Whats up with Ninja's track/supports?

Last time while at SFOG I noticed something weird about their old Vekoma looper, Ninja. The track is welded onto the supports. There are no bolts or anything, but simply welded onto the top of the support. Do you guys know why they did this? Are there any other coasters built like this one?

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"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner

Unless the Ninja at SFSTL (another Vekoma) is cloned, I cannot think of any other ones.

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Off to CP in August, Hopefully off to two other parks in July though!! YEA!!!! :-D It will be a good summer!
Questions:
smles@ilstu.edu

I meant cloned in the way of the track support like at SFOG. I meant, unless Ninja at SFSTL is built the same way.

Sorry for the confusion.

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Off to CP in August, Hopefully off to two other parks in July though!! YEA!!!! :-D It will be a good summer!
Questions:
smles@ilstu.edu

I have never seen the track mearly welded to the supports, nowhere, seems sorta cheap. It does mean the ride can't be moved so that might just be a good thing.

Actually they moved Ninja at SFoG from somewher in New Jersey. So you can move it

In Jersey it was built over a rapids ride which is why the supports are at odd angles this may also have something to do with what you asked

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JOHN
RCT INSOMNIACS
KIMBERLY LAKE INC.

Yeah, Ninja used to be at Dinosaur Beach as Kamikaze. I've never noticed this before, but I have noticed how violently the track/structure shakes on the brake run!

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My two favorite coasters are named Superman.

I lovethe way it shakes =)

This is a coaster I belive gets a bad rap. I simply loved it. It has the best Headchoppers on any coaster I have ever rode and I did not find it rough.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

These two pictures from coastergallery give fairly good views of the track/support connections.

http://www.coastergallery.com/2002/SFOG32.html

http://www.coastergallery.com/2002/SFOG36.html

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"This time I think ... I think it's ... it's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner

Looking at those pictues, it seems as though Ninja has way to many supports for its size and length. They were aranged densly, and I an't see that being over a rapids rie.

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I'm sitting shiva for CCI.

Why did Dinasaor beach get rid of it? it looks like a good ride,and would have fit in good to there selection of rides they have now, they dont have too many exciting major coatsers there,why get rid of this one?

WoodenCyclone said:
Why did Dinasaor beach get rid of it? it looks like a good ride,and would have fit in good to there selection of rides they have now, they dont have too many exciting major coatsers there,why get rid of this one?

This is no good ride. This is probably one of the five ROUGHEST looping coasters in the world. ANYONE could tell you that!

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A CoasterForum Member
www.thrillnetwork.com/boards/index.php?referrerid=211

Lets see all morgon hypers including the force. all arrows (the older arrow the track section weren't even bolted together they were welded.

i guess welding lessens checking time tightening bolts.. all they have to do is check for cracks.

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[img]http://members.hometown.aol.com/_ht_a/mushieslushie/myhomepage/slsig2.jpg[/img]

*** This post was edited by SLUSHIE on 7/19/2002. ***

kRaXLeRidAh said:
This is no good ride. This is probably one of the five ROUGHEST looping coasters in the world. ANYONE could tell you that!

ANYONE could tell you it's a rough ride, too (and what's the deal w/ being one of the roughest in the world, ya rode em' all or something?)...

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*** This post was edited by The Shy One on 7/19/2002. ***

If you look at Viper at SFDL there are on screws anywhere on the track. All track was welded together as well as to the supports. I just noticed this the other day when looking at some pictures of the ride. Heres a good pic showing it. http://sfdl.coasterbuzz.com/viper.jpg If you look at top of corkscrew or throughout the element there are no signs of screws. It must have been the way to go back in the 80s for building and still for some companies now. Phantom's Revenge is welded to the support as well.

You can always cut welds with a torch. And this ride is deceiving.... looks fun, terrible to ride.

There's nothing wrong with welding the track to the supports. It can be just as strong or stronger than bolted connection. It has disadvantages in that it takes longer to build the coaster.

If you want to have the ride reusable, you don't cut the welds with a torch. Instead you make your cuts deliberately avoiding the welds. If you cut and reweld in the same place, you will wind up weakening the steel.

You might call me crazy, but I love the SFoG Ninja. About the welding, welding is twice as strong as the steel. To get a welding license a person has to weld two pieces of steel together. If the steel breaks before the welding the pass. If the welding breaks first they fail.

*** This post was edited by coasting chalupa on 7/20/2002. ***

Alex Nagel said:
Lets see all morgon hypers including the force. all arrows (the older arrow the track section weren't even bolted together they were welded.

Yeah, there track were welded.....We're talkng about the track to support, not track to track.

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Tim Schroll
gocubs7@hotmail.com
Long Live the Whizzer!