World's Largest Loop?

Counting from and to the crossing of the entry and the exit of the loop, I counted 66 track ties on SKC and something between 57-59 on Dominator (hard to tell because the photos I found were all taken from somewhat sideways)

http://www.rcdb.com/ig632.htm?picture=14
http://home.comcast.net/~lordgonchar/krypton.jpg

That makes SKC a loop size winner track tie wise.

*** Edited 12/22/2004 10:03:41 PM UTC by superman***

Since SKC has more ties, it could be that the ties are closer together to support the train for the higher speed.

I went and counted the ties for Dominator and I got 62 three times in a row.

edit#2 I also counted a lot more ties in SKC, over 70

*** Edited 12/22/2004 10:39:03 PM UTC by dr_pepper_PhD*** *** Edited 12/22/2004 10:45:07 PM UTC by dr_pepper_PhD***

I was wrong, I just called SFFT and asked them, they said the loop is close to 149 feet in diameter. I guess that settles that debate.

Yeah I know, "you called the park". I guess I was just that curious.

Not necessarily, dr_pepper_PhD. They may have been referencing the height of the loop, not necessarily the diameter. Even the proponents of SKC being bigger put it more in the 130s (as the tallest).

Edit: Just because they used the word 'diameter' doesn't mean that they meant diameter, either. If they only know the height, a person could easily interchange the 2 and not realize it. (Also, the diameter across is a lot smaller than the diameter top to bottom, so we could actually start another topic about the widest loop.. that'd be fun :) ) *** Edited 12/22/2004 11:10:22 PM UTC by dannerman***

I think it's always been pretty obvious that S:KC has the largest loop. I think the park is actually accurate on this one...it just makes sense-S:KC is the tallest floorless so why wouldn't it have the largest loop? It doesn't just race through thing, there is serious hang-time there, and although Dominator has a nice size thing going for it-it doesn't top KC.

Also-some folks mentioned that S:KC's loops is elevated off of the ground. What gives with that? The coaster enters the loop from ground level...as does Dominator.

So the facts are in:

-S:KC has the largest loop.

-S:KC also happens to be a better ride.

-I like fried chicken.

:) *** Edited 12/23/2004 3:42:47 AM UTC by slowmotion*** *** Edited 12/23/2004 3:43:30 AM UTC by slowmotion***

Brett,

Moosh took the words right out of my mouth. B&M feels very comfortable using a standard that works for them, on a number of things. They usually don't change many things when it comes to track fabrication.

-Sean (who doesn't think of himself as "in the know" but thanks Brett for the compliment) =:^)

Don't quote me, but I believe their track ties are 36" apart.

Why any one from B&M can settle this question? They will know the answer.

All this arguing over something that won't matter after Sheikra opens with the largest inversion;).

Oh, and Brett, I'm still gonna be your PR guy when that firm opens, right? Right?

slowmotion, it's quite above the ground.. the "loop" starts where the "x" is of the track. Scroll up and click on the picture of SKC in superman's post. Assuming that the blocks superimposed on the coaster are equal size, the loop only starts 1/6 of the way to it's height.

If height = 149ft. Size of loop is 5/6 = 124.167ft Given approximation errors, I think it's safe to say it's in the ballbark of 120-125ft.

Also a note on the track ties argument: Assume that the track ties ARE spaced evenly. a wider loop will have more surface area, thus needing more track, thus more track ties without getting a taller loop. Thus, even if they are spaced evenly they are not a good measure of the biggest loop. The longest loop would be accurate, but not the biggest in terms of height from loop entry to loop top.

The largest loop is the 'Chicago Loop', as it can handle 25-30 light rail trains at rush hour.

Oh but of course Tekno. First order of business, I want you to market our loops as the largest and make sure you get stats so that enthusiasts' heads don't explode trying to figure out who has the biggest one ;)

Mine is the biggest, Brett. I thought everyone knew that...;)

Wait.. biggest loop, or biggest head? :)

Using the number of train lengths in the loop is also an inaccurate way of measuring the loop.

If Dominators loop was wider than SKCs, which I believe it is, then it could still contain more track in the loop, and not be as tall.

I truly believe that no accurate numbers exist on the height of Superman's loop. The park said somewhere around 149, which seems fairly close to what I think it might be.

B&M's box beam on their track does change thickness, I really noticed this on their Batman rides before the train enters the first corkscrew. So the tie spacing and section length may be the same throughout, but the cross-section of the track changes (pretty gradually too). Someone might be able to find a picture of where a B&M does this, but I don't feel like looking right now. =) *** Edited 12/26/2004 6:23:22 AM UTC by Cory Patrick***

Just in case anyone is still interested, I asked my partner to check with B&M while he is at the IAAPA trade show. Bob Mampe and one other B&M person (who's name eludes me)confirmed that Krypton has the largest loop. They didn't have the exact figure with them, but think it is somewhere in the 141 foot range.

I don't know for sure, but Dragon Khan at PortAventura may have the largest loop. If 135' is dominator's loop (when its drop is 148'), and 114' is SKC's loop, then DK may have the largest loop since it has a 161' drop.

But then, I really don't know, because drop heights do not necessarily determine loop height.

You know, if Superman Krypton Coaster and Dominator were people and not coasters in life, this debate would be equivelant to them as two football players in the football locker room comparing the size of their dicks. At the end, the accomplishment attained by the winner is overshadowed by the realization that the act of comparison was stupid and pointless to begin with.

So now Tatsu's pretzel loop will probably in the Top 10? Maybe it's a little lower, but I don't feel like doing the research at the moment. :P

Either way it's still pretty impressive that only the 2nd pretzel loop ever created (design wise), is also one of the largest loops.