This is Construction Update #2 on the Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom build at Six Flags Magic Mountain, from 17 May 2012.
With the entire track now mounted on the side of the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower, you can barely even tell it’s there. If you didn’t know it was being built and weren’t specifically looking for it, you probably wouldn’t even notice it:
The only work I saw being done on the tower while I was there were the guys in these two work carts. I’m not quite sure what they were doing, but it appeared as if they were slowly working their way down the track, checking it as they went. Perhaps they were double checking to make sure everything was properly fastened and secure:
The front of the queue building continues to show work being done. It looks like it has just received a fresh coat of stucco:
All of the red you are seeing is actually red tape, presumably applied to protect the architectural details from getting stucco on them:
The stucco wraps around the left side of the building:
It also wraps all the way down the right side of the building as well:
It’s even been applied to the new details added to the front of the paintball gallery:
Not much being done to the exterior of the Daily Planet Gift Shop other than some primer applied to the edges so the trim could be attached, sealing up the building:
I saw this surveyor’s total station setup underneath the tower. I have no idea what they could be surveying for at this point, unless they are laying out some paths or other elements that they are planning on adding:
When I was behind the tower, I looked down and saw what I thought was a shipping container. I assumed it had been dropped off full of parts or something:
But then I realized that it wasn’t actually in the roadway. It was sitting over the top of all of that new electrical equipment installed for the ride:
If I’m not mistaken, it looks like they took a brand new shipping container, removed the floor, and re-purposed it as their electrical room. I think this is very clever and no doubt saved them a ton of money over having a custom enclosure built:
When I was first scanning the back of the queue building, I didn’t see anything new at first but then it jumped out at me. Do you see it? Look on the roof:
I saw a bank of flood lights trained on the Superman tower. I thought these were new until I got home and looked at old pictures of that roof. It looks like they’ve always been there. Were these in use until the construction started? I drive by the park at night all the time and I don’t recall it being particularly lit up, although maybe I just never paid that much attention. I think it’s a great idea, though. With a new ride attached to the side, I’m sure they’re going to want to showcase it somehow so people can see the gondolas drop:
I’m heading out of town for work this next week and won’t be around to do an update, but I’ll try and make it to the park as soon as I can upon my return. If anything substantial happens, and you can get a picture of it, send it to me and I’ll try and get it posted.
Thanks, and hope you have a safe trip to wherever your going for work, and look foward to more updates. Your the ONLY source of Information on this ride and we appreciate everything. I’m sorry at times if I ask too many questions or commentary, but I am as excited as anyone about this Ride opening very soon, and appreciate all your work with this. This brings me to the conclusion that you should be Paid for all this. Thanks and hope all goes well for you out of town.
He isn’t the ONLY one. There are other’s doing update as well on youtube including me
I’m afraid to say there is still not an opening date for this…SFMM is trying to open this Early June…This ride will have lots of cool things as I know and will be a Worth riding experience. SFMM is putting lots of work into this ride to make it one of the best the park has made in years.I’m really glad that people are getting excited for this ride….it’s long overdue. -SFMMCrazy
others* Btw Great Update Kurt! Your the one that helps me see what to expect everytime I go to SFMM to make updat
Our snack shack at our high school baseball field did the same thing with the shipping container. They are extremely useful and can have ventilation installed.
Kurt, I’ll be at the park this Sunday. I doubt there will be much more progress in that small amount of time, but I will keep my eyes open and get photos of anything I notice.
A shipping container is a very inexpensive, yet very durable way to store just about anything. Anything inside will be well protected against the elements as well. This will also save some time in getting Lex Luthor finished. It’s hard to believe that this ride will open within a couple of months.
Is that what the track Is really going to look like or are they adding more if not its a very simple ride design.
I was saying the same thing, like how are those thin rails going to support the gondolas while falling?
Actually folks, the rails on those other drop rides are just as thin as these for LLDOD. It’s just decieving because Supermans structure is shaped so differently and where the tracks are not right on the rides structure like the others are. The way the tracks or rails look is exactly how I envisioned, or very close to.
Gravity enables the use of small rails, there are not going to be very high lateral forces just downward force of gravity
I wasn’t a real big fan of the track being clamped to the tower rather than welded, but having given it some additional thought, the clamped track will move better with the tower as it sways. I’m sure that the track will be checked on a regular basis as are the tracks on other rides at the park.
At the Mountain today, the tower looked about the same, except that there were no work carts to be seen. Also, while riding Colossus on the side closer to Scream, right before the lift hill, you can see a large 5-foot-diameter winch off to the left. It was wound with a lot of cable and is clearly what will be used to lift the cars.
Anyone have any opinions about the opening date? Are we thinking mid-June still?
I’m thinking that’s probably a pretty safe bet.
If any further delays, July.
Kind of pathetic really. There goes the start of their season.
I’m now going to say last week of June, just as a safe bet.
Got a couple ?’s Kurt, or to anyone who would know.
In the GoBig Cam and Animated video of LLDOD, is the small little building were looking at which looks tiny from the top of the Superman and now LLDOD tower, was that previously an Ice Cream vendor or arcade, and is that now that new Queue we see in your construction pics?
If you’re talking about the building we’re looking straight down on, that is somewhat L-shaped, then yes. That was the former Boardwalk Arcade building that is being converted into the new ride entrance/queue building.
Thanks, That’s it. I figured that had to be it, because it’s exactly aligned how your photos show it. Thanks!
I guess it’s opening late, much in the tradition of the original Superman – The Escape which opened a season late!