The Smiler - Construction Discussion

[tigzie1]

I'm loving the "Trick Track" installed today, the lift hill is going to scare so many people!

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

[Owen]

I'm loving the "Trick Track" installed today, the lift hill is going to scare so many people!

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

Where did you hear this? 

[tigzie1]

Ockhams razor everyone! Shave away the unlikely and what remains is likely to be the truth.

The park has problems with noise, eddy current braking is silent.

Vertical lifts are notorious for being difficult to evacuate, this means the ride wouldn't be evacuated on the vertical.

People commented on the length of the pre lift brake run, this means it can accommodate one train plus maybe another.

There doesn't look to be any mechanism for the chain to retract enabling a drop, gerstlauer chains are already adapted for pulling trains up vertical inclines, adapting them further would make it more unreliable.

Other coasters already use this system, sky loops etc

People are looking too hard for the secret element.

It will either be in the tunnel or with the trains, we don't need to invent a new element (which was already don't on the vekoma giant inverted boomerang) in order to sate everyone's thirst.

Don't get your hopes up on the secret element. Savour the coaster without it, I hardly think it can be much improved upon, secret element notwithstanding.

I know for CERTIAN that the Lift hill if it brakes down WILL be evacuated from vertical. I know this because training is an E-Vac from a vertical lift hill. Secondly the amount of braking systems at the bottom (Before the hill and the fins on the hill to slow it down) point to an SE here.

[Capt.Barnacles]

Can't be. They're holding back revealing the Secret Element until opening day. They won't put it in plain sight and let people guess. And knowing Alton it won't be as simple as that or easy to guess.

[Shangalaing]

I'm loving the "Trick Track" installed today, the lift hill is going to scare so many people!

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

If they wanted it to drop, the fins wouldn't be all the way up the hill, slowing it down before it gathered speed. Therefor anti rollback. (Or pozi-rollback...)

[Rollercoasters4Life]

I'm loving the "Trick Track" installed today, the lift hill is going to scare so many people!

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

You speak as if it is the truth. It is not!

[Owen]

Ockhams razor everyone! Shave away the unlikely and what remains is likely to be the truth.

The park has problems with noise, eddy current braking is silent.

Vertical lifts are notorious for being difficult to evacuate, this means the ride wouldn't be evacuated on the vertical.

People commented on the length of the pre lift brake run, this means it can accommodate one train plus maybe another.

There doesn't look to be any mechanism for the chain to retract enabling a drop, gerstlauer chains are already adapted for pulling trains up vertical inclines, adapting them further would make it more unreliable.

Other coasters already use this system, sky loops etc

People are looking too hard for the secret element.

It will either be in the tunnel or with the trains, we don't need to invent a new element (which was already don't on the vekoma giant inverted boomerang) in order to sate everyone's thirst.

Don't get your hopes up on the secret element. Savour the coaster without it, I hardly think it can be much improved upon, secret element notwithstanding.

I know for CERTIAN that the Lift hill if it brakes down WILL be evacuated from vertical. I know this because training is an E-Vac from a vertical lift hill. Secondly the amount of braking systems at the bottom (Before the hill and the fins on the hill to slow it down) point to an SE here.

Not for certain those brakes could be to slow the train from the speed it will be going after exiting the batwing/corkscrew 

[tigzie1]

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

Where did you hear this? 

I had a look at the track today, I also notice there are heavy brakes at the bottom of the lift hill (This would stop the car going too far if it came off the hill) Secondly the fins are part of a launch and several staff also agree that this is a trick track section and did mention the game saying System Check, They said that it would be a check on who was paying attention (Ready for the hypnotiser) I overheard them all talking about it today. The ride will be random so not every car will drop backwards and it will make sense if your not paying attention you will be caught out, The only way we will know is to see it working.

[Instant Mix]

I'm loving the "Trick Track" installed today, the lift hill is going to scare so many people!

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

Please tell us your source for this information.

On a usual Eurofighter, there is a simple rack and dog mechanism fitted, like any other lift hill. These are so the train cannot roll backwards down the lift hill under any circumstance. On Eurofighter lifts, this becomes a problem if the ride breaks down to such an extent that the people on the lift hill need to be evacuated from the train, as you can imagine. The evacuation process would be a particularly awkward affair, that could actually be dangerous.

However, with the fins it's possible, without any power whatsoever (in case of a powercut), to allow the train to slowly roll back down the hill into the horizontzal position; allowing the evacuation process to be as simple as stepping out of the train onto a catwalk.

That seems the most reasonable explanation for the fins as I can see.

Ok so understanding this is not hard, I understand fully what these fins will do incase of a snapped chain, motor failure etc...the ony thing I don't understand is why now? All the coasters, all the vertical lifts especially from gerst, why now?

Because 16 is greater than 8 - twice as many. Meaning twice as long to evacuate, twice as much trouble, twice as many people to evacuate and twice as much weight on the evacuation lift.

[Owen]

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

Where did you hear this? 

I had a look at the track today, I also notice there are heavy brakes at the bottom of the lift hill (This would stop the car going too far if it came off the hill) Secondly the fins are part of a launch and several staff also agree that this is a trick track section and did mention the game saying System Check, They said that it would be a check on who was paying attention (Ready for the hypnotiser) I overheard them all talking about it today. The ride will be random so not every car will drop backwards and it will make sense if your not paying attention you will be caught out, The only way we will know is to see it working.

Staff also said track would be complete by the 31st of march plus that the vertical hill would be twisted 
Although I did wonder wether this would be the case which I would like also if it was random would that disrupt the flow of the ride?

[tigzie1]

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

If they wanted it to drop, the fins wouldn't be all the way up the hill, slowing it down before it gathered speed. Therefor anti rollback. (Or pozi-rollback...)

This ride does not have anti roll back... you need to see it in person. If the car drops too much it slows the speed to stop it from colliding or going to far backwards after the drop, the intention is not to drop it all the way but it would happen if say the chain snaps under pressure, the locks buckle etc.

[Hitch]

Im confused here, for this new anti roll-back system to work wouldn't the fins have to engage one after the other as the car climbs up the hill? and wouldn't that eliminate the power issues?

[youarecorrectsir]

Im confused here, for this new anti roll-back system to work wouldn't the fins have to engage one after the other as the car climbs up the hill? and wouldn't that eliminate the power issues?

Nah think about Rita: As the train approaches, the fins retract and provide no stopping force. Once the train passes the fins, they raise. Meaning if the chain snaps, the magnets are ready to stop the train falling back down the hill!

[tigzie1]

since when was there a trick track?

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

Please tell us your source for this information.

On a usual Eurofighter, there is a simple rack and dog mechanism fitted, like any other lift hill. These are so the train cannot roll backwards down the lift hill under any circumstance. On Eurofighter lifts, this becomes a problem if the ride breaks down to such an extent that the people on the lift hill need to be evacuated from the train, as you can imagine. The evacuation process would be a particularly awkward affair, that could actually be dangerous.

However, with the fins it's possible, without any power whatsoever (in case of a powercut), to allow the train to slowly roll back down the hill into the horizontzal position; allowing the evacuation process to be as simple as stepping out of the train onto a catwalk.

That seems the most reasonable explanation for the fins as I can see.

Ok so understanding this is not hard, I understand fully what these fins will do incase of a snapped chain, motor failure etc...the ony thing I don't understand is why now? All the coasters, all the vertical lifts especially from gerst, why now?

Because 16 is greater than 8 - twice as many. Meaning twice as long to evacuate, twice as much trouble, twice as many people to evacuate and twice as much weight on the evacuation lift.

Working at the resort helps a lot in finding out all about the ride, I simply spoke to one of the erectors in the canteen. Speculation and banter we also spent a while looking at the track and its definitely NOT a rollback system.
If they were going to evacuate from level they wouldn't install a lift and train everyone to evac at vertical if they had no intention of doing so.

[Instant Mix]

Working at the resort helps a lot in finding out all about the ride, I simply spoke to one of the erectors in the canteen. Speculation and banter we also spent a while looking at the track and its definitely NOT a rollback system.
If they were going to evacuate from level they wouldn't install a lift and train everyone to evac at vertical if they had no intention of doing so.

Just saying, in a court of law, Eyewitness testimony is the lowest form of evidence. So no plans, or statements from alton or john? Just saying it seems a bit fishy.

[Altitude]

I'm sorry but I can't believe a single word tigzie1 is saying... 

[tigzie1]

Working at the resort helps a lot in finding out all about the ride, I simply spoke to one of the erectors in the canteen. Speculation and banter we also spent a while looking at the track and its definitely NOT a rollback system.
If they were going to evacuate from level they wouldn't install a lift and train everyone to evac at vertical if they had no intention of doing so.

Just saying, in a court of law, Eyewitness testimony is the lowest form of evidence. So no plans, or statements from alton or john? Just saying it seems a bit fishy.

Nope, no plans or statements from either... They aint telling us much at all!
Besides im not here to persuade you about the ride that's your judgement afterall nobody will really know until its built, but I know a lot of people in the resort that have the same idea.
Secondly... You may not believe me at all but then again nobody did when I posted that there was a delivery of more smiler stuff at like 10pm at night and lone behold it was the ride cars...

[Shangalaing]

The fins Slow the car down (Not hold it and not stop it) The train is going to get to the top, stop and then drop backwards hence the "SYSTEM CHECK" signage on the game at which point it will be then brought back up to the top and sent straight over, hence trick track... the lift hill is designed as an SE.

If they wanted it to drop, the fins wouldn't be all the way up the hill, slowing it down before it gathered speed. Therefor anti rollback. (Or pozi-rollback...)

This ride does not have anti roll back... you need to see it in person. If the car drops too much it slows the speed to stop it from colliding or going to far backwards after the drop, the intention is not to drop it all the way but it would happen if say the chain snaps under pressure, the locks buckle etc.

But the ride cannot "drop"... It would require a stretch of vertical without fins in order to have some semblance of freefall...

[Hitch]

So there just putting magnets there for the hell of it then?

[tigzie1]

I suppose you are right in way but what if it only drops a metre from the very top? The chain lift goes further than the vertical hill, Like I say though I'm just going off who I have spoken to and what I have seen.
But I do know a FACT: "All operatives are trained for a vertical evac, exactly like saw - Saw was tested at Thorpe and develop Alton Towers and it worked as a ride so this bigger version was built at Alton" That was told to us on our inductions!