What will we expect different/new in 2004

My daughter and I are big Monster fans too. We care.

<hugfest>

I think it was generally agreed here that the load gates aren't the problem with hitting interval. Supposedly the new computer controls can't park the train with the same speed as the manual controls run by the operator, so interval with three trains per side can't be met.

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I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

Out come the Monster fans Woo Hoo! I am a Monster fan. Hopefully my daughter will be too. :) She should meet the requirements to ride with me sometime this summer. Watch out Greg, You better warn Todd too. There will be 2 of me. hehehe

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- Chris -
Monster/WW ATL 02
Monster WW TL 03
Antiques/Swings TL 04

Pete that's probably right. An experienced Gemini control operator can park that train without having to feather the brake at all. Not that we were supposed to but sometimes it was fun to see if we could line the train up properly,.. and to watch all the heads fly forward. Oops.. :)

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Brent Haley
Gemini Crew '02
Dragster Crew '03, ATL '04
*** This post was edited by Brent02 4/7/2004 12:20:53 PM ***

I've seen Gemini operators run that ride such that the train comes into the station right on the tail of the train leaving, slows nicely, and stops smoothly on a dime (no head bobbing!) in one fluid motion, as if it had skid brakes. I have yet to see a computer program that can even come close.

I also think that if they get their heads out of the box, they could use a set of magnetic trims between the safety brake and the uptrack end of the station to bring the speed down quickly, but late (not using the safety brakes at all normally), let the train "walk" up to the parking spot and slam on the brake, for a no-dancing automated stop that might actually be quicker than the human operator can do it.

It's a shame, if the computers are so good, that they can't run the ride as well as the people can. What does that tell you?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

It tells me that they aren't being programmed right or using the right equipment. ;) Lets get some old operators, stick em in some high tech programming classes, and let them program Gemini.

I like the idea of the magnetic brakes there rideman. After all if a computer can smoothly park a train on Millennium and TTD, why not on Gemini, or Mine Ride.

I can't imagine how it could be done with the air brakes. So I think the only solution would be to use magnetic with the computer. But, I don't know how many people would want Gemini refitted with magnetic over the air. I wouldn't mind if it made it smooth. However, I like the human operated air brakes.

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- Chris -
Monster/WW ATL 02
Monster WW TL 03
Antiques/Swings TL 04
*** This post was edited by Flisk 4/7/2004 12:50:20 PM ***

Speaking of Mine Ride, there's an example of the worst computer parking in the history of the amusement industry.

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Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Iron Dragon's parking sequence gave me issues as well, although it wasn't quite as bad.

I still don't understand why a park that focuses so much attention on capacity turns around and writes computer programs that take 15 or 20 seconds to park one train. Seems a bit contradictory to me.

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-James
2003 Ride Maintenance
2004 Millennium Force Crew

Amen to that!

Actually, Cedar Point is full of examples of how NOT to update a ride. Mine Ride comes into the station far too slowly and takes four or five tries to park...so long, in fact, that it means that a ride designed to run five trains can't make the interval for three. Magnum has that co-dispatch setup where the co-dispatch operator has a lovely view of a concrete post and has to stand with his back to the train. Blue Streak has mostly been fixed, but the first year it had the computer I swear it was knocking teeth out on the final approach brake. Mean Streak is better than most, it only has to stop three times before it parks.

Flisk, I'm thinking of a configuration for Gemini similar to what Phantom's Revenge has, where magnetics are used for the approach trim and a squeeze brake parks the train. The trick is to end the magnetic brakes far enough back that they don't interfere with the train getting out of the station once loaded. Perhaps the answer to that problem is to use different brake fins on the back cars of the train...so the front cars get a lot of braking force while the back cars...er...don't.

Hmmmmm........I wonder how one gets into doing control designs..... :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

You have to remembr that most of the PLC programing is done by the company who builds it or the company they contract to do the controls.

Minor changes are made by the parks controls department but the majority of the code is as it has been for a while. Most major mods (like the re-work of Mine Ride in 99-00)
are contracted out.
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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82

Chris, Todd is the TL, so he's gonna be making the call if your daughter can ride. The thought of two of you in the park at once is still scary, lol. Also I didn't think there would be any monster fans on this site. Its good to see that there are people who like our ride.

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Monster/W.W. Crew '04
Monster/W.W. Crew '03

hehe, we'll see. Ok, little one, walking lessons begin today. Left, right, left right. Now lets talk :) ANyways, she's cute, trying to walk and is on the verge of talking. It's cute too, whenever we go shopping, she puts the grip of life on the shopping cart. She loves riding in those.

Anyways, the Monster geek comes out, and I admit, that I create my own mini Monster ride with my arms. She loves that. :) ;)

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- Chris -
Monster/WW ATL 02
Monster WW TL 03
Antiques/Swings TL 04

I was reading an article in the Norwalk Reflector today about Ohio's amusement parks opening soon, and it talked about some type of coaster week in July. From the article:

"With all the coaster anniversaries this year, Witherow said the park will celebrate a roller coaster week in July - complete with special promotions."

Anybody know anything else about this, and what kind of "special promotions" we'll see?

Edit: Not that this is breaking news, but the article also included a confirmation from Witherow that TTD will feature FreeWay this summer.

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"Distance runners are experts at pain, discomfort, and fear."

*** This post was edited by mantis_man 4/8/2004 10:28:52 PM ***

From what I heard last summer Gemini will still use manual controls. The problem with 6 trains is that the gates will be controlled by an operator on the platform and not the op at controlls. That right there makes it harder to check the trains as quickly as needed to run 6 efficiently. Also with airgates, the time from the gates to open until the gates close and the train can be checked is noticably longer than just having riders walk forward into the train with no gates to have to worry about. That might be a little bit hard to imagine, but coming from someone who has worked the ride and also mine ride (with airgates), there is a noticable difference in possible load times.

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Mine Ride/Gemini 2003
Top Thrill Dragster 2004

GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!

This will keep Ride Ops From saying please step back. LOL

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Favorite Thrilling Coaster:: Millennium Force
Favorite Intense Coaster::Top Thrill Dragster