Iron Dragon At CP Always Slows Down On The 1st Lif

Does anyone know why the Iron Dragon slows to almost a complete stop on the first lift hill? This ride has always done that!

I always thought CP programmed to do it like that to build up the anticipation. Lots of anticipation for a huge ride like that, eh? :)

Maybe the real reason is because of the weight of the train, or maybe there are sensors to slow it down at first, then speed up... anyways, to sum it up, I have no clue.

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Chris B.
http://sfwoa.tripod.com/
Radioheader08@netscape.net

The Beast always does that too. About halfway up the first hill, it gets *really* slow, then about 3/4 of the way up, it gets really fast. ???

At a guess, I'd say it's a blocking thing. If the train already on the circuit hasn't entered the next block yet, the lift slows down to make sure you don't end up with two trains in the same block, for that way lies madness.

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--Greg

http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/

Iron Dragon slows down on the first lift so that it will not clear the top of the first lift until the train ahead clears the second lift. Notice that if the ride is running only two trains, it usually won't slow down on the first lift.

It will also slow down on the second lift if two trains are stacked in the station and on the ready brake, and will stop at the top of the second lift if the ready brake isn't clear. It's just that the crews are so quick about loading the trains that stacking almost never happens, so it almost never has to slow down on the second lift.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

RideMan and GregLeg got it right!

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CDNSN

(since Greg responded at the same time as me...)

I don't think it's so much a blocking issue as a timing issue. There is a block brake at the bottom of the second lift, and I have seen them set the ride up with one train in the station, one on the second lift, and one at the base of the second lift. But the speed of the first lift is certainly related to the position of the second train.

Oh, and Den...the way The Beast operates is exactly the same. The delay on the first lift is in waiting for the second lift to clear.

For more about blocking, consult http://capital2.capital.edu/admin-staff/dalthoff/blocking.html

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Whenever I go on Iron Dragon with my friends and it slows down on the lift, they always yell "Oh my God! Were going to get stuck, then it speeds up. I always have a good laugh at there expense.

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Cedar Point! The Greatest Place on Earth!

i allways thought it had something to do with mantis. my bad :-)

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Best Steel: MF @ Cedar Point
Best Woodie: The Beast @ PKI
Best Park: IOA!
Get to the Point, Cedar Point!

I don't see why you are making a big deal about this. Iron Dragon was built in 1987, 2 years before Magnum XL-200. A coaster will show it's age.

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SFGAm Trip - July 13-17, 2001

Mindbender at SFoG does the same thing. It actually stops for about exactly 2 seconds, then starts back up again...Does anyone know what causes this?

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Did you realize that Theme Park Nacho cheese isn't really cheese?

Anticipation builds up greatly when the train slows down going up a lift so you can sit really high in the air for an even longer period of time. i love it when it does this but i also hate it because it will take even longer to get to the first drop.

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Webmaster - G-Screams
http://gscreams.cjb.net

Top Gun at PKI does that too. It happens when it has 2 or even 1 train on the track. Its wierd. Also on Top Gun, look up when ya go up the hill and see the size of the rollbacks! They are the biggest i have seen!

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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den

When I was first there waiting in line, I noticed that when the train went down the first hill, there was a train coming down the second hill at the same time. It made it seem like the ride was very short...Little did I know that the ride had two lifts!

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Beware of the Dragons! - Dueling Dragons
http://www.rollercoasterfreaks.com/

Mine Ride has a variable speed lift as well. Well, two of them actually. Much like Iron Dragon. :oP

-Natalie
Mine Ride owns!

Yeah, the way I always thought of it was to time the trains through out the circut.

I remember the first time i was on iron dragon it stopped on the 2nd lift for a couple seconds, i thought it had broken down :) little did i know, i was only 12

The coaster slowing on the first lift has nothing to do with the age of the ride, only with the distribution of the trains throughout the course, as has been explained already. :) Another note: the ride ops have no control over the lift speed, so there's nothing they can do about it, nor do they have any control over the jerkiness when it comes back into the station - that's the shock absorbers equalizing air pressure through the brake run.

'98 Iron Dragon Crew
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html

The Beast is timed spo the trains go over the lifts at the same time...or at least that is how it alwayz worked for me!!!

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It's usually fun to be me, but sometimes I need a little love too. --Jeff

Yeah, the Beast is timed that way. With its 3 trains, the two lifts can be used as the block brakes. In theory, PKI could add another car to Beast and still have a block in between.
Blocks
Station
1st lift
midcourse between hills
2nd lift
final run

So it is possible to fit at least 2 more cars, but highly doubtful

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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den