Magnum's Opening

Jeff said:
The thing that always strikes me about the original POV is how low the track went just before the turnaround.

Call me a newb, but I never knew they modified Magnum. I watched both POVs and noticed the change, but I just never knew it happened.

Jeff said:
I remember a particularly crappy day, maybe in 1999, where there were more employees than guests in the park. They dropped Magnum down to one train, which was allegedly historic at the time.

I remember that day well, rode the ride a number of times that night, though I didn't know Jeff at the time. Every time I rode it slowed to such a crawl at the top of the second hill that I though for sure it would valley. Never did though.

I also rode Magnum many times before they modified the bow tie. The bottom of the drop going into the bow tie in the last seat was a real back breaker. I can see why the modified it. Before the reprofileing, they added a trim brake on the top of the hill leading into the bow tie. Pretty much killed airtime on that hill. After the reprofile, the brake was moved to its current location and airtime was restored.

I wonder what it would cost the park to get the fog, sound, and lighting effects up and running again.

Again, is it necessary? No, I suppose not, but this is one of those many things on my "the-tiny-things-Cedar-Point-could-do-to-improve" checklist. It's not at the top, but hey, this is a landmark we're talking about here...not Mantis. This is a milestone in the coaster universe...shouldn't it be babied?

That's it....I'm gonna tell Tony. :)

Anyway, the real reason I came back to this thread is because I'm not sure if my brain is creating a memory or if this was real. Before the re-profile, didn't sparks fly from the ride at a certain point? I'm not sure what caused it (or if this is just my 10 year old self lying to me), but I seem to have a memory of seeing this at night when Maggie was new.

You're right on about sparks flying from Magnum. This happened when the ride operated with it's brass uplift pads (like Gemini and Mine Ride). The phenomenon went away once the trains were modified to have uplift wheels instead. With the amount of airtime on the ride, I imagine those pads were grinding off pretty quick.

I miss the chasing strobes on the lift hill at night. Magnum will always be the coaster that put CP in the map. It was a big deal, even still a bigger deal than MF and TTD.

If you mean the original lights (light) that use to look like a little "blip" that would sort of shoot up the hill like it was trying to blow the top of the lift off - that would be awesome ! Oh, AND the fog !!

OK, it needs to happen. Bring back Magnum's former glory. :)

I'm pegging my jeans right now in protest.

Seriously, it's little things like that that make an excellent ride even more great.

^^ Hahaha. I'd grow a rat tail in soladarity, if I could still grow hair.

Why'd I forget about those lift lights? That was a pretty cool effect considering those weren't LED's.

I think the lift hill lit controller took one too many lightning strikes, and they switched from the strobes to the current boring chase pattern.

I never rode Magnum without the upstop wheels (took my first ride in 1990, actually...) but if you listen closely to the I famous between the rails video, you can hear the pads scraping against the rail at the critical points on the ride.

On a related note, I notice that last season they fixed the tunnel skin so that the BANG! is gone as the train goes through the first tunnel.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Awe man. Another tunnel effect gone. ;-)

They definitely need to restore Magnum. Thinking back, this is also the roller coaster that started the coaster wars if I am not mistaken.

Personally, I think Magnum is the most significant coaster ever installed at CP. Unbelievable excitement about that ride in 1989. My favorite ad was actually from a boat manufacturer. There was a beautiful speed boat in the water in front of Magnum (a Fountain boat I believe) and the tagline said "The ride everybody is waiting for".

Be nice if it occurs to someone at Cedar Fair to restore effects, paint, and dress things up for the 25th anniversary of the thing next season.

I enjoy the hell out of the newer coasters in the park...well 'cept for Mean Streak - but the Magnum will *always* be a special ride to me.

Personally, I think Magnum is the most significant coaster ever installed at CP.

I would argue that Magnum is the most significant steel coaster ever made.

You mean after the first one. ;)

This video was a great for me. I love the Magnum because it was the coaster that started my love for coasters when I was 8 years old which was funny because at I remember going to the Magic Kingdom and being scared to ride Big Thunder Mountain the year before. But I hope Cedar Point gives Magnum some TLC for its 25th as well for it was the coaster that truly put Cedar Point on the map and IMO its impact and Cedar Point truly has not been topped.

Magnum is so much better at night than during the day. I'll go out of my way to make sure I ride it when it is dark out before I leave, even if it means walking all the way to the back to ride it.

Iron Dragon is another good coaster to ride at night, but Magnum takes the cake in that regard. Such a historic coaster.

I was wondering if someone had the playlist for Magnum's line, if anyone knows all the songs.

This should help. http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Post.aspx?id=420017