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What are the problems with X and S: TE

Talk about anything that has to do with the amusement park industry here.
Postby Geno21K on August 5th, 2004, 1:01 pm
Hey everyone,

I've never been out to the West coast to visit MM, but I've certainly read plenty of reports that talk about all of the downtime that they have out there. I know that many of you are savy in the tech aspect of coasters, so I was wondering if anyone knows what some of the main problems are with X and with Superman: The Escape.

I realize that X is a prototype, so downtime is expected. But does anyone have any knowledge as to what some of the common problems are? For instance, Vu vallies, mis-parks, mis-catches, has problems w/ cables, etc. What are X's normal pitfalls?

As for S:TE, I've heard that it's extremely expensive to operate and that it also has several downtime issues. What's the story with this one? Are they keeping it shut down simply because it's too expensive, or are there operational concerns as well. I know that they had to modify the restraints, but that certainly isn't the reason why it is down.

I'm just curious to find out what is keeping these two beasts inoperable. Any info is appreciated!
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 1:06 pm
I'm just curious to find out what is keeping these two beasts inoperable.
X is operating.

X is a freggin juggernaut, everything on that ride is way to big. The trains are real heavy and lose momentum fast, and it takes a ton of maintenence $$ to keep this thing running with 2 trains. But yeah, the trains take a lot of beating and maintenence.

S:TE was shut down by OSHA a long time ago due to reasons I don't know, but as of now it still needs a restraint change before it can open. Also they can't run both sides at the same time because of structural problems and those, eh, forgot what they exactly call them, strators? I think get shot all the time and cost a crapload to replace and even with 1 side running those things would probably die if they ran it at 100 (they normally run it around 85 now I think?).
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Postby B&M Floorless Wanter on August 5th, 2004, 3:28 pm
S:TE was shut down by OSHA a long time ago due to reasons I don't know, but as of now it still needs a restraint change before it can open. Also they can't run both sides at the same time because of structural problems and those, eh, forgot what they exactly call them, strators? I think get shot all the time and cost a crapload to replace and even with 1 side running those things would probably die if they ran it at 100 (they normally run it around 85 now I think?).



The state of california wanted to change the intamin restraints cause of what happened on Superman ride of steel and other rides by intimin

Also S:TE takes up alot of Energy like enough energy to power a city for like 5 seconds!!
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 4:11 pm
B&M Floorless Wanter wrote:
S:TE was shut down by OSHA a long time ago due to reasons I don't know, but as of now it still needs a restraint change before it can open. Also they can't run both sides at the same time because of structural problems and those, eh, forgot what they exactly call them, strators? I think get shot all the time and cost a crapload to replace and even with 1 side running those things would probably die if they ran it at 100 (they normally run it around 85 now I think?).



The state of california wanted to change the intamin restraints cause of what happened on Superman ride of steel and other rides by intimin

That's not why it was shut down though.
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Postby The Beast on August 5th, 2004, 5:55 pm
About X: After about the first 3 months or so of operating (I fogret the exact date) the mechanics learned that the trains were destroying themselves. I'm pretty sure it was something to do with the rails and how the train went along them. Can someone confirm what I am talking about?
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 6:04 pm
...which is why they went to B&M to do a refurbishment to a train (which apparently didn't work to well ;)).
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Postby The Beast on August 5th, 2004, 6:23 pm
^ Wow are you serious? I never heard about that.
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 6:32 pm
The first time the B&M train cycled it vallied :lol:.
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Postby sfgamer2 on August 5th, 2004, 7:22 pm
I guess they should have called Arrow, the original manufact., instead.
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 7:25 pm
SFMM pondering:
Hmm, should we call Arrow, the company that made these that are ripping apart, or B&M? ;)
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Postby The Beast on August 5th, 2004, 8:24 pm
Its too bad that Arrow had to go down the drain just for the sake of one ride. I think all of Arrow's coasters just never get enough respect.
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Postby DejaVu The Ride on August 5th, 2004, 8:45 pm
It was a poc when it opened. Arrow shouldn't deserve respect from this ride. Sure it's a great ride, but if you ask Magic Mountain if X was a mistake, they might just say yes.

From what I heard, the B&M train is smoother than the Arrow train.

S:TE was closed long before the state wanted a restraint change. It's closed because of the weather. :wink:
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 5th, 2004, 8:55 pm
if you ask Magic Mountain if X was a mistake, they might just say yes.

If you ask Magic they'd say a lot more rides than X were not worth it :wink:.
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Postby Timmy179 on August 5th, 2004, 10:11 pm
S:TE is a diaster, I read on one of the MM boards that its costing (or Was) them around the 300$ mark for each launch.
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Postby rct2wizard360 on August 5th, 2004, 10:22 pm
DejaVu The Ride wrote: It's closed because of the weather. :wink:


That pic needs to be on Leno. :wink: Anyways, X was a very good investment, S:TE, well, its looks awful, horrible reliability, and its just plain horrible.
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Postby Ilovthevu' on August 6th, 2004, 12:45 pm
I wonder how Tower of Terror at Dreamworld in Australia is doing? It looks something like STE, but with one side instead of two. Has anyone heard bad reports about it?
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Postby SfGaMownz on August 6th, 2004, 1:48 pm
It doesn't have the type of problems that S:TE does from what I have heard it doesn't have alot of downtime either. I think its because it only has 1 side, meaning it costs less and takes up alot less power, even though S:TE NEVER has both sides open at the same time, because of the amount of power it takes up, it would be insane and could screw up all of southern California.
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Postby coasterzak on August 7th, 2004, 10:46 am
Wow $300 a launch is 6 times what parks pay to launch an impulse. The problem with X and S:TE are that they are at SFMM - from what I hear, one of the worst operated parks in the world.
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Postby American Eagle Freak on August 17th, 2004, 2:34 pm
SfGaMownz wrote:It doesn't have the type of problems that S:TE does from what I have heard it doesn't have alot of downtime either. I think its because it only has 1 side, meaning it costs less and takes up alot less power, even though S:TE NEVER has both sides open at the same time, because of the amount of power it takes up, it would be insane and could screw up all of southern California.


The both times i was there (august 1999 and oktober 2003), S:TE both tracks were operating. Dos anyone know, is the S:TE now operating Again, or will it reopen in the near future?
Last edited by American Eagle Freak on August 17th, 2004, 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby w00dland on August 17th, 2004, 2:39 pm
S:TE has not operated all season. Nobody knows when it will reopen agian...
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Postby sixflagsguy5 on August 18th, 2004, 11:54 am
So are the trains on X currently made by B & M or Arrow. And how did Arrow go out of business, i know they got sued, but for what ride and what accident?
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 18th, 2004, 11:57 am
/\ They got sued because X didn't work and it should have, also 1 train was furbished by B&M.
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Postby sixflagsguy5 on August 18th, 2004, 4:49 pm
So one of the trains is B & M and the other is arrow. But do both trains run or not.

How did they go out of business from one ride. And didnt S and S buy Arrow. And if they did, did they buy it after they got sued or before?
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Postby Virtua Tennis on August 18th, 2004, 5:17 pm
They filed for bankruptsy (sp?) and may have gone under if they wern't baught by S&S. Hmm, I think the third train was used for parts (apparently it was designed to run 3, but Arrowvision said differently) so that leaves 2. And yes they do run 2 trains so I guess the B&M one is running (unless they still have the third there, cause I know the B&M vallied then went SBNO for awhile)...
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Postby DejaVu The Ride on August 18th, 2004, 10:16 pm
The Arrow and B&M train are currently in operation.
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