Brakes on drops
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I have a question, why are there brakes on the first drops of both Mantis and Mean Streak? I know the obvious reason to slow them down but why? I remember riding both of them before those brakes were put in and they seemed fine to me. Someone with knowledge enlighten me please.
While I do not know the reason for the brakes on Mantis, I believe that the ones on the Mean Streak are there because when the train was going faster, it was ripping up the track and it had to be retracked too often. Please, anyone else, correct me if I am wrong.
Yes, the brakes on Mean Streak are for structural reasons - the stress from the trains was just too much without the trim brakes. I'm pretty sure that Mantis has them to make the ride less intense - before the trims were on, there were apparently some complaints of blacking out and such in the loop, and that the ride was very rough on the head (back and forth).
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L-TH-TW-B... "Meh"
Wicked twists: 11
I also remember people complaining about having their feet and legs hurt from the ride, but I never had a proplem with it.
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Launch: Tophat: Twistage: Brakes...
...Denial is an ugly thing.
If you were able to ride Mantis on the 2nd to last weekend at night, the trims were of. It was a great ride! Im glad I was able to get a ride in that night.
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Screamsters 2001
MF/Screamsters 2002
What if there was also a #17 in 2003?
*** This post was edited by 99er 11/22/2002 6:01:02 PM ***
Same thing happened last season to me. The first half seemed so much smoother without the trims, I'm not sure why. Too bad the block slowed the trains quite a bit, making it crawl though the second half.
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2002 Raptor Crew
"Hey, Cool. My voice is on the lift"
Although i like the mantis for the most part, i try to avoid it most of the time. I ride it once or twice each time i go. I dont remember how the mantis felt without the trims.
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- Dennis
Its going back a bit now but I could swear there was a trim brake thing on the left control panel on Mantis which was always switched to off. Nobody ever told me how to turn this to on but i'm pretty sure it would have involved a key and some kind of twisting. possibly to the right.
Does anyone know if this has anything to do with the trims or is this just a random thing that i could have played with?
I've been lucky and have got quite a few rides on Mantis without the trims on. I loved it, but I would say that it wasn't better, just different. You really fly through the first half of the course, that's for sure. When the trims are on, you do get to appreciate all the elements a little more though.
Most dangerous ride: Manits. Reason: You better hope your seatbelt is fastened for that first loop - with the trims it's crazy how risky that first loop is.
*Obviously the opinion of myself.
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BTS Cedar Point
http://www.btscedarpoint.tk
What on earth are you trying to say? If you have something to say about the safety of Mantis (or any other subject), you best not speak in tongues! :) Personally, the first loop on Mantis is actually better with the trims because you get more hangtime. I like the rest of the ride better without them - especially the drop since it just feels silly to be slowed down while you're going downhill.
-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew
In simpler terms, in the event the chest harnesses did not lock, you had better hope your seatbelt is nice and tight because with the lack of gravity in that particular loop, you may find yourself..well..dead.
E-mail me if you have further trouble comprehending my posts, MDOmnis. ;-)
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BTS Cedar Point
http://www.btscedarpoint.tk
I Think thats on most coasters....if your harness dont lock, You can fall out. Nitro at SFgadv doesnt even have seatbelts.
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- Dennis
That's what I figured you were saying, but why would that make Mantis any more dangerous than Raptor or any other coaster that goes upside down? :)
-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew
As for Mantis, if you have ever ridden right after a rainstorm, you will now that the first brakes hardly even grip the train as it passes. The train is already going fast, that only the back 1/2 of the train is actually even touched by the trims. Without the trims, the train easily hits over 70+ MPH, and as I happen to know, this is a very fast, fun, but sometimes unenjoyable experience. Esp, if you don't know how to stand up.
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MANTIS ROCKS 2002
Brian, I had a smokin' ride on Mantis during Millennium Mania '01. They shut it down after our ride, due to hard rain. Me and one other guy in the front car, with the whole train to ourselves. The light train took forever to get through that first loop. The water was falling down on us from the bottom of our train! That was one onride photo I could just kick myself for not buying. You could hardly even make out our faces because of the rain, which showed up as silver lines all over the photo. That ride is way up on my list of all-time great coaster experiences.
Speaking of that, if you have ever watched us cycle a train after a "guest illness", you know what 'macho nachos' is talking about. The trim brake still thinks the train is weighted and it hits them pretty hard...At the top of the first loop, all the water from us cleaning just goes pouring everywhere. Good thing the loop isn't over the midway.
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MANTIS ROCKS 2002
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MANTIS ROCKS 2002
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