Brakes on top of Kingda Ka?!?

The 3mph range is over the top, the launch speed can have a much wider range because of variables that change the required speed on the flat part, to get the train to hit the target speed on top.

Weight, temperature and wind speed will change the speed needed to get the train over the top within the speed range you say must happen.

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Rocket Air said:
Once again, if you don't even bother to explain what 'RTL' is, most people reading that won't know what you're trying to say.

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lol I think of myself as a "wide knowlege" person is coasters... and I don't know what it is... I would like to learn something new for the day.. please explain

^Me too. What is RTL?

My first guess would be Return To Launch. Just a guess though.

I too have heard that TTD's speed range is a min of 121 to not have a rollback and over 123 gets a "high speed warning", whatever that means.

As for KK, I think that the view of the drop theory is a sales pitch and not the real reason. They are trying to decrease ride forces on the drop. Also, once their record is beat they can still market "the world's highest and most annoying trim brakes".

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RavenTTD said:

"the world's highest and most annoying trim brakes".

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LOL now that is funny

You used an acronym for a trouble light? LOL

Funny that I've never heard that term before. Despite working at one of the chains you listed I've never heard the term RTL. I've never heard or seen the term "RTL" or "trouble light" around any of the consign rides I've been around. On the other hand, all of the Intamin rides I been around have a red light labled "trouble." Intamin designs their own control systems. B&M obviously contracts consign for their control systems.

I looked at www.consignag.com , they don't use the term "trouble light" or "RTL." Actually they refer to it simply as errors.

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Beast Tamer said:
i have hit 125 on ttd and i felt the extra speed over the tophat. Got airtime for the first time on it!

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As much as I hate to agree with Beast Tamer on this one, it's true. At last years ACE Con there, the train was hitting 125 on several launches throughout the day. It did with me one of the times I rode it and the very next time it would hit around 120 or so. Maybe Cedar Point knew that a bunch of overweight ACErs were going to weigh the train down so they revved up the launch to make sure that it would clear. lol! ;)

~josh

P.S. - That was a joke (hence the ;) ) so no overweight ACErs take offense. lol

http://xtremecoasters.com/index.php?act=videos

There is the answer to the questions about the brakes. Good video too.

Yea GREAT vid. I can't WAIT for the new media day date. The park will be calling me today to get payment info. So if I hear anything I'll post

You think it'll really be going that slow over the hill? From the tape, I saw that the second launch didn't make it over. Were they just testing the speed of the train? From the 3d movie renderings on sixflags.com it seemed that you'll go over the top at a pretty good speed, the test vid has it going over so slow. I hope it does go that slow because that view is gonna be amazing, and it's just gonna make that drop all the more sweeter.

I remember reading someone hitting 128 on TTD. The launch speed does go up as the temp drops. Colder temps means thicker, stiffer grease in the wheel bearings and trains that slow down faster. 119 Launches will make it over on a hot summer day and I have seen 123 rollbacks during halloweekends.