Steel Vengeance

A non-functioning MCBR would align with what we’ve seen this past season. I have a hard time believing it was just a matter of programming the MCBR to function, but it would also blow my mind to know that the MCBR wasnt designed tall enough to let the train complete the course. Guess we’ll find out.

I don't think they would design it so that the MCBR wouldn't be able to get trains back to the station. That would be an epic engineering fail. With computers and advanced technology these days, there's really no way that can happen. I just think the bump and getting 3 trains running took priority over getting the MCBR to work during this season.

Think about what you just said... Of course it was designed to allow the train to make it back to the station from a complete stop on the MCBR. But mistakes happen, plain and simple. Not saying this is definitely the case here but to say not no way, not no how is just wrong.

I agree, Shane. Yes, it is 2018 and technology has advanced so much since the earlier attractions, but our expectations for technology I feel are still too high. Mistakes happen, trains valley during testing, and alterations are usually made to prevent it.

Intamin has proven this point time and time again. Reprofile I-305’s turn and hill, remove Maverick’s heartline roll, updated/additional supports on Xcelerator & Impulse coasters, Shoot the Rapids boats first being to big to be able navigate the course and then not being able to float when seated at capacity after being redesigned all come to mind...

What’s this chatter about rolling block brakes? What does that mean? Something to do with why the MCBR is so long?

Issues with the train making it back from a stop at the midcourse seems like the most logical explanation for what we saw near the end of the season in that even once they had three trains going, they never stopped a train at the midcourse even in testing. Also, the slowed lift and waiting extra time to dispatch the train from the station and the speeding of the lift once the previous train cleared the main brake at the end of the ride. I'm hoping the rumor is true and it will truly be fixed rather than leaving it as it was and calling it "good enough." The ride is insanely good and I'm sure it's going to remain popular so the extra capacity is important. I do agree it's crazy that the ride can be engineered so perfectly, but seemingly have an engineering miss on something so simple.

I'm not sure what "rolling block brakes" means or where it was talked about. My guess is that it would be in the area of the station and the block behind it, allowing the trains to move close together and in sync. As best as I could tell, the ride didn't have anything like that in place. The train would be completely out of the station before the next one began to move in. Having an extra block or two in there (or rolling blocks) so the train could start into the station sooner would be helpful, but it also introduces extra complexity to the system. You have to be able to stop the train and get it rolling again from more places along that stretch of track. I've seen MF get stuck and require a push if the train is stopped at just the wrong spot. We saw it on the Steel Vengeance brake run too early on.

With the year ending, I can't help but reflect on one of my most exciting things of 2018... Steel Vengeance (and a new Paul Simon album, #InTheBlueLight ).

I've posted this here before, but I still feel very glad I filmed inside the SV loading station two weeks before the cell phone ban (especially with Chess dispatching and her vocal sounding like Sandy Cheeks). Anybody else record in the SV line / station?

My favorite saying from one of the 3 characters (can’t remember if it’s Blackjack or Digger) is “This ain’t The Mine Ride...”

TT was testing out pouches for phones and loose articles, I'm thinking we may see that on SV next season so phones could be allowed back in line.

Someone send in a drone to investigate. ;)

Thabto said:

TT was testing out pouches for phones and loose articles, I'm thinking we may see that on SV next season so phones could be allowed back in line.

I sincerely hope. The year is 2018; to expect people at a place of recreation to not only not have their phones while doing nothing for 2+ hours is something that really shouldn't be happening.

MDOmnis said:

I'm not sure what "rolling block brakes" means or where it was talked about.

Rolling blocks is the technical term (I think) for the ability for a train to start entering the station before the departing one has exited, which can be accomplished by dividing the station into two or more blocks.

For example, the simplest possible rolling blocks type setup would allow the waiting train to start advancing once the rear of the departing train is past the halfway point of the station.

Oh, we call that “multi-move”. Millennium trains have the ability to occupy 2 blocks at a time hence why all of the trains move at the same time. Whereas Rougarou waits for the train in the station to completely exit before advancing.