Another Intamin Success Story

B&M is European, though, so that kind of kills the analogy. Nonetheless, yes, there is something to be said for the simplicity of B&M, though. If only they put as much artistry into their layouts as Intamin did...

That said, they seem to be venturing out a bit like they used to do at the beginning. I got OzIris on the books today, and it was fantastic.

And Jeff didn't even work for a park (then).

I'm pretty sure a lot of B&M and Intamin layouts share the same designer.

They used to but B&M seems to have stopped using Stengel years ago if RCDB is correct.

I have always wondered why the Europeans make things so complicated. Just the simple act of moving trains in the station. European rides almost always use kicker wheels or some other advancing system, while American rides typically just open the brakes and let gravity do its thing.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Let's face it, their control freaks............;)

I think you mean, "they're" control freaks. lol

^^ Control freak. *wink*

Kicker wheels allow for far more precise movement and overlapping blocks. This is even true for Banshee, where the incoming train will enter the station before the dispatched train is all the way out.

I really loved that about Banshee. I didn't over think it, but I was quite impressed with how the blocking worked, and how quickly trains came in and parked before the other one was even fully engaged on the lift.

It seemed like there wasn't much sitting on the brake run, even when trains were halfway stacked.

LostKause said:

I think you mean, "they're" control freaks. lol

Don't turn into grammar nazi on me LK! It was in the middle of the night and I'm not normally up at that hour.

It's all in fun. I probably make alot more mistakes than you do. ;)

You do a pretty good job of alloting your mistakes, Travis... ;~)

At least Dutchman probably knew there was a flying coaster at KI, Travis. ;)

I jest. I would block that thing out of my head too.

Back to Intamin though...I've always wondered why they use a cable launch system rather than magnetic launches like some other companies out there. Is this also a case of overengineering? Or do cables and their related motors/hydraulics/air pressure/whatever tend to actually be more reliable or have less moving parts? I know it's a little off topic, but I'm curious.

I think the most forceful and highest speed launches from LIM's/LSM's are probably Wicked Twister's? Topping out at 72 MPH. I'm not sure that LIM's are capable of (in a practical way) getting a train up to 120+ MPH. In particular the faster the train is going, the more ground it covers while you accelerate it (i.e. the number of motors the train will have to pass through to get from 110 MPH to 120 MPH is stupidly high). With compressed air applied directly to the catch car (i.e. S&S) or used to run a hydraulic system which winds a cable (i.e. Intamin) you only need 1 large motor.

Thank you Andy!

I would imagine the cost to run LIMs is higher at a certain point too.

And there are plenty if smaller intamin launches that use LIM and LSM technology.

LIM's have the potential to accelerate a train over 100 mph. In the case of TTD, there was only so much room for a runway to propel the train up +400 feet.

Which is why Andy said he wasn't sure it could be done in a practical way.

Superman west's LSMs do the job of getting it up to 100.

Yes they do, but the power consumption is astronomical, which is why this particular ride has not been duplicated.