Messages

1

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: December 23, 2023, 07:47:28 AM »

Sorry to hear you lost your job, Palallin!  We would be happy to get at least 2 of you into the City with our guest passes if you can go sometime.  And they send us coupons to get as many as 4 in at a greatly reduced price, ie $20 each.

Thanks, Mark!  I appreciate that very much!

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: December 22, 2023, 06:45:33 AM »

With my wife still unable to walk until her surgery, we didn't get to use our passes last year or this.  Then I got RiF'd, so no passes next year . . . .

3

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Former Ride and Attraction return poll

« on: November 14, 2023, 07:20:52 AM »

Since I can't choose two, I'll just post that I would love to see the stage coach and the float trip return with exactly NO attempt at any updating.

In my mind and heart, I wish SDC were just what it was in the late '60s.

Yes, I am a dinosaur.

4

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: September 11, 2023, 07:52:16 AM »

Sometime in the last couple of months the ozark marketplace was re-arranged making it more of a maze where you have to navigate around displays to get out. It’s no longer two nice clear paths to walk through if you don’t want to shop.

Unfortunate.  It was already hard enough to get ECVs through there. 

5

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: August 22, 2023, 07:32:06 AM »

Agree with losing the guns on FM.  Reinstall the cave in.  Make sure everything works, and then leave it the heck alone.

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Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: August 17, 2023, 07:17:16 AM »

If anyone is interested...Silver Dollar City just uploaded the new version of the Fire in the Hole song to YouTube...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saeqx5nVQnc

Thankfully, the original version is posted, too.  The new performance lives up to the original, but the lyrics leave something to be desired, of course.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Ride Station Cameras

« on: August 02, 2023, 08:50:17 AM »

I have NO desire to watch SDC's activities--it's like watching someone eating cake and ice cream while on a diet--and I have less desire than none to have my own activities monitored and broadcast via the internet.

8

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Train Crash?

« on: May 26, 2023, 07:06:06 AM »

Look, folks, such accidents happen on real RRs fairly often.  The cause is that track takes a beating, and it is simply not possible to spot every potential weak point until it breaks.

It might be possible that a sun kink was involved, but the simple fact is that no amount of maintenance can prevent every failure of the track.  Deal with it.  FACT.  There is no conspiracy, no negligence, no scam, no PR, no sabotage:  a weak point just failed.  $#!t happens. Get over it, and go ride the train.  Or don't:  more room for me and mine.

9

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Silver Dollar City by yourself

« on: May 26, 2023, 07:00:02 AM »

Why anyone else should care whether a person is solo or one-in-a-group-of-100 is beyond me.  What possible difference does it make?

10

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: May 22, 2023, 10:29:21 AM »

 all the tack has been pulled off buildings, etc.

Perhaps the most disturbing detail yet.  Doing so is not neglect but rather targeted removal, actual effort into not just failing to replace but also intentional change.  That took man hours, man hours dedicated to eliminating the atmosphere.

11

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Train Crash?

« on: April 03, 2023, 09:09:31 AM »

The State Fire Marshal’s Office gave Silver Dollar City the following recommendations:

    Develop track safety standards for a 2-foot narrow gage track, as there are no standards
    Install ties at a consistent spacing
    Measure side bearing at set intervals
    Correct and monitor the correct alignment of rails
    Ensure and monitor joint bolts for tightness
    Ensure weight is evenly distributed during passenger loading

I am unconvinc3ed that the Fire Marshal has any business whatever issuing any comments or recommendations on this issue, especially since they can't even spell the word gauge.   I do not expect the necessary level of familiarity from inspectors whose job is in an entirely different field.

There ARE standards or the train would have fallen off the tracks at the first run.   Gauge, for example, requires a certain level of standardization.  Rail alignment is partly a function of the fish plates, but level of precision required is not that high. 

One issue that can be pointed at the City is the fish plate bolts.  They do require monitoring and retightening at intervals. 

The passenger loading comment is, in Ozarkian, foolishment.  I have watched and ridden the train more than most, and I have never seen a randomly-loaded car that evinced dangerous imbalance. 

12

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Train Crash?

« on: March 28, 2023, 07:05:42 AM »

One great bit of news!

A significant piece of SDC returns!

13

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2023 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: March 13, 2023, 07:52:01 AM »

Everything changes. There is no future otherwise.

SDC has never been about the future:  it is--or has been--explicitly about the past. 

I would be perfectly satisfied--nay, delighted!--with the SDC of 1970, prior to ALL of the coasters.

14

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Train Crash?

« on: March 07, 2023, 07:42:26 AM »

JJH, you persist in insisting that all accidents can be prevented.  This assertion is not true.  All mechanical things fail.  It is not possible to predict the failures all the time no matter what inspection is done or how much management hounds the people who actually know what they are doing (i.e. the train crews).  Your assumption that the people have failed is not only unjustified, it is insulting to those dedicated crews. 

15

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Train Crash?

« on: March 01, 2023, 07:06:59 AM »

Shave is dead on:  ya gotta operate with who you have or close down.

Would that I were retired!  I move there and take a sunset job.