Stuck roller coaster at Great America

[Kadarin]

Story here: http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_13031694

I wouldn't have noticed were it not for the helicopter that's been hovering overhead annoying everyone here on our floor. Looking out the window I saw it had a camera pointed at Great America, so I checked the local news.. It's not clear yet which coaster, but it's apparently not Top Gun as I see that still working.

Edit: Invertigo is the rollercoaster

 

[jonnyGURU]

I'd be like "I can see my house from here!!!!"

Edit: Here's video: http://www.fox40.com/news/head...ter0810,0,269408.story

 

[DainBramaged]

That sucks. Hope everyone's okay. Almost went to that park.

 

[JohnCU]

i would be scared shitless

 

[Newbian]

Sadly this happens often and a much better situation usually then if they let the ride continue.

Hopefully the people were not stuck upside down or such and it was a regular sitting coaster and not something like the ones where you lie down.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Live feed of rescue: http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123...=true&version=20071003

 

[AstroManLuca]

That video didn't work in Firefox for me, but in IE it did.

Looks like it is in fact one of the inverted roller coasters where your legs hang down. Luckily the people in it are mostly upright - they're at a bit of a downward angle but they're not upside down or anything.

 

[isekii]

i'd be scared shitless if i were one of the passengers facing down. If I were facing up though, I wouldn't worry

 

[GagHalfrunt]

At least they're right side up, that's better than being stuck at the top of a loop. Still, it's gotta suck for those people facing downward.

 

[lxskllr]

They must be running their feed on dialup :^/

 

[chuckywang]

Time to sue for $$$$!!!

 

[eldorado99]

Hopefully none of the passengers are viewing this as an act of love from the roller coaster and now want to marry it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

lol cralzy. I remember this same issue with the Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland. Not sure if they fixed it. Occasionally it gets stuck right at the time. I'm guessing it's all a question of weight distribution, if too much fat people sit on the back it gets less pull to go down.

Would be kind of cool to be in a ride that breaks down (safely) just for the experience. I'd also ask to get free tickets for the time lost, I'm sure they'd give them considering you're just asking for that instead of suing them.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
At least they're right side up, that's better than being stuck at the top of a loop. Still, it's gotta suck for those people facing downward.

Meh not that different than the ride itself,
it would really suck if the ride got stuck while inverted

 

[NaOH]

I used to work there, good riddance

 

[jamesave]

Love Invertigo.

 

[sswingle]

I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

 

[thegimp03]

Hmm, rode that ride a year ago when I went to Great America. Fun ride, at least they're making progress getting the people down.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: sswingle
I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

You do realize that they can stop these rides at nearly any spot on most modern ones for safty reasons, right?

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
i would be scared shitless

Why? I'd be thinking "free six flags pass for life!"

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle
I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

You do realize that they can stop these rides at nearly any spot on most modern ones for safty reasons, right?

You would be wrong. Even the newest, biggest modern roller coasters have set braking positions along the ride. Most have 1 or 2 spots.

The trains themselves do not have brakes, and they do not put brakes along the entire length of the ride. Where they do have breaking positions, they also have the capability to unload the people safely without bringing in the fire department.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: sswingle

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle
I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

You do realize that they can stop these rides at nearly any spot on most modern ones for safty reasons, right?

You would be wrong. Even the newest, biggest modern roller coasters have set braking positions along the ride. Most have 1 or 2 spots.

The trains themselves do not have brakes, and they do not put brakes along the entire length of the ride. Where they do have breaking positions, they also have the capability to unload the people safely without bringing in the fire department.

Then explain how there are times when such rides get stuck with people upside down?

 

[Eli]

I'm going to hell, but..

-- In 1998, a 24-year-old Hayward man was killed under the Top Gun suspended coaster. Hector Villegas Mendoza had climbed a 6-foot fence to retrieve a hat he had lost on a previous ride and was struck in the head by a passenger's leg.

This made me LOL.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle
I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

You do realize that they can stop these rides at nearly any spot on most modern ones for safty reasons, right?

You would be wrong. Even the newest, biggest modern roller coasters have set braking positions along the ride. Most have 1 or 2 spots.

The trains themselves do not have brakes, and they do not put brakes along the entire length of the ride. Where they do have breaking positions, they also have the capability to unload the people safely without bringing in the fire department.

Then explain how there are times when such rides get stuck with people upside down?

I do not know of any such instance. Have an article? Even if there was, there is a difference between a ride getting stuck and your statement that the operators can stop the ride at will anywhere they want.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: sswingle

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: sswingle
I love all the replies about "its a good thing the ride wasn't upside down". No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there. It got stuck on the freaking lift hill.

However I am amazed that the ride/park doesn't have a way to get people off in that situation without calling the fire department. You can see the steps under them. Any roller coaster I have been on (cedar point) has a little gas powered cart that the employees can use to move up under the train and get people off and let them walk down.

You do realize that they can stop these rides at nearly any spot on most modern ones for safty reasons, right?

You would be wrong. Even the newest, biggest modern roller coasters have set braking positions along the ride. Most have 1 or 2 spots.

The trains themselves do not have brakes, and they do not put brakes along the entire length of the ride. Where they do have breaking positions, they also have the capability to unload the people safely without bringing in the fire department.

Then explain how there are times when such rides get stuck with people upside down?

I do not know of any such instance. Have an article? Even if there was, there is a difference between a ride getting stuck and your statement that the operators can stop the ride at will anywhere they want.

Google it and you will get plenty.

And your statement about "No shit, gravity wouldn't let a train get stuck there." was wrong also.