Incredibly stupid air-launch tower question

You know the compressed air launch towers, such as Power Tower at Cedar Point. I have never taken the time to even stand in line for one. So I had a really stupid question. What connects the seats to the tower? When that thing shoots up the tower, what is it connected to? Are there wheels that guide it up the tower? Since the spaces in the tower have bars going diangle across them, how do the seats connect to the air tube?

Stupid question, I know but I can't find an answer, not on the theme park websites, or the S&S website. I guess the same question would apply for rocket coasters like Hypersonic XLC and TTD. Any info or well deserved critism would be find. *** Edited 12/10/2004 10:36:48 PM UTC by dr_pepper_PhD***

This pic shows how the vehicle design on an S&S tower. I don't even know close to enough to give a technical answer but you can see how the seats are attached to the vehicle and the vehicle has wheels that run along the tower.

Also see this photo and this photo for alternate views.

The cars are attached by cables. One on each side of the tower. The cables are then attached to 'plungers' inside of the cylinders which pushes them up or down. The wheels just help guide the cart up the tower.

Hey dr pepper PHD, that was so not a stupid question. It's always good to see people asking viable questions on here as opposed to just assuming something and then getting corrected. Like they say in school, there's no such thing as a stupid question, only ones that aren't asked!

^^Yup, or the variation I prefer, there's no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people...

So the people at amusement parks that ask, "When does the 3 o'clock show begin" aren't stupid?

Those are the worst.

How about when your standing within veiw of the exit and you have somebody ask you how to get to it.

Also maintenance can control the speed at which the cars fill so they can do their inspections. (Or at least they can at Dorney Park, I've seen them ride up each side and look at all the joints and the brakes and stuff at the top.

WOW! Must be the christmas cheer spreading around, I honstly thought that people on this site wouldn't be so forgiving. Thanks and sorry.

The question "When does the 3 oclock laser show begin" is a valid question no doubt, it just falls into another entire category: Questions you overlook due to the stupidity and very nature of stupid people. It's an o.k. question but yeah, it's not stupid...i'd call it redundant instead. ;)

They train you in the theme park business to answer questions like that with an answer that won't make the guest feel stupid, i.e. "I would suggest arriving at (insert location here) at 2:30 pm to insure that you will be close enough to get a good view of the show." Or in the case of WDW, who has more parades than a circus, you would ask them where they would like to view the parade from, and then give them the approximate time the parade will pass by. Just wanted to throw my two cents in.

Yes, actually that wasn't a stupid question at all, I had been wondering about asking a similar question for a while, however the responses have answered mine. I'm just glad you took the time to ask people rather than be like... "OMGZ teh uber electroshok launches teh cart up teh stick!!11!!11!11 10 billion mph omgz someone fell out once...." *** Edited 12/11/2004 4:55:56 AM UTC by RollrCoastrCrazy*** *** Edited 12/11/2004 4:56:52 AM UTC by RollrCoastrCrazy***

My freakin posts are not showing up lately, whats up with that? This has been for like 2 weeks.

What I started to say was, for the 3rd time, thanks dr_pepper for a well written post asking a serious question without accusing eveyrone here of being rude, hateful, or snobbish. If every new person would stop, make sure they posted correctly without asking something thats been asked umpteen million times before, and accept constructive criticizm, we'd keep more n00bs around these parts.

Thanks for being honest and cordial. Any questions you ask are not stupid (esp. this one, hasn't been discussed much, if at all before, IIRC), just do a search before, and if you don't find it, ask like you did with this. We can be a welcoming lot to people that don't come in with an attitude. You certainly did not. And its no Xmas spirit on my part, I don't celebrate it ;).

Tekno, are you saying I didn't come to coasterbuzz with an attitude? Huh, I thought I did.

I'll just say that I am sorry to everyone on this sight that got to see a immature side of me. It will never happen again. People have told me that I'm the world's biggest asshole, but at the same time I'm the world's most helpful person. I will try to to be that fun loving person people say I can be.

Dr. Phil, can you lower the gun from my head now!?!? *** Edited 12/11/2004 2:39:07 PM UTC by dr_pepper_PhD***

Again-

Actually, I guess thats it, you came with an attitude that we all have. You didn't seem to care what people thought about you, you just wanted info, and thats cool. I think everyone here is pretty much the same, we don't care what others thing, its just here for our entertainment and information.

If only every new person would see it that way instead...

I have a suggestion, go ahead and do yourself a favor and stand in line for one of these rides. they are fun.

Can't waste time standing in line when there's Raging Bull or Millennium Force to be rode. Maybe, someday, when I have more then one day to spand at a park.

I dunno, almost every time I've been to CP (barring the one time I foolishly went in late July) there was very little, if any, form of a ride for PT. The upshot almost always has a shorter line than the downshot, or at least that's my call based on the times I've went on it. It's a great ride no doubt. Riding PT downshot on the side that faces MF will get you one of the most awesome views of the park ever. :) If you make time for it, you won't be dissapointed I assure you. (although I will say this, rides like Drop Zone at PKI seem more intense for some reason than PT @ CP.)

This goes for the sub-thread here regarding stupid questions.
20 yrs ago i worked for Red Barn Restaurants. We used to get this question constantly:
How pieces of chicken are in a 15 pc bucket?
Now that, truly, is a 'box of rocks' question.

I'm glad your not annoying Dr. Pepper like some of the people on these boards. As long as you don't go accusing people of things, say stupid things, or intentionally try and piss someone off, or stalk them, then you should do fine around here.

With that said, I'm full of Christmas cheer!:)

I didn't know you didn't celebrate Christmas Tekno, it seems like your always spreading cheer to the buzz! ;)

My favorite stupid questions from my days at Disney:
CAN you get to the exit from here?
Do you work here (asked to someone wearing golden rod pants, a white fluffy shirt with fake suspenders attached and a mickey mouse nametag)?

But my favorites were when I worked in Water Craft transportation and people staying at land locked resorts would ask if they could take my boat back to their resort...then when advised that my boat didn't go there they'd ask how to get to their resort and I'd often ask "How did you get here?" And they'd tell me in exact details how they got there and I'd say that's how you get back