mean streak unleashed?
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when is cp going to get the hint that the trim brakes have to go? how many more roll backs is it going to take? how many more bad reviews and complaints is it going to take? would some body please step in and do something. ditch those ridiculous things and let this coaster perform the way its suppose to! otherwise take it out and replace it with a merry go round or something a little more exciting
I reopened this thread... it's been about a year since we've had this discussion and there are a lot of new people here. Veterans, please bare with me.
Here's the story on Mean Streak: It's too big and has the wrong trains. The trims are there to keep the ride from tearing itself apart and making it anymore uncomfortable than it already is.
Here's the chain of events, inspired by Dave Althoff's opinion because it makes good sense to me. The cars can't articulate, that is the axles can not pivot to turn in the track. Think Hot Wheels cars... the wheels can't "steer."
Since they can't articulate, they tend to bounce around a lot in the turns. A kind of repetitive bounce off of the side of the track. This shakes the riders, shakes the ride and causes the car to bounce up and down. While the wheels slide and bounce around, that causes grooves to form in the track rails, which leads to more vibration. The faster the train moves, the worse all of this gets.
Want to see just how bad these trains move through the track? Watch as a train ascends the hill after the first drop. You can see each car, one after another, jerk to one side (don't remember which way) as it "finds" the curve. Is it any wonder there's a carpenter on that piece of track every morning?
So that's the short explanation, though I'm certainly no expert.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Here's the story on Mean Streak: It's too big and has the wrong trains. The trims are there to keep the ride from tearing itself apart and making it anymore uncomfortable than it already is.
Here's the chain of events, inspired by Dave Althoff's opinion because it makes good sense to me. The cars can't articulate, that is the axles can not pivot to turn in the track. Think Hot Wheels cars... the wheels can't "steer."
Since they can't articulate, they tend to bounce around a lot in the turns. A kind of repetitive bounce off of the side of the track. This shakes the riders, shakes the ride and causes the car to bounce up and down. While the wheels slide and bounce around, that causes grooves to form in the track rails, which leads to more vibration. The faster the train moves, the worse all of this gets.
Want to see just how bad these trains move through the track? Watch as a train ascends the hill after the first drop. You can see each car, one after another, jerk to one side (don't remember which way) as it "finds" the curve. Is it any wonder there's a carpenter on that piece of track every morning?
So that's the short explanation, though I'm certainly no expert.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
I'm glad this thread was not closed and an explanation was finally given, instead of fighting about it...thanks Jeff. There are a lot of new people and it's time consuming to treak back a year or two and get an explanation for everything. There's a lot of info on this site and it's worth bringing up old news once in awhile.
With that said, I agree with Clarkbar. Why doesn't CP make it more comfortable if the technology is there? I really don't think it would take the sensation away of a wooden coaster. Or is the technology not there yet? Does another woodie have the solution that Jeff mentioned of?
With that said, I agree with Clarkbar. Why doesn't CP make it more comfortable if the technology is there? I really don't think it would take the sensation away of a wooden coaster. Or is the technology not there yet? Does another woodie have the solution that Jeff mentioned of?
I noticed that too after the first drop. When I last rode MS I remember one jerk in particular that slammed me forward violently as we went up the second incline before the turn. It scarred the sh** out of me because I thaught something had gone wrong with the train like it had skipped the track.
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At the dawn of the new millennium they all bowed down to CP realizing they lost the war.
I think that overal that in the park's eyes the ride isn't that bad, and I tend to agree with them. For the most part it is the enthusiasts are the ones that complain the most about the ride. More often than not the GP likes the ride. I think that if suffers from being in the back of the park, besides the train station not everyone goes back there. If there was a huge line of people waiting in line to go inside the park op office and complain about the ride then that would justify the cost of a huge investment in new trains. Yes, the ride has six full time carpenters, but with the rides location right ontop of the lake and how the trains tear up the track you are going to need that many to keep the ride in working order. So do me a favor and give the MS bashing a rest!
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Daniel J. Haverlock
'99 Magnum Count: 801
Is it May yet?
www.popworld.com/dan
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Daniel J. Haverlock
'99 Magnum Count: 801
Is it May yet?
www.popworld.com/dan
I haven't mentioned this before, but I agree with Dan. I think that the ride does suffer because it is at the back of the park and there is not much to draw people back there. In 1991, when the ride first opened, I thought that it was hard to find. You could see parts of it from the park, but it didn't stand out until I walked all of the way back there and saw it all. There are so many other rides in the park to draw people, that this woodie doesn't get the time of day from a lot of people.
Also, I do have to admit that I know a lot of people who just think that it is too rough. That includes, my brother, father, sister, sister-in-law, and some of my friends.
Also, I do have to admit that I know a lot of people who just think that it is too rough. That includes, my brother, father, sister, sister-in-law, and some of my friends.
How can something as massive as Mean Streak be hard to find, I can see if it were short, or indoor, but to even get close to that thing and not know it is there seems absurd. And doesn't the park hand out maps at the front gate. The ride is rough and anyone I have gone there with refuses to ride it because of that, I thought I was going to black out on it once, Everytime I get off of it I have a headache, the same being true for the Predator at Darien, though i am glad to hear it is getting retracked, because it was awesome when it first opened
I would admit that Mean Streak is hard to find. When you are walking down the main midway to can see Mantis, Magnum, Gemini, and heck even Ripcord. If you are new to the park and don't have a map it will take you forever and a day to find MS in the back of the park.
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Daniel J. Haverlock
'99 Magnum Count: 801
Is it May yet?
www.popworld.com/dan
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Daniel J. Haverlock
'99 Magnum Count: 801
Is it May yet?
www.popworld.com/dan
It's always seemed a bit odd to me that CP has not opened a "midway extension" between Gemini and the Mean Streak (i.e. through the existing restrooms by Gemini). I'd hope they'd be able to preserve Boneville when doing this. But would that go through their "R&D" building? I can't quite remember the layout of what's back there. But it just seems to me even a narrow walkway there would make Mean Streak more accessible.
Whenever I ride the Meanstreak, I don't think it shakes more than it should. I just hold up my hands and enjoy the ride.
Well to respond to this thread, this is exactly what I was talking about in the other thread "Meanstreak Retracked". I guess nobody listened to me. The reason that there aren't a lot of people in the queues is because people can't find it. I've had several people come up to me and ask where the Meanstreak is. They said they were looking all around the park for it. I know where it is, but sometimes when I go back to ride it I get confused because of the buildings blocking the railroad tracks to get there. If you think about it the only thing back there is the Meanstreak and the scrap yard. So why would most people want to go back there. I think they need to extend some Frontier Town buildings behind those railroad tracks to attract more of a crowd back there.
*** This post was edit by CPgenius on 12/5/99. *** *** This post was edit by CPgenius on 12/5/99. ***
Well to respond to this thread, this is exactly what I was talking about in the other thread "Meanstreak Retracked". I guess nobody listened to me. The reason that there aren't a lot of people in the queues is because people can't find it. I've had several people come up to me and ask where the Meanstreak is. They said they were looking all around the park for it. I know where it is, but sometimes when I go back to ride it I get confused because of the buildings blocking the railroad tracks to get there. If you think about it the only thing back there is the Meanstreak and the scrap yard. So why would most people want to go back there. I think they need to extend some Frontier Town buildings behind those railroad tracks to attract more of a crowd back there.
*** This post was edit by CPgenius on 12/5/99. *** *** This post was edit by CPgenius on 12/5/99. ***
Good suggestion Western Cruiser. That would open the back of the park more and make MS more accessible...not having to cross the train tracks But for those who say you can't see it???????? I tend to take the opposite appraoch. It's hard to miss, it's just that the line is hard to find for someone not familiar with it.
The train attracts the crowd to the Mean Streak. New comers see it and think "WOW! Mean Streak is a really good value". They then proceed to take a picture with their Polaroid, ride it, and then buy the on-ride-photo.
I think the same problem happens with White Water Landing. People ask for directions and can evan see the ride, but just can't seem to find the entrance. The buildings block the entrance to Mean Streak, not so much the ride itself. It also seems that people always go the wrong way around Antique cars. It's just a little cluttered back there. I have seen Mean Streaker with a 3 hour wait this year. That same day it beat Magnum (2 hours), Raptor (2 1/2 hours), and Mantis (15 minutes) (Mantis confused me to, guess no one liked the crew).
The only part that bothers me on Mean Streak is that jolt on the secound hill/curve. I was unfortunately luckey enough to ride this woody with the hill trims off this season. It was very jerky and ruff. The only good point was some noticeble airtime on two or three of the hills. I believe if they can get a good enough crew of carpenters then they can still have the airtime and the trims working together. The crew now is finally starting to tune that to perfection (or at least close). The only odd part of the ride is hearing that scrapeing on the lift. Why and when did it start doing that?
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AKA: bodyin thewaterball fountain.
Paddlewheel Excursions: 12
Jokes on PE: 120
I think the same problem happens with White Water Landing. People ask for directions and can evan see the ride, but just can't seem to find the entrance. The buildings block the entrance to Mean Streak, not so much the ride itself. It also seems that people always go the wrong way around Antique cars. It's just a little cluttered back there. I have seen Mean Streaker with a 3 hour wait this year. That same day it beat Magnum (2 hours), Raptor (2 1/2 hours), and Mantis (15 minutes) (Mantis confused me to, guess no one liked the crew).
The only part that bothers me on Mean Streak is that jolt on the secound hill/curve. I was unfortunately luckey enough to ride this woody with the hill trims off this season. It was very jerky and ruff. The only good point was some noticeble airtime on two or three of the hills. I believe if they can get a good enough crew of carpenters then they can still have the airtime and the trims working together. The crew now is finally starting to tune that to perfection (or at least close). The only odd part of the ride is hearing that scrapeing on the lift. Why and when did it start doing that?
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AKA: bodyin thewaterball fountain.
Paddlewheel Excursions: 12
Jokes on PE: 120
As far as people not familiar with the park and not being able to find MS, they are probably looking right at it and thinking it's Gemini. I could see where a person new to the park could get this confussed. Both coasters look simular and they are close to one another.
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At the dawn of the new millennium they all bowed down to CP realizing they lost the war.
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At the dawn of the new millennium they all bowed down to CP realizing they lost the war.
By the way didn't Curt Summers (the designer of MS) and CP have a lot of diagreements when they were designing it? I heard that Summers was having a rough time designing around everything CP wanted in this ride.
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At the dawn of the new millennium they all bowed down to CP realizing they lost the war.
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At the dawn of the new millennium they all bowed down to CP realizing they lost the war.
On closing weekend I had the best rides on MS all season. It was all because of one simple little thing: slick rails. It was sprinkling lightly all afternoon and evening. Those trains were flying around the course. It was rough, but tolerable. And this was with the trims on. To make MS a better ride, they don't need to turn off the brakes, they need to grease the rails.
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Scott W. Short
sshort@mediaone.net
http://welcome.to/midwestcoastercentral
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Scott W. Short
sshort@mediaone.net
http://welcome.to/midwestcoastercentral
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