Any thoughts on Tilt Coasters?

As fearless as I might be, these things look a bit freakish. Anyone else think they may have crossed the line between controlled fear and sheer terror on these? I noticed the first install is low to the ground, but it won't be that way for long. What do ya think?

*** This post was edited by GW Bush on 4/25/2001. ***

I think that they are a great new type of ride. I think that they can offer big thrills in a smaller space, and also don't have to be as tall. We'll just have to see if these things sell or not!

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Coasters- a little slice of heaven

I think that they had better have one hell of a fail-safe brake mechanism--which I'm sure they do. Does anyone know how the stop mechanism on the tilt track works, on either the Vekoma or the Giovanola models? While I'm sure that the rides are completely safe, the whole tilting concept really freaks me out. I would ride it, but my heart would be in my throat during the whole tilt process.

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Mamba--One of the Tallest, Longest, Fastest Roller Coasters in the World

Adam Rentchler

Tilt coasters look very cool, but I have to say that I'm a little skeptical about the safety of these things. I know Vekoma or Giovanola or whoever else is making these things would never put a product on the market that wasn't safe, but the first time the holding brakes fail on one of these is enough to seriously injure a train load of people, if not worse. That is my biggest concern when I look at these things. Other than that, they look like great rides. I really do hope the engineering is safe and that some of these coasters get built here in the states. Peace. :)

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Medusa at Marine World: the best coaster in the west!

Looks like a really cool ride. I'm sure Vekoma and Gio' have the safety all worked out on these things.

I thought the way they drop was really neat. But the layout isn't too impressive. Saftey is a concern, but i am sure that they have thought about that. If there was a real long layout i would be more excited but a drop loop turn isn't that great. Otherwise the idea and drop look incredible.

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RCman4

i always hear about tilt coasters yet still i remain clueless on what they actually are would someone please help me out with a link or sumtin?

There are amazing pictures of one in the latest First Drop, for those who subscribe.

I know Vekoma and Giovanolla wouldn't build one if it wasn't fail-safe, nor would a park buy one. However, not having heard an official description, I don't see how it can be completely fail safe. There are too many variables on this one as compared to any other coaster before.

OK, I'm looking at color pics of the Vekoma model testing as I write this, and I don't see any obvious form of fail-safe. (Although I'm certain there are some!) I can spot the brakes that hold the train still, but that's it.

Does anyone have any solid info on how it is fail-safe?
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- Peabody

A tilt coaster is a normal coaster with a normal first lift hill. When you reach the top the coaster car moves forword onto a platform. Then the coaster car locks and the platform tilts at a 90 degree angle. You then are released and the coaster car drops and goes through the course.

I havent seen one..anyone know a good site with some pics or something?

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Ghostrider = good

There is something in the news section. Jeff???

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Build it taller, faster and with a loop please! (Before I'm too old to ride it!)

go to www.vekoma.com and they have pics and a little movie

http://www.coasterclub.org/en/photos/53-gravitymax/index.shtml

Peabody...

How do you subscribe to first drop?

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Build it taller, faster and with a loop please! (Before I'm too old to ride it!)

http://www.coasterclub.org/
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Parks For 2001: PKD, BGW, Funtown USA

Thanks PT!

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Note to self. Move away from Downtown San Diego. Far away from the man who swears at 3AM at the top of his lungs!

I personally don't that safety will be that big of an issue on these things. I think that it will provide an interesting variation on the rollercoaster experience. Those people who think that it won't be safe probably don't understand how brakes work. They probably play Rollercoaster Tycoon (I do) and think that if the brakes fail that they open. That is not true. If they fail, they close. If there is a true failure on one of the brakes, and it stays open, then there is always another brake to catch the train. If all the brakes fail then you have a problem. The odds of that happening at once is very next to nil.

I think the prototype is gonna suck, a single loop, but if a park built a standard looper, like Medusa or Kumba, but it has the Giovanola Tilt drop, I would love it.

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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie

I agree that these rides are designed with safety being the number one concern. However, if there were to be a severe failure, the potential for death and injury is huge. As a former ride op, people used to always ask me "Can that coaster get stuck upside down?" And I always said "Impossible". But in the past few years, there have been major mechanical/structural failures that resulted in 2 coasters grinding to a halt in the top of a vertical loop. Now, the chances of this happening are very, very small. But it happened. Of course, one can argue that it's not the designer, but more so the park, who is responsible for maintaining these rides. So maybe Vekoma and Giovanola do have a fool-proof system of redundancies built in. Will those measures ensure the same level of protection 5-10 years from now? Who knows. Depends on the park. But regardless of how redundant the tilt mechanism is, there is always the potential for failure. I've seen things on brand new B&M coasters that technically cannot happen! We're talking about things that the manufacturers would probably say, "That's impossible". And I wouldn't have believed it myself, had I not been there. But there are humans behind those twisted structures of steel and wood, and mistakes will be made. Is it worth the potential risk? I guess the parks installing these rides have to ask themselves, are we prepared to handle the repercussions of ""dropping a fully loaded train". Because no one can say, it won't happen. And what are the repercussions of dropping a train 100ft with 20-something guests? Depending on the size of the park, that kind of thing could put you out of business. Has there ever been a loss of life that big in a theme park? I know some SF park had a fire years ago that killed a significant amount of people, but 20-30 peeps? That's a big deal. That would certainly make international news. It would be very difficult for any park to recover from that incident. Legal fees, horrible publicity, lawsuits, lawsuits, and more lawsuits. The guys that got stuck upside down on the Demon are suing and they weren't even seriously injured. Lots to think about, I suppose. Would I ride one? Depends on the park maintaining it :) My 2 cents - epc0t

Well IMO Tilt coasters are just insane. This type of coaster just freaks me out. The thought of a coaster breaking the track 100 plus feet off the ground gives me the willies. Since the first one is being built now - I would have to say that this is the most extreme coaster on the planet. Will I ride one if it reaches the states - most likely. I will probably have to watch it a couple of times before riding.

Flat out Freaky.

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BMCOASTER

bmcoaster@wi.rr.com