The possibilities of the Intamin Impulse

I got to thinking about the modifications that Intamin is making to the SFMW Vertical Velocity (Impulse) coaster, and I'm wondering why more people aren't excited about this, instead of bummed that some of the back spike got chopped off. It seems to me that SFMW is going to have one heck of a unique coaster on their hands when the ride re-opens, and will hopefully open the door for some more unique Impulse designs. Think about it:

1) An Impulse with a long stretch of track between the station and the first spike... take the twist out of the first spike, add a vertical loop in that additional stretch of track, and you've got a modern-day, inverted recreation of Anton's shuttle loop coaster!

2) An Impulse with a heartline twist or two, either in front of the station or behind it... can you imagine how great it would be to spiral around the track en route to one of the spikes, forwards AND backwards? Or really mix things up and put one twist before the first spike, another before the second one. With two twists, an Impulse would automatically have more inversions that any other coaster in the country (bragging rights!)

3) An Impulse with a layout much like that of a boomerang (opposed to the straight line layout that they all share)... for a turnaround, toss in an overbanked turn or a top hat-like element similar to that on Xcelerator!

Can you tell it has been a slow day in the office? Anyone else have any ideas?

i always make this one in RCT. It's an impulse directly into an immleman, than another immleman down. It's small and thrilling, however in real life it might be a tad boring.

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HurricaneGeauga- Just in case

Rob Ascough said:

2) An Impulse with a heartline twist or two, either in front of the station or behind it... can you imagine how great it would be to spiral around the track en route to one of the spikes, forwards AND backwards? Or really mix things up and put one twist before the first spike, another before the second one. With two twists, an Impulse would automatically have more inversions that any other coaster in the country (bragging rights!)

Wait, that would be like what.....25 or something? That would be pretty hard on the body.

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TiM Schroll
gocubs7@hotmail.com
LED ZEPPELIN

Try ten. :-)

1)Train launches forwards and up first spike (1 inversion)
2)Train launches backwards up the back spike (2 inversions)
3)Train goes back up the first spike (2 inversions)
4)Train goes back up the back spike w/ brake (2 inversions)
5)Train goes back up the first spike (2 inversions)
6)Train returns to station (1 inversion)

Add it up - 10 inversions if there was a heartline twist on either side of the station.

-Nate

Man, thats insane! I'd ride it;)

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SFNE drops the "floor" on SFNE for 2002! Visit www.geocities.com/sfneguy for info. and pics of SFNE, including NEW constr. pics of B:DK!!!

I'm with ya, Rob! Now all we need is a park to order one of them ;-)

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2002 - the year of IB's LoCoSuMo!!

But the catch is if, by Intamin's calculations, this ride would be too extreme on the body. I sure would like to see one of them at SFNE it the ride is feasable.

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SFNE drops the "floor" on SFNE for 2002! Visit www.geocities.com/sfneguy for info. and pics of SFNE, including NEW constr. pics of B:DK!!!

What I'd like to see is an Impulse thats large enough to have one full 360degree spiral on the rear, and then a straight track for a holding break.. yaknow how wicked that would be looking down during that second of holding time!!

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Corey
"Have you ever tried backing out of a drive-through bank?" - George Carlin

If they had an Impulse with a heartline, the launch would have to be weakened, and the towers not as high.

Lets face it, there is a comfortable speed going through one of these inversions....

My idea is for an Inverted Shuttle Loop. It would probably only travel the circuit one time, as opposed to the normal Impulse count.

It would have a vertical loop and two vertical spikes with holding brakes.

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Xcelerator-
0-82 in 2.3 seconds! =Wow!

Dude those are some pretty sweet ideas. If I owned a park I would definitely order one. It would be crazy but anything is possible.

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Millennium Force......It has its ups and downs.

www.helpmeineedtorideacoasternowcuzitsbeensolongsinceihaveandiamgoingcrazyrightnow.com
I have 32 coasters in my track record.....I'm so proud of myself.

Yeah, I like the idea of a heartline after and before the station, that would be the best!

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So...you can't handle a rollercoaster huh? Well...you ARE the Weakest Link! Goodbye!
Number 1 Batwing Fan!

70 mph heatline twist= very very ow.

I think after all this stuff it wouldn't really be an impulse anymore... but more shuttle inverts sounds good.

Thats what I was saying: you can't lauch at 70 MPH into a heartline. That wouldn't be pleasent.

But the idea is still a good one providing the launch is less powerful. I've been known to use it in RCT from time to time.

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Xcelerator-
0-82 in 2.3 seconds! =Wow!

Maybe not at 70 mph, but perhaps 40 or 50... how fast is the launch on a Schwarzkopf shuttle?

I wouldn't be so sure unless you are an engineer designing these rides.

If you put a ZERO-G roll (zero G's) in front of and behind the station the G's will not be un-bearable because it doesn't matter if you are going 40 or 70 MPH...it's going to create zero-g's.

The only possible problem could be headbanging but I doubt Intamin would have this problem. If it did they could draw out the inversion so it was a slower transition.

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"Villain-Once You Drop, The Fun Don't Stop!"~SFWoA Rules In 2002~With SFWoA ANYTHING Is Possible!

But here's the thing Mr. Tycoon, you CANNOT design such a roll where there are zero g's whether the element is taken @ 40 or 70 mph. That range is far too wide. If you design it for 0gs @ 40mph, then its going to give hellified positives @ 70 mph. If you design it for 0gs @ 70mph, it likely will not make it through the element.

Here's a good illustration. If you've ever had the pleasure of riding an Arrow megalooper with the midcourse brake only tapping the train, then you would be pinned to the seat in the corkscrews (which I love). Conversely, if the midcourse is on hard, you'd basically be falling upside down in the corks, something that many around here have dubbed "hangtime" (which I loathe).

The creation of 0gs is a function of both track layout and speed. If one changes, the other better change as well or throw your 0gs out the window.

and yes, I am an engineer....

jeremy

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Besides, if we were really shutting down people we disagreed with, would Jeremy (2Hostyl) still be around? :) I think not. - Jeff 1/24/02

Good point, Jeremy.

Everyone remember, a "g" is the acceleration due to gravity, or 9.8 m/s^2. Acceleration(a) is defined as the rate of change of speed(v) over time(t), or a=dv/dt. Thus, when you change speed, you create acceleration.

Headbanging, IMHO, is caused by the rate of change of acceleration(a) over time(t), or da/dt.

Jeremy, care to tell them the term for da/dt?
(Yes, I am an engineer, too:))

Later,
EV
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"Just remember, wherever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai

EV, etc.:

dddx/dt^3 (or third derivative of position over time, da/dt) is known as (appropriately enough) "jerk" which pretty much tells you that it is what causes headbanging.

And in case anyone cares (not that it makes me any more or less correct), I am an MIT grad. student.

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The legend lives!

There would be a big problem with designing a zero g roll that could handle 40 mph, AND 70 mph, but people that think that a zero g roll couldn't be taken at 70mph (like some are claming) just don't know how rollercoasters work. All you would have to do is slow down the rate of rotation relative to the increase of speed. Its the same exact concept of different sized loops. Alpengiest's vertical loop is bigger than Raptor's because the entry speed is faster. So....just make a bigger zero g roll and you have no problem.

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If the shoe fits, find another one.

Doesn't PKD's Volcano have a few zero-G rolls/inline twists? I know that they occur quite a distance after the two launches, but the train must be moving at a pretty good speed when it hits them. As Ravenguy98 noted, the size of the element could probably be increased to compensate for the additional speed, right?