Problem on the site?

From looking at the webcam off and on this morning it seems as if the Project Manangers/Engineers were examining somthing with the last two column supports and track. Then alas a survey team just appeared to check the GPS locations of somthing on site. As we cant see to the left of the webcam I wonder if somthing isnt "lining up" The only reason I noticed these things is Im a project engineer/architect and thought it may start some conversation. Or with the way this board seems to run perhaps Ill just get yelled at for starting a new thread :)

Looks like I was right. They look to be dismantling a portion of the structure. There is a very nervous civil engineer somwhere right now.

Yep, it looks like the have a little hiccup in the construction - I'm sure it's nothing too big though considering that the pieces on either side of the apex seem to fit onto their supports perfectly.

Billz1979 said:
perhaps Ill just get yelled at for starting a new thread :)

Only if you ask us to.

Could very well be that whoever took the first survey's screwed up. So there might not be an unemployed CE out there. This probably isn't the first coaster to have this problem either, just happens to be the most watched.

If you look at the web cam there appears to be a cable attached to a support that runs under the track. I wonder if something to the left of the picture isnt fitting and they are trying to pull the whole track a little. Maybee they are loosening the bolts to get everything to shift a little.
*** Edited 8/22/2006 4:15:14 PM UTC by Tuffy463***

I cant imagine how perfect the assembly must have to be when a coaster goes 80+ mph (not a prediction)

This may be perfectly normal, but based on how watched this coaster is going to be, I am a little surprised they dont turn off the webcam when there is a hiccup.

Magnum was hand bent on site. Not cut by a computer. So, I think there is a little more leeway than you think. Of course, the precision cuts also make the ride much smoother, so there is a trade-off.

^ Whoa! Magnum was bent on site by hand? Thats really cool to know :) Thanks.

I was really surprised last night when I saw 3 workers all pulling on a rope attached to a piece of track, attempting to get it into place.

I thought to myself, if it's that difficult to get this one into place then what about the next one and so on...

I guess I was correct.

Actually, the pieces of track are held via straps attached to the center of the track. The crane gets the track close to its destination, and the guys on the ropes pull the track to align it properly while other workers add the appropriate hardware. This is standard practice for installing track, as far as I can tell.

Well, It appears that whatever they were doing can wait till after lunch. I wonder if they went to get some of the good ol Top Thrill Nachos. MMMMMMMM Nachos.

The Straps were attached to the Tan Support, not the track. They were attepting to pull on the tan support not the tracks.

They're union so I'm sure they'll be on lunch until EXACTLY 1 PM.

Don't start that union crap, Loopy. Have you ever worked a manual labor job in the construction industry?

^^^ Oh really, Tuffy?

I missed that. As for guiding the track into place I can understand. There were 3 adult men pulling on the track with everything they had with one of the mounts already in place on the piece. That wasn't guiding, that was more like....ummm "tweaking", right, tweaking, that's what it's called.

*** Edited 8/22/2006 4:33:25 PM UTC by Loopy***

Brandon, I wasn't attempting to "start" anything, just merely stating a fact. I'm union and I know we take our FULL hour no matter what the work to do entails.

Okay, just making sure. :)

Got to keep the union-bashing comments in check before they explode and destroy the thread.

LOOPY your exactly right. The track is designed im sure just like any type of construction that requires this kind of precision. If i had to guess one of the supports is mostly likely off by a fraction. Of course a 1/16 of an inch in error can translate into feet if given enough distance along the track. Same goes for any construction, usually there is a "plus/Minus" but with coasters this is probably VERY demanding due to the physics of it all. Either way they will get it worked out, and yes im SURE this isnt all that uncommon. Its just really neat (well unfortunate but neat) to have it happen on the section of track directly in front of the Web cam :)

JuggaLotus said:
Magnum was hand bent on site.

No, it was bent using machines at their former fabrication plant in Utah. It was welded together on-site, as opposed to being bolted together the way modern coasters are.

I guess the "EXACTLY 1 PM" comment could have been construed as such.

Sorry about that! :)