Update: December 13

Could lights just be so maintenance can see, or are there already lights for that.

Please, forgive me if you already know this! Forgive me! :(

Great update too. So many pictures!

Anything is possible...

IMO I'd say the maintenance lights for the tunnel would be on the frame supports.

But yeah, anything is possible.

I would agree. In most cases, the light come from above would be more useful than that coming from below, I would think.

Plus, there would many more of those footers if they were maintenance lights.

I can see more light footers being installed coming soon. Just becuase if Maverick goes down for anything mechanical, they'll need all the light they can get inside that tunnel. I doubt they'll turn them on unless it's mechanical or maintence, but anything is possible.

Jeez, Wave Swinger looks like a crappy old factory machine.
http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=6125

Also, what is this massive tower?
http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=6112

I'm sorry I haven't been on here for a couple months, so I don't really know what's going on.

^The massive tower is the elevator shaft for the handicap can get to the loading platform. Raptor and Mantis both have these.

^^^Now see I find the probability of that footer being for maintenance lighting to be unlikely. Like I said, if there's going to be maintenance lights, wouldnt it seem more logical to have them somewhere where they not so close to the ground? Plus why spend money making a ton of footers and setting up a couple dozen lights when you can just fix possibly cheaper ones on a pre-existing structure.......like the tunnel frame supports where they'd provide better lighting and be out of the way in an already tightly spaced tunnel? *** Edited 12/17/2006 6:38:31 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

^^My thoughts exaxctly.

Over the years I've seen the conversation turn pretty inane during the offseason, but...wow.......

Don't make fun of me for saying this, but has anybody brought up the thought of that being the on-ride photo location.

Just a thought...

I think that has come up before... That being said, it might be a little close for comfort to the track, from the looks of it.

^^ It is possible, but like DBCP said it is quite close to the track and judging from the on-ride photo stations CP has used in the past they are quite bulky.

^What's so bulky about the cameras?
http://coasterimage.com/pictures/cedarpoint/topthrilldragster31.html

Look at Hersheypark's Storm Runner for bulky.
http://rcdb.com/ig2498.htm?picture=34

Seems like that style would be more consistent on a launch coasters since the train is going so fast.

It does look close.....but it looks just about as close as the end of the tunnel will be. I think it's at a fine enough distance from the track and will still be far enough from the trains.

P.S.-Storm Runners pics were amazingly clear, the best I've seen so far! *** Edited 12/18/2006 5:36:00 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

If LIFE magazine were still around, they would want to print this photo. This should be in the Smithsonian, or at least entered into a national photo contest.

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=6122

It is the background of my dual monitors at work, and it draws more positive comments than anything else I've displayed in the past 9 years. Covering that structure with a tunnel makes this image more important - capturing something transitory yet permanent.