New Gemini in 2013

I'm intrigued by the thought of Gemini being run backwards. Although some additional padding and some headrests would be needed. Those final helices would be PAINFUL while running backwards.

Are they getting new trains?

I forget, do the current ones have up-stop pads or wheels?

Vette said:
Are they getting new trains?

I forget, do the current ones have up-stop pads or wheels?

They stil use the pads.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6235/7012661069_ece1a62c74_h.jpg

I'm pretty sure they already have new trains. There are a few red cars in the Mean Streak infield. The trains that are currently being used on Gemini look nothing like the ones in the infield.

That is because in last years off-season they completely tore down the trains and repainted them. There are pictures posted on here in one of the off season tours.

Also I have always enjoyed Gemini, and the past 4 years have enjoyed over 400 rides on it.

I'd love to see Gemini run one side backwards. That said, I'm fairly skeptical about this supposed rumor.

I'm actually rather eh on backwards racing coasters, to be honest. Aside from the fact that they turned the Racer at KI back around, I always liked the forward racing on the Gemini... if they turn one side backwards I feel like you lose some of the direct sensation of competition, plus it'd be harder to slap hands in the corners.

And aside from that, did a time machine from rec.roller-coaster stop by or something? I swear every ride-centric topic has at least one post yelling TAER IT DOWN now. We can't replace every single Leap-The-Dips with a B&M invert, people.

The question of running one side of Gemini backwards was asked at Coastermania a few years ago.

We were told that Cedar Point had considered it but,beacause of the design of the ride's trains and track, it wouldn't be easy to do.

^ But they recently got new trains :)

See this thread from 11 years ago:
http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/4408.aspx

I don't think Arrow would give them the approval to turn a train backwards. Remember this is the company that made both Racers run forwards again at KI, after one had run backwards for more than 20 years. (Conveniently, that also allowed them to only run one side during non-busy times, something that they do with Gemini as well).

Chuck Wagon said:
See this thread from 11 years ago:
http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/4408.aspx

Interesting that someone heard they would do that for Gemini's 25th anniversery, similar to someone hearing they would do it for the 35th.

Cool rumor, but I would be surprised to see it. That first drop would be fun backwards tho

I'm intrigued by the idea, but like others have said, I would be just as happy with a refurb of the Gemini Midway and the loss of the asphalt.

What ever happened to them using a Gemini train on Cedar Creek Mine Ride? I never heard any follow up information on that after we had seen the picture of a blue Gemini train running on the Mine Ride back in the off season.

SSL 488; Gemini did not get new trains recently as I stated before they were rebuilt in last years off season.

I'm a little confused as to where this rumor came from. If it was way back when the Gatekeeper page/pictures were accidentally up, why is this the first anyone has said anything? It seems like that would be a fairly big deal to leak out.

I think it's a pretty large grain of salt. :)

Leave Gemini alone. It still is a great ride. The was my first "number 1" coaster. Before Millennium Force and Magnum there was the Gemini. And considering they put the plaque honoring Ron Toomer nearby I feel its not going away anytime soon.

Oh it most definitely is going nowhere, unless it goes backwards :)

A large grain of salt indeed Kevinj

I'm not sure if the red and blue trains are mechanically identical or not...

The reason Cedar Point has extra cars (6 red, and 6 blue to be exact) is not because they got new trains, but because they have more or less permanently removed two trains from service. Recall that Gemini was designed to run 6 trains, and when it did so, it had, to the best of my knowledge, the highest hourly capacity of any roller coaster anywhere: routinely between 3,400 and 3,600 PPH.

I do not see them turning the red train around backwards. Blue train perhaps, but not red. Or, perhaps they could do the same thing with the red train that Silver Dollar City did with Thunderation, reversing the two middle cars (3 and 4). That's about all you can do simply with those trains, and even that leaves you with lap bars that have to be opened manually unless the station is modified. Perhaps cars 1 and 6 can be switched, but I think cars 2 and 5 have to run forward.

PTC trains use a chain clutch that is bolted onto the bottom of the train as a single unit. Arrow put an axle through the chassis beam and attached the hoist and safety clutches to that axle. A welded block below the axle serves to hold the clutch pawl in place when it is not engaged with the lift. That block would be in the way if a park attempted to reverse the clutches. Since there are only two clutch assemblies on the train, and because the hitches are relatively simple (and I think they are the same at both ends) it would be possible to selectively reverse the cars, and it might be possible to switch the positions of the first and last cars.

I do not see them reversing the train on the red side, because that's the side with the elevator.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

SSL488 said:
^ But they recently got new trains :)

The trains are not new. 4/6 trains were refurbished this year. The only part of the shell that looks really new seems to be the front part of each train. The fiberglass feels flimsier than in the past.

Maverick00 said:
I just heard an interesting rumor. I'm taking it with a grain of salt

That line sounds similar to what I might read on Screamscape.

The racers @ kings Island ran one side backwards since I was old enough to ride and I am 34. Only after Cedar Fair bought the park did they change the ride. The backwards train was my favorite. Forward is still fun, It's a good nostalgic ride. But it's an out and back coaster w/ no fast turns. If they turned the gemini cars backwards people would be breaking their necks in the helix at the end of the ride. Not going to happen. I think the suprise that they got up their sleeve is not going to that they saved the wildcat and are putting it back into the park somewhere. They had no intention of removing it in the 1st place. For every person who wants to tear down half the park there are thousands that want it to stay the same, or even miss King Authors Court, or want their Demon Drop back. Plenty of people complained about the sudden removal of Wildcat shortly before the season. It wasn't always there anyways, they just can't move it without planning. If they wanted to get rid of it they would have planned it 4 years in advance. I'm sure one of the hints about the new coaster was something like,"the wildcat doesn't have anything on...." Why would they mention something people were pissed off about in their hint about a new ride? They were training people to operate the ride this spring. I don't think they scrapped it.