Is PTC making improvements to their lapbars?

I have read somewhere that @ No Coaster Con or Eastcoaster that Tom from PTC was making improvements to their new trains but he's keeping a secret. Anyone know more. Can we finally get them to use hydraulics like Inatamin?

I'd sure hope so,but I doubt that the parks will be willing to make such changes this year.

By changing the locking system from ratchets to pnuematics would probably require changes to the station track as well as the main control panel but if the parks really think it's a good investment they just might agree to do it,I would certainly hope for a restraint change because some of the PTC's out there can become real staple guns if you know what I mean.

And the Intamin-style fluid-controlled lapbars can't? I don't see the point to switching over for that reason. Maybe if it saves money in the long run new PTCs will have them or something.

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

Cough Beast/Racer cough.

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Joe Barnett
Forum Moderator/Editorial Writer
www.pkiunlimited.com

I didn't realize anything was wrong with PTC lapbars in the first place.

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SCREAM with me... in 2003!

On Shivering Timber if you don't hold up the lapbar even on the (bleep)ing lifthill they FALL DOWN!! They are NOT as good as the lapbars on Viper, Thunder Run and Georgia Cyclone. My friend Derek also rode Rampage and he said they were also CHEAPLY made like Shivering Timber's lapbars which LOVES to fall down. I don't expect the current coasters to make changes to their lapbar systems as much as I'd like to but I am hoping the new woodies with PTC trains have a better system so that I can leave the lapbar alone and hold my hands up WITHOUT having to use my leg to hold the lapbar up! MF @ CP has a GREAT lapbar system and I like that even better than PTC standard buzz bars because they are adjustable in case I get too fat! I am 5'-8" and about 175 lb and even though I have some room on Cornball Express with their buzz bars but if I gain too much weight (I am trying to lose some or at least keep it steady) those will staple me in too. I wonder if Valleyfair made the bars tighter on High Roller several years back. Cornball Express and Cyclops for example seems to have much more room! The BEST PTC ratcheting lapbar system is on Viper @ SFGAm and PTC needs to bring that quality back!!

I'm pretty sure the reason some PTC lapbars fall down and some don't is completely the park's fault, *not* PTC's. Parks tighten (or losen) the springs, which cause the bars to staple or not to staple, whichever they prefer. Personally, I've never had a problem with lapbars on PTC trains.

-Nate

You mean lapbars aren't supposed to touch your lap?

It is not the park's "fault" for having lapbars that actually make contact with your lap...Perhaps they have them set that way on purpose for safety reasons.

I like my "one click" rides on Raven and Legend at SRM just as much as everyone else, but if HW made the rule that it was no longer allowed and lapbars had to be in the proper position (on the lap, hence the name) I'd be fine with that too. Also note, the lapbars will also fall on both of those coasters during the ride...DON'T EVEN TRY to tell me that HW improperly maintains their coasters

The lapbar "clamshell" on B&M coasters (Raging Bull, etc) fall too...do those coasters need a redesign? No, it is a safety feature designed to hold the rider in place. Improper usage of restraint systems causes accidents...look at the case at KBF and perilous plunge. The restraints were not properly secured and the rider (who, admittedly was very obese) fell out of the ride vehicle..

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--George H
---Superman the ride...coming to a SF park near you soon...
Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

I'm willing to bet most people would shut up about wooden roughness if their woodie got buzzbar trains. I don't think PTC manufactures those anymore, so that most likely won't happen. :(

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Track Record: 164
Favorite Wood: Phoenix at Knoebels
Favorite Steel: Millennium Force at Cedar Point

PTC does manufacture Buzz Bar trains. Cornball Express has them and it is only a couple of years old.

Incidently the raven opened with Buzzbars, Cyclops at Big Chief's has buzzbars it is is also only a few years old.
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Da Poodle

Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!

A little off topic but what is a buzz bar and does anyone have a picture of them?

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I don't care what anyone says, Magnum is better then Millenium Force.

Buzz bars are single position lapbars that cover both riders.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Soggy said:
I didn't realize anything was wrong with PTC lapbars in the first place.

Knotts has had a big problem on Ghostrider with random restraints not unlocking at the end of the ride with the rest. It happens every time on random cars, and the ride attendent needs to use a screwdriver to open it up (each row takes about 5 seconds). Now, just because they're designing a new lap bar doesn't mean they're going to be like Intamin's. It could be a simple change in the rachet design. And BTW, a staple on an Intamin hurts more. The amount of pain in your bladder during opening month on Xcelerator could make someone piss in their pants. Thankfully its not THAT bad compared to opening weekend these days.

The most uncomfortable trains I have ever ridden have buzzbars. The Morgans on Le Monstre at La Ronde. They have one position, and it doesn't leave enough room for my stomach.

Buzzbars are the Holy Grail of restraint systems...well, considering there likely won't be any more *leather strap* restraints at least. But a good strong return spring (Ga. Cyclone, DBH, KG's Twister) is something that is also WAY more than satisfactory...they're the thrillseekers' answer to LR's Millenium Flyers..:).

Thats why I don't like M Flyers.

Twiaster is great. One click rides at PPP were unbelievable. Same goes for SFGAM's Viper.

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Da Poodle

Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!

But watch out for the Ozark coaster's M Flyers, Magnumforce. Boodley and crew have solved that problem on the new trains :) :) (I can't wait!)

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Is this true, P-body...:). We're heading there (CC) post-SRM, so we'll get to check out those trains a little more than we did at IAAPA....didn't want to check them out too thoroughly and look like a tourist, if you know what I mean...;) How long 'til May again...

Its all about Anton post SRM for me.

Right now my favorite "Doc" is calling me.

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Da Poodle

Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!

I can most likly see improvments to the Timber Wolf's Lap Bars, which still seems to break all the time. Its not very uncommon to see one or 2 rows tied down on a train. A few years ago WOF replaced the lapbbars becasue the old Orange ones were breaking left and right. By the end of that season I saw one of the Timber Wolf's trains halfway tied down becasue of broken lap bars. now they have the black lap bars and they don't break as much but I see they still seem to have a problem about breaking.

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Chris Knight
Who is hoping to make it to his first SRM.
Coming to WOF in 2003: A New Dippin' Dots stall :-)