Dragster Full Scale Model?
"With Top Thrill Dragster, the manufacturer, Intamin, built a test track in a field near their headquarters in Switzerland to see if the length and speed of the launch system would reach the height of the coaster ? kind of like a full-scale model."
So this means there's a 420 ft. tower sitting in a field somewhere? Seems kind of strange that no one would have seen this before.
It does say almost so maybe its to scale but not as big. Example: 1/2 scale
They may have built a 210 ft tower with trains half the size and weight, and half the launch speed. Its not likely but Im just giving ideas....
EDIT: Sorry I just noticed I posted twice in a row. Please delete the first post not this one.
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RACE FOR THE SKY!!
TOP THRILL DRAGSTER
*** This post was edited by Ultimate Coaster on 1/9/2003. ***
Ultimate Coaster - you delete posts yourself. Choose "edit" and click the "delete post" box.
Moosh
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Sig under construction!
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Mamoosh said:
Ultimate Coaster - you delete posts yourself. Choose "edit" and click the "delete post" box.
Moosh
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Sig under construction!
Sorry again guys....I'm still trying to learn the schematics of this site please just help me out when I'm doin something dumb I'll get the hang of it....
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RACE FOR THE SKY!!
TOP THRILL DRAGSTER
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"You know its a good ride when you come into the final break run wiping tears from your eyes"-me
Ultimate Coaster said:
They may have built a 210 ft tower with trains half the size and weight, and half the launch speed. Its not likely but Im just giving ideas....
Unfortunately, since gravity is not linear, this doesn't work.
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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
You must be this dumb to ride Viper. -SFGAdv.
ApolloAndy is very right. You can't build a scale model to test this kind of equipment. I find it very unlikely however that Intamin build a 420 ft. tower in the middle of Switzerland (construction taking about 2 to 4 months) without anybody noticing.
Building a contraption of this size has so many practical problems, and would cost millions, therefore I doubt they actually did this.
It is possible they only built a launch-track and a brake-run. This would be relatively cheap compared to the 420 ft. tower, but would give them a chance to test if they can actually reach the desired speeds. But than again, this is very unpracticle and extremely expensive.
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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
...which might in part be why Dragster cost as much as it did.
Another thought: if this hydraulic launch thing works out (as in, is more reliable than KBF's experience seems to indicate) it could well put S&S's air-powered launches to pasture. That gives Intamin the corner on Really Fast Launch coasters; building a test tower as an investment for the anticipated returns of every park in the universe wanting a hydraulic launch starts to make sense.
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http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~bnoble/
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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
The S&S rides are already out to pasture in the US. There's a reason why they haven't sold another one. The problems and downtime associated with Hypersonic are way too familiar, and it sure appears that Paramount does not exactly see them in a favorable light.
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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED!
Well think about it...any track made for a full speed test launch track of this ride could very easily be kept for the final ride. Best thing to test with would be the full launch track and then the full brake run. It would be simple to launch to the right speed directly onto the brake run that can be reused at the end of the real ride.
-Ride_Op
DRNK said:
Why should Intamin only build Really Fast Launch coasters? You can launch a space shot as well you know...-----------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
CP has one that is the equivilent: Power Tower. But they didnt have a 420 ft 120 mph coaster!
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RACE FOR THE SKY!!
TOP THRILL DRAGSTER
Now this is just an idea, but with air thinner in higher altitudes, how much would that take effect when traveling at such high velocity? Knowing that the air is denser near sea level, and switzerland being a lot higher than sea level in certain parts, would this take that much effect? Just thought I would ask.
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SOB crew in twenty 02
111 SOB laps, and wishing the park was still open
Brian Noble says:
"...if this hydraulic launch thing works out (as in, is more reliable than KBF's experience seems to indicate) it could well put S&S's air-powered launches to pasture."
FYI, the problem w/ Xcelerator is not the launch equipment, its the computer controll system. Apparently that has been addressed and Dragster is getting a new and improved version.
Moosh
Moosh
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Sig under construction!
How many coaster fans vist or live in Switzerland near Intamin's 'hide-out' anyway? They could of built a full scale or close to full scale model, and not be notice by any coaster fan or by the any media source. They could of built one half of the ride, an 'L' shape test launch track.
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