Invertalon

About the magnetic adjustable trim... First, Our engineering senior design project was a year worth of work researching, designing, building and testing a passive eddy current brake test rig (type used on all coasters). Non-ferromagnetic fins and very strong fixed magnets create a brake force when the magnetic field is interrupted causing eddy currents (which create heat). By "adjustable", the air gap just needs to widened or reduced based on the train speed (wider the air gap is, less brake force). If far enough apart, you would have minimal brake effect on the train. These systems are completely dependent on the materials, speed and the air gap (spacing of the N/S magnetic area that the fin will run through). So basically all B&M had to do is design a way for the pneumatic system to widen the air gap. Done. Adjustable magnetic brake. Secondly, I tried to feel any hint what so ever of braking while riding and never did. I would say they were completely off.

I would say they are very close. Raptor is one of my top 3 coasters. Hard to say which is better though.

Amazing ride. Had five laps so far (2x front, back, two middle) and prefer front overall. Inverts are my favorite, so I am happy to say it did not disappoint. Love the first half and ending sequence. Batwing is the only element that I was disappointed in... Transition in and out just too gradual and floaty. All else is awesome though. Top ride for me! Everyone seems to really enjoy the ride. Time to hop on ride #7!

Thanks everyone! The three lenses I used this trip include a 300mm f/2.8, 16-35mm f/2.8 and 35mm f/1.4.

Just thought I would do a relatively "minimal" photo TR in terms of written content at least. Quick summary: Mardi Gras at USO - Such a fantastic event! Having been to the real deal in New Orleans years ago, I was really excited to finally see this event. The floats and parade were fantastic! Loved the entertainers roaming the main midways. Being in the parade (on the gator float!) was a great highlight of the trip. Met some fantastic people to share the experience with... We are planning to come back again next year (along with this coming HHN). IOA - Not much going on here... Same old. Dragons was running fantastic, did not ride hulk this time around. Looking forward to future JP expansion, or something. We would have never thought years ago that Universal would be the better park, but we spend much more time there then IOA anymore. SWO - Went during the week on the great $50 day-pass they had going on... The day we went, it was completely dead! Picture perfect weather and our best visit to this park for sure. Finally got on the new penguin attraction and really loved it (granted, we only waited about 5 minutes the first time, walk-on the second). The open-air exhibit was really nice, and the attraction itself was cute. Exceeded my expectations from all I have heard prior. The last time we were here, it was opening week and the lines were 2+ hours, which at that point would clearly not be worth it! Kraken was running really well and Manta was amazing. First time back on Manta since being at SFMM and riding Tatsu... I much prefer Manta, personally! It has a bit more "character" and I love the low zones of the ride versus the high parts of Tatsu. The ending is one of my favorites. Was happy to see anytime the wait went about 2-3 train wait (running single train) they threw the second train on to reduce the lines.. Made for walk-on's all day long. Kraken ran only one train, but stayed one train wait almost all day, so it really did not need another. Fun Spot - White Lightning is running really well, just as good as it did when it opened. The park continues to get better and better with small improvements all around the park. Love the Dole Whip available now, and no longer have to trek to Disney to get it anymore! Mixed with vanilla ice cream, its fantastic. Employees are top notch, two of which really made went out of their way to make an epic night. We were sure to let management know and they were rewarded. Such a great place this is! I would have never of thought we would ever come here as much as we do now. Now on to the pictures! Here are links to many more photos of each park: Mardi Gras: UNI/IOA: Fun Spot: Sea World: MARDI GRAS! 6M3C8292.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6813.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6826.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6845.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6850.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8506.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8521.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8524.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8536.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8554.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8530.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8577.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6903.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6910.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6971.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6986.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7009.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7159.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7178.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7184.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7265.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7461.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8599.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr Universal Orlando / IOA 6M3C8278.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6767.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6782.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8275.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8266.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8288.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8299.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8302.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8309.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8347.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8351.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8362.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8373.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8387.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8396.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8401.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8421.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8444.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8446.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8448.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8472.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8486.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8493.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8611.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8637.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8679.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8690.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr Fun Spot! 6M3C8893.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8879.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8872.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8858.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8850.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8844.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8828.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8804.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8802.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8253.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8801.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8797.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8768.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8725.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8723.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8705.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr Sea World Orlando! 6M3C8080.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8098.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8109.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8120.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8153.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8222.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8066.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8057.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7991.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7939.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7953.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7957.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7960.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7961.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7974.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7988.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7950.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7945.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7940.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7934.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7937.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7933.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7931.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7926.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7912.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7921.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7923.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7887.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7881.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7873.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7852.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7848.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8148.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8123.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8076.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8230.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

Looking forward to Thursday... I am curious if it will be more/less busy than CP's media day was. Not like it matters, but I wonder if location will draw more/less, or if Cedar Point will naturally draw a bigger crowd. Back at Diamondbacks media day, it was DEAD. But it was also closed to enthusiasts and all that as well... It was nice never having to get off the ride though.

Some more photos from Fun Spot America and Wild Florida! 6M3C8723.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8797.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8253.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8804.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8844.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8850.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8872.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7619.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7639.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7660.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7677.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7728.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7734.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7755.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7787.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7798.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7804.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7811.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7829.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

A few pics from a recent SWO visit 6M3C7923.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7887.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7937.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C7945.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8025.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8057.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8080.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C8148.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

I would love if they just went back to RCT1/RCT2 style gameplay for the PC version of 4... Obviously with updated elements, scenery, effects, etc... But the same isometric play style. I still play it to this day and enjoy it. RCT3 was terrible in comparison and uninstalled it relatively quickly.

Some photos from my visit to the park last week: Had a great time.... Crowds were light and the B&M's were running amazing. Manta just keeps ranking higher and higher in my books. I much prefer it to Tatsu and any of the SUF clones (naturally). Park was clean, employees friendly... Great visit all around. Well worth the $50 ticket promo going on which was awesome.

Quick stop at the zoo this past weekend... Not much variety as it was so cold/nasty that most were indoors. So I also found some non-zoo wildlife 6M3C6576.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6604.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6608.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6589.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6652.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6550.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6684.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6691.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6544.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6700.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C6553.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

Do you have the newest iPhone? No, and don't care to. I just got my current one (iPhone 4s) a few months ago. Flip phone before that. Newest Ipod Nope... I still have the original iPod Touch I use in my car only for music. The Ipad Air? Nope... Don't even know what that is to be honest! Newest Tablet? Nope... No tablet at all. Or just an old flip phone? Used to just until a few months ago. Do you have a new 55' Flat screen or a 30" Box? Nope... Most of my spending money goes into my photography gear, traveling, etc...

We went to all of them last January and our list would probably be (best to worst)... 1.) Six Flags Magic Mountain (X2 was the highlight of our entire trip) 2.) Disney's California Adventure 3.) Disneyland 4.) Universal Hollywood 5.) Knotts Note, they were all really good... Not that far between any of them. We enjoyed all of them in different ways.

While yes, X2 is aggressive... I think it is simply one of the most amazing ride experiences. I was not blown away on a ride in a LONG time, until I rode X2. Thankfully, we went on a dead day and was able to re-ride quite a few times without any wait, it was amazing. The B&M wing coasters are nothing like them... By far. I really wish the 4D coaster can be improved and become more popular.

Not to sound like a douche, but have you any idea how much a B&M coaster costs in maintenance? Believe me it ain't cheap! The big advantage with a B&M coaster is their reliability. Likewise, do you? And your going to tell me that Intamin is cheaper overall than B&M? I highly doubt it. Just last weekend at Cedar Point they said the most expensive ride dollar per dollar to maintain in the entire park is Dragster. At Geauga Lake, the maintenance team always raved on how great Batman/Domainator was reliability wise in the park, compared to say Steel Venom or X-Flight. B&M's tend to be very low maintenance costs, aside from the normal wear/tear they all go through. They are built extremely well with very simple control systems. Compare rides like Tatsu/Manta/Superman against X-Flight, that went through GAU motors on the train weekly. Each of which costing thousands of dollars a piece. B&M's make much simpler rides though, all chain lift... Versus Intamin that do complex launch systems and all that, so it does make sense. I am just saying, when you compare directly I am sure its not even close. Intamin usually require more "post" work, such as track and train re-profiling these days (Maverick, I305, Skyrush).

But you can say that for any company… Look at Maverick, it is nothing more than a launch, turn, drops and a few rolls. Look at I305, it is even more cookie-cutter in terms of elements “ehh you got your drop, turn, hill, turn, turn, turn, turn, hill, etc…). In that perspective, all rides are nothing more than a bag of tricks. It comes down to the dynamic design and pacing of the elements that make a ride exciting. While I get where you were going with that, there is more to it. B&M continue to charge top dollar for their nearly-flawless engineered machines. Companies are probably well aware of what they will get with B&M by now, and I highly doubt any of them are disappointed in their investment. It only tends to be the enthusiasts who are! I think all the companies are innovative in their own rights… I feel Intamin has actually been slipping on the innovation line, compared to the 2000-2004 era. Today, they seem to stick to the Maverick/I305 type designs which are low, fast and very aggressive. B&M is innovative in terms of their ability to perfect a style of design (such as the wing-rider) and the flying coaster, although the layouts are nothing special. GCI has been pushing itself in recent years with amazing designs, along with RMC as we all know. Each company is innovative in their own right, but while some may be in terms of layout, others may be in train design and reliability… While others in ride experience (S&S, RMC). This is why it is good parks buy from all of them, as enthusiasts get a great variety to experience!

You know, I am not sure... But I just realized this past weekend how cool that station does look. I never noticed it before to be honest, especially the cool roof on it. I rarely ever ride it, so that is probably why! It did look really bright and clean though... Not sure if any work was done on it though. Anyone else?

Thanks! I highly recommend anyone who has extra time to stop at Battery Park for some great views!

Thanks Lareson! Yes, I used the 5D III and 16-35 II, as well as the 70-200 II (plus 1.4x III at times). Also was using a circular polarizing filter on all of the 16-35 shots within the park and on the 70-200 across the lake only. Yeah, conditions have to be perfect to get razor sharp images across the water there, especially with the difference in heat radiation coming from the water vs. land, much like you get at airports often when shooting due to the difference between the grass areas and concrete. I thought with the lack of sun and colder temps that it would ideal yesterday, and it was improved from other times I shot that panoramic, but still not perfect yet!

Thank you everyone! Might I suggest checking out the final photo (the panoramic) on Flickr, at original size... Which is 29,237x3450 in resolution. It was created by stitching together around 10-15 images shot at 280mm. Just click on "view original size" and you can just pan around. Pretty cool stuff! Sadly, by the time we made it over there the skies and conditions in general took a turn... Air conditions got a little less ideal and is the reason for the "haze" conditions you see at full size. When shooting telephotos over very long distances, the air quality is a huge variable in getting the best resolution. I want to go back when the conditions are just right to make a simply stunning, giant panoramic. This one is nice, but I want better! I also want to use another telephoto lens I have, which will enable me to shoot around 400mm instead, and by using more photos (30-50) will enable even higher resolution and fine details. I just hope the skies and air cooperate when I do! It's simply beautiful looking over the water at the park.

Thanks AJ! Someone did actually. The GM explained after a review with management or something they decided on it. Was quite a vague answer. Does not make much sense to me either.

Another great event put on by Cedar Point! The day started off with the park tour, which included the maintenance shops, new construction area, dragster station and launch track "nook" along with the lap around frontier trail. Lunch was served (salad, cole slaw, fries, fish/chicken/beef burgers, chili and delicious brownies and cookies!) while Tony put on a presentation of what is to come, followed by a Q&A session. It was a fantastic event and made me really excited for the 2014 season! On the way out, we were given the 2014 calendars, exit passes and a free ride on the new Slingshot attraction! The event overall was above and beyond what I expected, and the $10,000+ raised for Give Kids the World was just icing on the cake. Below are some photos from the event. More can be found on my Flickr page here in higher resolution: CLICK! Enjoy! Welcome to CP! Snowy Midway Maverick Train (or part of one...) Wheels More Wheels! Millennium Force Lapbars! Maverick Frame Wall-O-Wheels! Off to Dragster! Dragster Panel Arms Down! Construction So Purty! Millennium Force Trains... All over! Under the MF train! Thank you Cedar Point! See you in May!

Plenty of great photos from today's event being uploaded currently, can check them out here: I will most likely make a new topic soon with direct photos and such!

Some random pictures of a few birds and my dog... Testing out a new lens I just got, so nothing terribly interesting... Yet! 6M3C5104.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C5206.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C5254.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C5369.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C5462.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 6M3C5474.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr

Some recent ones from Pittsburgh Arboretum when they decorate it during the holidays... I should have some more park-related ones soon... Most likely going to the off-season CP tour next weekend, so I should get some cool stuff there. 5D3_4743.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 5D3_4791.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 5D3_4860.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 5D3_4872.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr 5D3_4901.jpg by invertalon, on Flickr