Flying Turns Update; Stepping up the pace
Coastin Steve
weeks.
I few new people hired, longer work hours w/ daylight savings
happening and the rest of the park showing signs of life to get ready
for opening in a few weeks.
The 90 degree trough turn by the North Pole and Christmas shop, is
beginning to take shape. As soon as the trough of this turn ends the
train will engage the third lift hill to get the train back up to
loading barn height.
While no bents have been placed for this lift hill yet, I would
suspect that those would be going up next week.
On the other end of the ride the starting helix has all of it's bents
in place, as well as the hand laminated, twisted beams that will support
the trough in this section.
As we build what John Fetterman has designed in this helix, we know
that John has a great sense of what "we" like, as back seat ride thru
this section of track will be quite "enjoyable" <g>
Next for the helix are the steel support rings that form the
trough. Setting these should be starting this week, and these will be
some of the steepest angled rings set so far. 8-)
The number of bents needed to be built and set to complete the circle
is getting down to the end. <G> Then there's trough to be built in
the helix and turns beyond the brake run, side friction track to do on
3 lift hills and the brake run, and a loading barn to build
.... and you want it by when ??
LOL !!!!!
Should be getting some pics up on the page in the next day or 2
and I'll be seeing some of you up at Knoebels opening day in a few
weeks
Flying Turns carpenter
Coastin Steve
http://community.webtv.net/Coastin_Steve/FlyingTurnsFotosbyCS
adam....@gmail.com
the Turns. Just curious, does Knoebels have a timetable for opening? I
love Knoebels so no disrespect but at one point during last season
they were looking at getting this ride done possibly by PPP '06.
Knowing what we know now, that seemed to be an absolutely impossible
date to hit. So, considering there are actual whole sections of this
ride left to be built and knowing how long it took other sections to
be built, could we be looking at a PPP '07 opening? Also, do they even
have trains built yet? A design even? I haven't seen mention of that.
I applaud the park for taking this on but it seems to be, they bit off
a lot more than they can chew. Can't wait to finally ride it though.
Thanks again.
Live to Ride,
Adam Revesz
Paren...@aol.com
No disrespect taken! It's a legitimate question.
Have we bitten off more than we can chew? Not if we keep nibbling
away. Fortunatly we have not built anything which has had to be torn
down and rebuilt, so progress continues, whether it is at a faster
pace or slow as molasses.
One factor we considered before embarking on this project was the
cost of money these days. We wondered whether we would be able to
carry the debt load of unproductive money for an extended period if
the project extended for longer than normal. Because of relatively
low interest rates - "cheap" money - that burden is easier to bear
than it might have been, say back in 1980 during the Carter malaise
years of high inflation and high interest rates.
Also, we have ourselves in a highly attractive position, remember,
with our free admission and free parking policy - people can come to
see the construction and do not have to pay an exhorbitant price just
to watch. So an incomplete ride is less a slap in the face of a
"cheated" consumer who pays our list price to get in but gets no
benefit from just observing the progress, than it would be if he had
to pay full admission just to watch clever carpenters bend wood.
Talk of completion for PPP 2006 was not B.S., but it would have
required much more intensity of construction practises than we have
had to live with. Ironically, our approach leads to an overall lower
finished cost, by building slowly. A project built rapidly is rife
with mistakes, backtracking, finger-pointing, high-cost instant-
delivery contracts, next day air deliveries of every and all
components, and so on. The Knoebel family have been remarkably
patient and supportive of this deliberate process, even as the
progress had been "slow".
In the end, we are building a unique ride, the type of which hasn't
been built for decades - and frankly, because of increased safety and
longevity concerns, this type of ride has really never been built
before. How long does it take to build such a ride, especially if
your prime concern is operation and maintenance of an existing
amusement park? We all would love to have the monkey off our back, to
get the ride open, but we started the project in full knowledge that
we had considerable leeway in the length of time available to complete
the job properly. It will get open at some point, and we appreciate
the understanding shown by so many who have been inconvenienced by our
slow progress.
In the end, the proof will be in the pudding. It's been great to
have so many people rooting for us, many even helping to make the
pudding.
John Fetterman
KG
Mark Rosenzweig
> Also, we have ourselves in a highly attractive position, remember,
> with our free admission and free parking policy - people can come to
> see the construction and do not have to pay an exhorbitant price just
> to watch. So an incomplete ride is less a slap in the face of a
> "cheated" consumer who pays our list price to get in but gets no
> benefit from just observing the progress, than it would be if he had
> to pay full admission just to watch clever carpenters bend wood.
Except for the fact that exhorbitant admission and parking prices
usually only gain guests admission to a park to look at a completed
ride that doesn't work.
In the case of the FT, you guys could easily charge admission to a
grandstand just to watch "Clever Carpenters Bend Wood" (man, I can see
that title on a Broadway Marquee- you in?)
-Mark
Keith Hopkins
news:1176904111....@b75g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>
> In the case of the FT, you guys could easily charge admission to a
> grandstand just to watch "Clever Carpenters Bend Wood" (man, I can see
> that title on a Broadway Marquee- you in?)
Sounds more like a porno to me.
--
Keith Hopkins
suss...@sssssssssgmail.ssssssssscom
[clear up the hissing to email]
"Career experts say you should dress for the job you want, not the
job you have. I hope there's no law about dressing like a Pope."
Scott Adams, on his plan for sainthood
adam....@gmail.com
understand the scale of this project and how unique it truly is.
Knoebels has also been very good about not making opening promises so
none of us have the right to complain. I think Knoebels regulars enjoy
watching the progress too. I was not around for the Phoenix rebuild
(that was before my crazy enthusiast travels) but I'd imagine it was a
similar scenario. Being an architect myself, I totally understand the
construction scenario you mentioned as well. I can't tell you how many
change orders are created due to design changes on fast track
projects. Any way, thanks for being honest and responding. I look
forward to checking out the progress on opening day in person. I'm
very much intrigued by this project and simply can't wait to ride it!
I'm sure everyone involved is just as anxious too.
Live to Ride,
Adam Revesz
Coastin Steve
It seems that John Fetterman beat me to the posting with the answers
to some of the questions you asked
Thanks John
Flying Turns carpenter
& Clever wood bender <G>
Coastin Steve
http://community.webtv.net/Coastin_Steve/FlyingTurnsFotosbyCS
Funtype
> In the case of the FT, you guys could easily charge admission to a
> grandstand just to watch "Clever Carpenters Bend Wood" (man, I can see
> that title on a Broadway Marquee- you in?)
>
...and you made a comment about my flashback remark.
;P
David F
<Paren...@aol.com> wrote:
> In the end, we are building a unique ride, the type of which hasn't
>been built for decades - and frankly, because of increased safety and
>longevity concerns, this type of ride has really never been built
>before. How long does it take to build such a ride, especially if
>your prime concern is operation and maintenance of an existing
>amusement park? We all would love to have the monkey off our back, to
>get the ride open, but we started the project in full knowledge that
>we had considerable leeway in the length of time available to complete
>the job properly. It will get open at some point, and we appreciate
>the understanding shown by so many who have been inconvenienced by our
>slow progress.
John,
I think many will share the sentiment i have expressed many times
regarding your project:
Take your time. Do it right the first time. We will be there when
you are ready for us.
Regards,
David
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kirk_ri...@yahoo.com
>
> John,
>
>
> Take your time. Do it right the first time. We will be there when
> you are ready for us.
>
Take your time. After you have completed it...take a break, rest for a
while and then start on the wooden wild mouse!!!
Bill B.
Great response. But what of the trains?
Paren...@aol.com
>
> Great response. But what of the trains?-
Trains? Trains? We don't need no stinkin' trains!!
Seriously - as we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel
for structure, we are getting closer to making some crucial train
decisions. The devil is in the details with these critters, so I am
mostly silent when a train question comes up.
Whet will they look like? I dunno. But I'm SURE they will look
just super!!!
Will they have the mock wing present? I dunno. Probably. I
haven't had a reason to be compelled to toss the wing, and I feel it's
the very essence of the original to have a wing present. That much
said probably brought a jinx on the whole deal, and the wing will turn
out to be impractical to build. But the wing will be there if at all
possible
Will they be fat-free, and help you lose weight? Absolutely.
Unless otherwise.
Jeepers, when I talk about the trains, I don't get to be the wise
man... the only part wise in this situation is the part of me I sit
upon. Wish I had more concrete stuff to share; it's coming. But
right now, the train's in a state of increasing flux, so saying much
more than I have already revealed would be pointless.
But thanks for asking!
John
KG
kerm...@comcast.net
ride is done. Maybe 3 hour waits for this one!
Wolf
> ride is done. Maybe 3 hour waits for this one!
At Knoebels, 3-hr waits are bad for business.
--
|\-/|
<0 0>
=(o)=
-Wolf
Mark Rosenzweig
>
> At Knoebels, 3-hr waits are bad for business.
>
Only at Cesari's.
Coastin Steve
begin to discuss wait times.
"We" were just wondering the other day if Knoebels is going to open
the ride w/ 1, 2 or 3 trains ready to roll
Obviously the wait time will be affected by that unknown
And I added a few pics to my little Flying Turns page.
Forgot to mention that this past weekend I ended up doing a good bit
of climbing on the Flying Turns structure. It was time for the plastic
that has protected us all Winter to come down and sometimes it was
fastened at quite thrilling locations. <G>
I felt like I was unwrapping a big Xmas present <G> trains not
included 8-(
Hope to see a bunch of you up at Knoebels when it opens for 2007 a
little over a week from now
mamoosh
> And I added a few pics to my little Flying Turns page.
> http://community.webtv.net/Coastin_Steve/FlyingTurnsFotosbyCS
Steve - thanks so much for posting your pics and for your input on the
project. You're living out the dreams of many of us. I do have one
small request for the next time you update with new pics: could you
post the direct link to the park with new pics? That way I and many of
us won't have to click from page to page starting with the very first
page until we find the newest.
Thanks ;-)
Matthew
Mark Rosenzweig
Lazy Americans.