Here are something I noticed today about the restraints. Please Excuse my bad terminology.
Blue Streak-Replaced with different kind which has an extra bar running all the way across it instead of just in the corner. Also the Boxy thing on the outside (place where the ops use their tool to manually release the bar, and probably holds mechanical goodies) has changed from being black and open, to being blue and more enclosed. I did not ride Mean Streak, but I'm guessing since it also has PTC trains that it received the same treatment.
The bar themselves seemed smaller and softer, which is good. Me like.
Magnum-Gemini-Same, Except I think some extra padding on the bars. Anyone else notice this?
Raptor-Harnesses replace it appeared. They did not have any of those what looked like bite marks in them. The seats looked new too.
Of course I could be wrong on all these. My memory could be bad since I did not ride these things in a half year.
I didn't ride Raptor. I don't recall changes on Mean Squeak. But Blue Streak did, in fact, get new lap bars, and possibly new mechanisms as well. The new bars are as described, the same style as the Kings Island bars (also found on Tremors, and I believe this is also what the Raven got). But the most important fearures of the new lap bars are that (a) the return springs are stronger, and (b), they conform to PTC's specifications for new trains, so the bottom notch (#6) is about even with the top of the seat divider. This means NO MORE TORQUE LOCK even if they bars do come down during the ride...which they don't anymore!!
If these bars had been installed in 1996, we'd have had a lot less to complain about. Now if we can just get them to add the grab handles and switch to soft seat backs...!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
At least it's getting better again.
Yeah, that's what I meant to say Rideman ;).
I found it weird that I did ride Blue Streak 5 times today. Most of this was because I got some room in between myself and the bar. It must be because of the new bars, or I lost a ton of weight in the offseason (NOT).
Chalk up another defeat for those Dang headrest too. One trip I was riding in the front train, which happened to be the only car with people in it ( I LOVE walk on's :) ). I don't know if it was a contributing factor of what happened, but when we made a quick jerky stop on the brake run, everyone's head went forward, then quickly back on to the headrest hard, and we all screamed OUCH! Damn Things :(
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Lifetime Force Count-11
2001 Gemini Count-5
*** This post was edited by Joe E. on 5/7/2001. ***
*** This post was edited by Joe E. on 5/7/2001. ***