Stall On Tophat / May 24, 2005

On Coasterbuzz, someone caught on video, Dragster having a train stall on the tophat. It's very interesting, it just seems impossible, but I guess it is possible. Very cool video, has great quality, depending on which setting you choose.

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=dragster-stall

Yeah, I saw it. Very cool video. I find it hard to believe that the train could actually stop up there but it obviously can happen. I don't think it would happen with people in the train though...

It probably wouldn't. With all of the movement that would occure while the train rested at the top, would eventually cause it to go forward or backward. Preferably backward...

Actually:

This was the 3rd time it has happened since the ride was built. #1- During initial testing before it opened to riders. #2- I think it was in july of 03' during testing before taking on riders. #3 May 05' durings testing. All 3 times maintenance people had to elevator up and push it over as nothing holds it there. I saved the quicktime elapse from the webcam from the mid july one.. it shows (frame by frame) the elevator going up and the train coming down.. Pretty cool if ya think about it.. Nothing holds it there but physics!

That's really weird. I bet my friend that it would never stall at the top, it would go one way or the other... whoops. :)

P.S. Great video!

Its erie seeing that happen. That has to be the perfect combination of factors for that to happen. You'd think that maybe the wind would blow it back seeing as how that is usually a factor in rollbacks. Great video, thanks for posting it Ben (thats my real name, too! I just happen to like the Who :-))

It'd be cooler if there were riders on it, lol. 99% of them would be trying to get everyone to get it to roll backwards for a rollback. I bet the computer system freaked out becuase the train "dissappeared"...assuming there are no prox sensors on the tophat, if there are prox sensors, it probably freaked becuase the train stopped moving like that.

The computer probably did nothing. It just said that the track block is full, and wouldn't let the train in ready move forward to launch.

That is very cool.

Science is GREAT! That was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

I didn't witness the 2nd stall with actual people on it first hand, but I did hear some funny stories about the people riding it being freaked out and moving around, trying to get the train to drop. :)

It has never stalled on the tophat with people in it. All three times it has happened, it was during testing without people on it.

Yeah, if there were people on it, chances are that it will go over (or rollback) only getting stuck for like a couple of seconds. I‘ve seen it happen only a handful of times though. *** Edited 6/21/2005 8:39:45 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

CPFan420 said:

Dragster does have sensors at the top. That is how if you are the second train out when the first train crests the hill you move forward.

Are you sure? Are they the little green box things? It doesn't seem like there are any up there, I just thought the op in the booth watched to make sure the first one went over, then let the second move forward, like on Magnum...

No. There are proxy sensors up at the top.

And, I'm pretty sure Magnum moves off the transfers into the station automatically after the train in front of it is dispatched.

No, I mean when they say "ready ready" or whatever after the train clears the second hill.

I doubt it would be possible at all for the train to stall with people on it. The motion of people on it, even the slightest movement, would move the train over the hill. Also, is it possible that the sensors on the top would be able to stop the train?

I think there is a prox or a few of them on top of Dragster and that the movement of the second train is automatic. Could be wrong though.

On Magnum, the control person actually does being the train in from the readies to the station. It is not automatic. As you are dispatching the train, you let about one and a half cars go out, then pull up on the ready brake button to bring in the train from the readies. If you pull up a bit too early, it will stop again out there and you will have to pull up again. As for the dispatch point at the top of the second hill, there is no prox up there, but rather, I think there is a delay (about 6 seconds maybe?) from the time the train clears proxes at the top of the lift so it really doesn't let you dispatch prematurely.

cplover34 said:
I doubt it would be possible at all for the train to stall with people on it. The motion of people on it, even the slightest movement, would move the train over the hill. Also, is it possible that the sensors on the top would be able to stop the train?

There is no way those sensors can stop the train. They don't even touch the train let alone have the power to stop one.

Well, guess I learned something new. I thought it was all automatic, bringing the train in off the ready.

Next time someone is there, take a look at one of the dispatch enable booths. The light will flicker on the block lights each time it passes a proxy. See if it flickers at the top of the hill.