Guiness height record measurement.

I was talking with someone and somehow we got on the subject of how Guiness measures the coasters to make sure they are as tall as they say they are. It's not like they have a giant ruler, so what do they use to make sure that Top Thrill Dragster is 420ft. tall?

I know they have something that verifys the speed of the coasters, so I assume they would have to have something to verify the height of the coaster as well. Anybody know?

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Superman: Ultimate Flight Count (SFGAm) = 49
Dave
http://www.SFGAmWorld.com

I'm sure blueprints would tell you the exact height of it, right down to the inch (fraction?). They have to follow some kind of guideline to put all that steel in the right order.

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Fear the Wrath of the Orient Express!!
www.pkixtreme.tk

Yeah but I believe the blueprint for MF said 310 ft tall, and its actually 312 ft or something like that. Im betting some sort of laser does the measurement.

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Summer 03-CP, HP, SFDL, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.

They could always do it like 9th grade geomerty, and mesause the shadow, and the length from the base to the end of the shadow. But it would be really funny if someone whipped out a 420ft ruler.

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Coasterdom.com

Actually, with New York State increased math requirements, I learned that in 6th grade.

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http://coasterplace.web1000.com

well sortof like using the shadow... you could position a laser a given distance from the top point (on level ground) and then shoot it the point. the laser would tell you the distance (hypotenuse) and angle of elevation. using some simple trigonometry you'd have the answer in no time.

i dunno how they really do it... but thats how i would

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"It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone"

They use the old Sicilian method: They throw someone off the top and see how long it takes before they hit the ground.

Hey, if you've perfected a method, I say do it. It's still a lot cleaner than strangling someone with piano wire.

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"That's DOCTOR Evil. I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called 'Mr. Thank You Very Much.'"

I like the old fashoned string method...somebody holds a string at the bottom, then somebody goes up to the top with the string, puts it on the track at the very top, then puts a mark at that point. Then you just measure the string later on. Maybe that wouldnt work so well with something that big though.

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The Millenium Force ride Ops: Squishing you where it counts since 2000.
Track Record: 62 coasters at 17 parks.

There are lots of ways to do it varying from tape measures to laser range finders. However, the tricky part has to be deciding what the reference elevation for the ground is.

No fair digging a hole under the first hiill to fudge the measurement.

I always wondered why CP didn't did an 8' hole under MF's crest to regain the record.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

Probably because water would fill that 8 foot hole, as it's less than 50 feet from the lake. About the measurment, I'm sure a laser device like surveyers use would be the way to go.

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CP 2K3: 13
"What are you, a dentist? Or a hippie? Or some kind of hippie dentist?" -strong bad

Don't they measure it from the station to the top of the lift hill? I also don't believe they go by the blue prints I swear I read that the Steel Dragon was actually shorter than originally claimed but still about 1 ft 8 inches taller than MF.

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Ride the Conneaut Lake Blue Streak!

Since most stations are elevated, the measurement from the station to the top of the lift hill would usually be considerably shorter than the real height.

I just checked Guiness. It lists Steel Dragon as 311' 8" vs. the 318' advertised and the 310' of MF.

OMG... Steel Dragon is sinking... TAER it down! ;) ;) ;)

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

Laser beam measuring devices do exist fella's. Go to the top of the ride, point the laser down at the ground, and you get your reading.

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure Ride-Ops Crew 2002-2003(Find Me, Win a prize!)

A GPS system would do the same thing for you as well.