Storm Runner and controling the speed

They aren't "trimming" anything. If the train was moving under its own power, then it'd be an affective trim, but since it's being pulled, it's just putting more force on the hydraulic motor to get the train up to 72 (or whatever storm runner launches to.)

What?

OK - When some of the launch brakes stay up, it's a minor mechanical error. It has nothing to do with trimming the ride or controlling the speed of the train. It doesn't affect the ride in any way, except it puts more stress on the hydraulic motor.

Storm Runner (and the other rockets) monitor and adjust the speed of the train during the launch using sensors located on the launch. Having a few rows of magnetic brakes in the "up" position do nothing than make the hydraulic motor work harder to get the train up to appropriate speed.

Perhaps you should ride Storm Runner with rows of brake fins left up. It is an obvious feeling that you are being slowed before going up the hill. Besides, I'm pretty sure the speed of the launch is based on the previous launch...kind of like Michael was saying.

yea, but the "slow down" feeling you felt could have been the hydraulic motor slowing down, not the brake fins....i find it odd that they would launch the trains intentionally with the brake fins up...but i could be wrong....

edit: i just realized this is my 400th post on coasterbuzz, lol :) woohoo!! go me ;) *** Edited 8/20/2004 3:52:11 AM UTC by vacoasterfreak***

I've ridden Dragster with some fins up before, so I know what your talking about. Sure it feels like your slowing down, but what your not noticing is that after the brake fins, the motor produces more power due to the "lower than normal" speeds to get the train up to 72MPH.

Dragster and the other rocket coasters do base the initial launch on the previous train, but if it's slower than normal (or faster than normal) the computers will adjust for that.
*** Edited 8/20/2004 4:56:36 AM UTC by rOLLocOASt***

The hydraulic motor doesn't speed up and slow down during launch. When the first train leaves the station the speed controller has already assigned that launch a set reduction number, and that is the speed of launch. If S2K repeatedly noticed fins left up and felt himself being slowed down, the only thing it could have been was sets of brakes on the launch track. This is why he was wondering about this, because it is impossible to leave a set of brakes up like that on Dragster.

^ He's correct, Corey.

When the motor is "fired", it has a job to do - get the sled up to 120(3/4/5)MPH.

-Josh

I haven't read all the posts so I don't know if it has been mentioned but TTD's brake fins occassionally 'stick' when they are supposed to drop, thats the only reason why.

If you read the topic, you'd see that it was mentioned several times.

Comet Rider: The speed of launch is based entirely on the train that launched before it. I know it might sound strange because of the loading and weight factors like you mentioned, but that is just how it is. Before a launched train even enters the final brake run the computer looks at the time over tower and sets a speed reduction for the next launch, that number is not altered during launch. All that happens when an empty train is launched right after a loaded train is a rollback - which is why empty trains are rarely launched during the day unless the ride has been down for more than an hour. *** Edited 8/22/2004 3:47:52 AM UTC by Michael19887***

This is the problem you run into when two "experts" give their opinions. I'm not trying to discredit what you guys are saying as you may have some knowledge of the system, but I'd be willing to bet neither of you worked on the design of the ride and therefore don't completely know what you're talking about. But that's just something that I'm picking up here...

Comet Rider, you may have been trained on Storm Runners system, but if you believe that launch speed on Dragster is not based on the previous launch you are entirely wrong. The systems might be different, but I stated in almost every post that I was talking about Dragster and not Storm Runner. Empty trains on Dragster WILL rollback if launched after a shutdown that was shorter than 58 minutes. Even trains with 3 or more empty seats on Dragster tend to rollback if launched after a fully loaded train. If someone gave you this information based on Dragster's launch, they do not know what they are talking about. *** Edited 8/24/2004 5:42:49 PM UTC by Michael19887***

But you still have been unable to answer my question. I'm going back to Hershey this Friday and I am going to check this out again. It definately appeared to be a set system of trimming on the launch. The two of you can argue til hell freezes over...

Comet Rider, What I meant when I said "rather than just adjusting launch speed" was exactly what I've said it before - adjusting the starting launch speed based on the previous launch. I bought Dragster into this simply for comparison of another similarly designed ride. I'm not making statements about any ride I don't know - I never once stated any facts about SR, they were all about Dragster. I'm sure the design of the launching systems themselves are very similar, however as you probably know it is possible to alter the programming of the speed controller, which may be the reason behind the difference in control of SR and Dragster launches that we have been talking about. *** Edited 8/25/2004 8:41:42 PM UTC by Michael19887***

I just got back from Hershey Park again today and noticed the same type of activity with the brake fins. As the day progressed, more and more brake fins were not retracting. If this isn't a form of trimming the ride, then Hershey has some serious malfunctions going on with the brake fins...and somewhat organized malfunctions too.