Shuriken Coaster - Prototype coaster I made on AutoCAD

[coasterlover420]

I understand that you're going to use carbon fiber, but the structure of the train is too flimsy. I can just see it bending in my mind. Maybe you should connect the pivot point with the seat location more directly. Then take out some material in the giant square piece you have in the middle. It will be more structurally sound and much safer.

[Tanks4me05]

^Like I said before, it's a prototype. I'll note that for Shuriken Coaster V2.0, but right now I'm making a wooden coaster (single bench) car, inspired by the Millennium Flyer trains, but right now, I want to play some CoD4.

[onewheeled999]

Out of all those people in this thread that are all technical and engineering-ish, there's me.

 

I kind of think that the 'flying' position that the riders are in is a bad idea. Spinning with both gravity and the G-Forces pushing you into your restraints could be pretty painful, and if you get spinning at the speed you're thinking (30 RPM) while looking down, some people --myself included-- could get serious nausea. If you think about how wide the coaster's car actually is, that's pretty fast spinning. I don't know, just an opinion. I bet a lot more parks would this new type of coaster with the normal, non-flying-style seats.

 

I probably look like an idiot because of this... look at my first sentence of this post.

[Tanks4me05]

*Deleted for security purposes.*

Edited March 27, 2012 by Tanks4me05

[Tanks4me05]

I apologize for double posting, but I just looked at the coaster again, and after a lot of thinking, (and some very minor changes that took about two minutes) I honestly think that the system can hold itself together, even with 16 large people in the seats.

[rollerboy]

Firstly, I would like to say, it looks amazing so far! I would never have come up with the idea.

 

Secondly I just thought I would post you this image I slightly modified (terribly).

 

I hope this can help you:

The black lines are hydrolics and (or) fold down peices of steel to reduce stress on other parts of the ride.

[dr.gumbo]

As said before in the Adventure Gardens thread, Tanks4me05 has been banned, but he was able to catch this as well so he has contacted me to update on this project as well. Here is a progress report:

 

Greetings again, TPR. I wish I was able to post formally over here to update on these situations, but sadly I have no power over that.

 

Anyway, here is an update on the Shuriken Coaster:

 

I am going to do a complete redesign of the ride for two reasons:

 

1: I downloaded Inventor 2009 so I have a new version to play with.

2: It doesn’t have every single bolt on it like the real prototype will have in around the year 2025 or so (the parts I remember most vividly are the internal workings for the locking system of the restraints which I finally figured out and the way the OTSR’s are assembled)

 

Rollerboy, I am making the seat tilting system much simpler, and actually it does involve hydraulics (that are hinged on both ends so it can tilt along with the train) in which the hydraulics connect to the top of the outer seats (one on each “edge seat”) and there will be a hinge on the bottom corners of the edge seats connecting to the underside of the central platform that all the “pods” of seats connect to to provide additional structural support.

 

However, I will not start Shuriken Coaster V2 for a while as I want to resume work on Adventure Gardens and I am working on a Stand Up Coaster train in Inventor which will eliminate head banging – it has a “torso restraint” and basically two seat belts going over your shoulders to serve as some sort of OTSR. I love Stand Up coasters and I really want to see them revived.

 

(I rode my first Togo Death Machine at CW last week – and IMO SkyRider was actually quite fun. It punches me in the neck a bit on the helix, but other than that it was actually pretty smooth, and I’m almost 6 feet tall… to be honest CW is much better than most people say it is. Yes, most of the coasters are not the all out best in the world, but they are FAR better than what everyone says they are. You guys just seem to be so pampered by basically saying “if it’s not B&M, Intamin, GCII, or GG it’s a crap coaster.”) I admit that all my top ten steel coasters are B&M and Intamin, but I treat the other companies much better.

So, yeah, I’m on coasterfuel.com and occasionally coastercrazy.com – I will tell Dr.Gumbo to reply to this thread and the Adventure Gardens thread with links to the construction threads on those sites when I have updates. (I’m still downloading more CS for RCT3 – there’s A LOT of files…)

[chemical_echo]

2011: graduate high school

2011 - 2015: Bachelor's degree - Major in Structural and Mechanical Engineering, minor in Electrical Engineering and German (there are a lot of German speaking ride companies and I'm pretty good with my German class now, being prepared is always a good thing)

Not sure about American universities, but up here you can't take a double engineering major, or even an engineering minor while majoring in it.

 

Engineering is A LOT of work, and taking 3 engineering streams at once is just a recipe for disaster. I had great marks in high school, but right now it's my fifth year at university doing 3rd year courses. I had to redo several of my courses here to get better grades and am now taking 3 courses a semester (instead of 5) to help me stay focused.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you...hell, I've always wanted to be an Imagineer, and that's why I'm sticking with this (with a back up plan, of course), but you need to be realistic. 3 engineering fields in 4 years is not realistic.

 

I had the same plan as you: graduate high school, go to university for engineering, graduate university, work a bit with a firm, and then start my own company with a friend.

Now it's more like: graduate university, aim for my backup plan field (transportation), and always keep my dream of Imagineer alive.

[CorkscrewFoley]

I too am part of the mass who think that the flying maybe too much. Right from the start as I was reading this, I thought the flying position might be too much too. Plus, I'd think with that mechanism gone, you would have less weight, or maybe focus focus more on making the coaster car more sturdy.

 

That said, this is freakin' amazing! Seriously, keep up the good work...

[dr.gumbo]

Here's an update I received from Tanks4me recently.

 

Of all my prototypes, the Shuriken Coaster has by far been the most problematic. the ideas that are on these forums are no longer being used. Although I am still pursuing it, it has been overhauled (in my head, at least.) After going to SFGADV, I rode S:UF and examined how that went from "invert" to "Flying". After seeing how that worked, I decided on a system similar to what the B&M Flyer has. But it's very hard to explain it, so I'm not going to even bother. I have also halved the capacity. It will now have two "pods" of four people facing inward, instead of four pods of four people facing outward. This will save a significant amount of weight, and it will be easier to make the tilting system around it. (They will face inward to make it more comfortable on the body while flying.) In the chance that my idea might infringe upon any copyrights or patents that B&M might have, I thought of an alternate solution: I'd have a high torque motor for each pod, mounted on the train itself to lift them upwards into flying position, and there would be a four pin lock system that (again) is too hard to explain.

 

Also, after staring at Maurer Soehne's Whirlwind at Seabreeze's underside mechanics by peering through the perimeter fence for 30 minutes, I devised my own method of a spinning lock mechanism.

 

However, I have put the ride on the back burner.

 

The reason?

 

Last November, I sent a letter to most of the major roller coaster and amusement ride design companies out there (about 12 to 15 of them). I asked for college majoring advice, and potential future internships or factory tours. Four of them responded, and one company in particular responded in a VERY friendly manner. (In the email I talked about how I have dozens of prototypes in my head, and what I do for fun, to say the least) and he said that while it's too early to say anything for internships, he'd gladly give an extended factory tour personally to me. After a couple of emails back and forth... *drum roll*

 

 

He asked to hear more about some of my designs, and that maybe we could work together in the future.

 

Now, I was incredibly excited, yet simultaneously unsure. I asked a couple of engineers that I am acquainted with, and even a few of my Project Lead the Way teachers. (One of them was a former Engineer for O'Brien and Geere, and the other is very well versed in the realm of patent laws) There were downsides and upsides to my sending them an idea:

 

The bad:

 

This is obvious. If I send them my design, and if they take enough interest in it, I would likely not get any credit for it. And, since I am a kid, I have no legal power if I were to try and prove that I am the creator of the design. Plus, the patent office is far too difficult of a mess for a high school kid to go through... I should focus on my grades first.

 

However, in the long term, it would serve to be GREAT for me.

 

-It would show to them what I am capable of doing at only 16 years old... When I am 23 and have my Bachelor's Degrees in Structural and Mechanical Engineering (after more likely five or six years than four, and I decided to drop the Electrical Engineering minor, although after I am done visiting colleges during Spring Break, who knows what programs they have) my capabilities will be multiplied a hundred fold. Therefore, it could dramatically increase my chance of landing a job with them in the future, seeing as they already know what I can do, and that I would have had a long connection with them.

 

-Best case scenario: They use my design, and a park orders it and opens it by the time I'm still in college... I wouldn't have a degree yet and I already technically built a ride. Obviously, no one except my friends and relatives would believe that I helped design it, but it would be my (and the company's) little secret. My life's dream would have been realized, and I would be able see (and obviously ride) my creation... before I would get a degree.

 

-Even better scenario: They do actually give me credit, and word throughout the industry gets around about the amusement ride genius. Companies clamor over me, and I say yes to another firm or two or 30,000.

 

I know my above paragraph is a pipe dream, but hey, I'm already light years ahead of 99.9999999999999% of all other aspiring amusement ride designers out there, why stop there?

 

So, I sent in the design after a months of deliberating, and they replied only five hours after I sent it in. The sheer amount of detail that they went into to identify potential flaws in my design (and the fact that they replied the very MORNING I sent it) is a pretty obvious indicator that they are seriously interested.

 

 

 

 

Don't believe me? Well, I have prepared for that: I saved a copy of the email conversation that were between me and this company in particular.

 

NOTE: I DELIBERATELY DELETED ADDRESS INFORMATION REGARDING THIS COMPANY'S IDENTIFICATION FOR SECURITY REASONS. I WILL ASK THEM TO SEE IF I AM PERMITTED TO TELL ANYONE THAT I AM SENDING DESIGNS TO THEM. I ALSO DELETED A LARGE PORTION OF THE EMAIL THAT HAS DETAILS OF MY RIDE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

 

(I have also inverted the string of emails, so that the first email is on top and the last on bottom.)

 

From: Jeremy Bossert

Sent: 4 november 2009 22:30

To: (CLASSIFIED)

CC:

Subject: possible future internship and college advice

 

Dear staff members of (CLASSIFIED)

 

I am sixteen year old Jeremy Bossert. I have been absolutely captivated by roller coasters since I was only nine years old, and have wished to design them since I was ten. I wish to consider your company for future summer internship (either during my high school years or college years – I graduate high school in 2011.)

 

I am not sure if I would be considered one who is a normal teenage “coaster enthusiast.” Since I was ten, I have been thinking of a plethora of ride designs, and I am still considering several of those “earlier models” with serious intent. I currently have 15 roller coasters (and many more individual layouts) and 8 flat rides in mind. As I try to remember more of them, and as I develop more ideas, that list is constantly growing.

 

One of my current forms of entertainment is looking at certain amusement parks, seeing what coasters they have, and seeing what would be unique in that region so guests would flock to it. After that, I will take rough topographic measurements via Google Earth and recreate the land plot and the coaster itself via No Limits. On occasion, I also use Autodesk Inventor to make a “semi professional” version of the cars and track. (I currently have ideas for Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Parque de Atracciones de Madrid , Dorney Park , Darien Lake , Sylvan Beach , Seabreeze, Hersheypark, Lake Compounce , Magic Springs & Crystal Falls and Belantis.)

 

For engineering related courses, I’m currently enrolled in Project Lead the Way. It is a series of four high school courses that introduce me to Engineering concepts. The teachers that teach the program are trained at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the 16 college credits that these courses have can be used at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

 

 

 

But what I would really like to do either during my final two high school years/summers (2009 – 2011) or during my college years/summers (2011 – 2015 for my bachelor’s degree) is to potentially set up an internship, and maybe even a construction site tour. I would be happy to speak with someone in your organization regarding a possible internship. If either of those aren’t currently possible due to my age, would it be possible to set up a tour of a factory or office tour?

 

 

 

But I also have questions regarding college: My wish is to design layouts and trains for the roller coasters, and to develop structures for flat rides.

 

1: What fields of engineering do you recommend for this? My current idea is to double major in Structural and Mechanical Engineering, eventually getting a Masters’ Degree in both.

 

2: What term should I look for when searching for colleges? Mechanical Engineering is easy to find, but Structural is harder to find. Knowing that some colleges teach Structural Engineering as its own entity, and some others only as a branch off of Civil Engineering, should I apply for Civil and Mechanical Engineering or Structural and Mechanical Engineering?

 

 

I thank you for your consideration.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jeremy Bossert

 

 

From: (CLASSIFIED)

To: jbossert1@yahoo.com

Sent: Fri, November 6, 2009 3:13:18 AM

Subject: RE: possible future internship and college advice

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Bossert,

 

It is always great to find such an enthusiast as yourself. From your email it seems you are very serious about pursuing a career in ride design and engineering, and you seem to be on the right track towards that goal.

 

I must point out that (PARAGRAPH DELETED.)

 

 

At this point it is to soon to say if we can do anything for you in terms of internships. As far as a tour of our facilities, you are more than welcome to come over. I will give you the extended tour personally.

 

I don't have an engineering background myself, but it seems to me that you should focus on structural and mechanical engineering when it come to the design of rides.

 

I would also suggest to visit the IAAPA exposition in Las Vegas, wich takes place November 16th - 20th. Everybody in the business, including (CLASSIFIED) will be there. I will not be able to make it there myself this year but I think it could be qiute interesting for you.

 

Finally, I would like to receive your full contact information (adress and phone number and so on.)

 

Kind regards,

 

(NAME CLASSIFIED)

(COMPANY CLASSIFIED)

 

 

 

From: Jeremy Bossert

Sent: Saturday 7 november 2009 21:38

To: (CLASSIFIED)

CC:

Subject: Re: possible future internship and college advice

 

(PARAGRAPH DELETED.)

 

Unfortunately, I am only 16, so I won't be able to get over to (CLASSIFIED) for a while. Hopefully, we will stay in contact, or you will remember me by 2011 - 2015, when I'd actually have time (and money) to do so.

 

I would love to go to IAAPA, but sadly, it's on the other side of the continent from me. I will definitely go during my college years, however.

 

My full contact information:

 

 

(CLASSIFIED, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS)

 

 

 

From: (CLASSIFIED)

To: jbossert1@yahoo.com

Sent: Thu, November 12, 2009 8:03:28 AM

Subject: (CLASSIFIED)

 

Dear Mr. Bossert,

 

Thank you kindly for the information. Can you tell me a little more about your ideas for rides? Please keep us informed of your progress. Perhaps there will be possibilities to work together in the future.

 

Kind regards,

 

(NAME CLASSIFIED)

(COMPANY CLASSIFIED)

 

 

 

I have omitted the entire email I sent to the company that had the details of the ride.

 

The following message has some minimal details of the ride, only to prove that I sent something to them and that they replied.

 

Dear Mr. Bossert,

 

This morning I took some time to go over the (CLASSIFIED) concept. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make a basic conceptual rendering of the ride and take screenshots. I understand this will take some time.

 

There are a few things I haven't quite understood yet:

 

1. The access ramp. I understand it as a ramp that is recessed in the platform and comes up on one side to give acces to the gondola's. The other side stays at the height of the main platform. The issue with this is that, as the ramp is at an angle the "step down" from the gondola to the ramp will be different for the people in the back seats than it will be for those people in the front seats. Also a slope of 1/2 or 1/3 is very steep to walk on. It seems that the ramp in its upward position would leave a hole in the platform underneath. And than there is the issue of the handrail. Where would we "keep" the handrail of the ramp during operation of the ride? Maybe I am understanding wrong... Perhaps it would be better to raise and lower the entire platform, as for example on the (CLASSIFIED) (CLASSIFIED), (CLASSIFIED) or (CLASSIFIED).

 

2: (PARAGRAPH DELETED.)

 

Kind regards,

 

(NAME CLASSIFIED)

(COMPANY CLASSIFIED)

 

 

(Below is my reply to the above message. So far, they have not replied to this.)

 

 

I guess it would be a good idea to raise and lower the whole platform. But the only rides I rode from your company were the (CLASSIFIED) and (CLASSIFIED) models at (CLASSIFIED), so I do not know how the mechanics work.

 

I am not yet at the point to create that part of the ride in my rendering, but I was wondering if it is possible that you would be able to describe or even send pictures (if you happen to have any) of the raising and lowering mechanism you have for some of your rides, furthering my design. I was able to look at a ride in my area with such system, but unfortunately, I forgot how it worked. Although, if that would fall under "revealing too many secrets to a non employee", I would understand.

 

 

(PARAGRAPH DELETED.)

 

I was also wondering, what is your job at (CLASSIFIED)?

 

Sincerely,

Jeremy Bossert