Launched Dueler?

SF should get an award for being retarded for that one. Did it come as a surprise that the ride would take a massive amount of power?

CP now operates the blue side of Gemini between 10am and 3pm, the red side operates from 3pm to close. How dumb does that sound?

It would probably depend on what the P2007 launches were. Dave can probably back me up (or completely destroy me) but TTD isn't an energy burst launch. The energy it consumes is gradually (but quickly, like over the time between launches) used to compress the hydraulic oil. Then at launch the oil is released and it spins the drum which pulls the cable which launches the car. So the power consumption from the grid isn't all that great.

I am not that sure about WT, but I think it also works in a similar way. It uses capacitors to store the energy its pulling off the grid so that it can release it for that quick burst in the launch, and then it quickly recharges those capacitors.

Maybe I'm completely wrong, but that was the way I understood the two to work with the power system.

Very close Juga except that hydraulic fluid is not compressable. The oil stored in an acumululator (which is basicly a tube with compressed gas in a bladder). The oil compresses the bladder, and when the oil is released it is under heavy pressure. The oil at a high flow rate is then used to power the hydraulic motors.

I used to design hydraulic systems for forklifts. And we used similar systems only at a much much slower speed.

Ok, I left out a couple details. But its still remains that the system doesn't get a burst of energy off the grid to launch a train. It slowly (comparative to a burst) stores it in the accumulators by pumping in oil, and then releases it to launch.

The Premier LIM launch rides use twice the amount of LIMs that Intamin rides use, and they get up to speed in a shorter launch track. So, the Chiller was theoretically using 4X the power of WT every ride cycle.

It's not Six Flag's fault, Premier rides' LIM coasters are HUGE energy hogs. It's evidenced by how the lights dim all around one of them everyt ime they launch. :)

<splitting hairs>
sunfire-
Liquids are actually slightly compressible, though not to a significant extent.
</splitting hairs>

Gomez said:CP now operates the blue side of Gemini between 10am and 3pm, the red side operates from 3pm to close. How dumb does that sound?

Was this sarcasm, or do they really do this? I noticed that the one time I rode it on 6.6.06 the blue side was down (I think blue...), but I think that was for mechanical reasoning... Knowing CP, they probably wouldn't do this.

About the Lifthill & Launch in the same ride...

There are two coasters I know that do this:
Powder Keg http://www.rcdb.com/id1903.htm
Atlantis Adventure http://www.rcdb.com/ig1646.htm

AA has two lift hills and one launch at the beginning, it also has a curved station, and a dark ride section.

I seriously hope this ride is a AquaTrax. I think lack of pictures and info on this ride are making people think it's a boring ride... Which in reality, because people have no clue what it can do will actually make the ride more exciting because people don't know what to expect.

Verdict: Powder Keg/Atlantis Adventure Hybrid.