alpengeist zero car, why?

why is alpengeist the onlyB&M inverted to have a zero car?

picture here: http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery277.htm?Picture=2

Is the "zero car" that little thing in the front?

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Im the #1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!!These are my top 3 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Yankee Cannonball 3. Cyclone

yeah, the thing on the front without any car on it. no other B&M inverted has it

Perhaps it was designed to be a 9-car train and the park did away with it. Sorry... it's all I could think of!

batman at great adventure has one, its not as big as that one but i do belive it has one. i think all B&M coatsers (except floorless) has a zero car.

Actually, every invert with the exception of Aplengeist has seats mounted to the zero cars. These are a few of them.

B:TR- Great Adventure http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery32.htm?Picture=1

B:TR- Great America http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery5.htm?Picture=4

B:TR- Magic Mountain http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery24.htm?Picture=2

B:TR- Over Georgia http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery421.htm?Picture=1

B:TR- Over Texas http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery552.htm?Picture=3

B:TR- Saint Louis http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery43.htm?Picture=2

Dueling Dragons- IOA http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery558.htm?Picture=22

Great Bear- Hershey http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery468.htm?Picture=3

Great White- SWTexas http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery278.htm?Picture=2

Katun- Mirabilandia http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery764.htm?Picture=13

Montu- BGT http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery87.htm?Picture=2

Nemesis- AT http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery776.htm?Picture=1

Orochi- Expoland http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery1186.htm?Picture=4

Raptor- CP http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery1.htm?Picture=7

Talon-Dorney http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery735.htm?Picture=9

Topgun- PGA http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery80.htm?Picture=5

Topgun- Carowinds http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery527.htm?Picture=3

I think John Peck is right. I think that they originally wanted it to be 9 cars so the trains would be heavier and maneuver the course that is taller than most inverts like normal. But after building and testing, the seats were removed for the 8 row trains we see today. That would be a good question to ask Walter and Claude

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WCUSA-The World's largest theme park is coming!
Theme parks will NEVER be the same!

*** This post was edited by Chris Godsey on 6/4/2002. ***

The reason is: because.

NO AlpenGeist is the only B& M inverted to use Polyurenthane wheels instead of nylon and its' to reduce the load of the front car. AlpenGeist wear is the roar?

I like the zero car. I think it makes the train look complete.

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-Sean Newman
83 coasters and soon to be more
Life is a roller coaster Ride It!

The inverts were not meant to be 9 cars. If I remember correctly, the zero car was to reduce the speed, either that or reduce the load on car one. At least that is what I believe Claude said last year at the Nitro press event.

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Take a Virtual Ride:
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Mike "Viper" Semtak

I thought it was needed to help the train maneuver through the larger than normal elements. The zero car serves a very useful purpose...I'll see if I can find the thread about it...

Here it is...

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=3663

I'm pretty sure all those question marks at the end are lost data...

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Snoopy Rocks! On Ice opens on June 22nd

Think they'll let me drive the Zamboni machine?

*** This post was edited by CPgenius on 6/4/2002. ***

Chris godsey, I dont believe that The other rides have seats on the zero cars, I think its just that they dont have zero cars and that the front row is the first car.

*** This post was edited by B&M ROCKS on 6/4/2002. ***

Isn't the zero car used as a stabilizer on all of their coasters? That's what I heard.

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-Kyle Brylczyk
KoRn - Untouchables, June 11th, 2002

i thought its there for aerodynamics. thats a high speed invert, maybe it helps the wind resistance.

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CPgenius said:

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=3663

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There you go.. CoasterGod explains it well. The zero car is for stability.

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WCUSA-The World's largest theme park is coming!
Theme parks will NEVER be the same!

If I'm not mistaken only one of Alpengiest's three trains is set up without any seats attached to the zero car.

Would this explain the fairly rough ride I experienced on Medusa (west) yesterday? It felt like I was riding Viper at SFMM. After front I rode back and it was pretty smooth. Why was it rough in front? It wasn't like that on Mantis or Top Gun (PGA) front seats.

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www.EverythingRollerCoaster.com

CoasterCrazyOne, It may have been rough because
A. That car's wheels were old and worn or
B. That train's wheels were old and worn, and you were on a different train.

So, replaced wheels probably would've given you a smooth ride, but it may not be the reason, but the most likely one.

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Deja Vu count: 1
Will it go up this year? Doubtful...

*** This post was edited by TrBiggar on 6/4/2002. ***

Wow. I have noticed that before. That is the only invert, as someone mentioned, that is the only one that has the zero car. I am agreeing with the high speed idea....

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X Looks Awesome! Oh Yea!!
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It was B&Ms first inverter, and they didn't know if nine regular cars would work.