Red Train

I was looking at the new winter scenes fron the Top Thrill dragster midway and i noticed that the red train was still on the transfer track while all the other ones were removed and put on the ground does anybody know why this is?

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Cory Marshall

Idk they never use that train.

The red train was the last to arrive this past summer. I have a feeling that it will be the one to eventually be scrapped for parts.

It still runs fine, capacity wise, without all six trains running.

I know that the red train was used last year as a failsafe in case something happened to one of the other trains. I saw it happen many times last year.

Scrapping the red train for parts is a very unlikely. *** Edited 2/20/2005 4:33:02 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

Yeah scrapping it for parts would be a bad idea. It was always a great backup and when these trains cost a million a piece I doubt they will scrap them.

Anyone else want to make up some completely ridiculous theory?

Is it May yet?

The four times I went last season a train had problems and the train on the storage track had to be put on. The ride's capacity drops a lot when it runs only 4 trains so the extra train works out very well for them.

They finally got the ride running very well with very little downtime, why change it?

I heard from a guy at Happy Friar that the Red train is going to be the test train for the rocket boosters. Basically the rockets will kick in if a rollback is detected and help the train make it over the top.

Speaking of the trains, they have two more back on the transfers now.

and you can see this how?

Um, the web cam maybe...

Also, there is a crane right next to the transfer area.

*** Edited 2/21/2005 2:29:05 PM UTC by cp&le rr guy***

I thought you were joking around, I just looked at the webcam. lol

I personally like George R. more, though he doesn't usually get out much. Though he did this past summer.

Opening day is less than two and a half months away. Testing probably isn't all that far off. My theory though is that they'll put some trains on and figure out how they can move them around faster to gain another couple of seconds. For all of the oddities involved with some of their operating procedures, one thing you can say about Cedar Point is that they're generally fanatical about tweaking things to get higher capacity.

I guess so. March starts next week and that leaves what, 8 weeks for testing? It sure doesn't feel that close. And doesn't the actual testing have to be done like a week or so before opening so that employees can begin training?

I would love to see the red train replace the ugly gold one. That thing just looks horrible.

The red train isn't going to replace any train. CP bought 6 trains when they got the ride. The red train was missing for most of this past summer because it was getting fixed. As many people know, it is more efficient to run 5 trains instead of 6. The dragster crew just rotates the different trains on the track in the morning. I'm not sure if they just pick which five or what.

In the morning we transfer on all 6 trains, cycle and test ride each one. In last seasons case if everything went fine with each train we would transfer off the red and open with 5. If one of the trains had a problem while cyling we would transfer it off to get fixed and keep red on so that we could still open with 5. Four train operation is soooooo much slower than 5.
Whether or not that is going to be the same routine this season ... I don't know.
If there are 6 trains available though we will cycle and test ride all 6 in the morning before the park opens, and most likely transfer one off when we're ready to open. The crew gets to see 6 train operation every morning, believe me its nothing special. Most people wouldn't be able to tell a difference between 5 and 6 trains.
The 6th train is really very helpful for us even if we are only in a 5 train operation.

I glanced at the webcams today and noticed they put on 3 more trains on the track. They are covered by tarps.

oh cmon Gomez, we know you've been staring at every refresh for the last hour checking to see if one or the other pixel changes =D

Flip it over to dry mode and run 6 trains and then try to say the same. :)

The only problem I have with 5 train operation is in unload 2. The train has to arrive before it can be unloaded and then it's a squeeze to get the people out so the ride can be dispatched.

You can get better efficiency with 6 trains running in dry mode. As Purdue University Engineer has said in the past, they could turn the brake area into a true block and extend the catwalk. This would allow the first train to be immediatly launched. Where the dry mode would would be most helpfull at this point is moving the first 4 trains very quickly so they have the maximum load time. The other 2 can take there time parking in the unload area. With 6 trains, there is more time to unload the trains before dispatach is ready.

There are 4 trains on right now. It's too cold to be running the hydraulics unless they put heaters in the hydraulic room. The operating temperature is between 35 and 50 degrees Celcius. Too much hotter and the oil burns and the the system falls apart. (burnt oil does damage faster than contamination) Too much colder and the pumps have a heart attack untill the oil warms up. This will shorten there already ridiculously short expected lifespan.
They probably will be able to modify the program to simulate dispatching without launching trains. With over 2 months, there is too much time to be starting that yet. Unless they are trying to get 6 train op efficient, they don't need any more than a week to make minor timing improvements. Last year the accumulators had to be replaced so that stuck a fork in preseason testing. My guess is they aren't putting the trains on for extended testing. Simply doing work now so they have less to do when there is the big crunch to get everything done by opening day. The tarps seem to indicate that the trains will be sitting there for a while.