2 KingDa Ka Questions

[upfrontjwash]

i think that it should be a little faster to avoid this.

 

[Hercules]

^ Considering that was in the testing stages, I don't really think that is relevant. Kingda Ka rarely ever rolls back during operation.

[upfrontjwash]

that is a good thing to know, even though some poeple like that.

[Force 310]

Besides, rollbacks are a completely normal part of operation, and there's no need to outright prevent them. Otherwise, Intamin wouldn't have deliberately installed the magnetic brakes to stop the train in case of a rollback. The coaster is purposely designed to crawl over the top, presumably to avoid excessive negative g's near the back.

[upfrontjwash]

I see what your saying.

[RIP Psyclone]

Besides, rollbacks are a completely normal part of operation, and there's no need to outright prevent them. Otherwise, Intamin wouldn't have deliberately installed the magnetic brakes to stop the train in case of a rollback. The coaster is purposely designed to crawl over the top, presumably to avoid excessive negative g's near the back.

 

Yep, and Kingda Ka has trim brakes at the very top as it starts to descend. You can clearly see them in this video:

[upfrontjwash]

The Brakes slow it down on purpose? To make it climb over the top?

[thrillrideseeker]

The breaks slow it down on purpose? To make it climb over the top?

 

I think the breaks on the top are to slow the train down incase of an overspeed over the top.

~Matthew

[Force 310]

Yep... with a directional change from 90 degrees up to 90 degrees straight down, and with the apex being so relatively small, the trims are probably to avoid undue stress on the passengers and the coaster itself.

[Sean Menefee]

Break = I have to take a lunch break shortly.

 

Brake = The brakes on the coaster slowed the train to a stop.

 

Also this thread has been pretty interesting info wise. Thanks to the posters who took the time to really breakdown how TTD & Ka work.

 

-Sean

[Nosferatu]

I think part of the reason for the brakes (or breaks )on the top is to allow them to launch at a slightly higher speed, thus avoiding some rollbacks.

[Zero One]

Consider also that 4 seconds is a lot longer than you think it is. Watch a few videos of a launch and it takes 4 seconds to get all the way down that track.

[saxman47]

I think part of the reason for the brakes (or breaks )on the top is to allow them to launch at a slightly higher speed, thus avoiding some rollbacks.

 

ding ding ding!

[yankees15]

I believe the brake at the top is also there to slow the train down so riders can get a longer veiw.

[coolhandluke]

^I'm not a big fan of the direction you go over the top for that purpose. It doesn't seem like there's much of a view other than New Jersey ground. If it went over from left to right, you could get a nice view of the park. Oh well, I guess that's really particular...

And it doesn't matter how they positioned it, it can't beat TTD's view of park and lake...yum...

I had never noticed those trims before. Guess you can't see the track curving away from you on all the POV's. I'll assume TTD has the same?

[upfrontjwash]

That was smart on the designers part to add those breaks then?huh?

[ElToroExtreme]

Yup!

[Nosferatu]

I had never noticed those trims before. Guess you can't see the track curving away from you on all the POV's. I'll assume TTD has the same?

 

Nope. That was one of the things they changed in the design from TTD to Kingda Ka.

[Hercules]

^ Yup. That was an addition to make Kingda Ka "better" than Dragster.

[coolhandluke]

^ & ^^Ah, well then I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

"Better" than Dragster...I think I'd agree with the quotes around "better". I just think the lapbars on TTD make it so much crazier and insanier (I know it's not a word) than OTSR would allow. Though I admit I have yet to ride KK, so I won't say anything for sure and leave that for those who have indeed ridden both.

[coasterfreak101]

^Basically, what you said. The lapbars offer a VERY good sense of freedom, which, when you're 420-feet in the air, adds to the craziness of the ride. The OTSRs just add to the uncomfortable factor.

 

I don't know why they changed anything between Dragster and Kingda (note lowercase "d"). Dragster was perfectly fine, with the exception of the "normal part of operation" rollbacks, and the "airtime" hill on KK offers nothing, making the OTSRs pretty much useless.

[haux]

^Basically, what you said. The lapbars offer a VERY good sense of freedom, which, when you're 420-feet in the air, adds to the craziness of the ride. The OTSRs just add to the uncomfortable factor.

 

I don't know why they changed anything between Dragster and Kingda (note lowercase "d"). Dragster was perfectly fine, with the exception of the "normal part of operation" rollbacks, and the "airtime" hill on KK offers nothing, making the OTSRs pretty much useless.

There are a lot of minor things that were changed between the two. The supports below the pull-in to the hill are V-shaped on Kingda Ka. They're just vertical on Dragster, and the track sways a lot when a train launches.

 

The launch track is longer on KK, I believe. The motor room is farther back on KK than TTD. Lots of little improvements were made.

 

As for lap bars, aren't T-bars illegal in New Jersey, thanks to Ed Markey? That's why El Toro has the different lap bar.