Remains of the Gurnee Edge...

jonrev · Post by **jonrev** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:43 pm

Taken from Great America Rail Road...

Was the building in this photo the Edge's old control booth? Does anyone know what it's used for now?

SFGAmfreak4life · Post by **SFGAmfreak4life** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 1:53 pm

Nice picture. I forgot about that footer but Ill look for it next time I go.

RandyV · Post by **RandyV** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:56 pm

I suspect this is where the ride control systems (computers) were housed. This same building is visible in some of the Edge pictures posted in Tech Services 1's photo album ...

minivanmegafun · Post by **minivanmegafun** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:52 am

I always remember it as being something Power Dive depended on, but then again The Edge was removed when I was two years old.

As far as I know, it's not used for anything any longer.

pjm8071 · Post by **pjm8071** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 3:06 pm

When I worked at Power Dive it was the maintenance shed. I suspect it served the same purpose back in the Edge days... Have no idea what it is used for anymore. It is doubtful that it was the control both for the Edge since almost all of the building is in a backstage area I don't remember I was young when the Edge was in operation. I do remember maintenance in there quite a bit for the Dive though... That ride always seemed to have issues.

Tech Services 1 · Post by **Tech Services 1** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:23 pm

jonrev wrote: Was the building in this photo the Edge's old control booth?

Wow. I'm surprised the building is still there. I like the old footing with all of the anchor bolts in front of little tables. Nice atmosphere for a romantic lunch.

Randy V. got it right- this was the control room for the Edge (not to be confused with the control booth, which was up on the ride platform).
The control cabinets were along the south wall, under the skylight. The skylight allowed a technician to see the cars on the tower while working in the cabinets (and our sound rack was in the southwest corner by the door. Now THERE'S an exciting fact!

).
The building directly behind it across the trolley tracks was the maintenance shed.
In this picture: http://www.greatamericaparks.com/images ... m=33&pos=2
you can see I-beams extending over the top of the control room; these were used for trolleying the cars from the ride over to the service road where they could then be moved into the maintenance shed or elsewhere.

PPG

Miri · Post by **Miri** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:32 pm

I always find it soooo creepy when bits of old rides are still visible at a park, like old footers and such. Anyone else get creeped out by this. I am not sure if they are still there, but there used to be old footers left over from the Willard's Wizzer at the SC park. When I was a kid, I used to get really creeped out by them, espicially knowing a kid died on the ride and now the ride was gone.
creeeeepy!

RandyV · Post by **RandyV** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:01 pm

Scary how much useless knowledge is crammed in my brain.

Now here's an odd question: the one footing is obviously still there (given the number of studs, I'd say it had to have been for one of the main tower supports) -- but where is the other footing opposite of the one that is still there? Looks like it got removed ... but why?

TS1 -- what was the "sound rack" in the control room for? I don't recall there being music or anything like that in the ride queue ... or was that sounds for Orleans Place in general?

RandyV · Post by **RandyV** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:02 pm

... and what's with the K-Mart blue light special light on the post near the skylight?

RandyV · Post by **RandyV** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:29 pm

I just realized the press kit photo posted in my own album here on the site shows this same building from the other side.

http://www.greatamericaparks.com/images ... m=21&pos=2

It's at the lower-left of the tower.

Tech Services 1 · Post by **Tech Services 1** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 8:20 pm

RandyV wrote: TS1 -- what was the "sound rack" in the control room for? I don't recall there being music or anything like that in the ride queue ... or was that sounds for Orleans Place in general?

Nope, no music. It contained the amps and electronics for the repetitive "safety spiel" (featuring the annoying voice of yours truly . . . sorry about that) played throughout the queue line, and for the paging horns mounted around the platform and on the tower.
All of the Orleans music originated from the Tech Services building.

As for the Blue Light Special beacon, my fuzzy brain tells me it was a signal to the ride operators and maintenance people that something was going haywire in the control booth . . . but I could be way off on that memory.

PPG

NotBill · Post by **NotBill** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:05 pm

jonrev wrote: Was the building in this photo the Edge's old control booth? Does anyone know what it's used for now?

That building was the mechanical room for Power Dive when I was there. I don't know if it served as The Edge's mechanical room or not.

SFGAmfreak4life · Post by **SFGAmfreak4life** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:25 am

Jon I just thought about this and do you have a picture of the Rolling Thunder footer?

jonrev · Post by **jonrev** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:48 am

What Rolling Thunder footer?

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:40 am

Jon,

At one time there was a footer for Rolling Thunder that could be seen from SW Territory. I think when they added Hurrican Harbor, they finally took it out.

I might also have a picture of it too. When I get home from work, I'll look and see.

--Brian

GREATAMERICAparks.com

Remains of the Gurnee Edge...

Remains of the Gurnee Edge...

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Re: Remains of the Gurnee Edge...