Catch car

Does it really weigh 6 tons & how the heck do they brake it?? ;-)

Not sure on the weight, but it uses magnets to brake, just like the train.

I think the blog says something about it.

The trains weigh somewhere around 6 tons. I couldnt imagine the catchcar weighing more than a 1000 pounds.

Unless it's changed since 2003, the catch car is a metric tonne (~2,200 lbs).

^In 2004 they said something about a new catch car with heat magnets or something, so it could have changed.

For some reason I can remember Monty Jasper saying the catch car weighed a lot (more than a ton). I'll try to find the article.

EDIT:
I found two articles that mention the new catch car for 2004.
http://www.pointbuzz.com/news.htm?id=414
http://www.pointbuzz.com/news.htm?id=7

As for the weight, I believe it was this article (off of my memory) that said it, but I can no longer check because it requires you to pay for their magizine to read it.
http://www.pointbuzz.com/news.htm?id=6 *** Edited 7/1/2006 6:33:49 AM UTC by Gomez***

TTD 120mph said:
The trains weigh somewhere around 6 tons. I couldnt imagine the catchcar weighing more than a 1000 pounds.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a sign when you're waiting in line that says the trains weigh around 10 tons each?

Gomez,

Thanks for bringing back those articles, it brought back memories (not necessarily fond, but memories nonetheless). The statement that you were looking for in the article from Design Engineering, 05 December 2003, in Machinery & Equipment says:

'The system was designed well to launch the train but was having a hard time bringing the catch-car, which weighs a tonne, back into position at slow speed and positioning it within millimeters,' explained Jasper.

I also find it interesting that they sent the catch car back to Europe to replace the magnets considering they had already done that type of work at the park over the 1st week of August in 2003. It was really neat to watch maintenance remove the catch car each night, chisel out a few of the magnets, replace them, and re-install the catch car before 9am.

As for the "heat magnets" changing the weight, the only way they would appreciably change the weight would be if they had to add more (or less) than what was there before and thus change the length of the catch car...which I don't think is the case.

Theres a good view of the catch car on SuperCoasters, the show from NGC.

Interesting, they use water to cool the catch car. Standing in line before entering under the track I noticed water dripping from the track. Wasn't sure if it was that or some lubricant.

It's really cool to watch the launch cable pulleys wind up so fast water sprays off it.

But TTD is only 3 1/2 years old. ;)

And TTD is starting to get poddie trained. ;)

Stop it guys, I'm 17 years old and I'm fully potty trained!;)

That's good to hear!

MrScott

Okay, I'm thinking that this has to do with the catch car, but, I'm probably wrong. What's the deal with the second set of brakes that are near the entrance to the ride? Are those the catch car brakes? They are at the same level as the rollback brakes, but, they're positioned "up" during the launch, and don't drop until after the train passes over it.

How could those brakes be up during the launch and not slow the train down?

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think those (as well as the drive wheels) hold the train in place and lower when it’s ready to launch. I know there's catch car brakes near the beginning of the launch. But they are in the middle of the trough, as are all the catch car brakes. They (both the beginning and end set) lower and raise just like the rollback brakes (the first pneumatic hiss you hear before the rollback brakes go down is the end set being raised). If you watch the middle of the trough closely when in front you can see the beginning set of catch car brakes go down before you launch.

The brakes near the entrance to the line are up during the launch, and they don't drop until after the train has passed over them.

TTD 120mph said:
Stop it guys, I'm 17 years old and I'm fully potty trained!;)

Actually, Daniel Smith said 'poddie trained', you know, like pod-racers. Haven't you ever been to Tatooine?

Yes I have. It's very dry and hot there. Though the races are amazing!

^^We're not talking about the set of brakes at the end of the launch, we're talking about the ones at the beginning of the launch (by the xmas tree). Those brakes drop after the drive wheel drops and after the train rolls back. The brakes at the end of the launch raise before the launch, and lower after the catchcar passes over them so it can rollback to the start of the launch.

And speaking of the catchcar brakes; arent they different than the rollback brakes? I noticed that they have more of a triangular shape to them when they're raised. Are they set the same way at the end of the launch or are they set like the rollback brakes?

*** Edited 7/5/2006 7:23:23 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***