Jump to content

SOB to reopen


Vortex
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 348
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

There are two main routes here:

1) Keep the loop. Adjust the rolling stock (is this really possible?) and/or retrack the coaster-more. Is this a logical decision if it will need to be done year in and year out? It would cost less than removing the loop and retrofitting regular track in its place, but the cost of retracking would be expensive in the long run.

2) Remove the loop. Put a magnetic trim or two on the 218 ft. main hill and get the train to just gracefully crest the pre-helix hill. Decrease the train's velocity, and you have a smaller force on the track on the bottom of the hill. Remember our favourite equations: PE=mgh, KE=1/2mv^2, F=ma and F=m*v^2/r. Removing some of that energy in the train means lower velocity through the rest of the ride (come now, we've all seen that snap-action deceleration during the brake run at the end of the ride) and lower forces on the track. Lower forces mean less wear and tear on the track, and a drastically reduced jackhammering effect (which is the only thing that keeps me from riding again and again and again). The only disadvantage here would be that removing the loop and rerouting the track (remember, the track into the loop doesn't line up with the track coming out of the loop) would cost a good sum of money and would likely take more than just a few weeks to complete. However, you end up retracking fewer times and have a greatly improved rider experience.

I say take the loop out, reroute the track and get more comfortable trains. It won't be a slim check to write, but I think re-ridership will greatly increase and people will walk off the ride much happier. It would be worth the investment...and yes, it WOULD be an investment!!!

Albeit, this all comes from a second-year Mechanical Engineering student...I don't know anything compared to the people who make the actual decisions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jr. High speculation?? Maybe you should wait until you are around on the board more than 1 post before you start judging people. Many people on this board have been around/worked for theme parks for 20 or 30 years. There are quite a few people on here who know exactly what they are talking about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you look at Schman's picture from the corner of GWL St. and Columbia Rd., the top of the loop *should* be straight down from a little to the right of the top of Vortex's second hill. After looking at SEVERAL pictures of the ride, it appears that the loop is just a hair shorter than the block before it. (Does anyone have a really good comparison picture? One from the station would be fantastic.) From Schman's picture, the top of the loop either should have shown up in the picture just barely above the tree line, or it DID at one point and the loop is gone. Or maybe the loop is shorter than I think, it's still there, and the top is just below the tree line.

Red circle is where the loop is or should be. The very center of the circle is where the top of the loop should be or exists just below that point. Sue me for infringing on the copyright of the picture.

IPB Image

It's just speculation. But of course, there are a few people here who are apparently allergic to it, so I won't ramble on for too long.

I'm going back to school (UC) for the Xavier game Wednesday and will take a few peeks for myself on the way down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2) Remove the loop. Put a magnetic trim or two on the 218 ft. main hill and get the train to just gracefully crest the pre-helix hill. Decrease the train's velocity, and you have a smaller force on the track on the bottom of the hill. Remember our favourite equations: PE=mgh, KE=1/2mv^2, F=ma and F=m*v^2/r. Removing some of that energy in the train means lower velocity through the rest of the ride (come now, we've all seen that snap-action deceleration during the brake run at the end of the ride) and lower forces on the track. Lower forces mean less wear and tear on the track, and a drastically reduced jackhammering effect (which is the only thing that keeps me from riding again and again and again). The only disadvantage here would be that removing the loop and rerouting the track (remember, the track into the loop doesn't line up with the track coming out of the loop) would cost a good sum of money and would likely take more than just a few weeks to complete. However, you end up retracking fewer times and have a greatly improved rider experience.

Trimming the coaster pre-loop makes sense; reduce the speed, reduce the forces, produce a more comfortable ride. However, this does not necessitate the removal of the loop. The ride was designed in such a way that the train would be able to complete the course after having been stopped at the mid-course brake run. No matter how much the ride is trimmed pre-loop, it will finish the course. Trimming immediately after the mid-course brake run and before the loop may cause need for removal, but why do this? Son of Beast is fine on the straight drops and in the loop. Just trim the ride after the loop, and keep the one good characteristic of the ride in tact.

Tyler, have a great time at the Xavier game! I wanted to get some friends together to go, but students can only get one ticket! And whats the point of going if you sit across the court!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finaly someone mentions the mid course brake run. Which leads up to the fact that removal of the loop is not a necessity for the train to complete the circuit, because the train can come to a complete stop through the mid course brakes and still make the remainder of the circuit.

So the only necessary reasson to remove the loop would be for new coaster trains that were unable to negotiate the loop. Now think about this. You are relying on new coaster trains to create a smoother ride, but if the ride is not drastically improved by these trains then what do you have? A bigger rougher version of Mean Streak with no loop. Thats not an improvement and it would surely spell the end of SoB.

Once again the true improvements needed for SoB are coasters trains that are lighter, dont shuffel and can negotiate the loop. Along with retracking the rough areas and either redesigning or reconstructing the support and track sections that are the roughest.

SoB's roughness does not come from its design or engineering, but instead from its construction and the trains designed to navigate its twisted rails. Hence the need for a new set of trains and rebuilding of various areas of the track and structure. The best example to show that the support structure has some issues is the fact that retracking has not led to a smoother ride. Instead the retracking is a quick fix but eventually the support structure makes the ride rough again. Also look at the support structure finally failing and breaking. I think the signs point to the support structure as needing the biggest fix not the loop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, back in February I was on Columbia Road looking at the Greal Wolf construction, up by where the road dead-ended into the service gate. That is approximately where the new intersection is. I took a photo of SOB from there, and no loop was visible. I don't remember ever being able to see the loop from outside the park, except for a few places in the North end of the parking lot.

IPB Image

IPB Image

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just one that is taken out of context, or that someone who hit the send button faster than me has taken offense to.

Neither one is right. Carry on.

You may want to establish yourself here before you start telling people what is right or wrong and telling people what to do and insulting people. You'll find we're all pretty nice here at PKICentral, but from your two posts so far, it appears your attitude is more suited to PointBuzz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trimming the coaster pre-loop makes sense; reduce the speed, reduce the forces, produce a more comfortable ride. However, this does not necessitate the removal of the loop. The ride was designed in such a way that the train would be able to complete the course after having been stopped at the mid-course brake run. No matter how much the ride is trimmed pre-loop, it will finish the course.

I thought about this a little while after I made the post, and realized how much of an idiot I probably made of myself. My main issue is with the first helix (and surprise, that's where a problem occurred) and its jackhammering. If trims were put on the hill and the velocity of the first half of the ride was decreased, it'd be MUCH more comfortable to ride. As for removal of the loop, that was more of an idiotic statement. If the block stopped the train, yeah, it would still clear the loop. Here's some wishful thinking: remove the block, reprofile that part, put a bunny dip in and remove the loop. Slow the ride down and it'd be a much more comfortable wooden hypercoaster.

Violating more copyrights...

IPB Image

IPB Image

If you compare the pictures, could that red ellipse be representative of the loop? There's a slight curve in the original picture that looks like it could be the top of the loop. It's just a shim lower than the blocks, so that may be it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No that’s Ronny, he thinks he has Beast like qualities and can blend in. I guess he’s been working to long with Sonny’s father.

carry-on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...