Weatherproof?

Didn't a tornado take down part of SOB down at PKI while it was still under construction? I swear I remember hearing something on the news about it.

About WT breaking if it didn't sway, I'm not buying it. Xcellerator has a major sway as the train crests the top of the ride but I doubt that TTD (which has supports "all the way up to the top") is going to snap due to it's lack of "swayability".

Ummm, actually WT's towers are not as safe as you think the rear tower is not ment for what it is and every night it had to be welded but for this year I bet it has been fixed, hopefully

-Doug-
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I am a Mechanical Engineering major not an english major so pardon my horrible grammer

Very funny click Here
Refinedmadness.com

Every night it had to be welded? Are you reading what your writing? "Lets design a ride, and then hire more men to come out and weld WT every night because we're too lazy to build it right." Yeah, sounds like a plan...and I dont understand why people always ask "Is this safe?", "Is that safe?" Just assume from now on that amusement parks are only in business to kill innocent people at their parks, and they really dont care about making a ride safe. Then you wont ask any more of those dumb questions, because chances are if your dumb enough to think a ride isnt safe, i probably dont want you on the ride with me. "not ment for what it is", what the heck does that mean? I know there are a lot of intelligent people that logon to this website every day, and to discuss questions like "is this safe" wastes my time and yours.

The support Structure on WT is very safe. have you ever been in a skyscraper in a wind storm? skyscrapers can sway inches everyday for the same reason. if it doesn't it would break. same goes for bridges and other Engineered structures.

The towers on Wicked Twister ARE designed to sway a few inches. You just have to trust the guys at Intamin. Why do you think all the impulses including S:UE have supports like that? Because its the right way to build that coaster. Can you snap a stick? Yes, because its stiff and won't absorb the force. Can you snap a long rubber eraser? No, because it would just sway back.

Sorry, my attempts to state this theory haven't been to easy. Read a book on physics and you'll know why wobbly towers are better than stiff ones.

Hold on, there, steelrider33, it turns out Doug is correct in his facts, if not his analysis. The cross-braces in the box track were (at least partially) replaced. Here's a good explanation:

http://www.guidetothepoint.com/cpplace.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=8577

Yes, both the front and back spikes were worked on at night for a very long time (possibly more than 2-3 months). Ask many of the employees that work over there. Many people on this board also saw them welding the new cross-braces on. The spikes, when compares to the box track itself used to shake around 1-2 feet in either direction. Because of the larger cross-braces, I think that the sway has been cut down to less than this.

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What is most anticipated event of 2003? the debut of Dragster, the release of Metallica's new album, the release of Terminator 3, or the release of Matrix:Reloaded...tough call.

I saw the welding when i stayed at the point. It was intresting watching that.

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- Dennis
NYC Subways, The next best thing to riding roller coasters.

One of the things to realise about Wicked Twister's towers is that there is not a lot of load on them, even when the train is up the tower.

The majority of the twist-inducing force occurs before the train leaves the top of the A-Frame supports. Once a particular seat has started to twist, there is not a lot of force acting on it (at least not compared to when the train is going through the 90 degree pullout). The simplest proof of this is that there is not a lot of force acting the rider when he/she is up the tower either - basically the whole train is in "freefall" (apart from some small rotational forces).

Getting back to the tornado thing, I think it would be hard to guess how well a particular ride might or might not withstand a "good" tornado. The biggest problem is most likely to be debris, rather than windspeed.

I thought that there was a "devastating" tornado at CP sometime in the early 1900's - I think I saw this mentioned in the CP museum....

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Steve

"Will all those who expressed disappointment at the new ride please leave the park now"

Thank you brian for backing me up.

-Doug-
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I am a Mechanical Engineering major not an english major so pardon my horrible grammer

Very funny click Here
Refinedmadness.com

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Eric609 said:
The support Structure on WT is very safe. have you ever been in a skyscraper in a wind storm? skyscrapers can sway inches everyday for the same reason. if it doesn't it would break. same goes for bridges and other Engineered structures.

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The Sears Tower in Chicago sways 8 feet in all directions depending on the wind.

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A troika is a sled pulled by three teams of horses.

...so much that the water in the toilets slosh back and forth on the top floors.

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What is most anticipated event of 2003? the debut of Dragster, the release of Metallica's new album, the release of Terminator 3, or the release of Matrix:Reloaded...tough call.

All physics jargon aside, the fact is that objects in motion want to stay in motion. What does your body feel when the train stops/reverses direction at the top? Yes, the supports absorb the imediate forces of the twist, but what about when the twist changes direction? Where is the train at that point?

Also, I'd like to point out that non-tempered steel posseses quite a bit of inherent flexibility. However, steel that has been rapidly heated/cooled is extremely brittle. This is the environment of welding of any type. So, it's good that the steel has the ability to flex. Otherwise, the welds would "all" break.

The "wooden stick" theory? I have never seen a carpenter mount a roof truss without adding some sort of support. You don't just pound a few nails in at the bottom and expect the truss to stand there. You have to anchor it at the top somewhere. Otherwise, it will break! Especially if you're standing on it.

Where are these "physics" courses being offered? Hopefully, not at the school I'm sending my children to.