How high have you seen the speed?

I saw 127 just today.

Really even though it was raining today, thats what it looked like anyway from maXair's web cam???

The highest I've seen it was 129.

My highest is 114

Just kidding. Really it's 141.

Just kidding again. 129 here.

DBCP said:
Back in 2003 or 2004, the ride had been down for a few days, and the day I was there it was raining pretty hard. They were testing it anyways (even though it was raining). I guess that they figured it didn't matter; it needed the testing and there would be no one riding it. But I saw it hit from 137-143 and still not make it over the hill and rollback. I think I have a video or a picture of it somewhere...

um...I think that the radar gun was just a weeee little inacurate that day. But, I have been wrong before. And, if I remember correctly, the launch sled snapped a few years ago on a 130 mph launch (I watched them install the new one). So I dont think 143 is possible. But, once again, I have been wrong.

~the clean up crew~

125

128...but it took a few seconds to get over

I've seen about 125. This is my first post. I've been reading for years, and am excited to actually be posting!!

-Jake-

I've seen it roll back at 127.

Is the motor going full out when TTD launches, or can it be launched to go even faster if it didnt have people on it? (obviously for safety reasons).

I think that the motor was designed to be more powerful than what was needed to run the ride (I guess mostly because it was a proto-type). Based of this, I would say that it does not go "all out" for each launch, and the launch speed could be increased. The question is what kind of effect would that have on other parts of the ride (track, sled, cable, etc.).

So then if dragster goes 5 MPH over its supposed limit...that would make Kingda Ka 133 MPH? I know we dont really have an observation area anymore cause of the breakdown, but we never had a radar gun to being with! But hey, its still an awsome ride! Who knows with these engines who knows!
*** Edited 10/14/2005 5:41:23 AM UTC by KingdaKaBoy1114***

Higher speeds isn't the difference between night and day. If a part is going to last for 10,000 launch, a couple percent increase in power would decrease it a couple launches.

How high could you get? Right now the hydraulics build up to around 300-320 bar depending on how long it took the last train to clear the tower. It goes up or down depending on if the value is not acceptable. The system won't allow the pressure to go past a certain point, nor will the speed sensor (not the radar, it's a much faster and more accurate sensor attatched to the launch system) allow the train to pass a given speed. The program would have to be altered to achive higher power and speed.

How much can the system take without damage? To be honest, it can hardly take 320 bar. It could probably take a few launches of over 150 MPH. The problem is that the pullup would pull almost 10 g's which in itself is unacceptable. The negative g's at the top of the tower would be astronomical. The supports/tower/track would develop cracks under that force after a few launches, but it won't fail.

The negative g's at the top of the tower would be astronomical.

I'm not trying to debunk your knowledge here, cause it sounds like you know what you're talking about for the most part. But I have to wonder why 30 extra MPH's would create cracks in the structure. I would have thought the safety factor for a ride (especially a prototype) would be like 2 or greater.

ForgottenEE said:

How much can the system take without damage? To be honest, it can hardly take 320 bar. It could probably take a few launches of over 150 MPH. The problem is that the pullup would pull almost 10 g's which in itself is unacceptable. The negative g's at the top of the tower would be astronomical. The supports/tower/track would develop cracks under that force after a few launches, but it won't fail.

Well for one I dont think that the pumps are capable of creating over 320 bar, and to add on to that the saftey check valve will not allow over 320-330bar for obvious structural integrety reasons. Two, if you pull 10 g's going 150 then at 125mph(which seems to be the average launch speed) would be pulling 9 g's for appoximately 1.5-2 seconds causing some serious blackouts.

~the clean up crew~

I've seen 127 many times, but nothing higher.

I saw 128 once...

TTD is capable of launching faster. Intamin didn't know exactly how fast the trains would have to go. Physics can only give you a close approximation...it will never be exact. I'm sure they gave it extra muscle just in case. Kingda Ka actually has a less powerful motor, but it's more effecient I believe.

Rath, For the last two days of the season, Ka was overlaunching, It was soaring over the tophat and not barely inching over. I am asuming that it is a breaking-in phase!

Could be alot of things to contribute. Train weight, people weight, etc. During the first few days that Dragsters trains only consisted of 4 cars, it FLEW over the tophat. But that changed when the 5th car was added.

It still flew over the top through May 2003. It did go a bit faster with 4 cars though. I'll never forget that airtime moment on ride #1.