2 KK questions

Went and rode (and watched...a lot) KK run yesterday and had two questions:

1) When the train is launched, the launch sled resets before the train crests the hill. Thus, if the train rolls back, the launch sled actually has to beat it down the launch track or the dog with catch and very bad things (TM) will happen. To me this seems like a really bad idea. Especially if there's a pretty weak launch for whatever reason, won't the train come flying back down the launch track before the sled has time to get out of the way?

Was I just seeing things or is there some fail safe that will prevent catastrophe?

2) Do the trains have to move in pairs? If so, is this just control simplicity or is there actually a good reason for it? Specifically, after right 2 launches, left 1 can't advance until left 2 has been checked and they advance together. If the launch is truly the bottleneck, it would increase capacity to have left 1 waiting behind right 2 on the staging block as right 2 launches and have left 2 pull up behind left 1 when it is ready.

1. The train will just glide right over the launch sled. Its not connected to it until the train gently rolls back a foot or two in the few seconds before launch. Its out of the way and won't cause a problem if the train short shots.

If anything, I'd compare it to a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop, where the train *does* roll over its catch car on the return run. Same idea, really.

Not sure about number 2.

I dont think the two on one side have to launch together. When i was there for coaster celebration they alternated.

Sometimes they would alternate the sides and sometimes they would launch the whole side first .

They don't have to move in pairs which was evident yesterday when they transfered one of the trains off for a bit. I will say, however, that they were having problems running only three trains. I was standing up in the QBOT line snapping pictures when the switch track started switching back and forth rather uncontrollably. I don't think the system is really designed to only run 3 trains. Perhaps it was just an operator error though.

I know they can run three with the ghost train, but when the single side ran (right 1), they couldn't seem to get the double side in behind (left 1) until all of left side was ready (left 2) and the ghost train had cleared the staging block. *** Edited 6/1/2005 3:26:32 PM UTC by ApolloAndy***