For those who don't know this, the Giant Drop is the world tallest freefall ride at 390ft. The ride is attached to Tower of Terror's (Intamin LSM Reverse Freefall) well, tower!
It has two eight seater cars, on opposite sides of the tower with ToT on the third side. ToT's station is located south and the tower north with the cars facing east and west respectively.
It is a most intense ride! Takes ages to get to the top - 90 secs! At first, only one car at a time was allowed up the tower because of ToT. Now both go up at the same time. Going up, the whole tower shakes 'n' rumbles when the ToT car roars up and down!
The western side is a bit shaky and falls all the way hitting 75mph. The eastern side has a problem, the car falls a foot or so and slides down very slowly for 5 secs then freefalls. It's smooth as glass. I had a look, there is a 30ft section of copper magnetic braking rails at the top which is why that happens. The western side doesn't have any copper at the top.
Are there any freefall rides with the same problem?
-------------
Coasters - Man's finest creation or is it God's?
Brought to you by Australia's No. 1 Coaster Fan.
Oh yeah, Wonderland Sydney's Space Probe, a 210ft 1995 first generation Giant Drop never has all three of its cars working at the same time! Very bad for capacity. Any GDs with this prob as well?
To think Space Probe was the tallest freefall in the world upon its debut!
-------------
Coasters - Man's finest creation or is it God's?
Brought to you by Australia's No. 1 Coaster Fan.
This is no problem! Its planned that way!
There is another record breaking drop ride in japan, the "blue fall" its over 100 meters high, and some of the tracks, have this hidden brake, that slows the train after a few meters. Its just designed to give you an extra shock.
Anyway, have you heard/seen the latest innovation from Intamin. The Stand-up car is installed on a tower in the U.K. while going up, the whole thing tilts forward, leaving you no chance to NOT look down. Fro´m what i heard, its VERY creepy.
One side of the tower features the usual sit-down car, and another, yet secret innovation will come soon.
Phantasialand in germany has a great indoor Bungee drop by Intamin. It features six cars for eight people (just like the ones in Australia)that sit on rails on the inside of a huge concrete tower (from the outside its themed as a huge castle, 70 meters high). After you are secured in your seat, the lights go out and you are shot upwards in the pitchblack. After leaving the copper section the cars speed up and race like mad to the top of the tower, where some spiky neon lights make you say your final prayers. Shortly befor you crash into the ceiling the mayhem stops and you dangle in a black shaft, 70 meters over the ground. Its so dark that you can just slightly see the opposite cars that hang on the walls as well. After a few seconds you will be thrown back to the earth and then you will bounce up and down before you do it once again, this time even faster. This is an incredible ride, and its still the only one of its kind in the world. Its abbsolutely amazing. The whole ride is synchronized to music, which is overlaid by the echoing screams of 64 people with the hissing noises of the aircompressors. WILD!
I have been to Wonderland and went on the Giant Drop. I scared the crud out of me!!!
