2 accidents with in hours

[Sporlo]

http://screamscape.com/html/six_flags_over_texas.htm
For anyone who hasn't seen some of these details.

[Ilovthevu']

The Smiler had a problem also, and I think someone mentioned it already, but I want to talk about that too. What I want to know for something like that, is who really puts up these coasters? Is it really that Gestauler or whatever company just makes the track, and gives construction people the plans to put up these rides, or is Gestauler that sends their own people to put it up? To me, it would seem like an independent construction crew does it?? Could that have been a construction companies fault that one bolt of the track was coming apart on that ride? Did they not do it right? Is the mechanics at fault also for not inspecting the track, and making sure that bolt was tight enough? I know it was a hot day, but how does a bolt just pop out? For something like that, it wouldn't seem right that a construction company is putting in the track, and than just because it's Gestauler ride, they get all the blame.

[Sporlo]

It could be the contractor's fault, but it could also be Gerstlauer's fault for poor engineering. Or maybe the track pieces were just manufactured poorly (also on Gerstlauer).

I actually am not very familiar with how roller coasters go from paper to riders. I used to think it was basically the coaster manufacturer doing almost everything in-house the whole process, except for a bit of construction contracting. But lately I've begun to realize there are often more parties involved in the design process besides the company that gets the press.

[FParker185]

Stakotra does manufacturing on large rides for Gerstlauer (same company that fabricates for Intamin amongst others). I'm going to guess what happened on The Smiler was a combination of the company that erected it along with the track being black which totally changes the dynamics on the ride. Batman actually had to have every single track bolt replaced between 1992/3 due to the black track. In 92, it was popping bolts left and right. If the track or structure is black basically anywhere the sun shines with any strength what so ever the torque on the bolts needs to be reduced during construction or else when the track expands due to heat, it pops em.

[BLADE]

This post makes me a little teary-eyed. X2 is my favorite coaster, and Green Lantern is one of my least favorites.

[shrug]. I was kind of hoping to find out what X2 was all about that day, since it is so different from anything else. But when you only have one day ...

I've generally found my girlfriend doesn't like rides that flip you over at height. She hates King Chaos (I personally enjoyed it). She was not a fan of St. Louis' Xcalibur (another one I really liked). The experience on Green Lantern made her upset. I had a hunch she wasn't going to be all that keen on X2, and after the Green Lantern experience, I wasn't going to push too hard.

Someday, we'll go back and maybe then I'll try and do some convincing. She got me to do the drop tower in St. Louis (with my eyes closed the whole time) and I hate drop towers. She owes me one.

I find Magic Mountain to be much better to do with an event, like West Coast Bash. It's in September this year because of Full throttle. You can ride X2 over and over without even getting off of it. X2 seems very much like a man's ride. My girlfriend can do without it, but it's my #1 coaster. She just sits and takes pictures of me on it. But I noticed during these events, there are barely any females in line. I just find with Magic Mt.'s shoddy management that has 1 train operation on my rides, to be much better to do with an exclusive ride time event.

[PfightingPolish]

I find Magic Mountain to be much better to do with an event, like West Coast Bash. It's in September this year because of Full throttle. You can ride X2 over and over without even getting off of it.

We were out there for a competition my girlfriend was in and stayed an extra day to do Magic Mountain. It was a blast, but our chances of getting out there again soon, much less on a day when there's an event, are probably small.

X2 seems very much like a man's ride. My girlfriend can do without it, but it's my #1 coaster. She just sits and takes pictures of me on it. But I noticed during these events, there are barely any females in line.

I haven't ever been on a coaster without my girlfriend. In fact, I didn't ride them until we started dating (had bad acrophobia as a kid). And while we have different tastes -- for example, she's more Raging Bull while I'm more X-Flight -- I don't think we're that different. Generally speaking, if I like it, she likes it, but that element of X2 she might not like that I'm OK with might make that an exception.