Skyrush Construction Update #112 (5-6 and 5-7-12)

Testing has begun, the opening day has been announced, and final touches are starting to be added to the area around Skyrush, which is supposed to open Saturday, May 26th, 2012. Let’s check out this speed demon. To view the video, just scroll down to the very bottom of the post!

It turns out Creekside Catering will be returning this year. It is listed on the park map and only shows this building (before construction it had two other buildings). The main footers holding up the pavilion look like they were replaced because of the flood we had back in September.

The pathway cover is starting to get finished up.

The railings along the new path are starting to go in.

It’s starting to feel like the area is more part of the park than a construction zone.

Just need to finish the last part of the path.

The 2nd train is still missing its fiberglass nose-piece.

While heading down the hill between Skyview and Comet, two of these footers have shown up. this side has a wire sticking out of it.

The other side is along the side of the path. I wonder if it’s a sign?

The dummy looks sad that he’s sitting next to Comet while his friends are taking some laps on Skyrush.

Hollow has a totally different feel from what it was last year.

When I was in the park on Saturday, it was the first time I witnessed Skyrush testing. I was just blown away by how fast it rocketed up the lift and through the layout!

Looper also received its first new train from Gerstlauer. Here’s a cool fact. Gerstlauer’s factory is located at the exact same location in Germany where Anton Schwartzkopf, the builder of this ride, made his coasters.

The railings for the queue are still missing.

Not much left to add!

Looper’s old entrance was recently removed. Should be interesting to see what the new one will look like.

Here is the station’s new paintjob. The souvenir booth was also rehabbed during the offseason and has been updated with a new look to complement Skyrush.

Here are the old railings for the entrance.

Skyrush literally goes over Scrambler and the kiddie rides in Founder’s Circle.

The next day, testing was going on at full-speed with a train dispatching every five to ten minutes.

With the speed that it’s moving over the top of the lift, it looks like it will produce some airtime.

At approximately 17mph, it is currently Intamin’s fastest cable-lift hill to-date.

the ride is not going to let up and give you a chance to catch your breath until the very end.

The trains hardly look like they hardly lose any speed as the go over the first and second airtime hills.

This means that there could be a good chance of some serious negative-g airtime!

As for how the ride sounds, you can easily know when the lift starts up. While the train is running, it makes sound similar to Fahrenheit and Storm Runner, but slightly louder. It’s not quite as loud as Great Bear, but you can hear it all the way to Chocolate World.

I’ve been waiting to get this shot since we discovered that the ride would have a Stengel Dive.

 

All I have to say is that the train flows beautifully through it. It does look like the angle is steeper than 110 degrees.

 

Each hill looks like it will pack at least some airtime on it.

This one might be more Fahrenheit-like.

However, these two look like they might compete with El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure. Mid-way through that ride, there’s a hill that goes over Rolling Thunder, another coaster, and it literally throws you into the lapbar as you go over it. If this ride has at least two hills like that, Skyrush will personally be a #1 ride for me.

The outer seats should be interesting, especially in the high-speed turns.

Mulch is starting to be laid down in the ride area.

These pipes were used to direct the creek and act as a bridge when there was a path going from the creek bed to the path. Looks like these won’t be needed anymore.

More camera prep-work has occurred.

Time for some video!