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Diamondback Construction Thread (Updated 3-19-09)


BoddaH1994
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Well, the technical reason is that on construction sites, there is often mud. When it rains or snows and the snow melts, the water often gets some mud mixed in causing muddy water, which explains the brown water in the splash down area. It really is that simple of an answer.

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Well, the technical reason is that on construction sites, there is often mud. When it rains or snows and the snow melts, the water often gets some mud mixed in causing muddy water, which explains the brown water in the splash down area. It really is that simple of an answer.

Okay. Eww muddy ice! :lol:

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Are we honestly critiquing the ride right now about having one trim brake before the fifth hill and magnetic trims at the mid course brake run? I`m positive that these trims will not hinder the overall ride experience and that most of the general public will not even notice/care. Slowing down at the mi course break run likely is part of the design to safely experience the remaining portion of the ride. Not to mention that it gives guests a little breather during the ride.

Keep in mind that this is the tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster that Kings Island has ever built. I`m positive that it will be a huge hit and have long lines for years to come, with or without trim brakes being utilized.

Come on, it's Cedar Fair. You KNOW they will use both brakes and use them to their utmost ride killing potential. The MCBR will be set up just like all the others, if not a complete stop than almost. The trim brake will be on full power too.

That said, I'm sure that Diamondback will be a great coaster, and brakes or not, I'll ride it. If they use the brakes, though, it will be the difference between having just another steel coaster and having an awesome steel coaster.

What!?! Your right CF hates speed and intense rides and that's why they built MF and TTD and that little hint of trim on Raptor just kills the ride. Not to mention the brakes on TTD really kill the speed :rolleyes: Meanstreak is a train wreck so you can't blame em for using heavy trims, which really do kill the ride. If your talking about Mav, it has more speed than needed when it exits that tunnel and personally, the turns are already a bit rough and I wouldn't really want to go through them any faster. Still, it is a bummer when you hit em so I guess I see why they dissapoint.

As far as the mid course break run on DB, notice how high the track is at that point and a pause over that ravine could really add to the ride. On Raptor, I think the MCBR really adds to the ride. It gives you a second to take in what just happened and then your off. It's become one of my favorite parts of the ride.

New topic: Kudos to the Adena guys for working so late the other night. That third hill looks amazing and they've got the downside mostly done already. I was talking to a crane operator (not working on DB) Tue and he was saying the guys that connect the steel have nerves of steel. Between the cold and the height, they have my utmost respect!

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I object to your last statement. Until you ride Diamondback, you will not know how the trim brakes impact the ride. It could be that even with the trim brakes on, that Diamondback is one of the greatest coasters in the state. Until the ride is open and you`ve ridden it, its hard to say what impact the trims may or may not have on the overall ride experience.

I'll always give it a chance. However, I hate trim brakes. If they use them at all, in my opinion, it is too much. If you ride a coaster enough times, usually you can catch a trimless ride. Take SOB for example. It is possible to get through the midcourse without brakes. Look how much better the second half of the ride is without it. Diamondback, at least in my mind, will be the exact same way.

74Gibson, you picked about the only two coasters at Cedar Point that do not have trims. I do blame them for using heavy trims on Mean Streak. Don't forget about Gemini and Magnum XL200 either. They both have them. Look at Kings Island. There are only three coasters there that do not have trims. Even The Beastie has a trim.

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It seems people need to take their gravy soaked enthusiast hats off and look at the entire point of trims from an engineering and safety perspective.

These rides are designed to be within tolerances of less than an inch... that includes all aspects of manufacturing, construction, and most importantly, ride dynamics. B&M in particular pay extra attention to these forces experienced by the rider. Obviously we all know the speed of the ride can vary vastly depending on several factors (wind speed, ambient temp, weight of train, etc.). This variation in speed can exponentially change the forces experienced by not only the rider, but the coaster's entire structure. In order to ensure that all forces experienced are within original design parameters, trims are applied along various parts of the track to keep the train within the design's factor of safety. On the newer coasters, the ride operator does not decide to run the trims, the coaster's PLC makes that decision based on speed sensors placed throughout the track.

As for the argument of the magnetic brakes... yes they are always 'on', however, they do not apply a constant deceleration force every time. Magnetic brakes are dynamic, meaning that the braking phenomenon created by what are called Eddy currents varies depending on the speed of the train. Slower the train travels, the less resistance there is. Faster the train travels, the greater the braking force. The efficiency of the magnetic brakes can be altered by varying the strength of the magnets being used, or by simply increasing the open distance between them. This is just another clever way engineers keep the ride within its design limits.

The #1 goal for parks is to ensure the safety of the general public, not to please fanboys.

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^ The point was that they have proven that they like their rides to be as fast as possible. I believe that they use trims appropriately. Meanstreak would probably fall apart or be so rough it would break people's backs without trims, so I am glad they use them even though it kills the ride experience. See my point?

You obviously see no value in trims breaks "if they use them at all, in my opinion, it's too much." That's nearsighted because there are reasons for trim breaks (that's why I made the joke about TTD's breaks), even though they may seem to take away from the ride experience. Again, I hate the trims after the tunnel on Mav but I'm sure they're necessary. Remember the heartline roll? By the way, I am familiar with CP's rides and where all the trims are so don't assume I spoke in ignorence. I simply spoke on rides that proved my point.

All this debate is working up a major appetite for some DB airtime! I'm thinking the 2nd and 3rd hills are going to be amazing! The ravine, lateral g's, airtime,wow!

EDIT: Aaron posted while I was typing and made the point more eloquently. Thanks!

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^ Very well put.

I am a fan boy but there are also a number of rides I could not ride if they were not trimmed or have a heavy MCBR to kill speed. Short list, Texas Giant, Mean Streak, Titan, Vortex, Drachen Fire, SoB, Incredible Hulk, Dominator, and the list goes on.

I dont understand the thought that trims and MCBR's kill rides. They are intended to make the ride as safe as possible by limiting the g's your body experiences. After all the majority of coaster ridders are not astronauts or figher pilots, so their bodies cannot take excessive g's at high speeds for long durations.

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And remember that trim brakes might slow the train down, but that also means that it will take longer for the train to complete the course. This means that you will be on the ride a longer amount of time and be able to experience the ride an extra fifteen to thirty second longer depending on the trims (like FoF with and without the mid course brakes). If you`ve waited in line for an hour or two, that extra amount of time makes the wait all the more worth it.

I know that I am personally glad whenever I ride Son of Beast that the mid course brakes are on as hard as they are. While the second half of the ride is smoother than the rose bowl, it can still produce some roughness, and I`d rather take it at slower speeds than faster speeds.

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Ohhh! Ohh! I got an Idea!

How about we wait for the first few seasons to see how they use the trim, THEN judge whether they did well or not!

Jackson, Dodging the Tomatos and BOOS.......

If we get the chance to see it run both ways, perfect!!

CoastersRZ, that is just the difference between us I suppose. I like the faster ride without the brakes. I'm not going to go into the engineering calculations for ride dynamics and safety that Aaron elluded to (although I could), I just try to enjoy the ride. I know for me, it is a thrill to go into SOB's midcourse and sail right through. That's why Voyage is my favorite.

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It seems that if we stayed on topic, this thread would not be 208 pages long. :)

It also seems that this thread has lost its original appeal and purpose, much like many, many others. I have taken to asking people over AIM if there are DB updates, because any update will certainly get lost in a thread like this while everyone here is bickering for pages and pages about something completely irrelevant.

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CoastersRZ, that is just the difference between us I suppose. I like the faster ride without the brakes. I'm not going to go into the engineering calculations for ride dynamics and safety that Aaron elluded to (although I could), I just try to enjoy the ride. I know for me, it is a thrill to go into SOB's midcourse and sail right through. That's why Voyage is my favorite.

While I do enjoy a faster ride, and The Voyage is definitely my favorite wood coaster, I know the vast majority of people do not care to be beaten to living hell. While The Voyage is one helluva experience, it is definitely not a very re-ride friendly coaster to the majority of the GP. You could ride a B&M all day without feeling any strain on your body, when on the other hand it feels as if someone took a sledgehammer to your head after 3 straight rides on The Voyage.

I'm glad you understand all the engineering and math involved in designing one of these rides. Sometimes I enjoy the engineering aspect of the ride almost as much as actually riding it! That (fun) engineering stuff is how I make my living. ;)

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The 3rd hill is done.

You'd think something like that would be noticed......

Yes it is done and it looks great. Im surprised at how high it looks because it sits out of the valley. Really the skyline is never going to be the same again.

~RailRider trying his best to get back on the topic of DB construction

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