The Rougarou Files 2: Construction

Millennium Force with a MCBR. I shudder at the thought of such a terrible construct.

Nearly everytime that I can recall, when MF is in 3 train operation, the lift will speed up halfway up the drop. As un-professional as it may sound, it almost seems to me that the crew uses the loud rushing of Train 3 past the load station as a signal that it is time to go. We are dispatched nearly everytime once 3 hits that bunny hop.

Capacity-wise, GK would be a mistake to have an unload/load set up. Somehow Disney has managed to (yet again) perfect loading/unloading with a large number of trains. The trains literally rush into the station and stop right on the money with a jerk. Maverick comes to mind when I think of this, because the entrance to the station is so terribly slow.

Damn you, Disney.

I think many are forgetting that Millennium's catchcar has to reset before another train can be dispatched. This typically happens around when the previous train exists the second tunnel. I've seen plenty of instances where the crew is ready to dispatch but has to wait for the catchcar. Even when they dispatch as soon as possible, the previous train will reach the breaks before the next train begins to leave the station.

Note: This all assumes a certain range of temperatures. When it's colder, this can change.

In regards to the GK crew of 2014, ride hosts had to go through different training half way through the season, which implemented new rules to follow, which slowed down operation by almost 1 full minute per cycle or more on A LOT of rides. I love what Ouimet has done so far with the park, but I don't think he quite understands the importance of capacity and interval at a park most frequently visited such as CP.

However, I don't think any crew will be as good as the 2013 crew. Leadership and crew members from 2013 were the best picks from management IMO.

Yeah, that Ouimet, he don't get nuthin'.
Maybe it's an insidious plot to sell more FastLane.

Ouimet's fine and all, but he's no Kinzel. :-)

TwistedWicker77 said:
but I don't think he quite understands the importance of capacity and interval at a park most frequently visited such as CP.

Because Disney doesn't see many people at all each year huh?. The man knows about high capacity and the importance of hitting interval. Whether or not he does something about it is another thing. I was hoping that he would bring more of the Disney style to Cedar Point in regards to hitting interval. Get the trains in and out fast without having to physically check each seatbelt and lap bar.

Which, truth told, has always made me a little nervous at Disney. Maybe its just what I'm most used to, and I'm ok with checking my own, (I know how,) but what about the people around me?

CP used to have guests check their own restraints many years ago. A common spiel was "lower your safety bar and push up to ensure that it is locked."

I'm pretty sure now the controls prevent the ride from being dispatched unless all restraints and seat belts are locked. Ops checking is just an extra safety measure and probably done for liability reasons.

I'm pretty sure Mr. Ouimet is busy with more important things than the policies on a single coaster at a single park in the chain.

Okay, I definitely worded that wrong. I understand he was at Disney and that park is very frequently visited. What I actually meant was that operations seemed more efficient before he implemented certain rules and brought IROC to come and slow down operations even more. All apologies.

What changes are you talking about? What changed to slow down interval? (I do notice that GK stacks quite a bit.)

topthrilldragster4lyf said:

The way I've seen Millennium run these days, they will not dispatch Train A from the station until train C has made it back into the end course brakes. They won't even send the train up the hill. Dragster is similar, except they seem to wait an excessive amount of time after the previous set of trains returns to dispatch, even though everyone is checked and ops are standing in wait. Just my observations..

I agree - I hate it when everybody is checked and the ops stand around like extra blocks don't exist. Maverick doesn't dispatch at the second corkscrew anymore - it dispatches when the next train is in the tunnel launch, even though that you can crest the hill once the train is on the LSMs in the tunnel (I believe Maverick can stack in the tunnel.) By the time a train is cresting on Maverick with a "second corkscrew" dispatch, the next train is well into the tunnel, if not out of it. The later timing on Maverick also prevents trains from dueling as frequently. Kind of sad.

On second thought, is that rant the "new policy" (even though Maverick was probably "dispatching late" in 2013 too.)

Corkscrew was butchered as well, now the guests, not ride ops if needed, have to tug on the belt. So aside from being a manual operation ride except for a relay controled safety system, now you have to make sure guests listen and tug on each belt. Before was a visual inspection, and if needed a ride op could tug if it was a problem belt, or didn't look secure.

Then the load position can only ever clear from the front of the station, which makes no sense to me why it mattered. But to IROC yeah I guess it does. Which btw, CP didn't get hit as hard..KI got hammered bad when IROC came through.

I noticed that about Maverick a lot this year. I remember the first train used to criss cross with the second train at the overbank and first drop a couple years ago. Now, they don't even come close to each other. Not sure if that has to do with the computer system of the ride, or if it is the crew.

thedevariouseffect said:

So aside from being a manual operation ride except for a relay controled safety system,

Corkscrew is not a relay logic control system. Hasn't been for a very long time. It's a PLC based system.

I knew a PLC was added with the proxes and more photo eyes & the second PLC, but does it still run as a relay system at any bit or all on new stuff? I figured PLC at least for some considering the proxes & downed pedal sensor at the end of the station, but all the limit switches & stuff still on the track, didn't know if it was fully converted over or not.

I am right in thinking it was full relay in the beginning through right?

What is this Int. Ride op cert. thing and why is CF doing it if it ruins capacity?

I honestly couldn't tell you, I wish I could but I'm not the one making up SOP decisions in the park & whatnot.

Not sure if it relates to ASTM changes or anything being written currently or whatever, Dave would need to elaborate on that end. But that's all I can speculate on.

The limit switches on Corkscrew haven't been used in over 15 years. They were just never removed.

Red Garter Rob said:

The limit switches on Corkscrew haven't been used in over 15 years. They were just never removed.

Sounds like my first marriage.