Intamin Question

Do all the cars have chain dogs or just the first?

(on Intamin's, B&M's or whatever)

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Cameron said:

Most coasters do this .. Arrow, B&M, Intamin .. Even the Intamin built American Eagle, and the in-house Viper at Six Flags Great America. It's nothing special (probably energy/mechanics saver).

Cam.

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Cameron Silver

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Actually Intamins are the only ones that do it. B&M does slow down when the lift is not use but it speeds up before as soon as the train is about to be dispatched rather like Intamin where it waits for the whole train to be attached. Arrow keeps the same speed the whole time train or no train.

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2002 Ride Count: S:ROS 4, Predator 3, Viper 2, ME 1, Boomerang 2,Kraken 8, SWF 10
Check out CoastNY at coastny.cjb.net

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Arrow keeps the same speed the whole time train or no train.

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That is just not true. Magnum has always had a variable speed lift from day one. The motors runs at a very slow speed when the train isn't on the lift. It also slows the train down at the top of the hill if the next block isn't clear, to try to prevent a set-up. Iron Dragon has a variable speed motor, and it's used to space trains. It'll slow the train down to a crawl until the next block is open. Gemini has a new varible speed system that CP retrofited this year, it works very similar to Magnum's system.

*** This post was edited by Pete on 6/18/2002. ***

True Pete Draggin Iron does have the variable speeed motor but I don't know about maggie...I haven't been there in a while but i didn't really notice it

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2002 Ride Count: S:ROS 4, Predator 3, Viper 2, ME 1, Boomerang 2,Kraken 8, SWF 10
Check out CoastNY at coastny.cjb.net

I think the main reason Intamin's go have variable speed lifts is probably to conserve power and the life of the motor. (Plus it is a pretty cool effect). I don't think the variable speed has much to do with the block system. S:ROS speeds up on the lift when there is only one train.

Besides, all modern coaster uses the lift as part of the safety system. If a train never enters the next block, then the lift automatically shuts down. For example, the S:ROS at SFA and SFDL have three blocks. (I have never been on MF, but I assume it has the same). The first block is the station itself. The second block is the lift hill. Finally the third block is the rest of the ride including the final brake run. The train must clear the final brake run (i.e. and enter the station) before computer will allow it to be released from the lift. Otherwise the lift will shut down.

Exactly Phantom. Thats what I said like 10 posts ago =)

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Phantom Catcher said:
I think the main reason Intamin's go have variable speed lifts is probably to conserve power and the life of the motor. (Plus it is a pretty cool effect). I don't think the variable speed has much to do with the block system. S:ROS speeds up on the lift when there is only one train.

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True, I forgot about that...I did notice that at SFA this past friday evening, when they were running one train, the lift operated in the same manner. Good point!

Happy Coastering!

Sean

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"Have fun stormin' the castle!"

many arrow hypers, such as desoerado, slow the lift chain down when the train is not on it.

Millennium Force’s cable lift is very different. I was in the line for the front seat, so I watched a cycle of the cable lift looking at tensioner pulleys.

Cycle
The elevator lifter comes down, and stops partly in the station.
When the ride gets cleared to go, the lifter goes down slowly for a few seconds, then reverses, and going up slowly.
When the lifter engages, you bounce forward, then the train and lifter moves slowly.
The train is then accelerated out of the station and up the hill.
Once the next block is cleared, you get a boost in speed.
When the train reaches the drop point, the cable slows to a crawl and the train disengages and accelerates.
The lifter then accelerates down the drop for 4 or 5 seconds. Then slows stops and reverses back the other way completing the circuit.

As has been said, most parks now use power savers to control motor speed on the lift. Most speed up to full speed just before the train gets to the hill, but there are a few that speed up after the train is on the hill.

With the Millennium, the drive motor turns a large drum. The cable form the elevator system wraps around this drum. When the train is about 2/3 up the hill, the drum has cable wraped all the way across it's surface and begins to wrap a second layer if you will. Because the drum is still spinning at the same speed and the drum diameter has increased by the thickness of the cable, the drum now pulls more cable in with each revolution, increasing the train speed. It was a great surprise the first time that I rode it.

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The worst day at Cedar Point is better than the best day at work.

Wow, I never thought about it that way! That's a very interesting observation if that is true. I always bought into the "it speeds up when the last train has cleared the safety brakes" argument. I have to admit I've never really studied the MF lift system for any length of time. :)

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-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew

All the coasters at SFMM have variable speed lifts reguardless of manufacturer. I think they use it as mostly an energy saving mechanism (slow or off when no train is there, and fast when the train is there). Usually they speed up as the train leaves the station before the train reaches the lift. Two exceptions are Ninja and Viper. Ninja has two seperate lifts in its station. The first is always slow and the second speeds up when like half the train is attached to it. There is a wierd gap moment when it seems the train stops and then lurches forward. Viper has feeder wheels that match the initial slow speed of the lift. Once fully on the lift, the train speeds up.

One thing I'll never understand is why on some rides they slow the lift at the top so you creep over.

That's pretty much what I was going to say about the lifts, for the most part the slowing is to conserve power, but as others have said it also will slow down (and eventually stop on some rides) if the other train(s) haven't cleared the preceeding block.

As for creeping over the lift, I know one is to give the train slightly less speed throughout the course, so that trim brakes either aren't needed or aren't needed as much.