CoasterQuest.com --- Coaster Construction page 10

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The site is inspected, and sometimes safety modifications are made even before the ride ever runs. Notice the track steel still needs to be added.

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Here is a good example of what I mentioned earlier about how it gets harder and harder to maneuver a crane through the construction site after much of the structure is already constructed.

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On areas of track that are subject to excessive side movement that the structure itself would be unable to support, support cables or "wire ropes" are used to add stability to these areas. Above, you see the center of a fan curve that is one of these areas of excessive side movement, which is why the concrete pillar is seen in the right side of the photo. Metal anchors have been submerged into the concrete, and will soon fasten to several cables that will stretch up to the inner edge of the upper coaster legs.

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Here is the beginning of the transfer track. Each coaster has certain parts that always seem to end up different. This is one of those parts. This particular transfer track uses inverted angle iron (upside down V shape), which you see on top of the support ledgers above, and the rolling transfer table will use special V-shaped steel wheels. The track rolls from side to side, and then the train is rolled from/to the rear holding area. (not built yet in this photo)

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Regardless of the winter or wet weather, these guys are always out working, because there's usually no time to waste. Parks will not normally begin a construction project mid-summer, and yet they always want it done for you by opening day, so it only leaves about 6 months at the most to build a coaster, and these guys build more than one coaster in a winter! Rough job!