Joker's Jinx Question

I too thought about that, but let's look at Volcano the Blast Coaster (I know it's an Intamin. Where do you think I got the inspiration for my screen name?). Both times the coaster is launched, it's in a tunnel. Perhaps this theory might hold true; On Joker's Jinx there is one exposed LIM on either side, at the end of the ride. This is used to propel the train around to the station, but both are under a plexiglass cover. Perhaps the shuttles also have these plexiglass covers. All I know that while on Batman & Robin the Chiller and Mr. Freeze, we're going way too fast to make notes!

Couldn't they put plexiglass covers on all the LIMs, so that the tunnel wouldn't be needed?
This coaster has no tunnel over its launch track:
http://rcdb.com/installationgallery1223.htm?Picture=1
Also, it looks like this coaster has the covers even though there is a tunnel:
http://rcdb.com/installationgallery593.htm?Picture=4
Maybe the covers come standard on all the Premier launchers, whether the LIMs are in a tunnel or not.

Maybe the tunnels are for decoration and thrills.

I thought that the reason Volcano had the tunnels at the LIMS is because they had too.....since it is an inverted coaster , there was no other place to put the fin that passes through the LIMS except above the coaster..i.e. there had to be a tunnel for the LIMS, because other than overhead, there isnt anywhere else the LIMS could be mounted.

I guess that in principle you could build the LIM's into a section of inverted track without turning it into a tunnel. In fact, the first set of LIM's didn't register on me as a tunnel, at least not the beginning. Now the second set, the one that goes vertical, now THAT'S a tunnel.

Are we forgetting that standard Intamin impulse coasters have LIMS on the back spike (and that certainly isn't tunneled)?

-Nate

Hadn't exactly forgotten (more like hadn't made the connection) but that was kinda my point above. There's no reason I can think of that requires LIM's to be in a tunnel. All the LIM coasters that I can find that are shuttle coasters use LIM's to boost the train up a spike. All these spikes (and the LIM's on them) are exposed to the elements.