Steel Vengeance closed for minor accident

Until you have a radar gun to prove it leaves the MCBR slower as opposed to thats what you observed (it seeming slower) with no ability to measure, your point is moot.

For the record, I have been here since yesterday afternoon. Most trains coast through wide open brakes. A few are gently kissed. An occasional train gets a noticeable slow down. All exit the midcourse block at roughly the same speed and take the second half of the course the same.

Rollrcoastrcrazy - you are incorrect. Every other person in the community is correct.

Rode it twice tonight. If the mid course is affecting the ride I sure didn’t notice. The ride rips from start to finish.

It seems there are 2 counterpoints to RollrCoastrCrazy's claims:

1) The trains aren't leaving the MCBR at different speeds.

2) Even if they are, it doesn't matter enough for you to notice beyond maybe the drop off the MCBR

I haven't been within 1500 miles of the ride, so I can't speak to the first point, and I guess I will assume they do leave at different speeds.

The difference in speed for the final set of hops will be negligibly impacted by speed off the MCBR. You have both the fluid friction and the v^2=gh working against you.

I’ve got a belly full of beer and grilled cheese from Melt so I’ll see if I can’t get a video comparing the two trains.

Two trains back to back receiving a little kiss from the midcourse before roaring through the rest of the circuit.

Has anyone ridden since they returned to the ability to have two train operation when only one train was running? I'm just wondering if the MCBR engages when there is just one train running.

It should also be noted that there was unseasonably cold weather during many of the weeks when they ran one train so that might be a reason why they weren't trimming then.

Plus even with two trains, I'd say more than half the trains don't get anything.

BrettV said:

Plus even with two trains, I'd say more than half the trains don't get anything.

I mean, there's really no need for the MCBR with two trains. They could be completely off and it wouldn't matter. They only come into play with three trains. Remember, the chain counts as a block.

In theory, you likely aren't going to need it as a block on any coaster with two train operation. But since it is there, it still operates as a block - closing every time a train passes it and reopening once that train leaves the next block and another train can safely pass.

Utilizing a block brake as a trim brake has nothing to do with using it as a block. Even if a ride is just running one train, deciding to utilize a block as a trim is still something that can be done to slow trains to a desired speed if desired. The decision to trim during multiple train operation to increase the ride time is always an option, but it does not have to be the reason to trim.

Remember - a block brake can also be used as a trim brake. But all trim brakes can't be used as a block brake.

As far as the MCBR slowing it down more than other times, I am reminded of driving a U-Haul which was speed governed. If I stayed at 59 mph, it would be fine, but, if I hit 60 mph, I would be knocked down to 55 mph before I could creep my way up to 59 mph again. I have no idea if this is happening on SV but thinking it MIGHT be a possibility.

When I was riding it, there was a bit of a trim, and each bunny hill still had super strong airtime in the middle of the train. Normally I worry about such things but on this ride it is not an issue. There is a ridiculous amount of strong air in every seat.

You know what's even more fun than a trimless ride on a roller coaster? Not caring about whether or not the trims are active and just enjoying the ride for what it is.

Yesterday we got 6 rides on SV. 2 around noon, 2 mid afternoon, and 2 night. During the day, the midcourse was noticeably slowing the trains. In our 2 night rides, the brakes did not activate. But whether the 2nd half was taken any faster at night is hard to say.

Based on my 3 rides (all different days) during Single Train operations, I can say with reasonable certainty that the 2nd half is now taken *slightly* slower. It's possible that I'm mistaken, but I doubt it. I can also say that THE RIDE IS EVERY BIT AS GOOD, for being slowed by a few MPH. The only noticeable difference is that the sideways fan turn air pop is slightly less forceful. Personally, I'd gladly exchange that for a smoother ride over the final 5 hills, which to me are the only negative to the ride.

My observations from a Fastlane, 2 train day: They take a higher number of people from Fastlane than they do from the standby line. Each of the 6 times I looked over and picked a random person in line and each time we got to the station way ahead of them. Enough to account for any extra length in the remainder of their line relative to ours. This effectively doubles the length of the SB line. Since we will not be purchasing FL again (An out of town friend was visiting) we're not very likely to wait in the type of line we saw yesterday. It was easily 2 hours.

Raven-Phile said:

You know what's even more fun than a trimless ride on a roller coaster? Not caring about whether or not the trims are active and just enjoying the ride for what it is.

You're new around here, aren't you?

And once again, we should try to observe this heinous crime against humanity from the casual customer’s point of view. General park attendees don’t notice, really don’t care, they’re riding it once, and maybe next season they’ll be back to try it again. Not one of them has ever said, “gee, but that kiss on the block brake, tho... really ruined the second half, didn’t it?”

Now, I will say building rides like Titan that require a dead stop on the block is a crime. But I look to RMC for better work than those part time amateur Giovanola guys any day, and I still think they’ve delivered.

I think the day will come when the difficulties in getting SV to run consistently will be ironed out. They built it for three and it will happen. The trains will eventually leave the station when they get the go and we’ll see two somewhere on the course at the same time. And in the meantime, I’ll still consider us Ohio boys to be the luckiest in the country.

I mean I'm alright with trims as long as the rides were designed with trims. These guys have their computer software, and they decide where they want the trains to be, and how fast they want them to be at any point in the ride. If it wasn't for the trims, they would just bleed the speed out in other ways, or have less extreme elements at the places in question. The only real way to have a lesser experience on the ride is if the trims weren't part of the original design, and were added years later (and even then, there may be a great reason for the additions). I'd imagine that most people are grateful for any trim on an old Arrow looper or a TOGO design.

I posted earlier about how trim or no trim, the trains were leaving the MCBR at the same speed...

I can now, however, confidently say that last night I rode twice and they actually grabbed pretty hard and we crawled out of the block at a much slower rate than any ride I’ve had before. (15) This time, it did affect the second half of the ride. Less ejector air and more hangtime in inversions. It didn’t blow my mind as much as other rides have & I noticed a change in people’s reactions while unloading.

Reactions were more tame or subtle, less chatter about how amazing it is, and more chatter about how is fun but not a favorite. This is a 180 degree change from previous experiences.

I think they are still experimenting with the braking on the ride,

Maybe you just saw train loads of enthusiasts who are incapable of having fun with their hobby?