Okay, so after riding Colossos at Heide Park a couple weeks back, I (everyone) noticed a really weird noise evertime the train would crest a hill, and it would last the entire time you get air.
Now I'm sure it's the upstops doing SOMETHING, but what? It's such a weird noise! It's almost like a growl...never heard it on any other coaster before either.
Also, that coaster didn't have ANY trims on it when we rode, yet still lost significant amounts of speed for such a short track length (in comparison to say, Timbers).
Anyone have any guesses as to why it slows so much and what that noise is coming from?
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I think the ride just loses energy throughout the course way too easily, especially for a steel coaster, where the power of the coaster is lost more easily that a wood coaster.
I know this ride is basically all inversions, but that's a lot to execute, even though most of them are barrel rolls.
And as for that growling sound, I have NO IDEA :)
Kraxle,
He was referring to Colossos at Heide Park, the Intamin Wood coaster that opened up last year, not Colossus at Thorpe Park, the Intamin which opened this year.
I think you're right, the growling noise is related to the upstop wheels...there are old wooden coasters that 'buzz' while going over a hill because of the upstops. Sometimes, they actually make sure there's a lot of friction on the upstop wheels, to slow the train down. It should float over the hills, not try to fly off the track. That could be the logic Intamin uses for it's wooden coasters as well. That's my guess, I could be wrong.
-Seth
You're thinking of Thorpe Park's 10-looper, Colossus. I think Legendary is talking about the giant Intamin woodie Colossos. But what's in a name? :)
Oh yeah, I don't know what that sound is, either.
Edit: Darn, Seth beat me to it. :)
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*** This post was edited by Skylab on 8/10/2002. ***
Actually, Colossos at Heide Park is a wooden coaster. kRaXLeRidAh, you are talking about Colossus at Thorpe Park, which is a steel coaster, but both are made by Intamin.
Anyway, about the noise. Perhaps the upstops just need some grease. Thats my guess. Maybe Rideman knows.
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-Rob Murphy-
*** This post was edited by coasterforce on 8/10/2002. ***
Sounds to me that either the anti-rollback dogs are hitting the rachets on hills (if there are any) or that the upstops are simply keeping the train on the track. That's probably all it is. Maybe they need more grease on the wheels or rails.
Also, about it not having any trims... I take it they removed the magnetic trim on the top of the first drop? They put one there a little after it opened and the speed slowed down by about 3 mph.
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Yep, they definitely removed all trims (I saw brackets for trims on the downslope of the second hill and the flat section before helix too) so it was running all out.
I hope they can build some of these Intamin's here in the States soon, they're pretty darn good (not CCI good, but good nontheless).
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It tastes like burning.
The roar or growl, has been there since the ride opened. The ride has major ejector-air, so the entire train should be lifted a fraction off the track, allowing the main wheels to revolve freely. I think what you hear is some vibration because of the wheels spinning at incredibly high rpm, freely in their bearings. But i think his one is indeed up to Rideman..
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.:| Brandon Rodriguez |:.
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I've never heard a strange sound like you say coming from a wooden coaster, so I hope you figure out what it was. I'll agree with Helios and say that this is definitely a job for RideMan! :)
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Someone mentioned that one to me as well RCT_Master saying it squeaked a lot especially on the right side I believe. I think that might have a lot more to do with maintenance and TLC though since the park hasn't done any great deal for it from what I've heard being their only wooden coaster. Hmm...
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BrandonR
This noise occured everytime the train was experiencing negative G's, so I'm pretty confident that it was the upstops doing something. I guess my question is why are the Intamin upstops so damn loud? Someone commented to me about maybe they are actually slowing the train down some when they hit and that causes the deep growl noise. Whatever the case, it's pretty damn strange and unique to that ride.
I know what you're talking about though with the upstops spinning at the end of the ride. Timbers' upstops spin like MAD on the brake run!
Koaster King
About getting air...the ops were more than generous with lap bar placement so yes, air was *definitely* experienced on those hills! It was terribly smooth for a wooden coaster, but the more I thought about it, the more it really didn't bother me at all...I'd rather ride a really smooth one than a rough one any day. The one thing it LACKED was out-of-controllness, which is why it wouldn't ever be higher than #7 (or so, ranking is hard) for me.
One weird thing you can see in POV is everytime you went over the connecting track sections you'd get a thump like there was a pothole in the road or something. Didn't take away from the ride, but it was definitely noticeable.
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It tastes like burning.
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Helios said:
The ride has major ejector-air, so the entire train should be lifted a fraction off the track, allowing the main wheels to revolve freely. I think what you hear is some vibration because of the wheels spinning at incredibly high rpm, freely in their bearings.
This idea conflicts a little with what other people have been saying. I have heard people say that these wheel assemblies are spring loaded, just like steel coasters, so the wheels leaving the tracks should never happen, top or bottom. Maybe it has the sound because the upstops (as well as the other wheels) are polyeurathane so maybe it sounds like a steel coaster.
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