Whats wrong with Dragster?

Methinks you forget about the difficulty inherent with launching a train. Or with maintaining block integrity with trains moving at 100 MPH.

The progress of the train is measured down the launch track because the launch speed profile is critical, and is greatly affected by the (random) train mass. Also, remember that the original programming involved raising each brake fin as the train passed, because having the brake fins up is the primary protection for the train sitting on the holding brake. Sure, the speed of the winding drum can be measured, but that does not always equate to the train position.

If you are launching a train, every launch is different, so it is necessary to track the train as it launches. Dragster happens to use prox switches to do that, because some of the other technologies (such as the range finder on Flight of Fear or the timing comb on Wicked Twister) are not practical with Dragster's location, design, and speed.

In the station, the forest of switches are because again the train progress is critical, because the system is designed to allow trains to move very close to each other. This means that instead of having simple check-in and check-out switches, the blocks are broken up into smaller pieces so that the trains can run almost nose to tail and move simultaneously. If Dragster had three trains instead of six, or if it used more conventional headways in the station, this would not be necessary.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Now questions with this though. Isn't the train's weight measured with launch, as I was informed it used data from the past three launches+current wind speeds, ect. to launch the train. I can see every launch being different, that's completely understandable

Also if it needs to put the brakes up after the train has passed, why must it be as soon as it passes, why can't it clear the brake run, and then go up, or even in sections. The integrity of the block can be maintained with I would believe even a quarter of the amount of proxies you see on the track.

Lastly, yes they move trains simultaneously, but they don't move as a pair, one starts then the next, Intamins don't do dual moves to my knowledge anymore, so why must it be tracked so precisely when you know that the front train is "here", and not the second train, as it's counting the individual cars as they pass correct? If this being the case again must it be tracked that extremely close, the sensors are right on top of eachother, then the redundancy kicks in and there's two sets to rule out a discrepancy.

Like I said, bit exessive, some things I understand the rides have to be right in that spot say the launch position, it has to be in the right spot to drop the dog and get ready to launch the train, that area makes sense, however 400m out I don't see it as necessary to be the same as launch/prelaunch positions

Speaking of the block system/prox sensors, didn't Dragster originally open with the idea that the blocks would be "moving blocks" thus allowing multi-train movement all at once?

I believe that's what Dave's last paragraph covered.

Yeah that's the thing, it doesn't do dual moves, they move one train & then the next, which is why I don't understand why that many proxies are needed.

thedevariouseffect said:
Also if it needs to put the brakes up after the train has passed, why must it be as soon as it passes...

Perhaps because as the train travels down the launch section, its velocity increases, meaning it will take longer to stop the train (and thus need as many brake fins as possible) in the event of a failed launch.

thedevariouseffect said:
Isn't the train's weight measured with launch,

No

Doesn't Maverick do dual moves the way Dragster was originally intended to work? At least the two trains on Maverick are much closer together when they move.

...the system is designed to allow trains to move very close to each other.

Indeed. My roommate that worked the ride in 2005 told me that the ride was designed to move trains much faster and in pairs. It was also designed to run six trains at a time, but we all know how that worked out.

In this thread, wannabe systems engineers. I know guys, let's replace the launch system with a giant rubber band so we don't have to deal with all the complexity.