Ratcheting Sound at the top

The last few times I've been to CP (like the last 3 weeks or so) I've noticed that there's a "clacking" sound like an Arrow chainpull when the trains crest the hill - is this a new rollback preventer? I didn't think that was needed with the cable system - and it only seems to be right at the very top of the hill. When you're sitting in the front seat, you can see that there are holes in the track "innards" on the right side that look like if there was a piece on the train for it, they could be rollback preveters, but why wait til now to install them. Any insight?

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Steel - #1 Mantis, #2 Millie, #3 Wicked Twister
Wood - #1 Thunderbolt, #2 Villain, #3 Beast
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

My theory is that the anti-rollback wheels aren't getting good traction up there, so the anti-rollbacks drag.

The other thing is that the lift sled itself seems to be really noisy as of late.

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

Yeah, I just try to ignore it. One day though we were standing over in front of Gemini, and we could hear the noise from that far away. That was about 2 weeks ago though.

Let me guess: You were listening to the red train going over the top.

The train has more-or-less conventional anti-rollbacks on it, with an unconventional system that disengages the anti-rollbacks when the train is moving forward at high speed up the lift. If the lift is moving very slowly you will hear the anti-rollback pawls engage. Sometimes the mechanism slips a little and allows the pawls to engage as the train is going over the top. This is particularly true with the red train, and it is particularly true if the anti-rollback rail is a little wet.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Anyone remember the awful noise the red train was making while cresting the lift back in May-June 2000? I'm also beginning to hear this again. Jeff is probably right here, that the anti-rollback lifting mechanism needs some tweaking. Also, I too have noticed that the sled is clankier than it used to be. I think that ever since the cable snap last year that the lift just hasn't been the same and will probably be prone to more problems.

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Scott W. Short, Rail Junkie
mailto:scott@midwestcoastercentral.com
http://www.midwestcoastercentral.com

ShiveringTim, I actually think that it was yellow train with the problem in 2000. And this year it's the red train. I don't remember it happening with any of the trains last year.

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"Meh."
Wicked twists: 7
Danger: Hgih Voltage!
*** This post was edited by Majin Heero 7/22/2002 1:19:40 PM ***
*** This post was edited by Majin Heero 7/22/2002 1:20:33 PM ***

It is the red train that I'm referring to in this thread and I have heard it as far away as Magnum - I was trying to convince a friend that she wouldn't die on it and I made her watch the car go over from near Magnum and of course that clacking scared the crap out of her (I still dragged her into the front seat and she loved it ... )
But yes it was the yellow car that was screeching the first year - I remember sitting in that 4 1/2 hour line the first day of GP admission in 2000 and cringing every time that car went up

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Steel - #1 Mantis, #2 Millie, #3 Wicked Twister
Wood - #1 Thunderbolt, #2 Villain, #3 Beast
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

Last night I was thinking about this.

Red was not grinding at all at seemed when waiting in line. I got one of the last trains out and of course to get the rest of the people in they had to send some trains empty. When red was empty it grinding like crazy for 5 seconds going over the hill.

Could having more weight in the train help push the rollback wheels down more to get better traction? Although I know it's not the main reason it could help contribute. During Millennium Mania last year there was some grinding on the Thursday when it was wet and the trains were half full.

Also over the years the rollbacks seem to drag when there is changes in elevation, which is right out of the station and on top of the lift. Last year (2001) some of the trains did have problems but they were short lived and not like red is having this year.

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