. Also, Gemini trains stop just as hard on the safeties outside of the station after the final helix if the station is occupied.

Yep, what Pete said.

Couldn't have been that bad if it happened in June and you're just now posting about it?

It's not my favorite thing about Magnum, but in the last tunnel I always prepare myself and whomever I'm riding with for the possibility of an e-stop.

Yeah, ride crews generally try to work hard so that a stop on the safety brakes is avoided if at all possible. I think once you have experienced it once, you tend to be much more prepared in case it happens to you again. It can definitely be a jolt if you are not expecting to stop.

I'm hoping Rougarou will be able to avoid the 3 train stacking that happened on Mantis. A stop in the Mantis safety brake was not very fun.

MaverickLaunch said:
Couldn't have been that bad if it happened in June and you're just now posting about it?

It was such a hard stop he's just now remembering about it, since that part of his brain is finally back in place.

MaverickLaunch said:
Yep, what Pete said.

Couldn't have been that bad if it happened in June and you're just now posting about it?

It's not my favorite thing about Magnum, but in the last tunnel I always prepare myself and whomever I'm riding with for the possibility of an e-stop.

I just found this forum last week. I've been wondering about that stop on Magnum since it happened though and was hoping some of you knew why it stopped like that. I love that ride but that was painful and hurt my neck afterward and I am afraid to ride it again.

Pete said:
As stated before, if a train is on the ready brakes, the safety brakes after the third tunnel will stop the train. Normal behavior and nothing scary about it, that is how it is supposed to work.

I've been stopped on the safety brakes many times as I ride Magnum a lot, it is a brisk stop but vertebrae straining is a bit of an exaggeration. I don't think it is any harder then what Wildcat used to do coming into the station. Also, Gemini trains stop just as hard on the safeties outside of the station after the final helix if the station is occupied.

I've been riding Magnum since I was tall enough as a kid to get on it and I've never stopped like that before. I was not prepared to come to a complete stop like that and my head went forward very hard. Vertebrae straining was a description of what it felt like. My neck hurt immediately after this and hurt for a few days after. I love coasters and rode Gemini yesterday. The stop was not the same. I don't mind fast stops. I don't mind be jostled around.

Chuck Wagon said:
Yeah, ride crews generally try to work hard so that a stop on the safety brakes is avoided if at all possible. I think once you have experienced it once, you tend to be much more prepared in case it happens to you again. It can definitely be a jolt if you are not expecting to stop.

I'm hoping Rougarou will be able to avoid the 3 train stacking that happened on Mantis. A stop in the Mantis safety brake was not very fun.

Yes, I would definitely be more prepared next time! I usually allow myself to be really loose on rides and let the restraints do what they're meant for, especially on rides I am familiar with, and I think that was why this hurt more than if I had been prepared. I didn't know about the e-brakes. The crews are awesome and are always hustling to keep it moving. :)

Gemini doesn't stop hard most of the time, only if the station is occupied. I'm sure your ride yesterday had a clear station so the train stopped gently as you were coming into the station.

I had a stop like that the last weekend of August. It is really sudden and abrupt no doubt!

BeansAndRice said:

... especially on rides I am familiar with ... I didn't know about the e-brakes.

Oh the irony.

Its happened to me quite often, but no where near as bad as those bunny hills. Cant they be reprofiled?

The bunny hills is part of what makes Magnum the fun ride it is, nothing on Magnum should be reprofiled. What is it with people complaining of aggressive rides nowadays, especially you young guys? It's a roller coaster, not your car travelling down the highway.

In my opinion, Magnum is superior to many new coasters BECAUSE it is not silky smooth, you feel the speed through a little bit of roughness and sudden transitions on the bunny hills. The action through the pretzel is superior to anything on Millennium Force, especially when Magnum has it's trim brakes off.

Maybe they should bring back the "Have you had your Wheaties today?" commercials.

I'm young and love Maggie...Even had one day that was almost damn near an overspeed middle of the summer this year..Absolutely beautiful...

Only thing the ride needs is the PLC redesigned to park the train in the station faster, it's ridiculous this year. Oh and maybe..just maybe ride period music again

^ Yeah I disagree. If you pick a bad seat, Magnum is rough as hell, and far from enjoyable. Saying it's superior to new coasters because of this is just silly. That said, you get a good seat, and it's a very enjoyable ride with lots of airtime.

Lol I'll sit ejector everytime and love it, but I see both sides to the opinion. We at least all agree Maggie is one hell of a world class coaster.

Yes, agree. Scottyf, what you find rough as hell I find enjoyable. So, I see and respect your viewpoint, but what I said is far from silly. To each their own, that's why CP has a nice selection of different coasters.