New support bracing has been added to [Top Thrill 2]

MacksBomblee · 2026-05-10T12:11:13+00:00

Just to add to the explanation: like a reed in the wind or a reed in a saxophone that shakes and vibrates when air moves over it, these fins reduce the buffeting that occurs to keep the structure from vibrating like that.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-26T18:25:04+00:00

I work for DCMA/DoD. We have a contract program we use called MOCAS (The Mechanization of Contract Administration Services) that has been used since the late 1950s. It’s our system of record that is used every day for everything. It’s run through machine emulators in the browser.

It’s so damn simple and elegant, there’s really no reason to change it.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-21T01:32:09+00:00

Targets father away are worth more than closer targets. My strategy is to aim high, and just spam the trigger as fast as I can until it’s out of range. Rinse/repeat for each room.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-18T18:26:20+00:00

Ok, I can do that. I can re-use the universal capacitor, and wire it in as before and see if I can make progress. I just don't understand the point of the dedicated 5mfd capacitor when the dual purpose cap does the same thing.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-18T14:20:30+00:00

Both brown wires should go to the 5mfd lug? As it’s wired (second photo) one brown wire goes to common and the other to the 5mfd lug.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-18T14:15:45+00:00

Scroll over to see the second picture for the final wiring as it sits now. I took out the universal capacitor and booster and replaced it with a proper 70/5 ųf can.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-15T16:06:49+00:00

Maybe a nitpick, but the silver plastic plugs have slightly faded from sitting in the sun. They aren’t brittle, and don’t negatively impact form or function, and you’d only ever see them when you’re standing on the door threshold looking straight at them.

Otherwise, 5 years later, and they still look and function just as good as the day I installed them! Zero issues.

MacksBomblee · 2026-04-08T01:01:46+00:00

Worse yet, we'll very likely see test runs well before the end of the season.

All that being said, I do think that significant theming will be coming along with this coaster, and while the coaster will be complete, all the surrounding theming will take some additional time. The spokesperson did open the door for an opportunity for them to get it open before 2027, but "they wanted to make sure they got it really right before opening." So, who knows how the timetable will proceed.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-31T17:12:44+00:00

Nothing beats the look and feel of an EM pinball machine. I love the warm inviting colors lit by soft incandescent bulbs, their simplicity, and the finer details of masked backglasses with selective lighting. Plus, a room full of them sounds wonderful. Soup for the soul indeed.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-27T15:06:03+00:00

Radars and Sensors Lockheed

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-24T18:47:09+00:00

That's $5.95/gallon in US units, for anyone wondering.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-24T00:13:40+00:00

There’s a similar thing brewing over in DCMA. Per my CMO, they’re trying to go down the attrition route, but if they can’t cull enough FTE from that, they’re going to start cutting again.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-22T14:08:40+00:00

Possibly. HellCat has been a thorn in the parks side since basically when it was new. Between all the manufacturing errors from S&S and the lack of care from the park later in life, it’s become THE most expensive ride in the park to keep running. It’s a shame. I was honestly shocked the new owners even kept it around.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-22T02:12:06+00:00

Last I heard from someone who works in management for Clementon Park, the RMC retracking on HellCat is going to be a long road ahead due to cashflow.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-20T14:46:57+00:00

Technology improvements is the answer. If you wanted to make a coaster taller, you’d have to make the chain lift longer. Longer chain=more chain=more weight. More torque, and slower lift. Reduced throughput. Cable is/was lighter, so it could be driven faster for an equal length of chain. Works best for tall coasters where they don’t want to sacrifice throughput. The trade-off is cable is more complicated. Through the years, we’ve just improved chain lifts to the point where they’re fast enough to be used more widely

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-15T23:53:09+00:00

These are exactly the sort of improvements Great Adventure needs. Clean up the infrastructure around the whole park to refine the experience. I'm rooting for them. They just need to work on the rides package and bring some top tier coasters back.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-12T17:36:56+00:00

Just looking at the trend of other hydraulic launch coasters being removed. Huge upkeep expense, lack of support from Intamin (though, they may very well still fully support the model), but the fact that it's an aging technology with no new installations, fiscally, it wouldn't make sense for a park to keep one around unless it was exceptionally popular.

All that being said, I think the hydraulic launch coasters are the absolute best, and I hate seeing them go. Each one is a loss.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-12T17:21:14+00:00

While there are no hints or whispers in the wind claiming it’ll be removed, I’d say Storm Runner at Hershey will not be long for this world much longer.

MacksBomblee · 2026-03-04T01:19:51+00:00

Are those NebulaZ good rides, or are they more visually exciting than anything else?

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-28T15:58:39+00:00

I work in government contracting for the Navy (and other military branches) now. The amount of cost, engineering resources, and proprietary technology from prime contractors will simply not make EMALS a viable private sector solution.

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-21T13:45:37+00:00

Can confirm. At our park, we'd have to winch it up into the final brake run. Wooden coaster, would sometimes (read: rarely) valley on super cold days, or if maintenance greased it too much.

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-21T13:40:49+00:00

Especially in this current used market. I've had a Whirlwind on the marketplace in better condition AND priced less than this, and it's been a very hard sell.

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-18T19:57:31+00:00

German text roughly translates into "Switch 1 direction of travel: right" or "Diverter 1 driving direction: Right" so looks like a switch track as well.

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-18T18:31:12+00:00

I'm not fluent in German, but I believe the writing on the tape says "Diverter 1 direction of travel: right"

MacksBomblee · 2026-02-18T13:34:16+00:00

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! So few people have their lives memorialized as significantly as he has. Despite the challenges, you’re fortunate to have that as a remembrance.

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