Speed of Ride

+400 height, +100mph just ain't gonna happen.

Not yet, anyway. IMO.

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

Yay! My physics class can finally come into play :)

Assuming no air resistance, no friction, height of 420 feet (128.016 m), ground level launch, and final velocity of 0 m/s, we can use the following acceleration/displacement equation to find the speed needed to reach the top:

vf^2=vi^2 + 2ad, where vf=final velocity (0 m/s), vi=initial velocity (unknown), a=g (acceleration due to gravity)=9.8 m/s/s, and d=displacement (420 feet, or 128.016 m)

So we get:
0^2 = vi^2 + 2(-9.8)(128.016)

0 squared = 0, and 2 x -9.8 x 128.016 = -2509.1136, so:

0 = vi^2 - 2509.1136

Add 2509.1136 to get vi^2 by itself, so:

2509.1136 = vi^2

Solve for vi by finding the square root of 2509.1136, so:

50.097 = vi (m/s)

This is in meters per second, so convert to mph so dumb Americans can understand:

112.05 mph.

This confirms jdoty's post... 112.05 mph minimum to reach the top of a 420 foot tall top hat.

PHYSICS=PHUN

Edit: I'm slow... Mox also came up with an equation in the time I took to finish mine :)

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
Cedar Point FanBoy since 2001. || Cruiser Boy since 2002.
"Pessimistic people are the happiest people on the planet. They're either right or pleasantly surprised."
*** This post was edited by MiLLeNNiuMRiDeR 10/13/2002 8:53:49 PM ***

But what about what you ASSUMED? NO RESISTANCE?!? NO FRICTION?!?

You be daft, Man!

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

112 mph with no resistance and no friction, I would say about 120 mph would get it done.

Well I think all three equation posts gave a final velocity of 0 mph or m/s. Obviously, if a train reaches 0 mph at the peak of the top hat, it's going to roll back. The 112 MPH estimate is the absolute minimum to reach the top.

Once air resistance and friction are thrown in, I'm sure a 120+ MPH launch isn't out of the question (or Draegs' 117 MPH)

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
Cedar Point FanBoy since 2001. || Cruiser Boy since 2002.
"Pessimistic people are the happiest people on the planet. They're either right or pleasantly surprised."

I would think you would want about 4-7 mph at the top of the top hat, not to slow and not to fast, just perfect.

I stand by my 80-90 mph prediction. 100 mph is not (safely) "do able" yet.

Soon. Very soon. Like in a year or 2...:D

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

What are you talking about, Superman the Escape goes 100 mph and Dondopa or what ever is the name, goes 107 mph, so I think it's time for CP to break into the 100 mph zone.

Well Xcelerator was tested at 117 MPH (hmmm...), and although XL wasn't designed for that speed, the launch worked fine for her.

And 100 mph isn't safely do-able yet? Tell that to SFMM and S:TE, and Fujikyu's Dodonpa.

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
Cedar Point FanBoy since 2001. || Cruiser Boy since 2002.
"Pessimistic people are the happiest people on the planet. They're either right or pleasantly surprised."

100 mph isn't much faster than MF at 93 mph

it's perfectly "do able" and i think it will be done perfectly.

Also, by using the same equation i used earlier, and substituting 90mph in for speed, and put a ? for Y, i figured out that the tower would only be 267.75 ft tall, requiring it to have to top off within the next 75 feet or so

v^2 = Vo^2 + 2a(Yo-Y)

40^2 = 0^2 =2(9.8)(Yo-0)

1600 = 19.6(Yo)

81.63 m = Y >>>267.75 ft

Dodonpa, as said above, goes 107 mph. They have a GP over in Japan so what's not "do able" about it?

One of the reasons we are thinking 400+ feet is because the people "in the know" haven't shot it down. In fact, quite the contrary.

If you are militant about claiming that it won't exceed 100 mph, then you might as well claim it to be a reverse free-fall. :)

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June 28th: LocoBazooka Tour (Sevendust headlining)
July 11th: Korn, Puddle of Mudd, and Deadsy
*** This post was edited by CP_bound 10/13/2002 11:39:06 PM ***

Dont forget that Xcelerator hit's it's brakes at about 67 MPH, and CP has about 4 times the brake track.

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House of Tomorrow: Only technology makes live worth living

Physics party! Excellent...

Those equations are all OK to use, however...

You have to consider a few things. The initial height is not 0. In fact, Jeff has hinted at an initial height (end of launch track and point of top speed) of as much as 50 or 60 feet. So that takes the necessary speed down a little bit. Of course, you also have to consider the final velocity (at the top of the top hat), which would not be 0 (as MillenniumRider has pointed out), but instead maybe 5-10 mph(?). This will bring the necessary speed up a bit. The final thing, as has been mentioned, is that you have friction and air resistance that will slow the train down, and bring the speed up a tad more.

Also, it is possible that the top speed won't be the launch speed, but rather the pullout speed. This would be the case if the pullout was at a lower height than the pullup.

By the way, whoever used conservation of energy - kudos! I haven't seen anyone use that concept yet with this new coaster. :)

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AP Physics II is where it's at!
Wicked twists: 10
Danger: Hgih Voltage!

See the annual "Physics Day" in mid-May does pay off!

It will be a mad house next year...

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June 28th: LocoBazooka Tour (Sevendust headlining)
July 11th: Korn, Puddle of Mudd, and Deadsy

Actually I just learned this acceleration stuff in the past week or two. The only reason I'm doing good in it right now is that I can connect it with my love of coasters :)

And yes, Physics Day will be a mad house... There's a bunch of CP virgins in my Physics class :) I'll show them how to do the Point ;)

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
Cedar Point FanBoy since 2001. || Cruiser Boy since 2002.
"Pessimistic people are the happiest people on the planet. They're either right or pleasantly surprised."