Down with the mid-course brake run?

You mean mine?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dragster420/DSC00520.jpg

I'm making another smaller one if you want it. ;)

Here are some pics of it so far:
(They’re kind of blurry)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dragster420/Picture006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dragster420/Picture002.jpg *** Edited 6/7/2005 7:47:29 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

Great picture, also wanted to know where to get a TTD model like that

Build it.

The drop brake on Mean Streak is horrible.. it's like you speed up a bit then slow right down and creep down the drop.

I believe he built it using pices of other model kits, like what can be found here:

http://www.coasterdynamix.com/

and here:

http://www.hammacher.com/publish/68208.asp?cm_ven=Froogle&cm_ite=68208

or here:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/5225656233477534/

Hope this helps :)

MrScott

I actually built mine out of wood (tower) and clay (track). Simple but affective.
My new one will be the same just bit more accurate(I kind of screwed up on my first one)...and smaller.

Not to be picky (but a model builder must be or it just doesn't turn out right), but you mean "effective", not "affective". Two different words with two different meanings.

MrScott

Woah, the thread kinda De-Railed...

I always thought the MCBR was to prevent a collision on a coaster, in case a train stalled during the ride and the other train was already dispatched and off the lift hill. With the MCBR, this would stop the train at the brake run and prevent the collision.

If MF had a MCBR (and people loaded into the trains faster) that would mean the trains would be able to be dispatched at a higher interval.

Just my 2 Cents :)

It did. Sorry about that. I've read many times that Mean Streak's brakes were installled to keep the thing from shaking itself apart. I tend to believe that.

I've spent dozens of nights on property and one of thnings I enjoy most is the early morning walks (with a cup of coffee in hand) and watching all of the staff on the coasters (on foot) hammering & welding away, just to make the park go. Mean Streak has them on it everyday. Someone here once posted that it takes 6 full time, unioned, employees just to keep that thing operational. If it didn't have those brakes, maybe it would take 12 to keep it going.

Or it may fall down.

MrScott

True, MS is probably one of the rides that requires the most daily/constant maint (besides TTD). The brakes on MS's drop do "ruin" the ride, but i'd rather have them there to prevent the ride from breaking apart as opposed to not having them there to "ruin" the ride. *** Edited 6/7/2005 12:00:21 PM UTC by Kyle Dersch***

I feel sorry for the men who have to walk MS's track looking for problems.

(un-sarcastically)BTW, Thanks for correcting me MrScott. I always have trouble with affect and effect. Oh well.... nobody’s perfect. :)

I'll ask my English teacher for the correct way to use them.
*** Edited 6/7/2005 2:43:55 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

The nice thing about Raptor's mid course brake is that it was designed very high in the air. It enters the brake at a low enough speed so it can skate through with a minimal (if any) amount of slowing necessary to complete the second half and still provide a comfortable ride.

Compare this to the other big B&M in the park. Mantis has a decent first half until it practically slams into the comparatively lower mid course brake. The high entry speed makes an abrupt braking action necessary so the train will take the smaller elements in the second half at a sane speed. I think the rider feels cheated out of some velocity there, and have always thought Mantis would be such a fine ride if they had only followed the example set by Raptor. Space is probably the dictating factor.

Mean Streak? Hmmmm... I'll have to think about that one.

I am also of the belief that a well designed coaster uses it's blocking system only to totally stop the ride for safety reasons, not to control the speed of every train or car that passes through it.

My favorite mid-course brake- Millenium Force. None at all!

That helps thanks.

Since the Mantis now only has two trains running and the stacking problem has been nullified, why is the brake on the first hill still there? I can understand the second set, but why on the first hill still?

It hasn't been removed because there's no need to. It can be set to where it dosn't slow the train.
Might as well just leave it there.