Good Powder Keg photos

Tyler Neu submitted a bunch of great Powder Keg photos that you might want to see...

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/2004-311-71896.htm

What's up with the metalic box on the back of the train? Anyone know? Is it for some sort of on ride music or other on ride effect? Or is it just the on ride computer control for the restraints? I have no clue...

So...what's up with that metal box?..echo...echo...echo...

I have another question: What's the deal with the "spike?" Did I miss something vaguely important about how the coaster operates? That spike looks like something out of a shuttle coaster, but Powder Keg's a full-circuit coaster, right?

The spike is in case of rollbacks. Because trains are slid on a moving platform into the launch platform, they can have a back spike incase the coaster wouldn't clear the first hill. I assume they have brakes there too, but the spike adds backup protection against rollbacks.

The way the spike track stops mid-air without a plunger or stopper is a bit unnerving.

The Box on the back of the car is For the lap bar system, the bars are unlocked by using Air Compression from a tank inside that box. Unlike a typical lap bar system where a kicker bar unlocks them from below the train, on Powder Keg the Lap Bars are open from a signal from the rides computer system.

The Intamin family coaster here at La Ronde (the Dragon) also use a pneumatic system for lap bars. Unfortunately... in 2002, the ride was down because the pneumatic system broke and Intamin was slow for sending the part. So, the ride was down for weeks! *** Edited 3/30/2005 4:23:24 AM UTC by Absimilliard***

Compressed air restraints? That seems like a silly way to do things over the typical Intamin and Huss (and who else?) hydraulic system.

Lets hope the air compressor does not fail during the ride!

It's probably just the opposite, that the compressor is used to open the restraints, not keep them closed.

My guess was that the box was used for the restraints. I just assumed it was with compressed air since it was S&S.

The spike would almost look out of place if it wasn't for the faux track above the queue that was "blasted" away from the spike.

Here is a picture of Powder Keg's visual effects. The fire, smoke, water, & air really added to the excitement while watching the ride. Hearing the "boom" from across the park is probably the coolest sound from a coaster.

*** Edited 3/30/2005 5:36:23 AM UTC by Neuski***

Well I guess I won't submit MiG's photo update for PowderKeg™ to the news area now. :( The thematic shed is really cool how it shoots a pillar of fire up after each launch. The computer module is what helps monitor the train through the track and also coordinates the transfer track and special effects to the train.

Don't ya love that "basted" crate?

The spike looks like decorations to me...

Great photos! I especially love the "blasted" fake track and coaster train scattered throughout. :-D

-Tina

*** Edited 3/30/2005 12:34:38 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Very nice theming. I too like the "blasted" pieces of train and track lying about. Looks like SDC has another winner on their hands.

BTW The Track you say is fake, is actually real Coaster Track from the spalsh down hill on Buzzsaw Falls. That Track is themed to be a abandoned section of track from the top of the spike to the entrance building broken off into 2.

I might have missed it, but I have yet to hear any word on the ride experience itself. I hope it's a good one.

That having been said, this ride is not at all esthetically pleasing to me. I personally do not care for the look of the track, the colors, the way the station is themed for the ride, the "junk" track they scatered around for theming, and especially those trains. It all seems to look very hodge-podge which I find quite unusual for SDC. I mean compare it to Wildfire. The overall outstanding theming and "look" of Wildfire makes this ride look like it was built in someone's garage... IMO.

I hope to ride it one day and have my perceptions changed. But bottom line, even if I had not known of Buzzsaw Falls, it would still be VERY apparent to me that this is an attempt at making a past bad attraction into a new attraction.

Shaggy *** Edited 3/30/2005 3:30:50 PM UTC by Shaggy***

I agree that the theming with the blasted track looks cool. I also like how the trains look. It look S&S has a winner on their hands. Hopefully we will start to see more of these.