LIMS - A Thing of the Past?

Do you think that with the hydraulic and air powered coasters coming on the scene that the amount of LIM powered coasters will diminish? I have yet to ride a hydraulic or air powered coaster yet so I cannot compare them to LIM coasters.

No, lims are not done just yet. They still offer advantages over the other like you can use them in both directions.

Photonix has a good point noting that LIMs and LSMs can fire vehicles forwards and backwards without having the vehicles to stop. The Hydraulic and Pneumatic launch systems run on a sled and cable/pulley system.

The only launched coaster I've been on is hulk. Although I loved the ride, the launch system is really, well uh, primitive. Using wheels to launch a ride? Why?

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Watching the LIMS at work on California Screamin or V2, is a thing of beauty. I don't think they're going anywhere.

LIM's are a thing of the future in some parks where their Impulse has not yet been installed!

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Any kind of coaster that uses propulsion when it is already moving will always have LIM's

Speed The Ride, Volcano, The Chiller, Mr Freeze, California Screamin, Impulses etc etc

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Thing to remember about LIMs is that they have no moving parts (except for the train). I think we will see them used in even more interesting and exotic ways in the future.

A good example may be Disney's use (Intamin) of linear motors on an otherwise conventional lift hill on their looping coaster at DCA. The challenge is that they are an unfamiliar technology for parks, but once the parks get past that hurdle, we may see them used for all kinds of neat things.

Because of the lack of moving parts, it seems like they're a bit more reliable than the hydraulic and air launches. Of course, they've also been around longer.

The Hulk's launch system seems pretty good to me. I mean, it may not use all kinds of sexy technology, but it gets the train going just as well as any other method.

Anyone know the power usage comparison for the different types of launches?

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AA, I'm pretty sure that LSM's use the most. Regular LIM's come next. I'm not sure about hydraulic or tire launches. I've heard that S&S's compressed air lunches use a significant amount less of energy than LSM's/LIM's. I'd imagine RideMan could fill in all the details.

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The launch system on Hulk is not primitive. There is a motor controller for each motor that controls the speed of that motor. The controller is not all that different from the system the controls the LIMs. A motor/tire launch could operate in both directions just like a LIM. There may actually be an advantage to the motor/tire system in that it may not have the overheating problems that some of the LIMs have had. I don't know. I have never ridden Hulk, so I don't know if it has any overheating problems.

As for power consumption, there probably is not much of a difference in total consumption for rides of equal size, but in the way that it is consumed.

A LIM or LSM require huge surges of electricity to launch. Power companies charge "surge charges" for these. Anyone who operates large 3 phase motors will pay a surge charge when they turn on the motor. That is why plants with large motors leave them run 24/7. The power for Hulk is generated on site for this reason, to avoid the surge charges.

Air and hydraulic launches have large motors that run compressors to build up pressure. These motors run continuously unless there is a failure or a shut down. The work that the motor has to do is spread out over the time period between launches whereas a motor launch does all of it's work in a very short period of time requiring large amounts of power. So an Air or Hydraulic launch system will only have a surge charge when the motors are turned on, not every time the ride launches.

For total Megawatt-hours of power consumption, the rides are probably about the same, but a motor launch will cost more to operate.

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*** This post was edited by CP ismyhome on 1/27/2003. ***

I alway knew that LIMS gave a coaster alot of speed, have been rode The Chiller, which I feel is one the fastest coaster that uses LIMS, but when I rode Volcano I changed my mind, however the Flight of Fear, and Jokers Jinx, felt so slow to me including the launch, however they still gave good rides. I also dont feel LIMS are a thing of the past, as some said they can launch foward, and backwards also if im not mistaking like in Volcano's case, they can make he coaster go faster, when it is already going fast.

CPismyhome, I don't think that Hulk has a heat problem in the same way that LIMs do, but I've heard that the friction between the tires and the trains causes melting, and an incredible tire turnover rate. Anyone know specifics?

I don't know... I think Hulk may use more energy than LIM's. An Impulse can fire off of a line from the power company, presumably using some kind of capacitance to "fuel" the motors. Hulk actually converts the electricity to mechanical energy first to avoid a brown out (as the park described it on TV). Seeing as how that mechanical solution would seem more expensive to implement (with a room full of turbines), I'm guessing they do it because that's the only choice they have.

That's all speculation, of course.

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

That would make sense to charge very large capacitors and use them to power the launch. Then you would not be billed a surge charge every time the ride launched. I should have thought of that.

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There is a new twist in the Top-Hat. :)

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LIMs?? Those are sooooooo 2002. ;-)

Actually they are soooo 20th century ;)

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Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!
Ode to the offseason:
Offseason Offseason what shall I do? Who cares the sun is still shining the sky is still blue! GET A LIFE!

LIMs are still "in".

2 things:

1.) LIMs can have more than 1 section, aka volcano with 2 launches(if its needed).

2.) LIMs can go backwards, like others have said.

LIMs still provide a good launch, and are usually reliable. They will be around for quite some time.

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Like others have said I belive LIMs/LSMs will be around for many years to come. California Screamin' is an excellent examlple of the new uses for LIMs. They have also solved the over-heating problems by placing the motors in water. LIMs and LSMs are a thing of the past, present, and future.