Intamin Hydraulic Launch. How does it work?

Subject says it all. I know it involves hydraulic pistons and a cable.. perhaps with a dog attatched that latches onto the coaster train. The hydraulics some how drive the cable but how? I've been trying to figure this out for ages but all I have to go by are a few low quality ride videos of Xcelerator (KBF). Your mechanical insight will be much appreciated. :-)

I'd like to know how the launch works also. The rows of fins that rise after the train launches...are those brakes?

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Phyter said:

.. perhaps with a dog attatched that latches onto the coaster train.
P.E.T.A. is going to hear about this I assure you. ;)
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WARNING: May be habit forming

its basically the MF lift cranked up a lot! the fins are brakes if the launch fails and a roll back occurs.

A search on hydraulic launch brought this up.

http://club.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=23091

or for non club members

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=11&TopicID=23091

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All I need is 4.5 million bucks and a half a mile long sliver of land and maybe someone could build me my very own Shivering Timbers. ;)

laurence said:
its basically the MF lift cranked up a lot!

I hope you're not serious...

*** This post was edited by CPgenius on 9/15/2002. ***

It uses the same cable and dog system. Of course the drive is completely different.

Yeah, it's not an elevator lift cranked up, that was what I was refering to.

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LocoBazooka--Sevendust, Nonpoint, Stereo Vent, Mushroomhead
Korn Tour (With no name)--Korn, Puddle of Mudd, Deadsy

*** This post was edited by CPgenius on 9/17/2002. ***

to make a long story short,

get in, sit down, shut up, and HANG ON!

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This is roller coaster website, not English 101! If I axidently misspell something, do me a favor and deal with it, I've been out of skool for a long time! :)

How does it work? Very well, thank you very much.

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Scott W. Short
scott@midwestcoastercentral.com
http://www.midwestcoastercentral.com

ShivTim, I'd really like to agree with you.....it DOES work very well indeed on Xcelerator, WHEN it works at all....which right now seems to be "infrequently". The launch itself is great, the reliability of the system is what I'm left questioning.....never spent so much time watching a ride evacuated over and over in my life!

...."just LEAVE the ladder where it stands, you'll need it again real soon"!

Does it have anything to do with water being compressed at all? I was trying to figure it out in a science book today, but it seemed like french to me.

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LeWiS

Pressurised hydraulic fluid, not compressed, you can't compress a fluid.

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LocoBazooka--Sevendust, Nonpoint, Stereo Vent, Mushroomhead
Korn Tour (With no name)--Korn, Puddle of Mudd, Deadsy