How does the Power Tower work?

Power Tower: how's that thing work anyways?? I know it uses compressed air or something, but how? Or is this still all top secret?

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Coasters? i thought those were those things you put under drinks? ...am I on the wrong site?

It's not a secret...Rideman has a good explanation of the works of the ride, as well as the official S&S site.

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June 28th: LocoBazooka Tour (Sevendust headlining)
July 11th: Korn, Puddle of Mudd, and Deadsy

It's actually very simple.

The yellow tubes have a piston with cable attached to both ends. The cable loops from the piston, to the pully at the top or bottom, to the vehicle. If the vehicle is at the top, the piston is at the bottom in the tube, and vice versa.

Now, put one of those on all four sides. Flood the tube with compressed air and it forces the piston through the tube up or down, which in turn pulls the cable to make the vehicle go the opposite way.

The reason the bounce is so smooth is that the piston, when it reaches the other end of the tube, is compressing the air on that end of the tube, eventually forcing it go back the other way.

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
7/27: Subdivision Cam becomes party cam at the year's hottest Ohio luau!

That is simple. Good question Matt, I always wanted to know but didn't want to get the business for not knowing ;)

Not many people know that the cables are responsible for moving the vehicles. Definitely one of those "CP misconceptions".

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"Meh."
Wicked twists: 7
Danger: Hgih Voltage!

Anybody else here who loves coasters but just has not seen the need to do PT? I never have, and have been to the Park many times since the 70's.

I HATED "Tower of Terror" at DW in Feb of 2000. There is no way I can imagine that I would like PT!

"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

Does anyone know how long PT(turbo drop) keeps you dangling in fear 200 some feet in the air?

~*kP

It really depends...I've counted as short as 8 seconds to as long as 12...

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June 28th: LocoBazooka Tour (Sevendust headlining)
July 11th: Korn, Puddle of Mudd, and Deadsy
*** This post was edited by CP_bound 7/24/2002 7:38:12 PM ***

What I have noticed is that it depends on the weather conditions. Because the ride relies on compressed air, the time will vary. There are a lot of other factors that go into it. The other factor is how much pressure is in the resevior tanks at the time that the tanks on the ride get filled. You can notice the time differences if you actually listen to when the pressure is first released into the tanks and then count. On coastermania I noticed it was taking 16 seconds from the time of the blast of air to the time it shot down.

I have counted 12-16 seconds on average on my many enjoyable trips.

Ok thanks!

~*kP