Emergency Stop On Top Thrill Dragster

Has there ever been a time when the ride op or a crew member had to hit the Emergency stop button on Top Thrill Dragster???

I searched this topic but didnt find a topic on it.

I know of at least one crew member in 2004 that hit the e-stop button. It was an accident, however.
In all honesty, I'm sure its been used quite a few times.

So from what people are saying then once that button is pushed then the machine keeps pulling the train forward but pushes the launch breaks up to slow the train down, which only allows the train to go half way up the tower. Am I correct, and anyone clarrify??

I think it kills it period and stops it completely ASAP.

Does that mean in the event of an emergency once you hit that button the train will just stop in the middle of the track? I know that sounds like a stupid question.

It technically depends on where the train is at when the e-stop button is pressed. It could be at a point where it only slows down and goes a few feet up the incline then back into the brakes making a complete stop somewhere right near the queue entrence. I've seen an e-stop happen once, but it was like 1 or 2 seconds after the train launched so it didn’t even get to 70 mph. It stopped within 2 seconds.

And correct me if I'm wrong but doesn’t the e-stop instantly stop the hydraulic engine so it’s not pulling the train with the brakes up?

That was what i was looking for thanks

TTD 120 - If it doesn't then there is a serious malfunction in the E-stop system. As soom as that button is hit the engine should cut and the brakes come up. The train won't stop instantaneously, but it will stop at some point.

I've seen this once before in 2003 when the Dragster train launched and within a split second it E-stopped the launch was killed and the brakes popped up and quickly stopped between the bleachers and the ride entrance. It didn't even make it to the tower, I thought that was the strangest thing I've ever seen.

But its an Intamin ride, so I shouldn't be surprised ;)

~Rob Willi

I would think an "e-stop" would disengage the "clutch" on the motor instantly; thus preventing the launch car from pulling a train stopped by brake fins.

My thought is, who wants to burn out a 10,000 hp motor for an e-stop? Or risk a cable snap due to brake fins stopping the train?

(just guessing.. ?!_)

Genxerncmh, I would want the ride to stop ASAP if there was some idiot who decided to climb up on the TTD track while the ride is running! I would risk a cable snap or burned out motor if it has to do with someones life.

If it means someone's life me.

If someone climbs out on the track while the ride is running, just call the train "chlorine"

If the estop is pressed, the engine will cut. and the cable will let go of the train and then the train stopping is dependent upon the brakes. Sometimes the brakes won't fully stop it so it will coast up the hill a bit and roll back, to the point where it is stopped. The other trains will stop right where they're at. For example. If a train is on the first brake block right after the brake run and is on it's way back to the station it'll just simply stop.

Does it happen very often that they have the estop, does anyone know if they have to test the estop every once in a while. Most likely they would do it at night or in the morning when nobody was there???

raptorqueen said:
Genxerncmh, I would want the ride to stop ASAP if there was some idiot who decided to climb up on the TTD track while the ride is running! I would risk a cable snap or burned out motor if it has to do with someones life.

Not sure where this situation is coming from. I thought the discussion centered around 'e-stop' usage.

However, my discussion never said to risk a life in lieu of a roller coaster motor/drive/cable.

I was simply explaining my viewpoint of how an e-stop works; whether or not its true, I don't know.

EmrgncyStop said:
If the estop is pressed, the engine will cut. and the cable will let go of the train and then the train stopping is dependent upon the brakes. Sometimes the brakes won't fully stop it so it will coast up the hill a bit and roll back, to the point where it is stopped. The other trains will stop right where they're at. For example. If a train is on the first brake block right after the brake run and is on it's way back to the station it'll just simply stop.

This is exactly what I was trying to express, thank you for your answer EmrgncyStop. :)

Genxerncmh said:
My thought is, who wants to burn out a 10,000 hp motor for an e-stop? Or risk a cable snap due to brake fins stopping the train?
(just guessing.. ?!_)

Thanks ;-) TTD's Estop and any estop is designed so it wouldn't burn out the motor or snap the cable unless it is used constantly and continously. It's like a funny rumor i heard that the estop on Chaos will make it collapse. If pressing the estop destroys the ride. Then there is no point to having one.

I would think that the catch car for the cable would release and the brakes would go up!

JuggaLotus said:
If someone climbs out on the track while the ride is running, just call the train "chlorine"

:)