Worlds Of Fun | Steel Hawk | Mondial Windseeker

[ECG]

I haven't seen this posted yet, so I thought I would do so for those interested.

Dismantling of Knott's Windseeker underway
By REBECCA KHEEL / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

BUENA PARK – Knott’s Berry Farm has begun tearing down its 301-foot-tall Windseeker ride.

The park announced in August that its parent company, Cedar Fair, was moving the ride to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo., following two incidents in September 2012 when riders were stranded in the air. The ride will be renamed Steelhawk.

Windseeker is a swing ride that takes people 300 feet in the air and twirls them at up to a 45-degree angle for about 60 seconds.

After the two stranding incidences, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health shut down Windseeker. Knott’s installed a new evacuation system, but Cal-OSHA later found the ride’s ladder did not comply with state rules. Rather than replace the ladder, Cedar Fair opted to move the ride to a state where the ladder is allowed.

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ride-539696-windseeker-state.html

 

[rollermonkey]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

For want of a ladder the kingdom was lost?

 

[insanecoastervids]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

I'm just wondering why would they relocate the ride it has had so many problems and it has halted so many times that they should have just scrapped it?

 

[tomahawk]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

^California and Missouri have different regulations and OSHA wouldn't sign off on it so they opted to relocate it. The modifications worked for all other parks in the chain, just not the one in California.

 

[Hixee]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

^California and Missouri have different regulations and OSHA wouldn't sign off on it so they opted to relocate it. The modifications worked for all other parks in the chain, just not the one in California.

Having had to go through the design process many times during my degree, and especially in third and fourth year projects where they're much 'bigger' projects I'm properly amazed that this kind of thing happens.

After the problem and initial concepts are drawn up, the next consideration should (almost always) be "What do the standards say?". Everything is subject to standards and regulations, from the tolerances for threads on bolts to the height of railings and distance between rungs on ladders. All of these standards are accessible and should be considered before the design is taken any further.

I understand that the regulations have to be 'signed off' upon installation, and to an extent that's up to the discretion of the inspector, but the engineers working on this should have had the plans signed off by OSHA (and whoever else gets involved with these sort of thing) before they went to all the effort of adding the modifications. It really strikes me as very poor planning. And if they'd have worked to the OSHA guidelines for CA, then they would presumably have been over the required limits in MO.

 

[Lofty]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

^ I always like it when you post, Hixee. The voice of reasoning and knowledge ha!

It's actually pretty good to see that this isn't just being completely scrapped. Mondial really took a big hit when most of their Windseeker rides ceased to operate due to the constant breaking downs and problems with the Knott's one. I really like Mondial as a company due to their amazing Topscan, Capriolo, Ultra Max and Revolution rides, so the fact that they're keeping some of their other products still going (despite the criticisms) is nice to see.

 

[ECG]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

...Mondial really took a big hit when most of their Windseeker rides ceased to operate due to the constant breaking downs and problems with the Knott's one...

It wasn't just the Knott's one. Carowinds had similar problems (with riders getting stranded for hours) and the Kings Island, Cedar Point and Canada's Wonderland installations were down more then they were running

 

[tomahawk]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

Here is an excerpt of the article where they mention the safety standards:

Following the incidents, the state Department of Occupational Safety and Health ordered the ride to be shut down pending an investigation into technical problems and evacuation procedures. Cedar Fair voluntarily shut down Windseeker rides at its other five parks.

Before the ride first opened at Knott’s, California officials had concerns about the ride’s ability to meet basic safety standards, according to a state report. Park officials would not comment on whether or not the ride was relocating states to meet other state regulations that may be more lenient.

Full article can be found here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ride ... knott.html

 

[Hixee]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

That article only seems to further the point I was making. Clearly there's some detail of this that I'm missing, don't understand or hasn't been disclosed, but I just can't understand how Mondial would build a ride in CA if it didn't meet the required safety standards. Supposing it did when it was built, but then the failures meant that other modifications needed to be done - those modifications should have been designed to pass the standards.

It's Mondial's fault for not building/modifying a ride properly, and it's Knotts/CF's fault for not ensuring that all of the standards were being met before paying all the money for the ride and it's changes.

 

[ECG]

Re: Knott's Windseeker on it's way to Worlds Of Fun

It's gone vertical.

From the park's Facebook page.

 

[insanecoastervids]

Re: Knott's Windseeker relocated to Worlds Of Fun

Great, Worlds of fun has really needed some new flat rides, so let's see how long it last's there.

 

[ECG]

Re: Knott's Windseeker relocated to Worlds Of Fun

SteelHawk is being topped off.

The view from this windseeker is going to be great.

From the park's Facebook page.

 

[_koppen]

Re: Knott's Windseeker relocated to Worlds Of Fun

Looks great! To bad about the paint job, but I understand that they wan't them to look the same.

 

[owentaylor121]

Re: Knott's Windseeker relocated to Worlds Of Fun

Looks lovely on the parks skyline, some fantastic views as well.

Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk

 

[ECG]

Midwest Information Guide has posted some photos updates:

http://midwestinfoguide.com/worlds/2014/04.12/

 

[rollermonkey]

Re: Worlds Of Fun | Steel Hawk | Mundial Windseeker

In a development that should surprise no one, SteelHawk has been delayed.

LoL