MF Brakes
I know this was brought up in another post, but far be it from me to be able to find it, anyway..
Rode MF for the first time yesterday, 1 during the day and 1 at night .. (WOW..is all I have to say.. and I actually got the guts to hold my hands up the entire ride my first trip.. started to crest the hill and screamed "F&!$ THIS, I'M DOIN' IT RIGHT!" and threw my hands up! heheh)
My question is.. I thought the magnetic brakes were supposed to be completely silent.. every train that ran thru was clankclankclanking thru every set of magnets... what's the deal?
Rode MF for the first time yesterday, 1 during the day and 1 at night .. (WOW..is all I have to say.. and I actually got the guts to hold my hands up the entire ride my first trip.. started to crest the hill and screamed "F&!$ THIS, I'M DOIN' IT RIGHT!" and threw my hands up! heheh)
My question is.. I thought the magnetic brakes were supposed to be completely silent.. every train that ran thru was clankclankclanking thru every set of magnets... what's the deal?
Yeah that's what I thought too. That was the loudest part in the whole ride. It's a lot louder in the queue.
I think I heard that the fins on some trains hit the brakes. But I am not certain. I may be wrong.
-------------
Raptor Flights: 23
Force Rides: 14
-------------
Raptor Flights: 23
Force Rides: 14
When I was there, I made sure to watch from the queue to see if they hit on any of the trains, but they didn't.
I think RideMan explained this in a previous thread, but I am unable to locate it. I believe he said that the force of the brake to the train is directly proportional to the speed of the train, thus the faster the train comes into the brakes the louder the sound will be.
-------------
Brandon Sorc
Millennium Force count:36
www.spiritofthepoint.com *** This post was edited by Brandon on 6/4/2000. ***
-------------
Brandon Sorc
Millennium Force count:36
www.spiritofthepoint.com *** This post was edited by Brandon on 6/4/2000. ***
The fins never hit the brakes, it's the sound of the brakes just slowing the trains down, just like Brandon said. When you are in the line, you can watch the brakes as carfuly as possible, and you will notice that they don't touch the trains.
-------------
"If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" Kryptonite-Three Doors Down
-------------
"If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" Kryptonite-Three Doors Down
As I looked at the brake run, it seemed to me that the sound was from the rattling of the steel supporting the brakes - not the brakes...look closely next time you see it.
While waiting in line for opening day, we noticed a nice size bolt lying on the bottom of a support beam. This was all the way at th back of the queue. It look like it had fallen from a set of brakes. That showed how much the train shock the track, along with the rumbling in our feet, and legs.
-------------
MF Rides: 2
MF Dream Rides:310
-------------
MF Rides: 2
MF Dream Rides:310
I saw the bolt. There used to be a bolt like that (maybe still is) at the bottom of one of the supports on Gemini, in clear view from the line. It always seemed kind of odd to me, it's almost as if CP put it there on purpose, to add suspense to the ride. You can bet that it didn't fall out of the ride though (both Gemini and MF), probably just an extra one left by the construction workers.
I have seen the bolt on MF too. Maybe it's some strange coaster construction crew ritual. Maybe whenever the tallest coaster on the planet is built, they leave a bolt. Like an un written rule. There could be a bolt somewhere around Magnum that we haven't seen.
I have wondered about the brakes also. I know the basic idea of how they work, and I'm guessing that the clicking/banging noise is the connections of the cars of the trains making noise. But my question is: I don't see any power cables running to the magnets. How can a magnet that is not an electromagnet be strong enough to stop the trains?
Also, are there trims along the ride anywhere that I missed?
-------------
-The Pants Has Spoken
"Yellow line? What Yellow Line..."
I have wondered about the brakes also. I know the basic idea of how they work, and I'm guessing that the clicking/banging noise is the connections of the cars of the trains making noise. But my question is: I don't see any power cables running to the magnets. How can a magnet that is not an electromagnet be strong enough to stop the trains?
Also, are there trims along the ride anywhere that I missed?
-------------
-The Pants Has Spoken
"Yellow line? What Yellow Line..."
There are bolts lying around all over the place, a hold over from the construction. They didn't fall out of anything.
The magnets are plenty strong enough. As Dave has indicated before, the faster the fins move through the magnets the larger the stopping force.
There are no trims anywhere on the ride.
-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 25
The magnets are plenty strong enough. As Dave has indicated before, the faster the fins move through the magnets the larger the stopping force.
There are no trims anywhere on the ride.
-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 25
You could probably swim in all the bolts left over from consrtuction, seriously! You should have seen them all. They were everywhere! Everywhere you walked, there would be another bolt sticking out of the ground! I wouldn't be surprised if there were still some out there. My friend and I decided to take one, afterall we felt they wouldn't miss it. :-)
-----------------------------------
America's Roller Coast
www.millenniumfpics.homestead.com
--end-- *** This post was edited by CP Guy on 6/7/2000. ***
-----------------------------------
America's Roller Coast
www.millenniumfpics.homestead.com
--end-- *** This post was edited by CP Guy on 6/7/2000. ***
Well, let me put it this way, I was around when they were putting it up, and got to talk to a member of the construction team. I asked about the new brake system and they said it was a locking system, so if the magnets did not work, they would have something to hold.
Like if you go on say raptor, that uses the chains, the have a lockign system, that it will step, then lock, step, then lock, which makes the clunking noise.
For example, the right locks, then the left steps, and the the left locks, whiel the right steps. Hope you undertsnad this, if you want more info e-mail me anytime.
----------------------
Jonathan Willbur
Roller Coaster Lover
Cedar Point
[PKI promo removed -J]
*** This post was edited by Jeff on 6/7/2000. ***
Like if you go on say raptor, that uses the chains, the have a lockign system, that it will step, then lock, step, then lock, which makes the clunking noise.
For example, the right locks, then the left steps, and the the left locks, whiel the right steps. Hope you undertsnad this, if you want more info e-mail me anytime.
----------------------
Jonathan Willbur
Roller Coaster Lover
Cedar Point
[PKI promo removed -J]
*** This post was edited by Jeff on 6/7/2000. ***
Locking? What are you talking about?
-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 25
-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 25
I rode Wednesday at night, and while in line I remember seeing a small flash from one of the brakes, maybe it was a spark?
-------------
Whats life if you never get to the point?
-------------
Whats life if you never get to the point?
The alternate locking bit may be referring to the anti-rollback device on the train. My understanding (remember I haven't looked at it) is that it is similar to the system used on Stealth, where a small generator produces a current to lift the dog out of the sawtooth. I'm trying to remember...I think the rectangular holes in the dual I-beam on the lift are staggered.
The brakes are indeed permanent magnets and the fins on the train are some conductive but non magnetic material, probably aluminum, but I suppose stainless steel would work as well. If everything is working properly, the fins should not touch the brake calipers. At all. Ever. You can usually hear a humming sound coming from such brakes, and on Millennium Force something was slightly out of alignment because the fins have been hitting *something*. Obviously it hasn't kept them from working, though!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
The brakes are indeed permanent magnets and the fins on the train are some conductive but non magnetic material, probably aluminum, but I suppose stainless steel would work as well. If everything is working properly, the fins should not touch the brake calipers. At all. Ever. You can usually hear a humming sound coming from such brakes, and on Millennium Force something was slightly out of alignment because the fins have been hitting *something*. Obviously it hasn't kept them from working, though!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
You must be logged in to post