Stealth @ Thorpe Park pulls a Ka

Just read this on some forum:

"As the car contiuned down the launch track a deafening bang bang bang followed by around 8 small clunks came from the passing train. As I watched in shock it just made it over the tophat. Smoke then started pouring from the end of the launch track, it smelt of rubber/plastic burning and was blown into the Q-line were I was standing.
The ride operators face went pale as they all put their hands to their heads in horror."

"As stealth was launching the last 20 or so break fins went up too early having the car smack into them at full speed. Damage has been done and I would exspect the ride to be closed for quite a while."

For the last time ....

Magnetic brake fins do not actully touch the car.

That is true...

It sounds like maybe the brakes caused the hydraulic motors to overwork and burn up with all the resistance on the mechanisms.

My guess at least.

"Pulls a Ka" Ha, I like it.

With all these cable-launch Intamins and their obvious deficiencies, I'd almost say they're *yanking our chain*... ;)

The brakes are designed to not touch the car and certainly not generate braking force through friction, but they bang into the car every now and then. Look at the top of the fins on Kingda Ka - they're all banged up and scratched.

Im saying it now. Thank God for Stormrunner, or should i not say that. Please dont come looking for me if it breaks down, but its been reliable at least. *** Edited 6/22/2006 10:06:26 PM UTC by MagnunBarrel***

The brakes often times DO TOUCH THE CAR.

The fact that the train has a spring loaded wheel assembly allows the car to move left and right very slightly and often times coming in contact with the brake.

Yes the train can move left to right slightly, but I doubt it moves enough to possible destroy the brake fins or do damage to the train.

Storm Runner seems to have avoided the problems that plague other larger Intamins. Not sure why that is because it's not THAT much shorter than Stealth.

Don't say that about Storm Runner... LOL. I was at the park in the middle of july in 2004 and the catapult seemed to die! They had to get a huge crane to remove parts from the launch mecanism.

I also went to HP one day when Storm Runner was down the entire flipping day. You can imagine my angst.

Wow. Every time I've been to Hershey, Storm Runner seems to run flawlessly. I guess there are times when it goes down but people don't say too much about it.

Xcelerator seems to be pretty good, right?

Xcelerator was VERY problematic for its first couple seasons. While the launch itself seems to have resolved its *issues*, sensors and blocking controls still seem to malfunction occasionally.

I think the folks at CP are getting used to TTD. It has been running great this summer.

^ Now you jinxed it!
;)

Yeah running great when there's absolutely zero wind.

i hear the reason Storm Runner at Hershey runs so well is because they lube it w/ chocolate syrup & use chocolate syrup for the hydrolic fluid! But i really wonder why SR runs so well

^From what I've heard (totally without fact) Hershey has a slient partnership with Keebler. Keebler leases out to HP all those little elfs that maintain SR 24/7.
;)