Valravn Goes Vertical--Construction Starts

Do you think that because they installed the bottom of the second drop yesterday, that they are going to do the same process that they did on the first drop and work backwards from the bottom of the drop to the mid brake run?

Very likely. My guess is they'll have the drop built up as well as the turn into the mid course before installing the actual mid course section. But that's just a guess.

That piece also acts as a support for the drop.

Also appears that they are building the on-ride photo/souvenir building in between blue streak and valravn.

I'm starting to get curious about the second support for the midcourse. I figured they would have had that in place by now.

I hope we can see some photos of the station / souvenir area soon. There has been a lot of progress over there (from what i can make out from the webcam) but I have a hard time making how exactly things are laid out and what they are looking like.

cp kid said:

Do you think that because they installed the bottom of the second drop yesterday, that they are going to do the same process that they did on the first drop and work backwards from the bottom of the drop to the mid brake run?

Tony just confirmed that in the latest blog: https://www.cedarpoint.com/blog-article/online-fun/Valravn-Update?mobile=0

One support and 2 piece2 of track installed.
Link to gallery | Animated gif

^ Just wondering, are you going to color in the train in the rendering when they add them to the track?

I was planning on it :)

It looks like we can get a good idea as to how the midway will look near the cable car station based on the current shape of terrain. It does seem like a tight squeeze in the narrower area, but looks fine else wise.

Four pieces of track installed.
Link to gallery | Animated gif

As I was looking ahead to the mid section break run I noticed something interesting. Why are there steps on the leading edge of the mid section? The steps don't go to anything below, unless they build a bottom service platform under the track, which isn't shown in the rendering. Gatekeeper and Rougarou don't have these steps on their mid sections and Raptor has something that resembles steps along the entire leading edge of the mid section. Does anyone have any instight as to why Valravn would have these steps on the mid section when they lead to nowhere?

GateKeeper does indeed have steps on the mcbr that lead down to a platform underneath the track. I also believe Raptor has a spiral stairway leading up to the mcbr as does Rougarou.

Raptor and Gatekeeper both have spiral staircases that go to the ground and I'm sure something like that will be done for Valravn. Although, Gatekeeper has stairs that go to the underside in the middle of the mid corse break run and raptor at the end of the run. I just thought it looked funny at the start of the run like they show in the renderings of Valrvan, especially when they drop off to nothing. I'm sure it will all makes sense when they ACTUALLY build it, but it was just an observation. It's much like the renderings not showing any mechanical system on the underside of the track at the crest of the drop of Valravn, but in reality there is.

All of the big dive coasters with mid courses have them too. It's anyones guess really. The only ones that know are, obviously, B&M and the parks.

What is the point furthest forward the brakes can stop the train? You need access to that position.

The purpose for the stairs to nowhere that are found at the end of some break runs -- and a couple of lift hills for that matter -- is for fall protection. (Sometimes they double as maintenance access.) Although there is variations in regulations regarding railing height in different jurisdictions, generally most requirements for areas not usually accessible to the general public can be met by supplying a railing with at least two horizontal components (with the top one being no less then forty-two inches high) plus a four inch toe board. Of course this leads to the problem of a railing cannot be placed on most modern coasters within the rider's clearance envelope, particularly if the ride is travelling at a high rate of speed. By putting a set of steps at the end of the catwalk, the railing at the ends of the catwalk are lowered to a point where no one can strike a body part against it while on the ride, and still do their jobs of protecting people from falling to their deaths.

Of course, tying off can also meet this requirement, but that makes an ride evacuation take a lot longer. Some ride designs make tie offs the only option.

One support and 2 pieces of track installed.
Link to gallery | Animated gif

I guess I needed more detail in my answer.