Not a good weekend for the Force
Just got back from two days at CP this past weekend (14 and 15th)First off the two days I was there last year, everything went fine all day. Then the 'ol sophomore jinx kicked in ;)First on a busy Saturday we had been waiting 90 min and was in the first pen of vertical queue rails. When I noticed that trains weren't coming by at a regular interval and the blue train was still on the brake run. So everyone waited and then the lift sled crept up the hill, and then crept back down. When it started again, it went normal speed and an empty train was going up. About 1/3 the way up, it stopped for a few seconds and then continued through the circuit. They did this with all three trains until after 30 min people were back on the course. Cheers could be heard whenver they started back up. Line at this point was two hours.
Then Sunday. We wanted to get the front seat on what would be our last Force trip of the weekend. Good thing for the seat queues. Was only a ten minute wait. Finally the people in front of us load their train, our was waiting in the unload station. I noticed they should have dispatched when the op in the booth was looking towards the unload staion, the monitors(what do they show on there? Just the lift, underneath..?)For a strange second, I thought the blue train rolled back because I didn't remember seeing it go past the station and plus I couldn't see to the end of the unload station.
Then the temporary shut down message was played. Oh the irony! I just prayed they would let us stay in line. Anyways we waited forty minutes and looked on as various personell walked around and what not. Saw the mechanics too. After about twenty minutes they put the yellow on the transfer track (got to see the Force go in reverse)Then the red train came through and they did wen into manual operation. It was odd since one of the managers was actually pushing down the dispatch button with the train creeping forward and it didn't hit full speed until nearly 3/4 of the train was out of the station. Finally the joyous announcement came that the next train would load and people woke up. I then saw a mechanic walking away with a piece of blue steel or what looked like a piece of track. I was thinking the problem was the yello'w anti-rollbacks which it had early last year...?
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Brian Z.
Assistant Webmaster
Kennywood Park Unlimited
www.kpunlimited.com
Then Sunday. We wanted to get the front seat on what would be our last Force trip of the weekend. Good thing for the seat queues. Was only a ten minute wait. Finally the people in front of us load their train, our was waiting in the unload station. I noticed they should have dispatched when the op in the booth was looking towards the unload staion, the monitors(what do they show on there? Just the lift, underneath..?)For a strange second, I thought the blue train rolled back because I didn't remember seeing it go past the station and plus I couldn't see to the end of the unload station.
Then the temporary shut down message was played. Oh the irony! I just prayed they would let us stay in line. Anyways we waited forty minutes and looked on as various personell walked around and what not. Saw the mechanics too. After about twenty minutes they put the yellow on the transfer track (got to see the Force go in reverse)Then the red train came through and they did wen into manual operation. It was odd since one of the managers was actually pushing down the dispatch button with the train creeping forward and it didn't hit full speed until nearly 3/4 of the train was out of the station. Finally the joyous announcement came that the next train would load and people woke up. I then saw a mechanic walking away with a piece of blue steel or what looked like a piece of track. I was thinking the problem was the yello'w anti-rollbacks which it had early last year...?
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Brian Z.
Assistant Webmaster
Kennywood Park Unlimited
www.kpunlimited.com
Yes, it did roll back today in a way. It overshot load (which is real odd, they must have switched to booster wheels :)) so blue train actually climbed the lift for a few feet and rolled back. I think that would cuase a few problems. Also one the wood planks on the track in unload which lifts the lift dog up away from the advancing wheels came off so it would make a big "kachunk" noise in unload.
Of course all theses problems were a result of me being in the park. :)
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2001 Force Laps-80
2001 Magnum Laps-185
6/11/01 Gemini Laps 100
Of course all theses problems were a result of me being in the park. :)
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2001 Force Laps-80
2001 Magnum Laps-185
6/11/01 Gemini Laps 100
Your first scenario describes exactly what they do every morning when they fire up the ride. It appears to be a check of the anti-rollbacks.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Futuristic bow-wow... do the dog catcher!
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Futuristic bow-wow... do the dog catcher!
If it overshot its load, does that mean it was heavier or something? Wouldn't think that would cause a rollback...
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Brian Z.
Assistant Webmaster
Kennywood Park Unlimited
www.kpunlimited.com
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Brian Z.
Assistant Webmaster
Kennywood Park Unlimited
www.kpunlimited.com
I could say something dirty but I won't.....
The big MF is allowed to have her days when she doesn't feel like working. Hell, I feel that way a lot. As far as the Mechanic, I can only imagine the comments that could be made....
"Ooops"
"Was that supposed to happen?"
"Anybody got some superglue?"
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MF Laps: 2
Raptor Laps: 3
Magnum Laps: 2
Power Tower Launches: 1
Power Tower Drops: 1
The big MF is allowed to have her days when she doesn't feel like working. Hell, I feel that way a lot. As far as the Mechanic, I can only imagine the comments that could be made....
"Ooops"
"Was that supposed to happen?"
"Anybody got some superglue?"
-------------
MF Laps: 2
Raptor Laps: 3
Magnum Laps: 2
Power Tower Launches: 1
Power Tower Drops: 1
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