TTD Issues?

I overheard somebody at my school talking about an issue with Top Thrill and that it would be down for an extended period of time... Is there any truth in this? I haven't heard anything so I assumed they didn't know what they were talking about. I figured this would be the place to ask...

And you did ask the right place. As Dragsters "go to guy", I can tell you that whatever you're hearing is bull spit. The only "issue" I can see is a last minute certification before opening day. Much like what happened last year that caused it to open around 11.

It's FAR to early to say that there's an "issue" that would cause it to have a delayed opening. Such things would have to be as severe as a major overhaul of the hydraulic motor, which is done in the off season anyway so that any problems can be taken care of before testing. The only other issue that I can think of would be something to do with the trains. But I (and many others) know that there's nothing special going on with them besides usual winter maintenance.

I'd like to know where this person got their info from. Ask them if they know the lemon chill guy. ;)

Ok thanks :)

Right now the rides are all going on schedule..Some coasters might not get all their trains back (ex. my ride may only get one train for opening day, & get the others later on), but all should be up & running for opening day unless they don't pass and cert.

For a coaster like Dragster, the park can't afford it to be down, so right there I'd already be speculate..As for maintanance, during the off season tour, they were busting through those while we were there, and talking with the guys, it takes about 3 days/car for NDT work...The motor gets it overhaul (I assume it's already done), the catchcar is sent back to Intamin, and everyting is inspected prior to opening day...

Also to dis-spell the rumors even more, watch the next few weeks for anyone near the point...I'm sure you'll be seeing some coasters here going up hills here soon, I'm sure they'll be testing them soon enough

If I remember right, a lot of rides weren't certified in time last year. A lot of others were last second too. I don't understand why they can't start testing earlier so they don't have this problem.

Your mom is to fat to ride TTD. said:
If I remember right, a lot of rides weren't certified in time last year. A lot of others were last second too. I don't understand why they can't start testing earlier so they don't have this problem.

I dont think you quite understand the scope of the whole offseason maintenace process. Rides just cant be ready whenever. They work ALL winter long, its not like they just sit around till March and begin to do things.

BGRooDoG said:

Your mom is to fat to ride TTD. said:If I remember right, a lot of rides weren't certified in time last year. A lot of others were last second too. I don't understand why they can't start testing earlier so they don't have this problem.

I dont think you quite understand the scope of the whole offseason maintenace process. Rides just cant be ready whenever. They work ALL winter long, its not like they just sit around till March and begin to do things.

^ He's got it right.Not to mention State has to get invovled in order to come in and inspect. It's not like Cedar Point is just sitting on their hands.

In some ways CP may be sitting on their hands. Every year the cert. process takes longer and longer, like last year and I think the year previous lasting into opening day. To me being a realist in these great ecomomic times we are in, I would say that CP has cut some off-season maintenance personel in the past few years. An earlier poster said that some trains might not be ready at all for opening day. If that is indeed the case then in it is a definite satffing issue in the off-season to save money.

It's possible, or maybe they haven't retained some of their older maintenance people? You also have to look at the fact that they've added more rides and more complex rides over the past few years.

Considering the way they transform the park in a matter of weeks before opening, there sure is a lot of negativity on these boards. At least Sandusky is finally getting some decent weather to get things cleaned up and going for the season.

Erik Lee said:
In some ways CP may be sitting on their hands. Every year the cert. process takes longer and longer, like last year and I think the year previous lasting into opening day. To me being a realist in these great ecomomic times we are in, I would say that CP has cut some off-season maintenance personel in the past few years. An earlier poster said that some trains might not be ready at all for opening day. If that is indeed the case then in it is a definite satffing issue in the off-season to save money.

I mean it's almost every year that Cedar Point adds something new, which automatically adds to the list of things that needs to be done during the offseason. Every off season the amount of stuff that is done inside the park is astounding. Not to mention sometimes things get changed around a little bit last minute which doesn't help anything. I can promise they will have everyone working 100% to get the rides open on time.

bholcomb said:
It's possible, or maybe they haven't retained some of their older maintenance people? You also have to look at the fact that they've added more rides and more complex rides over the past few years.

Yeah, I thought about this issues as well. At least I'm not negative in the way CP handles opening the park, I figure it is what it is. I generally don't go to any park on opening weekend, just seems to be alot of issues with rides, training new people and the such.

But, on a positive note, the food sucks all year long.

tcgolfer said:

Erik Lee said:
In some ways CP may be sitting on their hands. Every year the cert. process takes longer and longer, like last year and I think the year previous lasting into opening day. To me being a realist in these great ecomomic times we are in, I would say that CP has cut some off-season maintenance personel in the past few years. An earlier poster said that some trains might not be ready at all for opening day. If that is indeed the case then in it is a definite satffing issue in the off-season to save money.

I mean it's almost every year that Cedar Point adds something new, which automatically adds to the list of things that needs to be done during the offseason. Every off season the amount of stuff that is done inside the park is astounding. Not to mention sometimes things get changed around a little bit last minute which doesn't help anything. I can promise they will have everyone working 100% to get the rides open on time.

Was I being any way negative in what I said. And, believe me I know what the park goes through every year. O worked at the point 4 years in the late 80's early 90's.

^ OK after re-reading again, I might have been a little negative, but didn't really mean it that way.

Except for the food.

Here's the thing with the off season work and NDT they do on the rides...Everything literally EVERYTHING is inspected, and tore down to basic parts. Then things have to be replaced, as per their maintenance schedule, or the manufacturer's schedule. After everything is broken down and taken through NDT (which for those who don't know that, it's Non-Destructive Testing) they have to re-assemble everything. After assembly of the structures, then they have to put all the re-assembled things where they go (trains to the coasters, ect). After it's all together, everywhere in the park, they have to test the rides themselves. This testing is very tedious too, more tedious than the daily maintenance runs every day. Plus think, they setup shops, ect. to work on these things, take thing all over the park (thunder canyon impeller pumps over near mean streak ) it's alot or work.Afterwards, they basically start preparing for the season, which in some cases even runs into the season. As for the trains not all being back. Not all the rides will need all the trains first thing in the season. As for my ride, I mean we really only need one train. It's not a major ride, it has a very limited rides/hour, and it's only a minute or so long anyways. So we don't need to have several trains like, the first week to dispatch people as quickly. Lastly because I just noticed it, every year they add more things, that's more to work on. Plus with age, more needs repaired. For instance this season a bit of Magnum track was cut off of the spine & worked on this season, same with Corkscrew. Millenium has a new pull car car, and paint. Top Thrill sends the catch car all the way to Intamin. Power Tower got brand new cabling. I mean, it's alot of work

^ You better hope that Corkscrew has two trains at the beginning of the year. First, because you're going to be bored as none other working it if you have to wait for each train to come back. Second, because believe it or not opening day always brings out a big crowd and without a second train on that ride your line is going to be LONG and guests are not going to be happy.

I was told we really only get one train by opening day. Because even for like training week apparently we have to "pretend" or whatever..idk

BGRooDoG said:
I dont think you quite understandthe scope of the whole offseason maintenace process. Rides just cant beready whenever. They work ALL winter long, its not like they just sitaround till March and begin to do things.

I understand what goes on in the off season. I know it is a long anddetailed process. I have read on here before that CP has around thesame number of workers in the off season that they did back in the 70'sand 80's. Think about all the new rides that have gone in since then.

All I was saying is that it shouldn't be that hard to have all of therides tested, certified, and ready to go on opening day. Obviously morepeople are needed in the offseason if there are multiple rides stillwaiting for inspection at 11 AM on opening day.

Erik Lee said:

But, on a positive note, the food sucks all year long.

Well, it generally is the goal of a restaurant to be consistant... :)

What's this? Questioning whether the park will be ready for opening day?

*sets watch to late April*

Well Kings Island, stays open as long as CP, and they open Saturday. Maybe the 3 additional coasters are what takes the extra weeks lol!