MF Track
The tubular sections are bolted together, if I remember right when i saw the track,it is similar kind of to Magnums track. Two track tubes with cross members that are welded to a large under tube, these under tubes are tightly bolted together and then the whole thing is loosely bolted to the support structure. WHen I say loosely,I don't mean bolts falling off, just not torqued down quite as tight to allow for movement. I may be wrong but that seems pretty accurate.
First, check out this picture:
http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/gallery/h-mfconst04.jpg
There is a nob that sticks out in the middle of each rail at one end of every piece. On the other end there is a small hole in the middle of each rail. The two pieces are lined up so that the nob fits into the hole and then the track is bolted together *very* tightly. You can see how they are bolted together at the very top of this picture:
http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/gallery/h-mfconst93.jpg
http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/gallery/h-mfconst04.jpg
There is a nob that sticks out in the middle of each rail at one end of every piece. On the other end there is a small hole in the middle of each rail. The two pieces are lined up so that the nob fits into the hole and then the track is bolted together *very* tightly. You can see how they are bolted together at the very top of this picture:
http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/gallery/h-mfconst93.jpg
Oh,I remember now,It has been a while since I saw this track, it is square in configuration unlike the magnum totally. It is almost a double sided track with tubes on top and bottom.
Like I said, the track is bolted tightly together and bolted a little looser to the supports. I believe CP says this on their website as well if I remember right.
Like I said, the track is bolted tightly together and bolted a little looser to the supports. I believe CP says this on their website as well if I remember right.
I could be wrong, but it seems that even after the track segments are bolted together tightly there would be a very small seam between the two pieces. I'm almost positive however, that coaster running rails are continuous (no seams). And I'm thinking that if they weren't you would feel this during the ride.
If there are in fact seams between track segments then how are they dealt with in order to have smooth continuous running rails?
If there are in fact seams between track segments then how are they dealt with in order to have smooth continuous running rails?
I would be surprised if there are any welds on a roller coaster these days. They are just not as strong and can crack, require xraying all the time to check for cracks,etc. I believe they xray magnum every year right?I know it has welds,not holding the track sections together, but i thought I read that somewhere.
Older Arrow coasters (Mine Ride, Corkscrew, Gemini, Iron Dragon, Magnum XL-200) are welded together. Okay, so Magnum's spine is bolted together then the rails are welded; the point is, the older Arrow coasters have welded and finished joints. If a joint is welded and finished properly, once it is painted you cannot see the joint.
B&M coasters are bolted together; I believe there is a fitting of some sort inside the joint to keep the rails aligned. The joint between sections is small enough that the train wheel goes right over it without bumping...remember that the sections fit together tightly. Arrow is now bolting their rails as well. Bolted rails require less skilled labor to assemble the ride, since welding has to be done by certified welders...but to the best of my knowledge there is no such thing as a certified torque-wrench cranker. And the fabrication techniques used these days mean that the usual problem of bolt holes not lining up is virtually eliminated.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(formatting fixed) *** This post was edited by RideMan on 1/8/00. ***
B&M coasters are bolted together; I believe there is a fitting of some sort inside the joint to keep the rails aligned. The joint between sections is small enough that the train wheel goes right over it without bumping...remember that the sections fit together tightly. Arrow is now bolting their rails as well. Bolted rails require less skilled labor to assemble the ride, since welding has to be done by certified welders...but to the best of my knowledge there is no such thing as a certified torque-wrench cranker. And the fabrication techniques used these days mean that the usual problem of bolt holes not lining up is virtually eliminated.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(formatting fixed) *** This post was edited by RideMan on 1/8/00. ***
(oops, I missed something)
Obviously, all of the track-ties are welded to the rails and to the spine. If the welder is competent, there should be no significant difference between a weld done at the factory and a weld done on-site.
It is true that the coaster tracks (and many other parts!) are inspected regularly (not just annually!) using generally accepted methods of non-destructive testing. Common methods include visual inspection (of course), radiography (X-ray), magnetic particle testing (a magnetic field is set up in the part and magnetic particles are used to find surface cracks) and dye penetrant testing. I understand that Cedar Point does...or at least is capable of doing...all of its own NDT including radiography.
Now, I don't know this for certain, but my guess is that they use either dye penetrant or mag particle on the coaster tracks. If you look closely at the rails of the steel coasters (Iron Dragon is an obvious one to look at) you can see two parallel lines wrapped around the rail, usually at the high-stress points. I believe these are points where the track has undergone non-destructive testing.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(formatting fixed) *** This post was edited by RideMan on 1/8/00. ***
Obviously, all of the track-ties are welded to the rails and to the spine. If the welder is competent, there should be no significant difference between a weld done at the factory and a weld done on-site.
It is true that the coaster tracks (and many other parts!) are inspected regularly (not just annually!) using generally accepted methods of non-destructive testing. Common methods include visual inspection (of course), radiography (X-ray), magnetic particle testing (a magnetic field is set up in the part and magnetic particles are used to find surface cracks) and dye penetrant testing. I understand that Cedar Point does...or at least is capable of doing...all of its own NDT including radiography.
Now, I don't know this for certain, but my guess is that they use either dye penetrant or mag particle on the coaster tracks. If you look closely at the rails of the steel coasters (Iron Dragon is an obvious one to look at) you can see two parallel lines wrapped around the rail, usually at the high-stress points. I believe these are points where the track has undergone non-destructive testing.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(formatting fixed) *** This post was edited by RideMan on 1/8/00. ***
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