Paint

I know there was talk of Millennium getting a new paint job. If they were to paint MF when would they or have they already?

I've been curious about when they paint rides as well. It's a huge job to paint a roller coaster and I'm sure that it's not done overnight. I'm doubting that they can paint when it's cold out so I'm wondering when they do it because with the weather around here it can sometimes stay cold and we can sometimes get snow even in April.

Refer to when they painted Iron Dragon. My guess would be somewhere around late Feburary/early March, depending on the size of the coaster.
They'd have to start early on MF being that it's the largest coaster at Cedar Point. *** Edited 2/27/2005 12:02:25 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

I certainly hope you mean largest in track length only...

Yes. I meant sheer size not its actual height.

Dragster has the height, Millennium has the size. (words to live by:) ) *** Edited 2/27/2005 6:01:53 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

I'd rather see Magnum get a new paint job before MF.

I definetly agree with kylepark.

I also agree about Magnum needing paint. Re-painting rides seems to give them a new life, and it would be nice to see Magnum with new bright colors.

I think we all agree that it is time to get magnum back to the right color, red. Instead of the pitiful faded red that looks orange.

I dont know if any of you guys have noticed, but when Walt and Jeff took pictures, there was no photos around the Magnum, no shots near or around it. So there may be something going on with the Magnum that they are not allowed to share with all of us.

Yeah, it's a total conspiracy.

When we were there, Magnum was not being painted. The bottom of the first drop, which was retracked, was however painted, and I don't care what the park calls it, it sure looks orange to me.

http://www.acegreatlakes.org/april_1989.htm The track was definetly more orange than red 16 years ago when it was built.
*** Edited 2/27/2005 10:57:16 PM UTC by Vince982***

It has always looked orange to me too. I was hoping i wasnt the only one seeing it that way.

Jeff said:
Yeah, it's a total conspiracy.

When we were there, Magnum was not being painted. The bottom of the first drop, which was retracked, was however painted, and I don't care what the park calls it, it sure looks orange to me.

BUT THE VALENTINE SAYS IT'S RED!

I would like to see MF painted this year. It needs it bad.

Hey Jeff, what do you exactly mean by retracked. I have an idea but I'm not sure if it's correct.
Or is it as obvious as it sounds. *** Edited 2/28/2005 1:50:05 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

Take off old rails, put new ones on. This actually happened prior to closing weekend.

They actually did a test strip right near the base of the lift toward the end of the 2003 season. We all thought for sure it'd be painted for 2004. Jeff is right - it was as orange as can be. The new rails on the drop were the same color. The paint in the tunnels (where the sun can't get to it is also kind of orange, but it's darker (and better looking IMO) than that new paint.
*** Edited 2/28/2005 3:40:18 PM UTC by MDOmnis***

How do you replace just the rails and not the whole track itself? Wouldn't it be just better to replace the whole track instead of just the rails? And another thing, why don't they paint both rides this year? Instead of Painting Magnum Red, paint it a burnt Orange. I mean since it's been that way for the last 10 years you might as well just touch it up. Millennium Force is starting to turn purple in some areas so that needs touched up. I have another question? How do they paint these coasters without getting hurt? That has to be a hard job.

Lots of harnesses and rope, maybe some scaffolding. Kind of like when they paint a big bridge, take the Ambassador for example. I would assume its something like that. What I'm wondering is how do they paint it, like with a spray or with a brush, I would thing that by brush would take forever but by spray it would take lots of equipment and such, but I suppose it is more practical.