Dollywood | Lightning Rod | Launched RMC

[Jarrett]

We're actually waiting until November for this one. Last time I went then everything was running and this'll give the park time to work out the kinks and maybe even give us less downtime to work around.

Let us know how it is! The free tickets we have are ready to go!

 

[jay37415]

Both TY and I are at the park today. If I can get on it, I'll give a full report after I change my underwear.

 

[WindyCityTy]

My thoughts on Lightning Rod: WOW!!! ...and my hair is a mess.

 

[Boris1981]

I am excited to ride the coaster in July, did they say anything about opening or the second train?

 

[jay37415]

I'm on my phone do excuse the poor grammar or spelling errors.

Concerning the second train, I'm not sure about what was going on in the pictures posted on the TPR forum or why it was taken off, but when I rode it today the second train was on the track in the repair bay under the station.

Before I give a report, I must admit that this is my first RMC cred so I don't anything else to compare it to in terms of how it compares to other RMC's. Overall impression is that it's super smooth for being a woodie and the speed it travels. The airtime is amazing! From launch to lift hill is about a minute ride and at least half of that is spent out of the seat. To put it in perspective, the guy that got off in front of me was bald and his hair was standing when he got off.

The kids and I, yes I let them skip school, rode in rows 9 and 10 respectively. The coaster does start the launch before the lift and I didn't find the transition rough, quite fun actually. The launch takes you up to speed quickly, but the forces weren't overwhelming. What I did notice is that I could feel trims kick in towards the top. This goes along with the rumors that the launch was too much and the trains were too fast.

I was taken off guard by the first drop off the lift. It gives a good bit of ejector and goes down a lot more than I expected. Then up the second hump (the Dolly Humps) has another ejector and you're out of the seat with nothing but the lap bar holding you in until you hit bottom.

The speed is so fast in the transition that as soon as your butt gets settled back in, you're halfway up the massive wave turn. As you crest the top , which is probably the slowest point of the ride, you come back out of the seat all the way back down the other side.

A quick right turn puts you into an element RMC has dubbed "twist and shout." You approach it with a right banked turn, twist into a 90 degree left wave, then back into a hard right banked turn through the valley.. All at a ridiculous amount of speed.

The next element was dubbed a "drivers ed turn " don remember much about it except you came out of it with some serious ejector air.

The climb over the mountain and the quad down is what you expect... 6 crazy moments of ejector air while twisting between the trees. A ton of fun you have experience.

The final turn "non looping Immelmann" was smooth and the train carried great speed. You wouldn't think by looking at it but it carries enough speed to give you one more moment of ejector before the break run.

Then you can breathe.

Overall, if you're a fan of great airtime and prefer wood over steel, this coaster will definitely make your top 5. I know a lot of enthusiasts were drooling over the quad down, it doesn't disappoint. But the two elements after the wave were more fun IMHO.

 

[tomahawk]

The kids and I, yes I let them skip school

MVP father right there!

 

[jay37415]

The kids and I, yes I let them skip school

MVP father right there!

Wouldn't you love to have the opportunity to ride a coaster like that when you were 7.

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for the review. Glad to hear it's as good as expected.

So the ride is still not completely open but they are slowly letting people ride it? Can you explain the process you went through? Did you ask to get a ride pass or something?

 

[jay37415]

Basically you formed a line outside of LR and ride ops "itsdannyrobbins" would give updates when the ride may open. They started out giving 48 cards and you had to go when you got a card. Once all 48 cards returned, they let more through. They only request was that you only rode once to give others a chance to ride.

When they finally opened it today about 2, they just used a clicker and let 24 in once a train cycled. Inside we still waited about 4 cycles until we got on. My assumption is that this will continue and have a full opening on Friday.

 

[Hyde]

A series of updates from the behind the scenes with Irvine Ondrey Engineering as well:

[facebookpost]https://www.facebook.com/IrvineOndreyEngineering/photos/a.475305665826794.115576.474347982589229/1174617129228974/?type=3&theater[/facebookpost]

[facebookpost]https://www.facebook.com/IrvineOndreyEngineering/photos/a.475305665826794.115576.474347982589229/1175512395806114/?type=3[/facebookpost]

[facebookpost]https://www.facebook.com/IrvineOndreyEngineering/photos/a.475305665826794.115576.474347982589229/1175560172468003/?type=3[/facebookpost]

 

[Dar]

On one of those updates they confirm that there's never been any issues with the speed of the launch and they have no idea where those rumours have come from!

 

[Hyde]

Straight from the horses mouth on if there is a trim on Lightning Rod:

[facebookpost]https://www.facebook.com/IrvineOndreyEngineering/photos/a.475305665826794.115576.474347982589229/1176438565713497/?type=3&theater[/facebookpost]

This would make sense, as an LSM launch is able to easy track and control the speed and position of a body moving through it.

 

[Boris1981]

Has anybody been on Lightning Rod yesterday or today? Seems like it didn't open at all yesterday?

 

[Boris1981]

Good to hear about that, we are coming down in july, so I am hoping they will have it open then.

 

[jay37415]

On one of those updates they confirm that there's never been any issues with the speed of the launch and they have no idea where those rumours have come from!

I told you guys I heard it from the lady selling Dippin Dots outside of LR.

But in all seriousness I don't think we will ever know the real reason for the delay. The reason RMC posted is the launch system:

“We take the highest level of pride in every attraction we create. RMC is equally disappointed that Lightning Rod will not be opening as originally planned. We have been working with the launch system subcontractor on-site to bring it up to speed and working as intended.

Yet Irvine Ondrey Engineering claims that their launch system was up to par and trims were not the issue.

Its a matter of "he said, she said" so we'll never know the real reason for the delay unless Pete himself gives an official statement.

Personally, I am siding with RMC on this one. After the delay, more trims were added to the top and I don't know about the other two that rode it but I did hear and feel some trims at the top of the hill.

 

[Dar]

It could still be the launch system without it being about speed. The magnets could have been overheating or they could have lost sync with each other or something else.

Considering IOE programmed the launch, I'm more inclined to believe them than anyone else

 

[Boris1981]

Well there are reports on sfneonline and themeparkreview saying the coaster has been closed since wednesday and they were working on the lift again......not good

 

[Youngster Joey]

Well they have a little over two weeks to get it figured out before the US Live so hopefully they do.

 

[Jarrett]

On one of those updates they confirm that there's never been any issues with the speed of the launch and they have no idea where those rumours have come from!

I told you guys I heard it from the lady selling Dippin Dots outside of LR.

But in all seriousness I don't think we will ever know the real reason for the delay. The reason RMC posted is the launch system:

“We take the highest level of pride in every attraction we create. RMC is equally disappointed that Lightning Rod will not be opening as originally planned. We have been working with the launch system subcontractor on-site to bring it up to speed and working as intended.

Yet Irvine Ondrey Engineering claims that their launch system was up to par and trims were not the issue.

Its a matter of "he said, she said" so we'll never know the real reason for the delay unless Pete himself gives an official statement.

Personally, I am siding with RMC on this one. After the delay, more trims were added to the top and I don't know about the other two that rode it but I did hear and feel some trims at the top of the hill.

Ondrey didn't do the launch, they just do control systems and sensors. The launch was done by Velocity Magnetics, a Pennsylvania company that had never done a launch before. In one of the Under the Hood videos Schilke said it was extremely advanced and contained no moving parts whatsoever. So it was a company that was trying a really high tech launch and had never touched even a basic one before.

If I'm correct, the subcontractor that Dollywood and RMC pointed fingers at (rightfully so) was Velocity, not Irvine Ondrey.

Still think they should've just gone to Vekoma instead. Vekoma makes their truss lifts (Goliath and Wildfire) and they've been kicking out working launches for years.

 

[tomahawk]

There is clearly a reason they went who they went with. You may second guess it but clearly they had the knowledge to convince them to go with them for this project. Advanced technology is a work in process.

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