Power Outages?

[FLIPDUDE]

Well I was watching a couple of rollercoaster-related cartoons, and I remembered that in cartoons, whenever there's a power out the coaster train stops right where it is(Usually at the top of a loop). And I know that it doesn't really make sense since most coasters aren't electrictiy-powered, but then I realized that brakes ARE(or at least the sensors that trigger them). So if there's a power outage, which, from expereince I have seen to make Lift hills stop working, therefore eliminating my "Emergency generator" theory. What keeps the brakes running?

 

On the Midwest trip they had to operate Avalanche's brakes manually since it got hit by lightning the night before, but what do you do if it happens mid-run? Is there actually a chance of something happening if the ride op doesn't notice in time?

[Team Thriller]

I do know on Vekoma Boomerangs, they can stop on the loop.

But I don't know if its a power outage or not.

 

--James

[Evan1127]

All good brakes are designed to be fail-safe. That means that they require energy to disengage, rather than engage, so in case of a loss of power, all brakes default to closed.

[FLIPDUDE]

I do know on Vekoma Boomerangs, they can stop on the loop.

But I don't know if its a power outage or not.

 

--James

 

On the cobra roll. Yeah, they can Valley. The vertical loop is EXTREMELY unlikely

[haux]

All good brakes are designed to be fail-safe. That means that they require energy to disengage, rather than engage, so in case of a loss of power, all brakes default to closed.

This is exactly what it is. A brake's default position is closed. It takes power and air pressure to leave them open. If the power goes out, the power giving the air the pressure to open them is lost, and the brake closes.

[FLIPDUDE]

Ah, okay, that makes sense

 

Thanks for answering!

[Guest]

I do know on Vekoma Boomerangs, they can stop on the loop.

But I don't know if its a power outage or not.

 

--James

 

On the cobra roll. Yeah, they can Valley. The vertical loop is EXTREMELY unlikely

 

No, they have a strip of brakes between the loop and second spike. I guess they would be used in the event that the train doesn't make it completely up the second spike, they wouldn't risk valley in the cobra or between the cobra and loop.

[TheBannedKid]

But they can still valley on a cobra roll on the rare case that the train has enough sped to get into the cobra roll but not out.

[bspellx5]

I do know on Vekoma Boomerangs, they can stop on the loop.

But I don't know if its a power outage or not.

 

--James

 

On the cobra roll. Yeah, they can Valley. The vertical loop is EXTREMELY unlikely

 

No, they have a strip of brakes between the loop and second spike. I guess they would be used in the event that the train doesn't make it completely up the second spike, they wouldn't risk valley in the cobra or between the cobra and loop.

 

^Yeah when I was TGE's Boomerang when it valleyed thats where it E-Stop, VERY quickly. I'm pretty sure they store the train in that spot too.

[FLIPDUDE]

It does happen from time to time, Freddie. I guess the brakes are there just to reduce the chances of it happening. But you do read about it in the papers every 2 years or so.

 

 

^I know for a fact that boomerang trains are stored in the station. Probably because that part of the track is covered, and has easy access from below.

[bspellx5]

^Ok, thats for clearing that up, I just thought that cuz on Openday in 2007 thats where the train was sitting, and it was not open yet.

[FLIPDUDE]

^It was probably not open yet BECAUSE it was sitting there

[bspellx5]

Yeah that would make sense would it, didn't think of that.

[okinawaboy11]

But what about Magnetic Brakes/LIM's?

[TheBannedKid]

Rare earth mag brakes are permanent. Some raise and lower when not in use but they are always "on". LIMs don't work once power is shut off. Coasters usually have a fail safe system to stop the train. S:TE at SFMM has rare earth mags behind the station in case the brakes fail.

[Coasterlvr_nc]

Depending on the way the ride was designed, a LIM coaster could either be like maverick, where the LSMs act as a brake if the power fails, or a rollback. Or in the case of LIMs ( I'm not entirely sure to be honest) but I believe they have brakes in between the LIMs in the event of a rollback.

[Spideyfreak]

On rides like Flight of Fear and Jokers Jinx, there is a brake run at the end of the launch. In the event of a "misfire" the brakes will stop the train.

[coasterfreaky]

What about when a coaster, specifically an older Arrow coaster is setting on the transfer track??

 

Dave Altoff Jr's site mentions this instance...

http://capital2.capital.edu/admin-staff/dalthoff/shame.html

 

This one was a simple mistake. It's the kind of incident you can make jokes about first of all because nobody got hurt, and second because it can happen to even the best park operators in the business. In fact it DID happen to one of the best park operators in the business. This is the transfer table of an Arrow looping coaster that is about fifteen years old. As on most Arrow coasters, the brakes on the transfer table (and everywhere else on the ride) are applied with air pressure. When the air is released, a leaf spring pulls the brake caliper open. It is standard practice on any ride with air pressure systems to drain the air tanks and lines daily so that moisture doesn't build up in the system and corrode the tanks. So when the train is parked, it needs to be held in place with a wheel chock or a chain attached to the back axle, since draining the air system will make the brakes go away. In this case, the train had been secured with a steel chain, but the chain was just a few feet longer than it should have been. Whoops!

 

This would be a case of brakes default position being opened? Perhaps Arrow doesn't use 'good' brakes? This is Vortex at KI.

[Coasterlvr_nc]

not quite, If the power were to fail, then the air that remains in the tanks will close the brakes, Without air however, then the brakes would open up.

[LcHg5265]

If you look at the below picture, you can see a row of air storage tanks on the bottom right under the track. Each of those tanks matches up to one break in that section, so that in the event of a power failure, the breaks will close.

 

[Guest]

Here's a closer shot of that:

 

[stormrider]

I looks to me like the leaf springs on those brakes default to close, and the air is used to either open the brakes, or the close the brakes faster than a spring could.

[Spideyfreak]

They default to open, the air is used to close them.

[TheBannedKid]

That doesn't seem right, how would they close in the event of a power outage? Unless there is a valve electronically closed to keep the air in the cylinders. Once the power is cut then the air is released. It just seems too complicated.

[Coastercameron]

On Arrow style brakes, the tanks stay pressurized with air (and have sensors to fault the ride if air is low for some reason) However, the valving is set up to fail open. So, power fails, air valves open, pressurizing the bladders in the brakes and clamping them shut. Assuming the air system is tight, it should hold the pressure and remain closed indefinately.