[swampfox43]

According to Channel 9 news, there was an accident on BORG yesterday (Sat, 3-17-07) while the park was doing test-runs with employees on board. The coaster had completed 50 successful test-runs, but on the 51st run, there was a roll-back in the first loop.

I am only quoting the news here. "The locking devices that hold riders in CAME LOOSE, causing the cars to shake rather violently". This apparently caused the train to slow down, therefore not being able to make the first loop.

They took the 7 riders to the hospital but with only bumps & bruises. No one was hurt seriously.

So, investigators are at the park today trying to determine what caused the restraints to become undone during the ride.

[bgwfreak]

Weird thing is I was down there last Saturday and saw them testing it.

I wonder what happened.

[coasterholic14]

sounds like just one of those freak things that happens every once in a while. I hope the media didn't chew the story up and send it out to viewers as though this is something that always happens...giving coasters a bad rep.......as they always seem to do.

Glad to hear nobody was seriously hurt from it. The fact that the restraints came loose and yet nobody had more than bumps and bruises tells me that the additional safety these coasters add nowadays (i.e. seatbelts) works! So I guess that's the good news

[montumax]

<a href='http://charlotte.com/115/story/55754.html' target='_blank'>Charlotte Observer Article</a>

[njf]

I guess i won't be able to get my first ride on Borg early this season.

[coasterbruh]

It's the ghost of Paramount past coming back to haunt the park!

[Dukeis#1]

More like the ghost of the Carolina Sternwheeler...

*runs for cover*

[swampfox43]

^ HA!! Amazing Duke! I was thinking the exact same thing!!!!

[chargercrazy]

I think we should start calling the BORG "Smurf Island's Revenge."

[Footballteen58]

Maybe it wants to go back to PGA,

[TopGunUkno]

It better be opened SATURDAY!

>:0

[bgwfreak]

^ I wouldn't count on it. It still sitting at the base of the loop I think.

It's the ghost of Paramount past coming back to haunt the park!

More like the ghost of the Carolina Queen.

[Dukeis#1]

^Way to COPY ME! <_<

More like the ghost of the Carolina Sternwheeler...

[KenB]

I really, really hate the media. Take note of how badly they screw things up with regards to things that you personally know a little / a lot about, such as roller coasters - and assume that they screw up everything else just as badly.

The reason for my rant? Paul Cameron on WBTV just did a report on BORG, and said "it was lucky that the ride stopped before the next loop, since people could fall out".

Um, no. The passenger restraint system did not fail - nobody was in ANY danger of "falling out". The seat locking mechanism failed somehow, which meant that the seats wouldn't be locked in the fully reclined position, which I assume would mean they'd move around depending on the G-Forces. Unpleasant and painful - most probably. Deadly like falling out? Not hardly. Plus, unlike many rides, BORG has two separate passenger restraints. Again, I doubt it'd be pleasant if one failed and you were hanging purely from the vest or the lapbar, but you wouldn't fall out.

I also question the Observer report, saying that the ride stopped due to a built-in safety system. My bet is that it DID go partway through the loop, but probably due to the seats moving didn't make it through so it valleyed. There would be significant wind resistance with the seats"up", plus if they swung as the train was going into the loop I'd imagine that force would also slow the train down a good bit. Since it's going pretty slow at the peak of the loop, I could see it valleying purely on it's own, with no brake. I suppose the train could have some sort of brake on it, but it'd have to be mechanically operated, and would seem somewhat complicated. Plus, it's not a guarantee that stopping the ride in midcourse is going to stop it in a GOOD place - hanging upside down would not be pleasant. Of course that could happen if it valleys at some random point too. I'm interested to know the facts on this aspect.

I do wish the media would research things a bit before just making stuff up. I do expect to know more about BORG than they do, as I've ridden it a number of times and tend to pay attention to some of the mechanical things about any coaster I ride. Still, since the park firmly stated that nobody was in ANY danger, I'd appreciate the media to report that instead of trying to add a "OH NOES PEOPLE ALMOST DIED" spin to it when it's totally unwarranted.

KenB

[coasterholic14]

^couldn't agree with you more...this has always been one of my BIGGEST pet peeves