SFGAV Trip and New Woodie Info

Make my first trip to Six Flags new flagship park last weekend. Having watched MM get ruined over the last 5 years, I had high hopes for GAV. Got to the park and 2 hours before opening and called my buddy who does control work for Six Flags. He had arranged to sneak me in a bit early to maybe get some laps on KK warming up. He met me at the front gate and escorted me into the park. A few managers met us in the main entrance and started asking him about the control schematics for a new ride. (Intamin Woodie anyone?) I kept quiet and after they left he could see the inevitable question on my face. He smiled and took me to the maintenance office and pointed towards a drafting table in the corner. After I swore secrecy under penatly of death, I got a look at the coaster. All I am allowed to say is that this ride will really surprise everyone. It was certainly not what I expected. I can't say anything else other than it has more senors and control work than Nitro, so you figure out the rest. I also learned that it is not a sure thing for 06'. He wouldn't say what might push it back other than to say he had heard that there was a chance it may not arrive next year.

After that we walked over to KK and waited for them to start the test launches. I was told they ususally don't start testing until the park opens, but they wanted to get the ride up early in anticipation of the weekend crowds. About 45 minutes before the park was to open they motioned us into the station. My friend said he gets about 10 or so laps on KK every day as they are still trying to fine tune the control system. After about 5 minutes we rolled to the launch track. Having been on TTD last year, I knew what to expect and I wasn't dissapointed. All those nay-sayers that dispel this ride as overrated are on crack. The launch was amazingly powerful and the force the train generates is awsome. The tophat is taken much faster than TTD and the airtime hill was actually a bit tame.

We got about 7 circuits before the ride supervisor came out and said they were having a few VIP's and we needed to head off the ride. A gruff voice then said, "they can stay on as long as they get out of the front seat." We looked over as we vacated the front seat and low and behold, Simone Cowell and a few of his posse got on the front few seats. He said hello to us and was actually fairly polite. We got 3 more laps before the park opened and I had a lot of fun watching Simone's lady friend have a nervous breakdown after the first launch. He was hooting and hollering the whole time. I am not really an Americal Idol fan, so I wasn't really star struck. AS we exited the station he struck up a conversation with us and my friend gave him some advice on the park. An all around nice guy tht seems to be the polar opposite of the a-hole he is on that show.

The park was opening so we headed over and got in line for Superman. I had ridden X-Flight, so I was looking forward to B&M's take. I must say that I found the ride pretty disapointing. Other than the drop and first inversion, there were really no forces at all. It almost seemed too tame. I hope MM's new flyed has a bit more umph, as this was pretty lacking. They were also running 1 train, so I can imagine that the lines would suck.

As I bee-lined for Nitro, I was almost crushed by the surge of patrons running for KK. The park security were trying to keep them walking, but the crowd wasn't listening. This was my first sign that the GADV crowd was a bit unrully. I noticed during the rest of the day that there were some seriuos issues with language and overall behavior that the park needs to address. I hadn't heard the F-bomb used so much in my life. Being an Irishman, profanity has never really bothered me. But the father in me was mortified to see so many small kids around when older kids were swearing like cheap whores. I confronted a few and they really didn't seem to care. The parents also seemed indifferent. Man, this is a different world all together. Some punk tried to get in my face when I asked him to watch his mouth around a few small kids. Thankfully I'm not small guy and after he stepped in my face I gave him a nice little shove and he backed off. It makes me sad to see how poorly some of todays youth seem to act. I'm not a quaker by any means, but kids should at least be considerate to small children. Oh well.
[V][V][V]

Nitro was awsome. The first drop was amazing, maybe even rivaling MF. The back seat was definately the best as there was comfortable floating throughout the ride. Batman was Batman. Nothing more to say other than this seemed to be the most forecful one I had been on. Must be the earlier model. Batman and Robin were down, so I headed for Medussa. This was also a great ride the seemed a lot smoother than Scream, even though it was 5 years older. The parked then got super crowded, so I hit a few more rides and then headed to my friends house.

Overall, a really great park that needs to fix a few issues, mostly the behavior of the kids at the park. I look forward to the new ride and hope to go back soon.

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

I'm a 15 year old kid and I do swear but not around little kids and if my friends are I always tell them stop swearing around them because I don't really like to get parents amd because we taught there kids some new words so. But that is super sweet how you got in before the GP and went on KK and im so anxious about that woodie after you said you were surprised.

I'm also 15 but don't swear around the little ones. I do slip sometimes though I think we all do. Nitro sounds great. I can't imagine row 9 on the drop. Kingda Ka sounds great but being that TTD is closer, I'll have to stick to it for now. I've heard that TTD's lauch is more powerful while KK's is more stuttery. Is this true from your opinion?

Well, whatever that new coaster is, it will hopefully be something fun for those of us no in the "know". Did you notice any problems with line cutting? When I was at SFMM in '03 there were all sorts of people cutting and nobody did anything. The same people cut on two different rides.

I think the swearing would have bother me a bit too. Young kids should not be exposed to that stuff at such an early age. I wish I had your connections. *sigh*

Umm, Nitro doesnt have much control or sensors to begin with. They were just trying to make it sound impressive. Im sure its gotta be something new, however Nitro runs 3 trains on a track thats very, very simple. B&M designs simple to begin with so telling me that its got more than that isnt a suprise.

Looking forward...hopefully it doesnt shuffle me to death like KK

Actually Real, B&M's have proximity sensors every 20 feet on all of their rides. This helps the computor know where the trains are at all times to avoid any problems.

Im pretty sure they dont. I know what the sensors look like and Ive got tons of pictures of Raptor and others B&M's where there isnt a sensor for 20ft of track.

They usually put them where needed. Intamin will do every 20 ft, especially on their rocket coasters but Ive got pictures to prove that they dont do it every 20ft. They do it at key points.

^ Maybe thats the older B&MS, although all the B&MS i have been on do not have sensors every 20 feet. Nemesis doesnt, Oblivion might have some in the hole but i doubt it, and Air doesnt have any. Rita does but thats Intamin [V] I dunno though, maybe the B&M hypers do, all you need to do is look at an onride of Nitro, and count all the sensors you see.

I was under the impression that the senors were mounted on the spine, but in this photo they are mounted on the inside of the track. They have four in this picture so that the speed can also be monitored.

http://www.rcdb.com/ig2169.htm?picture=1

But that is a block segment peice of track. I would expect a ton of sensors in those areas.

Nothing here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig2536.htm?picture=53
Or here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig2536.htm?picture=54
Or here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig735.htm?picture=26

Originally posted by Real

But that is a block segment peice of track. I would expect a ton of sensors in those areas.

Nothing here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig2536.htm?picture=53
Or here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig2536.htm?picture=54
Or here: http://www.rcdb.com/ig735.htm?picture=26

Actually, they are in the first picture. Look at the most pominent connection point to the supports and you can see them on the cross tie next to the track. One one either side. As I mentioned, sensors have gotten very small, so you have to look close. The middle picture doesn't really show either support connection well and the third shot is just too far too see. I really don't want to continue to debate this issue as it seems you aren't convinced, and I am. I guess it will have to remain a mystery.[?][?][?][?]

I just checked out several Nitro onrides. There are quite a few sensors, but not every 20 feet, Id say every 150-200 feet, which is more often than Real is thinking, But less than Pdon is. There was a very dense ammount on the helix, I musta seen 15 through the whole helix.

I'm sure its a good idea that there are a bunch of sensors on the helix because that's where high g forces can build up. I mean the force a train that weighs over 5 tons exerts on the structure is massive.

Originally posted by Woodie Man

I'm sure its a good idea that there are a bunch of sensors on the helix because that's where high g forces can build up. I mean the force a train that weighs over 5 tons exerts on the structure is massive.

What does that have to do with sensors, Were not talkin about supports.

Oops getting off topic.[sillyme] Sorry.

[jayman]

no...wait... the sensors probabaly DO have something to do with the g forces though... those sensors probabaly have alot to do with checking out the speed of the train through that part of the track..that way the mcbr can be adjusted accordingly.

Bastard! I just got back from there and kingda ka was closed. As for cussing...I just can't help it. I do have control around little kids, but I guess it's the whole Portland/Chicago thing I went through. Overall behavior?? What where they doing?! Lol. The worst my friends got at Six Flags was a girl we found (and hung out with) humped the batmobile while I was down in Texas.

I agree about Superman. It was fun, but not my favorite. Both batman's are fun, sucks that they weren't open. They were my first launched rollercoasters.

As for Simon Cowell on Kingda Ka, you should of said "I was here first, bitch!" and seen what happened. J/k. The only star siting I've seen was Joey from Friends on Titan. I was on the same train! w00t. But I was in the back...for I like it there.

Anyway...I wish I had friends that worked at all the parks I went too. Not that I don't try to make any in line, but to get in the park 2 hours early? Awesome...[;)] Oh, and I wouldn't know what sensors look like. I knew they were there, but I could care less.

Originally posted by jayman

no...wait... the sensors probabaly DO have something to do with the g forces though... those sensors probabaly have alot to do with checking out the speed of the train through that part of the track..that way the mcbr can be adjusted accordingly.

Which supports what I said. They have sensors in and around areas NEAR blocks. In areas totally not near a block, theres no need to have them since the speed can alter slightly.

So having them near and around the blocks means it can relay the information to the block brakes and it can tighter or loosen accordingly.


However its been my experience that brakes are set to one speed. Ive never ridden a ride with an MCB and one time it was on hard and the next it was off - even when Ive ridden in conditions very different in the same day (like before and after thunderstorm and during)