Shock Absorbers on B&M's Chain Dog Ratchet?
I was riding Chang last night after I got off work(two train operation last night?!?!?!?...while T2 only had one train??????). Anyways, I was in the front row and going up the lift I was looking at the chain dog ratchet. Then I took a closer look and it appeared that they weren't even attached to the track at all. Then every 20 feet or so, the ratchet section ended and a new one began, where it looked like a small shock absorber (actually it looked like about 4 inches thick of rubber) connected it to the track. I don't understand why B&M would want the ratchet to move a little bit and why it would have a shock absorber. Can anyone explain this to me, and also, does every B&M have this, or just stand-ups, or older beamers?
Was the train making the clickity-clack noise? If not, perhaps to retract them? Cut down on noise?
"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza
No, I don't think it prevents the clickity-click noise. I think it's if the chain breaks and the chain dogs are used, some of the train's momentum of going backwards will go into those absorbers. Only one problem with this: the train won't move that far backwards, if at all.
What you are describing is the Anti-Rollback Rack. It is installed in sections with rubber shock absorbers. Keep in mind that B&M trains weigh at least 20,000 pounds. When the train stops on the lift during block checks or due to a ride fault, the shock absorbers soften the impact to the ride structure.
The chain dog is the ratchet on the train that grabs on to the chain. If you're going up a lift hill where the chain dog isn't being used you'd better hope the anti-rollbacks are working or there's only one train on the track.
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