Monty Jasper on Dragster

I don't know, let me go find a fat guy...

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

My scentific terminology is second to none. :)

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www.coasterimage.com

There is a construction diary entry dated today on the website saying testing will start in the next two weeks.

http://www.topthrilldragster.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill/ttd/specs/diary/index.cfm

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Chris Tyson
Photographer
www.pkiunlimited.com

Its about time we see another Diary update.

Also, TTD's Acceleration G's should average off at 1.37g

Here's the math:

120mph = 53.6448 m/s2

53.6448 m/s2 divided by 4 equals 13.4112 m/s2

13.4112 m/s2 divided by 9.8 equals 1.37g's and it will most likely be less and more in some places because I doubt it will be a perfectly constant acceleration.

Just for the record: S:TE only reaches .65g's while running at 100mph, and since it is only running at around 88-90mph, that would leave it at .58g's

Dodonpa reaches G's are averaged to be at 2.7g's
*** This post was edited by Matthayman 2/24/2003 6:08:02 PM ***

But Nate, if the amount of *acceleration time* does matter in terms of g-froce (and it definitely *does*), then the amount of launch track dictates the amount of time spent launching the train. Which is precisely why H:XLC and Dodonpa carry high g-forces...a very short duration of acceleration. In order to have a longer time FOR accelerating, you need a lot of track....like S:TE has...
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Never go unarmed into a battle of wits...;)

Well, I'm really not in the mood for physics or calculus or anything to work out actual G-forces. You say that track length can't be taken into account when working out G-forces, because of speed etc.

Well, let's take into account speed, and combine it all. Wicked Twister's 75mph is 5/8ths of Dragster's 120mph. Meanwhile, it's generally suggested that Wicked Twister's launch is only 1/4 of the length of Dragster's. Immediately, it is pretty obvious that Wicked Twister will have a higher average acceleration, because it's going 62.5% as fast in only 25% of the distance.

However, who said these rides worked on nice clean Accel-avg. curves? Top Thrill Dragster may have a bell-curve style acceleration (slow start, rapid acceleration in the centre, slow acceleration towards the end of the launch). Wicked Twister's may start high, and slow decrease acceleration. You cannot compare G-forces for the launch with average acceleration values. You'll have to get some data from the launch, and then do some calculus to get instantaneous values. Something I'm not in the mood for.
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So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?

-www.totalthrills.com-
Australia's Premier Source for Thrills!

WT does not have constant acceleration, to the extent that you can feel it. Jasper said that Dragster's acceleration curve will not likely be totally flat but that it will take about four seconds to get up to speed.

This is the guy who gets to see the accelerometer results as they happen, so forgive me if I believe him over you.

As an aside, he also mentioned that they ran three different programs on WT last year, and will likely continue using the same one they ended last season with (the only major difference being, he said, that they don't launch you full-out from a stand-still). The reason, he said, was not structural, but what seemed to be easiest on the equipment. I didn't ask, but I could guess that different motors are firing on different passes.

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

Well, it does seem likely that the greater *burst* of speed would not only accelerate the train fastest, but put more strain on riders AND equipment. The more *gradual* the acceleration, would make for less wear-and-tear on the motors, the train, etc. That's what the park is likely to go with for the reason that it's less costly to maintain....

Sure "constant acceleration" is unlikely other than that produced by gravity, but approximating that *is* in the park's best interest...so I think that's our best guess-timate, short of auscoasterman's suggestion of calculus....*shudder*...;)

WT does seem to have its peak acceleration right at the start. And the ride does not reach 75mph on the first pass. I don't remember the stats, but it is probably around 55-60mph.

Of course the numbers Monty Jasper has are true. What is important to see, to get an idea of how the lauch will be, is an acceleration curve, not just the peak values. I can easily believe that TTD will have a more intense launch, with lower peak acceleratioin forces, because I bet the hydraulic motor will give a much flatter acceleration curve than the LIMs on WT do. And it is the sustained Gs that give a feeling of intensity, not just the peak values.

Pete said:

And it is the sustained Gs that give a feeling of intensity, not just the peak values.

Hey, it's my "fat guy" analogy spoken much more eloquently. I agree with this statement 100% - I think this is a major point that many are overlooking.

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www.coasterimage.com

*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar 2/25/2003 12:30:33 PM ***

While it would be possible to build one that did have constant acceleration, LIM's inherrently do not have constant acceleration. The faster the train in going, the less the acceleration. I believe that the S&S pneumatic system also has a decreasing acceleration though not so much as with LIMs. It should be easiest to get a constant acceleration with Intamin's hydraulic system, though a lot depends on the size of the accumulators.

...but LG, the "fat guy analogy" was just SO much funnier...:)

That is what I was also going to point out Pete...WT does not hit its' top speed on the first time forward (note how high the first forward pass goes versus the second...)

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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)

Unless you're a fat guy, gator - then it's just hurtful :)

Maybe I'm just weird for thinking a fat guy sitting on me for 4 seconds would be more intense than getting punched.

Let me break out my own personal math equations:

If I weigh 170 and I need to simulate 1.5G's then I need someone who weighs 255 to sit on me for 4 seconds. I wonder how much that'd cost in Tijuana?

170*1.5 = 255

Correct?

I guess depending on the guy 255 might not exactly be "fat".

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www.coasterimage.com

*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar 2/25/2003 1:10:40 PM ***

If you're in Tijuana, you might need to make sure it's a guy...."excuse me sir, but are those CPNuts"...;)

edits: First, the CP website has *trains* running on the TTD image across the top banner....second, TTD from all *appearances* in that banner, seems to have gained a LOOP....
*** This post was edited by rollergator 2/25/2003 1:39:53 PM ***

So then this all begs the question, how do we define "intense?" If a 4-second launch at 1G more intense than a 2-second launch at 2G?

My gut feeling says a longer launch at lower G's would be more "intense."

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

'gator, I think that loop you see belongs to Mantis. It's is good to see they're still cranking 8000pph+ on TTD. ;)

I have to go with lower G's for a longer duration as the more intense of the two.

4 seconds of launch time is going to seem like an eternity compared to most of the launches out there that are usually 2 seconds (give or take).

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www.coasterimage.com

My gut feeling says a longer launch at lower G's would be more "intense."

Which would give Superman: The Escape the most intense launch award, taking 7 seconds to reach top speed.

Something not quite right about that thinking...

I personally feel that Montezooma's Revenge has a more intense launch than Xccelerator. To me it seems that the force actually gets stronger and stronger until top speed is finally hit, rather than starting with an initial punch and then letting off on the force a bit.

-Ride_Op

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Ride_Op Coaster Productions: http://www.twistedrails.com/ride_op

You'll feel plenty of Gs during the pull-up/out and you will NOT feel many Gs while going over the top! The ride is gonna be sweet, whether or not you pull 1.5 or 1.6 Gs on the takeoff (although I understand that we do need to talk about something during the offseason).

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"Jessica, you're turning me into a criminal, when all I want to be is a petty thug." -Bart Simpson