Kings Island Diamondback Coaster Support Beams Shaking

If you look CLOSELY at these two A-shaped metal support tubes which are supporting the tallest Diamondback peak at King's Island, you can see them vibrating slightly. You have to look very CLOSELY. They are vibrating- not by much- but they are vibrating, each time a train goes over the peak and down the other side.

This is probably normal (I hope). Although I don't have any vids of it, on Son of Beast, when the train reaches the top, and turns the first corner at the top while making its' first drop, the entire upper structure of the coaster literally shifts to the right by 1 - 2 feet. If you don't believe me, stand there and watch it sometime as a train clears the first peak and begins to turn to the left as it is making it's first drop. You will see the entire upper 20 feet of the wooden structure shift to the right by 1 - 2 feet, then rebound as the train passes the drop-off.

Currently, Son of Beast is closed as Kings Island investigates some recently-reported injuries purportedly as a result of riding the coaster, but if it re-opens, I'll try to get a video of this structural shift and post it. As of 6/22/09, it was closed down temporarily as engineers re-examine it.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Kings
• Island
• coaster
• roller
• diamond
• back
• diamondback
• structure
• shake
• shaking
• vibrating
• vibration
• tube
• support
• theme
• amusement
• park

[Coasterfreak1456]

This is normal. It must shake even otherwise can lead to hurt ... In the worst case it can happen Diamondback collapses if it does not wiggle.

Wooden coasters wiggle even when you look closely ;-).

[CincinnatiGifts]

Thanks for the info. That's pretty much what I had stated in the information section of the video.

[ozcar1729]

a guy died from a heart attack on that recently

[CincinnatiGifts]

I think that was Firehawk

[fitegrl13]

ive ridden it 15 times and no problems

[CincinnatiGifts]

You likely never will experience a problem with it. Theme park rides are among the safest thrill rides ever built. The metal supports are likely designed to sway and flex slightly. As my friend says often, "If it can't flex, it's only other option is to break."

My friend, BTW, has ridden it close to 80 times, and will have reached 100+ by the end of July '09.

[RocketRodder]

Just because it's NATURAL doesn't mean it isn't SCARY to see!

[kingsislandforever]

This is Naturaul on wooden and steel coaster if they do not shake they are doomed to fail beause they can not get rid of all of the stress. if you look even closer... you can see the track on the first drop wiggle a bit

[kingsislandforever]

This is Naturaul on wooden and steel coaster if they do not shake they are doomed to fail beause they can not get rid of all of the stress.

[RocketRodder]

Oh, so are these probably, if you stared at them close enough.

[MrMAURICE200]

All rollercoasters move like that

[RocketRodder]

You think that's crazy, stare at the pylons that support the boomerang of a boomerang coaster. They jiggle like a vibrator!

[MiLeYjBfAnN22]

dragsters track and supports shake like half a foot to the side on the way up after the train its pretty cool, if it didnt bend then they would crack and brake, thats why tall buildings sway also

[IXVision]

the yellow one by the splash i touched and my arm was killing for a week

[Buckey43]

no that was on firehawk