Launch

Its not that hard to figure out. Take the maximum speed and multiply it by 0.447 to convert MPH to MPS (meters per second), then divide it by the time, and then divide it by 9.801 to convert it to G force units. Oh so difficult!!

Haha. Learn about vectors guys... VECTORS. Both acceleration and velocity are vectors. Therefore the rate of change of the acceleration can decrease and it'd still be going faster. And I doubt the acceleration will be constant. Think about it. Makes no sense does it ;)

Rock and Roller Coaster accelerates 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, and TTD will accelerate 0-120 in around 4 seconds, just compare the numbers. TTD is doubling the speed in a good deal less than twice the time. That says to me that the launch on TTD will be more intense than the launch on Rock and Roller Coaster. Although the sensory overload of blasting into a dark tunnel on R&RC may make up some of the difference, I would still expect a more intense launch on TTD partially because of the anticipation factor that will be built up watching the thing launch every 40 seconds while in what will surely be a huge line. And the anticipation of going faster out in the open air than most people have gone in the close confines of a car, and then going higher than any other thrill ride on the planet.

CWD

...and like I said, Damn you guys and your physics classes.

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Feel the Beat

Master Yossarian, accelleration and velocity arent vectors, they are vector quantities. A vector is just a linear representation of motion, a vector quantity is a representation of magnitude and direction. I think however you are right about it not being constant seeing as how it runs on a hydraulic turbine which is powered by hydraulic fluid under pressure. Like all pressure, it bleeds off so we are probably going to see an initial jump off the line and a steady fluid decrease in accelleration until the train clears the cable.

CP_bound said:
Well, for such a minute mistake, it would have vast consequences. Just like the mishap with the conversion of inches to centimeters on that Mars probe...or lack there of

Yeah, but i would be more careful if i were planning a NASA mission. I just can't believe I wrote "correct units" next to it, but I bet most of you were bright to figure out what I meant.

Fluid, I tried to use your formula to rank launch coaster intensity. I have ridden RnR at MGM, Volcano, B&R Chiller, Flight of Fear, and WT, and hope to ride Hypersonic before May 4, 2003.

IMO, and by a wide margin, RnR was the most intense launch coaster of all I had ridden. I thought this would be an interesting excersize since I am VERY nervous about the Dragster launch. I saw Dragster in late October, so I do have a clue how HUGE it really is.

Is this an acurate rating of launch intensity.

Dodonpa - 2.71 Gs (107 MPH in 1.8 sec)

Hypersonic - 2.02 Gs - (80 MPH in 1.8 sec)

Xcelerator - 1.62 Gs - (82 MPH in 2.3 sec)

Dragster - 1.36 Gs - (120 MPH in 4 sec) OR 1.56 Gs if launch is 3.5 seconds

Wicked Twister - 1.31 Gs (72 MPH in 2.5 sec)

Rock n Roll - 0.97 Gs (60 MPH in 2.8 sec)

Hulk - 0.91 Gs (40 MPH in 2.0 sec)

B&R Chiller (SFGA) - 0.79 Gs (70 MPH in 4.0 sec)

Superman: TE (MM) - 0.65 Gs (100 MPH in 7 sec)

Flight of Fear PKI - 0.51 Gs (54 MPH in 4.8 sec)

Note that WT numbers were pulled from the CP web site, while I could not find launch numbers for Flight o Fear, or Volcano at PKD.

Tom
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 10:54:09 AM ***
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 11:55:25 AM ***
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 1:25:10 PM ***

But, Wicked Twister doesn't hit 72mph until it's.. what is it... 4th pass through the station?

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2003 - Ride Operations

There was no info on the launches of WT, FoF, or Volano on rcdb.com - the best I could find was on the CP web site for WT. There was nothing on the PKD web site, except for Hypersonic.
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 1:24:25 AM ***

Virtual Midway lists the initial launch speed at 50mph.

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2003 - Ride Operations
*** This post was edited by Gravity 1/14/2003 1:25:38 AM ***

True, but I also need the acceleration or time it takes to reach 50 - that seems to be a missing piece of the puzzle for more than a few launch coasters.

Those are accurate averages but i am sure the launches are not constant. However they should be quite close.

I was wondering, Where are the rollback Brakes on the Launch. I looked at the recent pictures. I still dont see any brakes on the launch. I dont even see where they are going to go.

They have to have the rollback brakes right?...That would be really dangerous if they didnt.

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- Dennis
NYC Subways, The next best thing to riding roller coasters.

Big D said:
I was wondering, Where are the rollback Brakes on the Launch.

The rollback brakes are on the launch track. They move down to allow the vehicle to launch, then as the vehicle passes, they move to the raised position to stop the vehicle if it rolls back.

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Florida may have Disneyworld and Key West,
but Ohio has Cedar Point and Put-In-Bay.
It's great to live in Ohio!

Well, I know that....Where are they on dragster. They arent installed yet or somthing.

http://216.93.162.200/_upload/images/ride03_pics/constpics/Construction095.jpg

I dont see any brakes on the launch.

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- Dennis
NYC Subways, The next best thing to riding roller coasters.

From what I've seen in the animation, the launch is MUCH shorter than 4 seconds. I thinnk it's around 3 rather than 4.

Also Flight of Fear goes around 50 and Volcano over 70 (I've heard 73 as the speed, but it happens in two distinct launches, one goes to 40, then you turn and then launch to the full speed.)

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Love,
The Mole

The animation of Millennium Force claimed it to be 2:45 seconds I believe. In reality, it was a minute shorter. Don't count on animations to be right

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Feel the Beat

I understand and agree with your comments Mole. The problem is getting accurate time information on the launch or launches (Volcano). If Dragster reaches speed closer to 3 seconds, then the launch would produce 1.82 Gs. My guess is that the Dragster and Xcelerator launches will be very similar in intensity. FoF does go 50 MPH and Volcano reaches 72 at the end of the second launch. Both could be charted with the time it takes to reach those speeds.

I still think the launch on Dragster will be much less than 4 seconds. If you look at the video (the last part with the clock) and use pause a lot, you will see that it is near the end of the red and white track by the time it hits 4 seconds. That is just under the 200 foot level. I am guessing that the pulley will detach around where the tent/hydraulic room is and the clock is around 2.something there. If Hypersonic and Dodonpa both launch in the exact same time, maybe the hydraulic launches will also be in the same time: 2.3 seconds. I will need to use my own stop watch in the park of if they get a real video eventually. I think they may be overstating the time a bit to reduce concerns about the ride. They still have not annouced the anticipated G forces yet and the whole Q&A page is a "this ride is safe" defense. Four seconds could be the duration of acceleration and that could technically include the lift track.

Tom said:
Note that WT numbers were pulled from the CP web site, while I could not find launch numbers for Flight o Fear, or Volcano.
Tom
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 10:54:09 AM ***
*** This post was edited by Tom 1/14/2003 11:55:25 AM ***

Flight of Fear at Paramount's Kings Island (FoF@ PKI) goes 0-54mph in 4.8 seconds. I also believe that Rockin' Roller Coaster at Disney's MGM studios goes 0-68 in 2.8 seconds. I know I'm right with FoF, and I'm pretty sure RnR goes that speed.

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If there's bugs on your shirt, you had a good ride.

Thank you Jeff for your work to make and run this site!
*** This post was edited by screammachinekid 1/14/2003 1:26:46 PM ***