Steel Vengeance "accident"?

I am sure IOE is thoroughly reviewing their programing again along with working with CP and RMC to find the root cause. I highly doubt the full details will ever be fully public, and I feel bad for those that have but in years of work just for this to happen. Brian has been programming ride systems for a long time, so I am sure they will figure it all out.

Magnum-Man said:
I was on the stairs this is what happened. Chess went out and it sounded like it blew a wheel it was rattling and shaking like crazy especially after the MCBR and when it returned it smelt like burnt rubber or burnt plastic. Digger went out and ran the course like normal and on the brake run it had a visible hard stop, the. Slipped through the brake run and collided with chess at maybe 5mph.

Good Account... I also read another account that the forward train was having issues .

Total Speculation , but wonder if there was an issue with the forward train and they wanted it transferred off. That would involve putting ride in manual, and lots of variable and extra things can go wrong.

If they were readying it to transfer there would not have been guests on it

I will count myself among the fortunate. I was at the First Rider Benefit and attended the Hoedown on Tuesday. I didn't personally witness any downtime or issues with the ride either day and have enjoyed the 6 laps I got on it between the two days.

So this is more speculation from another person who was at home grilling yesterday.

If Chess was rattling, making noise, etc., is it possible that when released from the station, the train didn't start rolling fast enough? A failed wheel bearing could cause most/all of the symptoms I've seen posted and create enough friction to reduce the speed at which it would roll from a stand-still.

Of course, as has been noted, the controls shouldn't have started pushing Digger into the station until Chess cleared the zone, so either one or more sensors were read incorrectly or the programming was optimistic that the train in the station would always move fast enough to maintain a safe distance.

I find it odd that if Chess was indeed making noise, rattling, or responsible for a burning smell, why was Chess used again later that night. Has anyone seen Blackjack in motion?

No, I have not seen blackjack in motion throughout the whole day. I asked Tony himself, and he said "It's scared". I then asked another employee and he said there isn't enough room for 3 trains on the track, and that Blackjack was having issues.

Cartwright said:
If they were readying it to transfer there would not have been guests on it

Yes that would be right.. Didnt know there were guest on the forward train too. Assumed if Chess had a wheel that was clearly bad they would be taking her off.

There's not enough room on the track for their 3rd train? Then what the heck is the point of having 3 trains themed to the 3 characters that have been marketed for SV? That's confusing/doesn't make sense to me.

^ If one train is down for general maintenance, they have a third they can put on the track.

I would have to assume that if there are three trains, they plan on having three train operation. I think the most likely situation is that the computer isn't ready for three train operation yet, or there is some other issue with the third train. With roller coaster trains typically costing on the order of about $1,000,000 each, I doubt the park would buy three just to have an extra sitting around.

Apparently ‘the computer isn’t ready’ for two train operation.

With 24 riders per train, limiting to 2 train operation with the hype this ride (deservidly) has, would lead to some really unfortunate wait times lol. Not just saturdays and first season crowds, but daily and ongoing. Hopefully time heals all wounds and we are looking at a smooth 3 train operation at most times in the future. Probably not the near future, however.

The ride is clearly blocked for three train operation. Engineers who design roller coasters aren't idiots, comments like there isn't room on the track makes no sense whatsoever. Bugs that maybe need working out yes, but a revelation that after the ride is built it is found out there is not room for three trains? No, makes no sense.

Schilke did not design a masterpiece down to the 1000th mm and screw up by not having enough room for 3 trains. Does not pass the smell test.

Pete, exactly my thoughts. I haven’t personally checked the ride out just yet, but that comment never made sense to me.

The one ride that was designed to be blocked for three trains that never actually did it was Villain at Geauga Lake. The third train came in during the second season but then made its way to Raging Wolf Bobs after the refurb.

The midcourse was clearly designed for a block brake for three trains, but the block was never installed.

Seems like slow unloading / loading are likely culprits limiting three-train coasters to two-train operation. Limiting articles in the station might help with that.

^ that and actually having guests of exceptional size trying the test seat

You also have to understand that this is a ride that nobody has operated before. Once the crew gets into the swing of things, it’ll be a different story.

Side note: my belief as to why there isn’t 3 train operation yet is the lack of time to commission/inspect the 3rd train.

^Could be, Millennium Force only opened with 2 for the same reason. Only 1 train was certified for AAA day.

From what I have been told the park was giving out one ride vouchers for SV today. At least they were up to a certain point/quantity. But they also allowed those whom bought FastLane Plus for today to use them as one usually would.

So it was running one train today until the rains came.

The loading procedure for these trains requires the public to load them perfectly in order to justify 3 train operations. Having ridden 5 RMC's now, I just don't see that ever happening.