INTAMIN TRACK

why does intamin switch track from quad track to triangular track and to flat track throughout the course of a ride? MF, S:ROS, and Expedition GeForce all do this.

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I am one.
I am Turbo.

well flat track is cheaper than triangular track which is cheaper than quad track.. however, the quad track is obviously stronger than triangjular, which in turn is stronger than flat. they use the quad stuff to span longer distances (i.e. sparsely spread supports) and also to handle windloads at increased heights.

they basically use whichever option is the cheapest, but still provides the necessary strength

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

The track is basically engineered on the same technology as a bridge. Because of the design of the track, some sizes of it can support more stress and go a longer distance without supports than others can.

On lift hills, drops, overbanks and such, you will find the quad rail track.

On banked turns and some camel backs, you will find the triangular.

The flat track is most common on brake runs and straight areas low to the ground.

Hope that helps.

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2003 season kicks off 3/22 w00t!! PKD here I come!
CoasterCount: 42

It's also easier to put retractable breaks on a piece of 2 rail track as opposed to box track.

--Ryan

It's Intamin's way of using the least amount of steel, which in turn means it's the cheapest way, too. Low to the ground, it's cheaper to have two rail track and many supports than four rail track and a few supports. The opposite is true for high elevations. This method saves the parks a lot of money in steel.

-Seth

thanks for the posts. Unfortunately, I have only been on one intamin coaster, an impulse. Can you feel the change in the transition of the track? is it rougher or smoother or the same on each track?

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I am one.
I am Turbo.

While on the ride, you literally can't tell when they change unless you focus on the part of track under the running rails. It's as smooth as glass the whole ride.

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It's still me, here from the beginning back in 1999. Add 1500+ posts to the number I have in the info section if you care about such things.

My Mech E. friend told me (for what it's worth) that the brake sections tend to be flat track with lots of close supports to prevent the track from buckling. I'm inclined to believe her, as it's pretty clear that brakes can be on flat and box track (Xcelerator's final and rollback brakes).

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It was like that when I got here."
"faster, cheaper, and more often" that's somebody's new sig -UpsideDawnGrrrl

I'm sure that's nonsense. The box track is certainly a zillion (in engineering terms ;)) time stronger than two-rail track!

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

I always found it odd that the flat track was used on the barrel rolls on collosus.

http://www.thorpeparkguide.com/parktour/rides/colossus/gallery/pics/inline.jpg

It suprised me that this simple track could handle the loads associated with this element. It looks flimsy, but I guess it works.

Look at avalancha on rcdb.com. on the drop the track is flat, where you would think the most structural support would be needed. I want answers!!!

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I am one.
I am Turbo.

colossus and other intamin mega loopers (avalancha and monte makaya) use a mix of 3 rail and 2 rail track. the 3 rail track is used on the vertical loop, cobra roll and corkscrews

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Nemesis Inferno - The Pressure is Building!
Rare RollerCoaster Resources - http://clik.to/rrcr

Yet, doesn't it seem odd that Volcano's barrel rolls have three-rail track? Actually, save for the station and first set of LIMs, I believe just about the whole coaster utilizes three-rail track.

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-Vater
'These pretzels are making me thirsty.'
Take a ride...

The reason for Volcano's tri-track and Colossus's double-track is simple: look how high Volcano's rolls are. If it was double track, you'd need mad supports under it. The tri-track enables longer distances between supports. Cost efficiency.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

The supports for Volcano's rolls are also widely spaced. The biggest factor in selecting the track type is support spacing, though G-forces are also a factor. If you look at the rolls on Collosus, you wil see that the supports are closely spaced, and this type on element doesn't involve any great G forces.

ApolloAndy:

Your engineer friend is wrong. Structurally brakes can be anywhere. The forces aren't really that high. Brake forces have to be kept fairly low to keep you from eating the back of the seat in front of you. It is convenient to have brakes low for maintenance, otherwise you have to spend the money to build a high platform. Alignment is easier if they are on flat track Also, flat track is important for rider comfort if a train is held on the brakes.

B&M and other mid-course brakes are up high and have to have the service and possibly unloading platform. It's expensive, but necessary to restart the train if it is held on the brakes.

Of course the main brakes need to be just before the station and at a convenient, comfortable place for holding the train if there is stacking. This pretty much forces them to be on flat track just before the station.
*** This post was edited by Jim Fisher 2/28/2003 12:37:48 PM ***

That and Volcano's rolls are taken at such a slow speed it seems like, that the track would need more support for longer...

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The only difference between stupidity and genius is genius has limitations.

I think Vater's point, GP, is that it seems Volcano's upper elements ought to have 4 rail box track, not that it should have 2 rail track.

A quick review of their coasters on RCDB, though, doesn't show 4 rail box track appearing until S:ROS in 1999... so it doesn't seem that Intamin had developed it yet in 1998.

Volcano could've seriously benefited from 4 rail track... I think its support structure is about the ugliest ever. It totally ruins the profile of the mountain. I think they should've kept the bulk of the ride on the backside of the mountain and actually put some DROPS in the ride. The second half is such a let down.

Also, we're confusing our terminology. Jim uses 'flat' to mean the track is level... most everyone else uses it to mean 2-rail track. Can we have agree on some standard terminology?

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Pun is the death of wit.
*** This post was edited by ThemeDesigner 2/28/2003 4:57:49 PM ***

Jim: By flat I meant two rail as opposed to box. Not really flat as opposed to curved.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It was like that when I got here."
"faster, cheaper, and more often" that's somebody's new sig -UpsideDawnGrrrl

Actually, im pretty sure S:ROS doesn't have quad-rail track, only 2 rail and 3 rail.

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http://coasterplace.web1000.com

Theme Designer: why use 4-point track when 3-point will do the job? Maybe they did it because it cost the least overall.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?