Train/Station observations
I spent the (cold and rainy) day up at Cedar Point yesterday and was able to get two rides in on MF. I know some of these items I am going to mention have been in place since at least last Thursday, but I'm going to mention them anyway as not all of them already have been.
-As a train enters the station there is a soundtrack that fades in. It starts off with music that reminds me of the very beginning of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer Till the Morning After" as my girlfriend pointed out. It has a very techno/trance feel to it. Once the train has stopped a recorded message then comes on welcoming riders and instructing them what to do.
-Just as the train begins to move forward the orange "toaster" lights chase all the way towards the lift. They then do this again and are timed so that just as the last car leaves the station the last light lights up. This surprised me as it doesn't seem like something CP would do.
-A few people mentioned a change in the lift's speed about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up. Others have mentioned being stopped or feeling no change at all. The difference in experiences comes from luck, actually. The new blocking on the ride specifies that the lift run at a slower speed until the brakes directly behind the unload station are clear. As soon as the third train has entered the unload the lift spins up to full speed. This is to prevent a train from actually being stopped at the top because the block isn't clear.
-When timing is on, the third train will enter the brakes out back and slow to the same speed that the train in the unload station is being moved into the load station at. They then are moved in unison into their respective stations, keeping the same distance of about three cars. This must be where the software was re-written to allow for a faster movement of trains between blocks while the third is on the lift.
-At first the trains were running with one type of wheel on the first and last cars and another on the middle ones (as far as I could tell). If I remember correctly, I thought I read that this is how Intamin's Megacoaters are run. But now the wheels seem to be mixed and matched randomly throughout the tree trains. Some cars even have one type on the left side and another on the right. Perhaps CP is experimenting?
-The brakes at the end of the ride are supposed to be non-frictional, right? The yellow train, despite all of its anti-rollback problems, seems to understand this. The red train does a decent job too and only scrapes maybe two of the brakes upon entry. But what is going on with the blue train?? It comes screaming in only to scrape almost *every* brake. Not only is this loud, but it can't be too great for the wear and tear on the fins and magnets. It just surprises me that this is occurring on the train CP has had the most time to work with.
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James Draeger
MF count: 8
C G & C P *** This post was edited by ACEerCG on 5/29/2000. ***
-As a train enters the station there is a soundtrack that fades in. It starts off with music that reminds me of the very beginning of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer Till the Morning After" as my girlfriend pointed out. It has a very techno/trance feel to it. Once the train has stopped a recorded message then comes on welcoming riders and instructing them what to do.
-Just as the train begins to move forward the orange "toaster" lights chase all the way towards the lift. They then do this again and are timed so that just as the last car leaves the station the last light lights up. This surprised me as it doesn't seem like something CP would do.
-A few people mentioned a change in the lift's speed about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up. Others have mentioned being stopped or feeling no change at all. The difference in experiences comes from luck, actually. The new blocking on the ride specifies that the lift run at a slower speed until the brakes directly behind the unload station are clear. As soon as the third train has entered the unload the lift spins up to full speed. This is to prevent a train from actually being stopped at the top because the block isn't clear.
-When timing is on, the third train will enter the brakes out back and slow to the same speed that the train in the unload station is being moved into the load station at. They then are moved in unison into their respective stations, keeping the same distance of about three cars. This must be where the software was re-written to allow for a faster movement of trains between blocks while the third is on the lift.
-At first the trains were running with one type of wheel on the first and last cars and another on the middle ones (as far as I could tell). If I remember correctly, I thought I read that this is how Intamin's Megacoaters are run. But now the wheels seem to be mixed and matched randomly throughout the tree trains. Some cars even have one type on the left side and another on the right. Perhaps CP is experimenting?
-The brakes at the end of the ride are supposed to be non-frictional, right? The yellow train, despite all of its anti-rollback problems, seems to understand this. The red train does a decent job too and only scrapes maybe two of the brakes upon entry. But what is going on with the blue train?? It comes screaming in only to scrape almost *every* brake. Not only is this loud, but it can't be too great for the wear and tear on the fins and magnets. It just surprises me that this is occurring on the train CP has had the most time to work with.
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James Draeger
MF count: 8
C G & C P *** This post was edited by ACEerCG on 5/29/2000. ***
Great observations, James. I'll have a chance to update everyone on the wheel and fin situation friday morning after my first trip out.
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-Dave Kochman
Pittsburgh
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-Dave Kochman
Pittsburgh
Yeah, the blue train didn't sound too healthy yesterday. Another thing, me and my friend Matt got absolutely ROCKED on our last ride when the lift speed increase kicked in! It was a real surprise, as before when we rode it we just felt the speed increase, but it was SWEET, especially not seeing anything as it was totally dark. Last of all, they had the blocking down PERFECTLY yesterday which was good to see. The only exception was when some guy puked, but that isn't their fault.
I think the fins get close, but I don't think they drag. I noticed no wear on the fins at all.
One other observation, there are now five bolts on either side of the shroud that covered the back of each car. They were temporarily removed because they were shaking all over the place. The only down side of this is that the bolts are ugly next to the Intamin name plate. :)
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 24
One other observation, there are now five bolts on either side of the shroud that covered the back of each car. They were temporarily removed because they were shaking all over the place. The only down side of this is that the bolts are ugly next to the Intamin name plate. :)
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 24
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