andyuk200523

Look at the photo on the previous page, there is plenty of clearance for a wider train....i wouldn't mind seeing an inversion similar to this on a dive machine however! Getting excited for this project, been a while since something genuinely new came along! Edited to remove image, didn't think we needed 3 of this image on this page!

Well, Wicked was just that! Defying Gravity was definitely the highlight of the show, singing was amazing!

Off to go and see Wicked on Monday in the West End, can't wait!!!

I am fairly certain I am correct here, but most (if not all) coaster use air pressure to keep the brakes open, Therefore if there was a total failure of the air systems on the ride all of the brakes would immediatly close and no accidents would occur. I did always think however that after the train had past on launched coasters the brake fins came back up to prevent a roll-back?!

The drifting coaster is a pipe dream. So is the splitting coaster. Imagine what would really happen if the coaster drifted over to one side in a high speed turn and went WHACK. That would be painful. The track's probably dark to blend in with the terrain. It could work however with hydraulics on the ride car which push the rear of the car out on corners, might be interesting

Saw them on the Sick of the Studio Tour 07 and went to the Album Launch party for Death Magnetic, awesome, you will love it!!! Awesome TR, would have loved to see U2, couldn't get tickets, sold out too quickly!

I'm not an artist, and I never pretend to be, but I have had an idea that I know some of the talented TPR artists could probably do in about 5 minutes!!! Why not have a black background, then take the TPR logo from the top of the forum pages (including the subtext below it) rotate it so it reads from bottom to top on a screen. Simple, but I think would looks pretty good and would load quickly. Just my 2 cents

In this photo {img]http://1.2.3.11/bmi/www.gardalandtamtam.com/Photogallery/News/Lavori_X-Raptor_2011_05092010_/slides/Lavori_X-Raptor_2011_05092010_017.jpg[/img] Doesn't the track in the middle of the photo, looks suspiciously curved, similar to a B&M barrel roll or zero g?

It is 3 rows of 4 seats then the back row has 2 seats, it just looks confusing because there is a fashion concious water dummy in the rear who wants to wear a blue jacket rather than being naked.

Magnetic launch technology has vastly changed since the mid 90's, and judging from those wheel assemblies it doesn't look like the new ToT car is carrying 6 ton magnets anymore. I believe that was the reason for the huge 18" and 24" wheels. Lighter car, smaller wheels, smaller assembly. It all helps I remember watching a documentary about the construction of Superman, the larger wheels were becuase of the "intense" speed that was going to be produced, obviously they have now developed better wheel compounds to counter this, therefore smaller wheels can do the job of larger wheels.

Is there not the possiblity that the track for Busch Gardens was designed before the newer type of track was decided upon, thus meaning they would still build it with the older style track? Just my 2p worth.

Exactly how (after watching the video) does this create airtime and weightlessness???

Go into your nearest WHSmiths (newsagents in most towns in the UK) and buy something....they are giving away free 2 for 1 vouchers for all merlin attractions. This is probably your best bet. (I got one today so they are still doing it)

Fire Dragon Ice Dragon Incredible Hulk - all 1999 (soft opening) Rock 'n' Rollercoaster - 1999 Oblivion - 1998 Air - 2002 Saw: The Ride - 2009 Raptor Attack - 2010 Th13teen - 2010 Think thats about it.

Wow, looking at this after playing the Chernobyl sniper level in COD MW1 this shows how much detail was in the game! Awesome Trip Report, very interesting.

I agree with Paul on most of these points. Jubilee Odyssey was a pain, I never did get to ride it as they were replacing the lift motor I believe when I was there in April, was very lucky with Millennium Coaster also as I managed 3 rides then decided to buy a wristband to ride it all day (as it is so smooth) then they shut it for the day due to the winds.....dammit! I also think the little kiddie coaster in Tenerife's Loro Parque is a rare credit as I wasn't even allowed in the childrens area without a child! I only wanted the credit....damn them!!!!

Found this information on Valley Mania

Good point - misread the year on the latest post......i still think Mr. Freeze type coasters will be next to appear.

Well, originally it was going to be an Inverted Giant Boomerang, but its anyone guess now I suppose - maybe a Mr. Freeze type ride?

That is a great idea. Once the net is high enough, it passes a proximity sensor that allows a solenoid to engage to unlock the doors on the platform, the default or failsafe is the solenoid is de energized until the sensor is tripped. That way they cant let a guest jump unless the net is high enough, even if they are complete morons. Doesnt seem too difficult to me, actually its very simple. Or even more simply, why not attach a cable to each corner of the safety net so that they are the right length to be tight when the net is at the correct height, this would have a double effect of holding the net still in strong windy conditions. Thus the operator would know the net was at the right height when the cables are tight. Simple but effective?

Very well put - and If I remember correctly (not sure if the ride system has changed much since the first generation ones, but you were put into an almost full harness which fixed your arms and legs so as not to flail them about and break a limb. It is a great way of seriously reducing the risk of an uncontrolled freefall.

This is a shocking incident, operator responsibility or not, this sort of thing should never happen on an attraction that is almost solely reliant on operators. My thoughts go out to the girl involved and all the loose ends are tied up sooner rather than later. I remember the original SCAD transportable tower visiting my town back in maybe 2000 (cannot remember the exact year) and the original one (I have photos somewhere but don't have the time to hunt through my boxes due to an imminent move) the net was definitely attached to the cage the operators rode in, I stood watching it for a good loooooong time as I was trying to talk myself into riding (it didn't work, I still haven't and probably never will ride one! Don't like the idea of it!) [sarcasm] So I can only sum up that the fault of the attraction was down to one crucial thing.......the darned Intamin Cables the crane tower obviously uses!!!!!!!!!!!!! [/sarcasm]

Those photos look like they are the north american manufacturing plant. I would doubt that B&M would get the track manufactured outside of Europe for a park that is in Northern Italy. So this could even be another New B&M. I like the idea of the original Mystery Yellow B&M Track, that might make sense, as B&M would have already made a mock up to test everything works I would have thought.

Of course something like this should never happen, but things like this DO happen. Not just with amusement rides, but with ANYTHING - Airplanes, automobiles, construction cranes, elevators, shopping malls, etc, etc... As theme park and roller coaster enthusiasts I think we should be trying to SUPPORT the industry instead of saying things like "Makes it harder for me to get on this kind of ride again in the future." That's the kind of statement I'd expect the "general public" to say, not a more educated person who is part of a community who should KNOW BETTER about these kinds of things. And something that everyone needs to keep in mind - as horrible as an accident like this is, every time something like this unfortunately DOES happen, it actually makes the world of amusement rides SAFER because there will be investigations and findings from this accident that will be applied to future rides of this kind. This accident would not stop me from getting on another ride exactly like this one again. Because I know the chances of this happening a 2nd time is very unlikely, and even if it DID the odds are still WELL in my favor. That's like saying "I'm never going to get on another airplane again" after hearing about a crash. Well, here's the reality of the situation - Never getting on an airplane again might guarantee you'll never die in an airplane crash, but all you've done is rule out the one of millions of possible freak accidents that *could* happen to you. My advice to someone like this - don't ever leave your house...and hope that an airplane doesn't crash into it! I couldn't agree more - at the fair I went to a few weeks ago there was a Hellraiser ride (the model escapes me) which was involved in a horrific crash a few years ago at another local fair, I was unsure of riding it but my friend said to me "I think you'll find this is probably the safest ride in the park due to the fact it did have an accident it is getting checked regularily! Don't let this put you off these types of rides again as they are great fun! My Heart goes out to the families of all that were involved, it is a very sad event to have happened in the theme park community.

Get rid of it and replace it with an Intamin Rocket Coaster that consistently goes at the same speed and makes it to the top? That would be a big improvement! Never actually ridden Superman and was really looking forward to it for its first few years of operation, but it doesn't look particularily special now!