NEW S&S Freefall Tower

What i was trying to say is that electomagnets need to spend more energy which in turn makes the ride more expensive, but i could be wrong. As far as S&S goes i would say Hypersonic wasnt well recieved, but they do have some very popular rides with their shot rides, and the skyswat seems to be doing well for their parks. I also heard of a certain S&S coaster that has done well. I think it is Avalance if im not mistaken, but then again feel free to correct i dont know all that much.

Magnun Barrel. Those aren't electro magnets. Just magnets...no juice involved! Doesn't get much cheaper than no electricity and no moving parts.

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Dale Picolet said:
Might there be patent issues involved?

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I doubt it, because several manufacturers do drop towers with magnets.

But Brett is right... in some respects. An Intamin drop tower essentially has a motor and cables. The S&S rides have compressors, air tanks, pistons, valves, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think the S&S old-school tower rides are relatively simple, safe and good rides, but it didn't translate well to coasters.

Impulse-ive

You think Avalanche is "crap?" Damn, then I hope they continue to spew out that crap for many years to come!

Joe "rode that crappy Avalanche three days ago...that is some top ten crap!" C.

Come to think of it, are there "any" S&S rides with magnets? I can't think of any.

We'll see what happens as the prototype runs a bit more. Wasn't there a vast improvement over Hypersonic when they built the one in Japan?

The bugs will get worked out eventually

At Cedar Point Power Tower is one of the most expensive rides to operate. Those compressors have to be running all the time to keep the pressure in the shot tanks. So they arent that effencient of rides either.

I think you guys have the workings of this new ride a bit off. I don't think it is a compressor that is creating the compressed air which stops the vehicle.

But it is compressed air stopping it. The falling vehicle compresses the air beneath it once it enters the enclosed space of the tube.

This is also pretty fail safe physics wise. You can't really violate the laws of fluid dynamics. As long as the door at the bottom (i assume there is one so you can get out) is not open when you enter the tube.

Not likely a ride I would stand in line for. I think the view from tower rides is half of the fun. If this thing is enclosed then that is gone.

Maybe I'm not getting it.

only the bottom part is enclosed. It's like the vehicle is a spitball which is shot out of a straw, then falls back down into the straw.
I think.

If the enclosed part was made of something like Lexan it could be enclosed but see through and very sturdy and safe.

Ok, ok, everyone always brings up the *one* thing that S&S has really done right ... but I barely consider that S&S. That's like Ford making a highly successful microwave and everyone saying that Ford cars are awesome because of that microwave ...

I thought Dondonapadawheee was built before Hypersonic?

if you're right about it being just the air that's already in the tube, then yes, that's also a simplistic system --- until you consider the backup systems that would be needed to make sure the door that you're probably correct in assuming would have to be present for emergency escape, is actually closed. If it isn't ... splat.

But if you'll read the post, it says once the cylinder door is closed, the riders are in complete darkness. So it's not Lexan.

Re: S&S and magnetic brakes. Powder Keg has them.

Jeff

Hmmmmmm maybe they should think about the Lexan idea then. Unless they think the dark to light to dark is the thrill people will get out of this.

That idea was already used on the drop-weight versions of Schwarzkopf Shuttle loops. The weight used to be stopped by the air in the large tank that stood under the large ramp.

Of course it was attached to a cable and didn´t carry any passengers. :)

Does anyone have pictures yet so we can better visualize this.

There are some photos on this website http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/eventS4.html.

"The air-launch is faster, so again, unless dear old Dreamer Stan finds a way to change the laws of physics and the equation for force, a faster acceleration is going to be more forceful and more "jerky" than the other more drawn out launches (although that statement right there probably contains the biggest advantage of air launches over cable or magnetic systems)."

Of course, as Powder Keg proved, you can draw out an air launch by changing the size of the compressor and shot tank (along with a few other things). The air-launch acceleration can be customized to a park's desire for the launch top speed and the rate of attaining that speed.

Adam *** Edited 8/1/2005 9:12:11 PM UTC by LONNOL***

Re: The Pics
Yup, that's about what I pictured. I think it looks like fun. You could have at least 2 vehicles per tower (on opposite sides), maybe 4 if you got clever with attaching the wires.

They should call it "Spitball: The Ride"

Oh yeah, what is it with Ace and their friggin PLAQUES? A Plaque commemorating their visit to S&S? Oh yeah, that's gonna be cherished by Stan.

They could do some rad themeing with a ride like that, and it would be frightening to be launched from that tube. If thats what happens.

Lol at the plaque though, is that where my membership dues are going? How about a hand shake and a beer next time. :)