Sheikra/Dive Coaster block question after incident last night
Can someone explain to me why/how the 2nd train was allowed to be dispatched and make it almost to the top of the hill while the stuck train was still there? I would think that the lift hill + turn around before the dive would all be one block.
My guess is the lift is one block, and the turnaround into the holding brake is another. Hence the second train stopping at the top of the lift, because the first hadn't cleared the very next block.
Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that may be the case.
I like the reporter's account of the harrowing rescue in progress while the live feed clearly shows a train that's already been emptied.
It's interesting to see the elevator in action though.
Vater is correct AFAIK, and while that's unusual for many coasters, the dive coasters can run quite a few trains - look at how many sets of brakes there are just from the end of the ride to the station...it's pretty impressive, seems pretty similar to the Schwarzkopf rides with ridiculous capacity.
You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)
I figured that may be the case, especially with the really short trains...it still just looks odd to see them so close to each other outside of the station.
Also they said 64 people were stranded, but I'm guessing the 3rd train was just in the station at that point, unless it was on the 2nd dive brake.
When Sheikra runs two stations, the train from the second station dispatches the moment the train from the first station gets to the top of the lift. If you are on a train from the second station, you typically have already started your climb up the lift and can see the train from the first station go down the first drop.
What I was wondering is if the operators in the control booth noticed, would protocol be to stop the train on the lift lower rather than letting it get to the top where the blocking system would stop it? I would think the operators would notice the train stopped in one of the blocks before the drop, and would think ideally the lift would be stopped so there isn't as much height during a possible evacuation.
My guess is a third train may have been evaced outside of the station?
ValRavn can have two trains at the top of the lift hill (one on the brakes after cresting the lift, the other on the brakes before the reverse lift chain for the holding drop). I think it's a very odd design. I don't know if there will ever be a case of that happening during operation, but its able to be done.
~Rob
That is another stupid article about an event that isn't newsworthy.
About having two trains at the top of the lift, on the flat track, makes sense. It is much easier to have riders exit the train on the flat part and have them walk to the elevator than try to have them climb out on a steep lift.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
I be darned, Pete. I didn't even think of that!
That's why we have smart people like you around here.
~Rob
Pete said:
About having two trains at the top of the lift, on the flat track, makes sense. It is much easier to have riders exit the train on the flat part and have them walk to the elevator than try to have them climb out on a steep lift.
The article indicates an electrical issue. I would guess that prohibited them from moving the train and they had no choice but to evac from the lift.
Wait, do they do the tours up there like their counterpart in Williamsburg? Where are the news choppers every morning?
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
That was kind of a neat video because if you watch closely, you can see the ride crew is dis-assembling the portable floor piece by piece.
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Yeah having 2 blocks at the flat part makes sense thinking about it more. In the one video you could see people crawling off the train on the hill which I'm sure was way scarier for them than the ones just resting up there.
I took the behind the scenes tour at BGW, pretty cool experience riding the cart up and walking around the top... but I'm guessing most people just wanna be back on the ground quickly! :)
Also, I know the story isn't newsworthy at all, which is why I didn't submit it as news...was just curious about the blocking system.
Must have been a slow news day...
Hey, let's ride (random Intamin coaster). What? It's broken down? I totally didn't expect that.
The non news continues with scary words and nonsense
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/hillsborough-regional-news/sheikr...ch-gardens
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the video. I even called my son out from his room and he liked it too. We like the mechanical aspect and it was neat seeing the elevators, the portable floors, and the safety harnesses in action. All in all looks like a very time consuming process which is most likely a last resort.
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