Another Twist to the Tale?

Right now, it sure looks as if there will be a lot of brake track on what appears to be the pull-out. However, it could be that this is really the launch side of the track we are looking at. If the train does not leave the station with enough speed to crest the tower, there are going to have to be some pretty good brakes to make sure that it doesn't scream back through the station at 95 mph......

In one of the other threads here (sorry, I can't find it now), someone mentioned that the track that appears to be the launch track does not have any brake fins on it like Xcellerator....So it seems possible that the first element after the launch could be a straight section of track with anti-rollback brakes.

Worth thinking about....or at least, just a last attempt to keep me in my state of denial about L-TH-TW-B

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Steve

Found the Point in 2002 and love it!

No, its not worth thinking about. These brakes don't just turn on and off, the launch brakes would have to hide underneath the launch track, which the brake run is clearly incapable of doing. We've only got a few launch peices on site--wait until the rest start showing up, you'll likely see fins on those.

The brakes that will be for supposed rollbacks will be on "pistons" of sort. Right before the train launches they drop down so the train can cruise by and once a certain sensor is passed, they pop back up. Its pretty cool to watch, i got to see it when i was recently at KBF drooling over Xcelerator. :P

If you look at the pictures of the launch track that has arrived on site (October 26th pictures), You will notice small holes on the bars that support the track. I'm sure these are where the guides for the brake fins will be installed, between the support bars. Notice that there's still some components for the launch system that has yet to be installed on the track.

-RC!

Has the twisted elements as featured on Thorpe Park's "Colossus" finale been considered an option?

What a puckering sensation that would create, whether it be vertical or horizontal.

Jeffrey P. Stoneking

what do you suppose this support is for?

http://www.setecx.com/pics/cp102602const/imagepages/PICT0222.html

it looks like a support that might connect to some sort of element. nothing like those that hold up the launch or brake track.

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Cedar Point...my anti-drug

This is the support piece I am most confused by... http://www.setecx.com/pics/cp102602const/imagepages/PICT0227.html

Redman, that support is going to connect all the other supports, including the tophat, to the top of the current tower.

As is everyone else - it would make a little more sense if each of those connections went to something else, but its obvious that the one closest to us along the ground is just the end of some support. So I guess this has to go at the top of the tower somewhere. I could see it being the top of one of the side towers, with the connector that has a lot of small connectors and is very close to the main body being a track connection, and the rest going to more support structure. But that would require that #1, the side towers are going to bend inwards a-la the back tower and meet at a point where the tophat will be, and this too would require that #2, there needs to be 2 of these! Head hurting ... need to think about something else ...

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1. Kumba 2. Millie 3. Mantis 4. Lightning Racer 5. Wicked Twister (front seat)
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

This piece is the almost very top piece in the tower frame and is sitting in the lot upside down from how it will eventually sit on the tower. Two more catwalks will be put up. At some point above the last catwalk the left and right tower columns will be mitered like the back one and the three diagonal pieces will come together at this piece at the very top. There are a number of mitered pieces in the parking lot that are the right diameter. One connecting stub will be for the track, probably the one coming out at the camera. This other odd piece will be attached to the stub that sits on the pavementand the walkway pieces in the parking lot will be on top of it. The stub that is sticking straight up is for a vertical bracing member that will go down to the last catwalk. You can see the stub on the catwalk in this picture. It is on the right side of the picture. There is a horizontal stub in each of these odd pieces that will probably be for the elevator. There are two more short peices in the parking lot that matches the ones on the backsides of the erected catwalks. Based on the current tower height, I think it will be pushing 450' when it's done.
*** This post was edited by jdubya 10/28/2002 3:37:39 PM ***
*** This post was edited by jdubya 10/28/2002 3:38:45 PM ***