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State Inspects Zippin Pippin

Posted at 6:43 PM, Jun 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-21 19:43:19-04

For roller-coaster lovers in Northeast Wisconsin, like Kenneth King of Neenah, the Zippin Pippin at Bay Beach is where it's at.

"You feel you're stomach just go up in your throat, you know I love that stuff," said King.

That feeling wasn't available Tuesday at Bay Beach.
 
"I miss it," explained King as he looked on at the Zippin Pippin.
 
The roller-coaster is closed until further warning while state workers inspect the track and try to figure out what caused a coaster cart to slam into another Monday afternoon.  That crash sent 3 people to the hospital with non-serious injuries.
 
"There's two backup systems on those breaks so I think we need to vet that a little bit more.  There's a computer software package that goes along with the ride, as well as the ride operator," explained Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.
 
All three things are being inspected, but Mayor Schmitt says the ride is checked regularly.
 
"We inspect that ride every day.  There's 22 items that we inspect and it all looked good that day," said Schmitt.
 
When the mayor was asked whether safety of the coaster is a concern he didn't' even hesitate with his answer.
 
"I'll be the first one on there when we re-open and it's going to be safe and the standards are going to be met.  I mean we'll get to the bottom of this to make sure it doesn't happen again," said Schmitt.
 
The mayor may have some competition to being first in line, if King get's his way.
 
"It's like any other ride, it's going to have its failure, but things like that don't bother me," said King.
 
Mayor Schmitt says he's hopeful the roller-coaster can be open before the week is over.