Knoebels, 2 train op/ Skid brake questions.

I was wondering if Knoebles runs multiple trains on there coasters on busy days, like a Saturday? I know a lot of parks with coasters that use skid brakes don’t like to run multiple trains these day anymore, so I was thinking Knoebels might be the same.

Also I found it unique that twister uses skid brakes yet it was built very recently. Are they any other coasters built in the 90's that uses skid’s?

Yes, Knoebels runs 2 trains on their woodys. The only time you will see 2 trains are the weekend when everyone pays per ride. Only when it is SUPER busy durring the week they will add the second train. It only happens a few times a year though.

Twister has Skids because the brake run is curved like the Phoenix and it would be impossible to have the fin brakes. It was the first coaster to use skids in like 25 years.

*** Edited 8/20/2004 3:56:23 AM UTC by coasterpunk***

Not that it really matter though... Knoebels gets more people on their coasters per hour with ONE train than most parks do with TWO. The ride-ops are as efficient as NASCAR pit crews and the lack of seatbelts certainly helps matters.

No air gates either. And I know Phoenix runs with 6 ops on the platform during PPP.

The Phoenix station isn't curved. That ride could use fin brakes but they would have to do away with the curved trim brake section uptrack of the storage track/unload station. That would require either a set of really hard trims after the last small hill (which would be bad), or the train would have to blow full-speed through the last curve and hit brakes in the (disused) unload station. That might also be a Bad Thing™ because that turn isn't built for high speed.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Yeah, they do run two on weekends but only one on weekdays. If you can get the train out in 20 seconds, why run two trains? The capacity would still be high.

Josh "longest wait was 25 minutes, and the line was all the way back past the pavilion!" Linn