Track construction complete!

I've always wondered about that kind of thing. Does it all start with the precision of footer placement? Or are the supports and track flexible enough to fit a final piece of track in such a tight space? If so, how much of a gap between the remaining track and the final piece is allowed without running into an issue?

HeyIsntThatRob? said:
I'm amazed at the precision of how coasters are built these days. Think about all the variables as the coaster is built, even if its 1mm off, it could add up to an issue getting the last peice to fit.

~Rob

and considering the linear expansion factors and the temp differentials.

I was thinking tat yesterday. It's amazing how they work from start to finish and in the end they are exactly where they need to be.

Their survey layout crew really deserves the credit for everything being placed properly. Truthfully, its not as difficult as it might have been even 15 years ago. Modern GPS survey systems are accurate to the hundredth of a foot so as long as things are done properly in the planning stage, its just a matter of programming those points into the GPS and finding them.

CAD makes things so much easier - remember how Gemini had to be made shorter? Being able to simulate designs works wonders

It's not just CAD but also the seamless transition between surveying instruments, CAD, and design programs. Still, it takes everything from the initial survey crew to the actual construction workers to make something requiring this much precision to fit together properly. Job well done!

Part of it is certainly the placement of the footers, but it would appear that there's a tiny bit of wiggle room there since they don't add the grout under the footers until everything is there.

Interestingly, the part where they line up the ties on the track at the fabrication plant was the one part they didn't want us photographing or studying. Apparently that's the proprietary part of the process that is their claim to fame.

That would make sense. I know I've put together enough pieces of furniture where the holes didn't line up exactly. It's a little easier to drill a new hole into particle board than it is molded steel. The precision required at every step in this process is amazing.

I can't wait! I hope we get to see the clearance test on the webcam. I'm sure somebody will be there to record a video of it though

Cedar Point will likely take pictures of this process and post it in their blog. I remember last year getting updates from Dollywood of Wild Eagle performing the clearance test. It was pretty cool.

TwistedWicker77 said:
I can't wait! I hope we get to see the clearance test on the webcam. I'm sure somebody will be there to record a video of it though

DejaVu2001 said:
I'm sure I've said this before, but I'll say it again. B&M coasters do not do pull throughs. The areas that are tight are checked with this:

http://rcdb.com/4190.htm?p=22875

Does anyone know exactly when they fill the supports with sand to make the ride "uber quiet"?

It seems now would be the time they would start the process with all the track in place, and allow it to settle and solidify the structure.

I believe all the pieces were already filled with sand, before even arriving on-site

Also, I don't think the supports are filled with sand, just the track.

If you look at a lot of the photo's and most recently the last piece of track going in you will see that the rails are plugged/sealed. So it is safe to think that the sand is already in the rails.

What are they building on the beach side of Gatekeeper today? I see white poles going in behind the first turn/hill.

I'd guess that's a fence

Seems like a tall fence. I wonder what the extra roof joists are for, they don't look like they are used in the station.

My thought for the extra roof joints has always been that they will cover the maintenance track area with them. This could be wrong but that's my best speculation.

My guess is that the white posts along the shore are for canopies covering the line for Gatekeeper due to their varying heights.