Power Tower Cable Snap

Does anyone know if PT's cable has ever snapped? The cable breaks on MF and TTD have been so well publicized, I was wondering if that has ever happened on PT to cause a shutdown and closing while the cable gets replaced.

The only thing Ive ever seen snap on PT is people.

Last year I was next up on Red and a girl puked just as it launched. Ive seen more people throw up on that ride for some reason than any other.

Any park stats on pukes per ride? I would like to see that.

I wish I could answer your question, John. I have never heard of PT having any problems whatsoever.

Aside from the puke.

I'm not exactly sure how PT works, but I thought the cable was just a lifting/putting into place device. So there is not enough stress on it..

Puking on PT? Wow, it must be related to nerves. I'm extremely vulnerable to motion sickness, and PT is my favorite (non-coaster) ride, mostly due to the fact that I can ride it without ruining my day (or my shoes, for that matter).

It wouldn't see much less stress than MF's cable, which has snapped several times.

I think PT is underrated. But yes...for some reason, it seems like my wife and I are always there when their hosing it down b/c someone lost it.

From my understanding, John, the cars are moved via compressed air, and the cables (as Kevin said) are used for positioning and as a backup system. I could be totally wrong on that, so take it with a wheelbarrow full of salt.

Having said that, the cable would still see plenty of stress, seeing as how it must lift a car with 12 people in it. And, assuming they have to test the cable backup, it would see even more stress. So, yeah, I would think that it has snapped, or been replaced regularly - or both.

Either way, I'm curious to know the answer as well. Where the heck is RideMan when we need him? :)
*** Edited 4/7/2006 3:06:12 PM UTC by djDaemon***

My understanding, is that the cable is attached to the car and giant piston. When the compressed air is released, it pushes the piston, which pulls the cable (in whichever direction is needed) which moves the ride-car. Now, how much stress is on that cable, I'm not sure. But its certainly not zero.
I can understand the stresses on the PT cable being much different from those on the TTD cable, but I would imagine they are roughly similar to an MF train, and that one seems to get worn out more the 500 foot rumor.

Maybe I'm totally wrong. Or maybe S&S designed a system that works with cables without destroying them.

A blog entry with a report of such an event. Credibility questionable, and no details whatsoever.

ADDED

Okay, so the compressed air moves the cables, which in turn move the car. That makes sense, and seems to jog my memory a bit.

So, yeah, I would have to think the cables have snapped, or are replaced quite regularly. There was some discussion of PT, in the OnPoint! blog, I think. Or maybe it was here... Regardless, I can't recall whether or not maintenance and/or repairs were mentioned. I'd guess, though, that the OnPoint! blog wouldn't mention a snapped cable.
*** Edited 4/7/2006 3:09:35 PM UTC by djDaemon***

On the video that Cedar Point sells in its stores there, the video says that every morning PT is put in a mainance mode and launched very slowly up the tower and maintance stands right under the ride and has their hand on the cable the whole time (wearing gloves of course) and if his hand hits a bumb, the cable is replaced right then and there.

They do the same (or similar) with Millennium Force, during morning wake-up, however that hasn't stopped the cable from snapping and sending the catch-car flying back towards the station.

The ride has only been around since 98. If it has happened, there has to be at least one op who was there when it did.

I cant ever recall PT being closed down when I was at CP. It seems to have a very low, low, low downtime. Also, i've never seen anyone puke on that ride. That would suck if someone puked off one of the green towers onto the midway below...

JuggaLotus said:
They do the same (or similar) with Millennium Force, during morning wake-up, however that hasn't stopped the cable from snapping and sending the catch-car flying back towards the station.

What happens in an event such as that?

*** Edited 4/7/2006 8:21:33 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

I've witnessed a rogue cable on PT back in 2004. That particular tower wasn't operating, and one of the cables was being blown away from the tower by a couple feet. When the ride is operating the cables are vairly taut so I knew something wasn't quite right. I have no idea if the cable had snapped, but they were definitely having some kind of issues with it.

I have a feeling the stresses on these cables are different because they are not on an angle as those on MF and TTD.

Speaking of cables...a video of the hydraulic room of TTD during a launch would be amazing. That cable drum must really fly.

Unless I'm remembering physics wrong (which is possible) the track supports some of that weight, meaning that on MF, the cable doesn't have to support the full weight of the train, i.e. less force is exerted on the cable than if it were vertical.
Since PT is a vertical lift, the cable must support the whole weight, therefore the force exerted on the cable is the full weight of the carriage x gravity.

(again, one of you guys who has used physics in the last 5 years may be able to correct me on this, or confirm.)

Obviously, the one variable in here is the weight of the carriage/train. I'm not sure how much either weighs, but I have a sneaking suspicion that MF's train weighs more.

*** Edited 4/7/2006 8:59:17 PM UTC by JuggaLotus***

Yeah, MF's trains weigh 28 tons empty, while PT's cars are probably no more than 1-2 tons.

MF's lift hill is 45 degrees, so to find the vertical component all you need to do is:

28 tons * sin 45 = 19.80 tons

I haven't studied the pulley system under the lift, but I think that system used cuts down on the pulling force required by the motor even more bcause of how the pulleys are situated.

If I am not mistaken, there are four cables per tower. One on each side of the tower, so if one were to fail, the other three would hold you up. I would imagine the car could run even if two cables failed.

*** Edited 4/7/2006 9:49:16 PM UTC by 99er***

During testing one morning i watched them replace a cable on PT. They were just finishing up, but I remember seeing them moving the car around. In moving the car it would move the cable. First they moved the car to wind the old cable onto a drum, and then moved it the opposite direction to put the new one on. Unfortunatley, I was kind of watching my ride so I did not get to see the whole process.

Also, remember when comparing to Dragster or MF that even though the cables on PT are much thinner, the PT cars are lighter and there are four cables to a car on PT as compared to one on Drag and MF.

Well since we are speaking of power tower.... what are the little black fins half way up the tower?

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=51