TTD launch run

This can happen to Dragster too, Its the just about the same thing as Ka except were like a few stories taller and a few miles faster but got OSTR's. Both rides have the same type of launch system, this is a fairly new design so there are some things that still gotta be fixed! I still find it odd how Storm Runner has NONE of these problems!

P.S.

Does dragster have breaks on the tophat?
*** Edited 10/10/2005 11:17:53 PM UTC by KingdaKaBoy1114***

Nope.

TTD had a more serious incident that Kingda Ka did the year it opened. It happened just over a month before the season started.

March 27th there is a picture of the gold train at the end of the launch track. The next account I had was on April 1st, the gold train was gone. As a result of the incident, a car was taken off of each train. The gold train arrived for the second time sometime between when the cable snapped and the tire fell off and when the first servo valve seized starting the charade of downtime in June.

It ran with 6 trains for a very short period of time. They quickly realized how much worse capacity got when the train would sit at launch for a while waiting for the trains to move forward. With 5 trains on, the train stops at launch and is immediatly cleared. With 6 trains, at the time only one train could move at a time. When load 1 stopped at launch, load 2 would start moving to transfer, then unload 1 would move to load 1 and so on. At least with 5 trains, they could move as soon as the block in front of them was clear. It didn't matter to the train at launch, it could go as soon as it stopped. The problem with 5 trains at first what it would ghost a 6th train. That was quickly fixed.

Point Buzz topic from back then with ghosting issues.
http://www.pointbuzz.com/cpplace.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=11927

Yes that is what i meant by the train being up it allows it to move side to side. And yes it can happen to any rocket coaster out there. It is all about preventable maintnance.

That's Preventative Maintenance, Mr Arms _ down. It's actually several programs used widely in the manufacturing world on all things mechanical. The meaning is the same as what you said, though.

I wasn't "nit picking", just pointing out that there is actually an industry standard term for the very thought you displayed.

MrScott

arms_down said:
Yes that is what i meant by the train being up it allows it to move side to side. And yes it can happen to any rocket coaster out there. It is all about preventable maintnance.

The problem was TTD had it's accident on one of the first few runs it went through. Nothing maintenance to the ride could have prevented. Kingda Ka hasn't had enough wear and tear to allow the trains to move laterally. The trains don't move more then a couple cm at most in the lateral direction even when subjected to 1+ lateral g's. This is far more lateral force than the launch track can produce.

Our guys called your guys when Ka went down but did you guys call us at GADV when TTD went down? Lol

No, because our guys don't need help!:)lol

Last summer Kingdaka had a major problem at the launch. The launch car was staged and the train moved forward to the staging area. The train settled back into the launch car and the launch was initiated. The launch car and train proceeded down the launch area approaching 124 MPH. Near the end of the runout there is a long set of brake fins under the track and inside the launch cars run trough. The magnetic brakes that are mounted under the launch car run through/over these fins and de-accelerate the launch car very very quickly (along with the whole hydraulic drive system ramping down quickly).

This is where the problem started, there was a glitch in the hydraulics or the computer program that told the launch car to continue accelerating at nearly full power. the launch car did not slow down - it proceeded out the end of its run trough (this thing weighs maybe 4 or 5 tons) at full power and through all the stops - it eventually lodged out through the end and partially up on the run track on top of the track cross braces.

Problem 2: the train does not make the top - it slows to a stop and proceeds backwards - guess whats waiting - the launch car is partially on top of the track and has caused enough damage to have metal pieaces and parts in the way - ahhhhhhhhh - whole new train.

The launch usually is not initiated with any of the fins up - this causes undo work on the hydraulics and may reduce speed slightly. The computer should know this and not allow launch. The top fins are only for brake purposes during a roll back, thats all.

Was this that big accident, or something else? This sounds similar(and just as serious) but different from other peoples descriptions.

I don't know of "that big accident" all I know is what rumor was relayed to me of the ride during testing.

Oh I see.

Sounds simular to what happened to Top Thrill Dragster in March of 2003.

I guess it knocked the sunshine out of the yellow train...

^Look at that! Something that has left us guessing for so long has just been given. :)

I know Kingda Ka had a big incident with the cable before it opened which sounds like what Jim Hancock is talking about. The "big accident" had a something to do with the bolts being the wrong size along the launch track (that's all I know). This information directly came from Six Flags soon after the ride opened back up.

The bolt thing does not suprise me, but I had not heard that.

There have been a lot of issues with in the launch area. Remember your trying to accelerate a 5 or 6 ton launch car and a loaded train that weighs maybe 12 tons loaded. (average 170 lb. per rider) to maximum speed very quickly - thats asking the drive system to do a lot - very quickly.

The launch car trough has a poly liner mounted within the casing - the launch car has brass wear shoes the slide along this poly liner at a very high speed, this, along with all the air cylinders (dual spring powered up) - air valves and mufflers for each cylinder - sliding surfaces for the brake fin brackets - brake fins themselves - tension wheel on the launch end of the cable - all these moving parts have sensors and switches that monitor location - plus the launch car and all its parts - capped off with switches and sensors that monitor part location - all this adds up to lot of things to watch and repair.

When the train is launched on TTD and clears the hill does anyone have a picture of the sensor at the top of the hill that lets the next train waiting to be launched move forward?? Does that make sense?

http://www.rcdb.com/ig1896.htm?picture=44

It's very small in this picture, but look at the top of the track just under the yellow front bumper....the sensor is the small light green thing.

The sensor looks just like the others spread around the station and stage area.

http://www.cedarpoint.com/_upload/images/ride03_pics/constthumb/th_Construction144.jpg

There are two of them up there one is on the drop side and one on the up side it is there to let the computer know if it cleared or rolled back.

ok, Thanks