What is the bike rack looking thing...

My 2 cents?

It's transfer track.

I can see it being track that is just planted (pun?) to the ground and doesn't move anymore. It's used to hold trains that are taken off for whatever reason.

I noticed in the below picture that the track curves a little and is supported at two different heights, and I will post another picture showing an area of straight footers that form a curve next to several more, which I am GUESSING is that station/transfer area. I vote transfer track.

http://pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=4404

Curve:
http://pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=4413
(at the left of this photo:) http://www.coaster-net.com/pics/cedarpoint/project20070125_carstenanderson.jpg
(again, left side)
http://www.coaster-net.com/pics/cedarpoint/project20070271_carstenanderson.jpg

It seems to me as if it could be part of an LIM launch track, much like California Screamin's. You can see in the pic of CS that it looks like part of the support network is built below the water line, and also that the short square footer mount at the end of the "bike rack" piece looks very similar to the one at the end of the CS launch track.

CS: http://www.rcdb.com/ig731.htm?picture=7

Mystery Piece: http://pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=4404

I've also had an crazy idea that it could be a combination launch/transfer track to be used in this area: http://www.coaster-net.com/pics/cedarpoint/project20070125_carstenanderson.jpg

There could be what, 2,3,4,16:) individual tracks there? The train could pull up on one, be transferred to another, and launched in the other direction. This would require an LIM launch system, and after looking at the CS launch, the bike rack track looks like it would fit the bill as a transfer/launch section. This could also solve the "we're going in a whole new direction" mystery. Correct me if I'm wrong, but would it not be the first backwards-launching coaster?

Take a look and tell me what you think...
*** Edited 7/25/2006 7:50:24 PM UTC by Kinotama***

Wouldn't they have to staple your head to the seat to be a backward launch? That and I don't necessarily understand the point of doing so...

I think you're crazy.

I've gotta go with aighead that a backwards launch (at least from rest) is a bad idea. Its not bad on Wicked Twister (so no, P2007 wouldn't be the first backward launch) because you're already moving when you hit the backwards launches, but from a dead start, it would be pretty bad.

I think backwards launching would injure a lot of people. I ride pretty much everything and I'd be leary of that one.

I like the idea of multiple tracks for one coaster though, that kinda neat. What if you got launched through the ride and the came back into the station (the traditional way; through the back) and then coasted through back into the launch section. The bike rack then moves the train over to another launch section and you go through the second half of the ride.

Hmmmm, it's been a while since I illustrated an idea... http://ninjamuk.googlepages.com/load.gif

Wow...I'm slow..a backward launch in the same park. Forgot about those Impulses. But anyway - it wouldn't be a terribly forceful launch [we're not talking Dodonpa here], but a more gradual one, maybe something like 60mph in around 6-8 seconds? Then again, there's the question of room for such an extended launch...maybe I am going insane??

I noticed something about the normal straight pieces. I believe they are for station because they have node placement guides (http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=1592 bottom left) and what appears to be open sections for drive wheels.

*** Edited 7/25/2006 9:34:30 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

Isn't that TTD construction??

Yeah, I’m just using it as reference since there's not a good pic on here of the flat track at the staging area. And since the only good close up ones are on different sites and are copyrighted, I can’t post them.

*** Edited 7/25/2006 10:50:03 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

ahhhh ok.

So...we went from the logic of my post not being discussed back to rumors that aren't practical. Gotcha.

Woo hoo...first post...

http://www.pointbuzz.com/gallery.aspx?i=4437

^ I think we all know that this support goes to our favorite 2-rail, mystery track...and judging by the way the support is designed: it confirms many ppls theory that the strange track will be in the supposed station footers

Interesting, by the looks of it there will be more suports attacted to it, but the squares are interesting, nice observation.

Serenity - you mean the one in the middle? I'm not sure i see how that fits the bike-rack track. The BRT has one support flange in the middle of it to attach to a support.

John, I think she was talking about the three squares that are coming off the right side of the support. They look like the right size for the BRT.

I was actually thinking it corresponded to this... it has two points to attach to a support...

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=4404

The row on the left side of the middle support seems to fit the BRT...

http://www.pointbuzz.com/gallery.aspx?i=4437

Sorry, didn't see the piece of support on the left side, that basically confirmes the use of that support to hold the BRT.

I think that just gave me a brain aneurism.

I can't even tell from that picture if that support (the left side as you say) is actually attached to the support. It might be, but the angle of the picture makes it pretty impossible to tell if that tall part is attached to it.

Lol, Jugga.... It's the same support you were looking at before... the funky one... just there are two sides of the support that are made to hold track - two rows... the row on the left should hold my BRT that I linked above

Yes, but the one on the far side in the back could be part of that long support laying behind it. The picture doesnt' show that that is part of the same support as the 3 rectangles on the right. Now, it might very well be, but there isn't any evidence to show one way or the other, so to state that this "confirms" what the BRT will be attached to is just asinine and is one of the leading causes of brain aneurisms in the US.