Scott's Coaster Closet

[HomerAWESOME-O-SAURUS!!!]

Does anyone else notice the body laying under Mindbenders loop?

It is one of the first things I notice every single time somebody posts that image in a topic about accidents. I guess it is natural to be scared seeing that.

Meanwhile, I've liked everything so far in this topic. I like these attic/closet topics.

[CoasterGuy06When I grow up, I want to breed donkeys!]

Wasn't there speculation at the time of the LL accident that the girl was intoxicated & sat down in the seat AFTER the staff had already checked,and cleared the train for dispatch? Had she been sobor she would've seen as she approached the car that the restraint was down already.

It will amaze you the number of people that sit on closed restraints. Now most realize as soon as they have sat down, but not everyone.

[coastercrazed49I Love Eli Manning!]

This is really cool stuff Scott.
Its really cool to see how the perspective on rides have changed now. Some of the old rough not very thrilling Arrow coaster used to be some of the top rides in the world. Soon we will be looking back on what it was like right now.

[palmerleeberryA zonkey is a cross between a zebra and a donkey.]

I was about to tell you how excited I was to be reading something from the past concerning the LOCH NESS MONSTER until you added some articles on roller coaster accidents. I'm very thankful that I've never been riding a coaster in which a terrible accident occurred, nor stood in the queuing line when an accident occurred, nor even been at the park the day when such a tragedy had occurred.

I believe the last accident I know in which someone dies after being tossed off had to be the handicapped elderly man who was thrown from Superman : Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England. All Superman rides of steels were closed and extra restraints were added and tighten to prevent an occurence like that ever again (not to mention PO'ed a few people who once ride the ride, but now couldn't due to new restraints). As for me and my long bulky legs, I can only sit down in certain seats due to restrictive (and most unneeded) black plastic pads, thanks to someone who shouldn't have gotten on the ride anyway and to those attendants who failed to recognized that anything was wrong.

But I'm not trying to lessen those accidents in those past articles; any roller coaster accident is a tragedy no matter who's fault it is: the rider, the attendants, and/or the ride itself. The point is in the aftermath of such accident: what was learned and what can we do to make sure no one else will suffer in a similar accident.

[BRTellerI wrote the book about donkeys!]

Wow, I really enjoyed reading that accident article. I love these past article and ride information stuff.

I'm thinking about going through my families thousands of photos, from Six Flags Great America, Santa's Village, Silver Dollar City, ETC. I've seen photos from the 1940's my family has enjoyed amusement parks for years. To bad they didn't organize them, so I would have to through "ALL" the photos. Might be kind of cool to see what I could find, to bad most of the really good pictures are most likely in Illinois with most of my family.

-Brandon

[DenDenFabulously FIERCE!]

Yea, I remember these tragedies, they were so publicized back then.

Back in ancient times, when I was a young'un, Kennywood NEVER checked restraints on coasters until they installed the Laser Loop. And even then, they just did a sport check to see if restraints were down, not necessarily locked. As we all know, today, it's a different story.

The only other restraints they really checked back in the 70's (which was really ahead of their time) was for the Kangaroo, Space Odesy (Scrambler) and Paratrooper. These rides had (and still do, minus SO, which is gone,) old brass latches that a lot of smaller kids have trouble locking themselves.

Most of the rides back then didn't have restraints at all, like the Catepillar, Calypso, Grand Prix, Le Cachot, Old Mill, and more...

Slightly unlrelated, I just heard Kennywood is updating the Log Jammer with seat dividers. (Back rest in the middle of the boat to divide seating 2 and 2 per boat.) Shame that the way we remember things gets ruined by a letigious society and stupid people's children.

I really need to get my classic videos encoded.

[astroworldfan1I poop golden school busses]

Back in ancient times, when I was a young'un, Kennywood NEVER checked restraints on coasters until they installed the Laser Loop.

Dennis, when was that? The time of Jesus or before Jesus? No, seriously you can't be that old!

But, it is sad when someone dies on a coster do to an Op's fault.

(Let us take a moment of silence for all those who've lost their lives on coasters).

-Tatum

[eblTPR's Olden Goldie]

^ I went to parks with Moses, so how old do you think I am?

I wonder if any ride manufacturers have considered putting a sensor inside the OTSR so the computer is notified that there is a body behind it, and not just a seat. Could be done. But of course manually checking restraints is a good idea as well because as we all know, electronic and mechanical things do fail...

Eric

[NosferatuI'm a know-it-all about donkeys!]

Thanks for a great read. It was intresting to read that a coaster reaching 100mph would have to be 400ft high. Who in their right mind would be crazy enough to build something like that

That picture is horrific!

[HHN916I Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

I believe before this accident it was not customary for ride ops to check the restraints. After this happened it became policy for them to check each lap bar physically. Also Six Flags put all those big orange handles on their lap bars which made it impossible to sit back against a closed lap bar.

I also thought that the girls was thrown from Lightnin Loops as the train went from the launch area down into the drop, ya know where you get the major airtime on those launched loops. I didn't know it occurred in the loop.

I still find that picture of the Mindbender with the body on the ground very disturbing. What a horrific accident

Wasn't there speculation at the time of the LL accident that the girl was intoxicated & sat down in the seat AFTER the staff had already checked,and cleared the train for dispatch? Had she been sobor she would've seen as she approached the car that the restraint was down already.

I think one of the stories was that she had chickened out on the platform and was heading to the exit stairs but changed her mind at the last minute and jumped in the seat after the Ops had checked it.