[FamousAmos]

Okay, so this may or may not be my first "trip report" but here goes.

Day 1--- 6/21/2017
Part 1

So... I can't drive yet (yeah yeah, I know), so I basically relied 95% on public transit for this entire trip.

I took a cab from Carowinds to the Charlotte Greyhound terminal at like 4:30 am. My bus was scheduled to leave at 5:10 am, so I got there in plenty of time. I would have taken the Cats bus and Lite Rail up there, but you know, it was 4:30 am and the Cats bus wasn't running yet.

My round trip Greyhound ticket was about $60 to Atlanta. Not too bad. The bus ended up leaving late at around 5:30 and we eventually made it to the South Side Atlanta Greyhound Terminal (the really ghetto one) by around 10:00 am. Fortunately, this one is located at a Marta Train Station. I took the train from where I was (Garnett station) up to Five Points, then out to Holmes Station. From there I caught the 30 Bus that goes straight to Six Flags.

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Obviously, this is the sight you are first greeted with. That, and a rather clustered front gate entrance. Though I really like the style of the entrance, it is very cluttered.

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I'm surprised it wasn't even more crowded than it was. I'm assuming that the pending rain in the forecast kept some of the crowd away. I went ahead and used my $61 ticket to get in the park.

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So this thing was my first "New" credit of the day.
Let's ignore the fact that they were running only one train. But the way that they were checking the seats and the overall operation of the ride is something that I was not at all familiar with (not how we would operate a stand-up coaster). But who am I to judge? I barely got to look at the control panel and see how it operates. It's a newer model of stand-up so it may have a slightly different operation. I didn't bother to ask. Even though I waited in a 45 minute line that could have easily been a 20 minute line.

I had heard a lot of good things about the ride. I came off and really really enjoyed it. No head-banging. No rattling. Much MUCH better than Vortex.... But at least ours has a nice coat of paint on it...

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Moving on. I was told to hurry up and get on this thing because of the VR (thanks for the head's up Coasterbruh). Sadly... it was closed. Apparently there was a lift hill malfunction of some sort and maintenance had been working on it for the past few days. This was the only coaster credit I missed out on this trip

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Onward to the highlight of my trip: Goliath.
I was rather impressed with the amount of airtime on this thing. I rode in the back seat of all these coasters on this day. I got a lot of airtime on this thing. I could tell that it had a bit of age to it. Since the train rattled over every single hill. But I overlooked that and focused on the ride itself. I really really liked it.

Part 2 coming soon

[arby]

Even though I waited in a 45 minute line that could have easily been a 20 minute line.

Welcome to Six Flags! Have a Six Flags Day!

[Sean978]

I'm already worried that you said Goliath was better than Mindbender...

[gabed]

Shame you missed DDD, solid ride. SFOG is the only good Six Flags park I've been to so far, very charming place.

[Edwardo]

the South Side Atlanta Greyhound Terminal (the really ghetto one)

As opposed to the other still ghetto terminals? You realize this is Greyhound, right?

I barely got to look at the control panel and see how it operates. It's a newer model of stand-up so it may have a slightly different operation

Consign didn't change their consols till the early 2000s, so no.

[RollerBee]

^So you have seen Votrex's ride op control panel close up? I doubt it, I have been up close to Vortex, Drop Zone, Hurler, Carousel, Goldrusher, Saturator, Top Gun, Thunder Road, Log Flume, Boo Blasters, Biplanes, Balloon Race, Flyers and Crabbie Cabbie. Nearly all of them were Allen-Bradley control panels. I don't remember if Vortex and Afterburn were but do Rebel ever that they looked similar but had far more buttons.

Newsflash, Josh drives Vortex. I personally saw him doing it today. I also remember noticing that Ga. Scorher drive panel looked different than Vortex when I went.

[Edwardo]

Um, Consign has installed every B&M control system and control panel, for every single install. Ever.

That's an absolute fact.

http://www.consignllc.com

Unlike you, I know people that work for these companies. And it's a fact that up until the early 2000s every B&M had the same exact install. Then the company came out with something newer. I know this because I asked a question about the mantis to Rougarou transformation. And got the answer from someone that actually works with them.

Here are some more facts for you: When Holiday World installed Thunderbird, they had Consign finback to their other coasters and put on a new control system just like Thunderbird, so that all if their coasters ran on the same control panel and everyone could be cross trained.

Also, BGW had Consign update their rides this past off season to add the monitors to show when seats were locked lije Fury has. They did that hecausevConsign also installs GCI'S controls and were at the park for InvadR.

Go ahead and try to start something. Because you're wrong.

Edit: I just read your whole post. Allen Bradley manufactures the actual parts to the control board. They're the subcontractor that Consign uses to build the pieces. They don't design control systems, they make the parts for the panel. Just like the electrician's that come and wire the thing are also subcontracted. Maybe you should learn a thing or two before running your mouth.

[RollerBee]

^You still haven't proved anything. Carowinds themselves can change the control panels, Ride Maintenance changed the position of the E-Stop on the secondary control panels mid season 2006 because several of the ride ops kept leaning up against the E-stop and stopping the ride.

[Edwardo]

Proof?

And changing the position of a button doesn't change how it operates like Amos pondered. Maintenance can't change the control system, dumbass.

[RollerBee]

So you want me to believe that the control panel stayed exactly the same between 1991/2 when Vortex was built and 98/9 when Scorher was. Technology changed, there is many differences in the designs of these two stand up coasters. Vortex was roughly the 3rd B&M built, I highly suspect that features were added, changed and removed between the two.

I know several people that build control panels for their amusement products and models, they don't always stay the same from the first prototype made to the most recent model.

[Edwardo]

I don't care what you believe, to be honest. The company has publicly stated what I said, in response to Amos statement about the panel. He wasn't talking about placement of buttons on the panel. He was interested to know if it operates the same. And it does. At least according to the company that built the damn thing.

Do you understand what a control system is? It controls the ride systems, none if which changef from the company's founding till much later. It's still a coaster with dispatches and blocks.

BTW, The first new "feature" on that front that b&m introduced since they started was mag brakes on the inverter Knotts. And how long did it take b&m to do a LIM/LSM launch? The company us notorious for not changing the basics.

[coasterbruh]

If it works, it works! NO need to be changing things for no reason. It's funny how the hyper coaster seats are still virtually the same since the first incarnation of them. Some people just like to type for the sake of typing. Forget the fact that their knowledge ended after 2005/2006 but they still think things are the same but cant believe control panels are still the same.

[deaconnor]

Why are you guys wasting your time arguing about roller coaster control panels? Jesus, its a roller coaster. We all enjoy parks, just keep it at that. Name calling over that kind of thing is just kind of sad.

Anyways, I live in Atlanta and have a Six Flags pass so I know how hit and miss the park can be. Operations are really the deciding factor on if the park is going to be fun or not. Hope you made it onto every thing you wanted except DDD.