People stuck on a ride at Great America

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sectio ... id=6957962

People are being taken off right now with that cherry picker thing. Check out the video.

lame

So... why can't they start the chain and let the ride run it's course, and then get them off in the station, where it takes five seconds and not three hours each?

[jayman]

its a "back and forther" its not a full circuit ride , so there's alot of machinery involved involved in "letting it run it's course" thered be more than just a chain to start, there's holding brakes, the cable release and god knows what else locking that thing in ... ..

Not to mention what stopped it in the first place. If it was a mechanical problem they might not be able to fire it back up again. And if it was a safety trigger it would probably be against some kind of rules or something to just fire it up again and see what happens...

I know it's a shuttle. If Vekoma can't allow for problems like these to occur without having to spend hours getting passengers out, then they lose as a design company and should get the same fate as TOGO.

that's logical, because, you know, intamin, B&M, CCI, never ever had problems like this on one of their rides, either.

These guys seem kind of lucky, very fortunate they aren't that high/their aren't stairs to let them down. I was stuck on Mamba about 10 years ago 15 feet short of the top of the hill. After waiting for about a half hour some dude came up to us and helped us down. But 200 feet down without a safety belt is pretty scary. This be much more enjoyable stuck experience.

What I mean is that it wouldn't be necessary to have a whole big safety harness deal if they had a metal floor below the track and a catwalk at the rider's level. Having the catwalk above the track doesn't make any sense. How is it lucky to not have catwalks to the side? I'd imagine it would be scary for wimps to be stuck on an invert near the top of the lift, if there was no floor. I got stuck near the top on Magnum once, it was just fine, fantastic views, nobody was panicking or screaming, but it did take a while for the guys to release us and take us down. It isn't really scary.

Well, for one if they had a floor at the angle of the track, when you release the people out what happens? They come out of restraint and if they lose grip, go sliding 80ft down a dangerous slide.

If you stair step the whole thing, its STILL dangerous because they will have to basically jump from their seat to the floor. Which is at a 45-55 degree angle. Not safe.


Unless you could raise the floor to the riders feet, or close to like in the station, there isnt really a safe way. I think more should have been throught through but apparently whatever failed is a one-off failure. You cant fault a company for having something happen so random that it bypasses all of your safety checks ESPECIALLY when no ones hurt or in any danger.

[gouldy]

I don't really think it's a point worth debating, as Real said, the likelihood of a failure such as this is so small that for the coaster company to deal with it would be an idiotic investment. There is always going to be problems beyond control of the park, the designers and the manufacturers. And as long as there is a way to successfully and safely remove the passengers from the train when such an event does occurr, then it is perfectly safe.

Having a catwalk below the track would have only hindered a rescue of this nature anyway. The catwalk on the top of the lift is for maintenance and nothing to do with the removal of passengers from the train.

Failures of this nature will always occurr, however, the investment required from the ride manufacturers and the parks to absolutely guarantee that they do not occurr would be so massive that it would far outweigh the cost of the problems caused when these failures do occurr. Unfortunate for the people on the ride I guess, but that's business.

That's a decent enough explanation for me. Sorry for my being a numbskull.

[gouldy]

No worries, we're all here to learn [dorkhat] haha!

I'm still confused on how the people get to the catwalks if they're above the riders? Can anyone help? [confused]

They don't. Those catwalks are just for maintenence are aren't used for situations like this.

This does bring up another question tho...

http://www.rcdb.com/57.htm?p=13085

If this is used for evacuations (the catwalk), what use is it if there is no way to get from the seat to the stairs? Or maybe this is a maintenence catwalk, but then why does B&M use full catwalks under thier inverts?

That was crazy. I watched that video, and the clip from on the news. Those people where up there for over 4 hours, and in the heat. But, things like that do happen. It comes with the thrill. And I know most of them were pissed off about not being able to finish the ride,lol!

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by pali_gap

I know it's a shuttle. If Vekoma can't allow for problems like these to occur without having to spend hours getting passengers out, then they lose as a design company and should get the same fate as TOGO.

Pretty much all of their boomerangs and stuff have valleyed in the cobra roll or done this. It's not a big deal unless it's a slow news day.

Yes and again ,
here in the 90's people where stuck in a looping for more than 90minuts: Check google ==> Sirroco Walibi Belgium

Or you could just get stuck on the tophat of TTD. Like some have. That would be so fun to get stuck on a coaster.

Not for me, I mean it would depend on how high it was. If it was KK or TTD, then I don't know what I would do, especially if it was on the seat next to side with no catwalk. I would probably have a panic attack and this comes from a person who over-reacts to everything.