Lighting Rod's Continued Issues

Swoosh · June 02, 2017, 03:10:20 PM

I think some of the track was replaced where it goes over the train track after the roll. Something about it getting damaged by something that was too tall to go under it or something like that.

The wheels this year have helped but I keep hearing that they wear out too fast. Almost as if the track is shredding them.

sdcfan88 · July 17, 2017, 03:10:10 AM

And its down again. I think this is the best comment I have seen on TPR in regards to that coaster and its incessant issues. lol

Quote from: DjwadeknoxDollywood needs to invest in a moose out front to let people know that Lightning Rod is not open today.

sirwillow · July 20, 2017, 03:27:02 PM

Quote from: sdcfan88 on July 17, 2017, 03:10:10 AM
And its down again. I think this is the best comment I have seen on TPR in regards to that coaster and its incessant issues. lol

Quote from: DjwadeknoxDollywood needs to invest in a moose out front to let people know that Lightning Rod is not open today.

I don't float over to that site at all. Was it a one day closure? Longer period of time? Any ideas?

We're still hoping to go in 2 weeks (depending on the cost of car repairs) and I'm hoping it will be open.

Tmboote · July 20, 2017, 08:07:09 PM

^So far this month Lightning Rod hasn't been open at all on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 19th, or 20th and it only uses one train operations when it is open as far as I know.

shavethewhales · July 21, 2017, 09:41:20 PM

Yeah, it's a freaking joke. Even after all the down time to start the year off, they never got it running truly reliably or even with both trains. Now we are back to it being closed more than open again...

I can't imagine the conversations going on in DW backrooms now. I have a feeling some kind of legal action is going to be back on the table. The summer is running out quick, and before long LR will be "new" for 2018. So many enthusiasts are pissed that they still can't make definite plans to come ride it. Long gone are the days when DW was one of the parks that could do no wrong in the communities' eyes, now it's just another amusement park with ride problems.

chittlins · July 22, 2017, 09:15:11 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on July 21, 2017, 09:41:20 PM
Yeah, it's a freaking joke. Even after all the down time to start the year off, they never got it running truly reliably or even with both trains. Now we are back to it being closed more than open again...

I can't imagine the conversations going on in DW backrooms now. I have a feeling some kind of legal action is going to be back on the table. The summer is running out quick, and before long LR will be "new" for 2018. So many enthusiasts are pissed that they still can't make definite plans to come ride it. Long gone are the days when DW was one of the parks that could do no wrong in the communities' eyes, now it's just another amusement park with ride problems.

It's making Powder Keg look like a reliable ride.

sdcfan88 · July 27, 2017, 12:12:05 AM

I just think they need to go ahead and rip out the launch, enlarge the hill by removing the predrop segment and put in a high speed cable lift to emulate the "launch" and be done with it before this becomes Dollywoods Son Of Beast.

BackInTime · July 27, 2017, 03:27:34 PM

Moot point, but I can verify that it was opening and running for at least part of the day yesterday. A friend of mine lost his phone while riding. And no he wasn't trying to use it. Sounds like it came loose in his pocket and fell out during the ride.

sirwillow · July 27, 2017, 09:36:11 PM

Quote from: BackInTime9 on July 27, 2017, 03:27:34 PM
Moot point, but I can verify that it was opening and running for at least part of the day yesterday. A friend of mine lost his phone while riding. And no he wasn't trying to use it. Sounds like it came loose in his pocket and fell out during the ride.

That's encouraging! We'll be there next Tues or Weds so I'm hoping...

shavethewhales · July 29, 2017, 02:52:23 PM

It sounds like it can stay running semi-reliably as long as they only run one train. They have run two trains a handful of times and it always results in extended downtime shortly after. It seems like they will just have to limp through the rest of this year (again) and try to get the second train working for 2018.

Until then, wait times are often 100+ mins...

sirwillow · July 29, 2017, 09:34:53 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on July 29, 2017, 02:52:23 PM
It sounds like it can stay running semi-reliably as long as they only run one train. They have run two trains a handful of times and it always results in extended downtime shortly after. It seems like they will just have to limp through the rest of this year (again) and try to get the second train working for 2018.

Until then, wait times are often 100+ mins...

Any idea if Lightning Rod is part of their quick queue/ skip the line system? I might have to dip into the pocket for it.

sirwillow · August 22, 2017, 11:58:20 AM

BTW, never responded to this, but when we were there on Aug 3 the coaster was open all day. They were down for a short time due to weather, and one other time for 30-60 minutes (not sure the reason, just saw it on the app) but otherwise ran the whole day.

Swoosh · August 22, 2017, 01:23:41 PM

Just one train though, correct? Seems that if they only one train they have minimal issues, once they try to run two trains then LR throws a fit.

sirwillow · August 22, 2017, 01:29:33 PM

Quote from: Swoosh on August 22, 2017, 01:23:41 PM
Just one train though, correct? Seems that if they only one train they have minimal issues, once they try to run two trains then LR throws a fit.

Yes, one train. We were also there on a Wednesday where they didn't really need more than one train. But I've heard the same thing about if they try to go with 2 trains.

sdcfan88 · November 15, 2020, 07:55:37 PM

Not to necropost but just saw word that Lightning Rod is getting an overhaul with extensive retracking with I-Box track on a portion of its layout thus making it a partial hybrid coaster.

Im sure this will spark a fun debate with coaster geeks. Will it still be considered a complete full circuit wooden coaster? Will it lose its records?

In a way this officially makes LR Dollywoods Buzzsaw falls where they had to overhaul it after a few seasons (though not as extensively as the latter had with a retheme) to give it better reliability and ride experience. This will also be the first RMC to be RMC'd.

https://www.facebook.com/acesoutheast/posts/10158684049654648