Carowinds Discussion Thread

[VF15]

I like the pre-drop on Raging Bull because it gives you a little more airtime while going down the drop. I wish B&M still built coasters with pre-drops, but now that they've worked out the kinks with the lift chain, they aren't needed anymore .

[rcjp]

And B&M seems to have stopped using pre-drops across the board. I'm not sure why that is.

 

I think the term we are looking for isn't "pre drop", I've always called it the "B&M Dip".

 

I can only speak about what I know. That said, I think it has to do with the number of chain dogs that are engaged.

 

Random Coaster Nerd Fact:

Each train on Banshee has 1 chain dog which is right above row 2, however they have 7 anti roll backs. The weight is relieved from the chain once half the train has crested.

 

On most coasters you can hear the chain dogs bouncing on the chain as the train begins to speed up. I think this is the stress B&M was trying to eliminate from their earlier designs.

Interesting. I had no idea each train only had 1 chain dog. So I suppose that its location has an effect on "how far" the chain goes on the top of the lift.

It makes sense now that I think of it. Leviathan's (and Fury's) chain are the ones that end "the earliest" on the top of the lift probably meaning that the dog is further back than on banshee which should explain why those are the only two where the chain catches the train so early. (I think)

[nicman]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

[DJeXeL]

^Banshee says hi.

[rcdude]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

This was true for a period of time, but since the late 2000s the only B&M built with a pre-drop has been Hair Raiser. OzIris, Nitro (Adlabs Imagica), Banshee...they all have curved drops and lack a pre-drop. I'm not entirely sure what changed with the design (probably something with the chain dogs), but B&M has decided they are no longer necessary. While I still like them on B&M's smaller coasters, having one on a hyper is pretty awkward and just doesn't feel right, so I'm glad they've been eliminated from those designs at least.

[DonGeorge]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

 

I'm also glad that predrops are disappearing from B&M hyper coasters, as they seem to make a very awkward transition into the drop. What kinda book did you read that in?

[Password121]

On the two original hypers B&M used pre-drops, for me it just doesn't look very good. Look at the iconic, beautifully shaped hyper/giga coaster drops. They are very fluent and flow very nicely to the max descent angle.

I'm looking at Millennium Force, namely.

[nicman]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

 

I'm also glad that predrops are disappearing from B&M hyper coasters, as they seem to make a very awkward transition into the drop. What kinda book did you read that in?

 

I am pretty sure it was a coaster book from 2006.

[Barge84]

^Banshee says hi.

 

He said that they only use them on curved drops, not that all curved drops have a pre-drop.

[nicman]

^The book did not say that ALL coasters with a curved drop have a pre-drop.

[Barge84]

^The book did not say that ALL coasters with a curved drop have a pre-drop.

 

Which is what I said. I'm trying to help you here...

[larrygator]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

An audiobook, I presume.

[Loco]

I read years ago that B&M found a solution to reduce the stress on the chain/rollback once the train disengages.

Thus eliminating pre-drops.

[Wolfman_KL]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

An audiobook, I presume.

 

Quote of the month.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

I'm very exciting about this coaster all over again! The tunnel is coming along nicely!

[coasterfreak101]

I've heard from a book that they only use pre-drops now on drops that are curved.

 

An audiobook, I presume.

 

[DJeXeL]

[coasterfreak101]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

[DJeXeL]

It already looks slow.

[TyRush]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

Very accurate.

[DJeXeL]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

 

Judging prior to riding is how we do things.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

 

Judging prior to riding is how we do things.

 

I doubt it'll even make it over the first hill. Because I can just tell... LOL

[Keetz]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

Very accurate.

 

I mean just judging by the reaction of the dummies, this is clearly the most force less B&M coaster ever built

[VF15]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

Very accurate.

 

I mean just judging by the reaction of the dummies, this is clearly the most force less B&M coaster ever built

[chickenbowl]

Okay, so this gives us somewhere between three and seven days to prepare for the onslaught of comments about how slow it looks based on the first run. I think that's enough time.

 

God, that's way too true! But with all these low hills it might look fast from the get go. I have a feeling this thing will haul once it warms up!