Coaster Speed Manipulation

There was a vid. somewhere of TTD stuck on top with riders. They had to send someone up the elevator to push them.

You're kidding. I thought for sure that was an urban legend.

Hmph.

Well, this video was linked off of the Pointbuzz forum so I'm guessing its ok for me to link it from here:

TTD stuck at the top with riders:

http://www.xtremecoastin.com/videos/misc_videos/ttdstuck_2005.htm

^ hehe, "don't go anywhere, someone will be up shortly to give you a nudge so you can complete your day here at America's roller coast". :)

That's such a fun video. Everybody watching them sit up there, amazed when the worked stands at the top, cheering when the train gets pushed down, all the arms up as the train hits the straightaway at the bottom.

Good stuff.

There is no reason they can't slow it down. Gravity is the driving force but a smaller drop makes for smaller speeds. If they want to slow it down they just drop it from a lower height, a few feet can make a big difference. If they drop it from too low it valleys, which it does.

I wonder what Lake Compounce is doing about the speed problems they are having on Boulder Dash. They have been having problems keeping the trains speed down to the intended level and the result is that the track is getting torn up much more that normal.

BD has been down a lot more than usual because of these problems this year. LC does plan to address the problems during the coming off-season.

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calvin12 said:
There is no reason they can't slow it down. Gravity is the driving force but a smaller drop makes for smaller speeds. If they want to slow it down they just drop it from a lower height, a few feet can make a big difference. If they drop it from too low it valleys, which it does.

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Do they have control over where it drops? The boomerangs (if I'm not mistaken) have a physical device at a certain height that releases the catch when the pulley car passes over it. Can't do much about that once it's there.

Yeah, but...

In "Death of Ocean View Park", doesn't Martin Landau, the bad guy, reset a big lever on the coaster from "Normal" position to "Fast" position to wreak nefarious havoc?

I'm stll looking for that lever whenever I see a new (for me) coaster...

John

KG

It's not too late to integrate one of these on the Turns, is it John?

I don't know about the turns, but I have heard the Knobels High Speed Thrill Coaster can give quite a ride when the throttle is appropriately "tuned" on the engine.

^ OH, yes! :)

Typically (at least on PPP days) the operator will gradually crank the lift motor over the first couple laps, then run it full-bore for a couple, then crank it down for the last lap - assuming less wear-and-tear by gradually letting off the throttle...

Of course, I'm one of those that believes kiddie coasters OFTEN provide some of the more intense rides out there...