Right on Track

Welcome back to the latest on Behemoth! Since I last reported in, there has been a great deal of progress out at the construction site. At the end of November we had finished construction on the coaster’s lift hill and massive first drop. Construction continued smoothly across the landscape until it came time to erect the hair pin turn. At that point there were access and space issues as we worked in tight quarters in the area behind Splash Works. With 3 cranes working simultaneously, the assembly of Behemoth’s inverted “V-shape” columns was challenging.

Unfavourable weather throughout the month of December hampered construction progress. There were some days where only one column or track element was installed. Hoisting the ride elements over the water was also difficult and slow at times, as the cranes were extended to their maximum lengths and plenty of counterweight was required to balance them out for their fastidious work.

We’re now back on land and in the final stages of steel construction. With 85% of the track complete, just the last block brake and Behemoth’s helix are left to put into place before track construction will be finished.

In addition to erecting the steel, there are a number of other tasks on the go. We have completed the metal siding on the station house and installed the railings. There has been a slight delay on the roofing but that should be completed by the end of January. The entry bridge and stairs have also been installed.

Despite the cold and wet weather, landscaping is moving along well at this time. We have recently completed the installation of a new retaining wall adjacent to the queue area. Seat walls (low seating areas found throughout the Park) have been installed in the plaza area, and granular sub-grade has been laid to prepare the plaza for paving. In keeping with the green space in the park and to add to the atmosphere of the entrance to Behemoth, a number of trees have been successfully transplanted.

Speaking of entrances; you may have noticed from the photos in our construction gallery that a new entrance has been created for Italian Job. Part of the old entrance by The Minebuster has been removed and new concrete has been poured to make the new entrance accessible from Behemoth’s plaza area.

Finally, we are working hard on the Ride Photo building, which will be found at the exit to Behemoth. The concrete base was poured in December and the building is now being framed.

It’s an exciting time here at the park as we watch the pieces of this “Behemoth” puzzle come together. I look forward to sharing the completion of this project with you in the coming months!