Eric_Smith Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I searched and found nothing. Does anybody know why B&M stopped having stairs on both sides of the lift and going to having only one side? It makes no sense to me. If anyone can help that would be great! Two sides... One side... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsor Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I would guess that it's just a cost-saving measure, especially when you're dealing with lift hills over 200 feet in height. You'll notice some of B&M's recent shorter coasters (Hydra and Led Zeppelin) still have catwalks on both sides. Although there seems to be an exception for dive coasters, probably because evacuation would take too long for those wide trains with only one catwalk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_Smith Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 ^Does not having a side of stairs really save that much money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuschSchoe Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Very good good question Eric_Smith, I'm interested to find out the answer as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFGAm Shock Wave Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Most of the B&Ms with two sets of stairs only have one side that goes all the way to the ground though, so that second set of stairs is usually only used by Maintenance. For example, Raging Bull at SFGAm has stairs on both sides, but only the right side starts at ground level. The left side starts at the base of the lift, which is already a good 25-30ft off the ground. Same thing with Nitro at SFGAdv, only the right side stairs go all the way to the ground. http://www.rcdb.com/ig1106.htm?picture=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLERLC1 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 At least they didn't cheap out on my NITRO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b&mforever Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think its on a per ride basis, because even some of the BTRs have one set of stairs (SFGAM) while others have both (SFGADV). Two Staired B&M's are much sexier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rosenzweig Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think its on a per ride basis, because even some of the BTRs have one set of stairs (SFGAM) while others have both (SFGADV). Two Staired B&M's are much sexier! It could be as simple as a state-to-state/province requirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speeddeamon128 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I never noticed that the catwalks were on one side on the newer B&Ms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. Save money where you can. This might also be just a style change, like skipping the little dip before the 1st drop. Truly, B&M is taking steps to cut costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcoaster Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. Save money where you can. This might also be just a style change, like skipping the little dip before the 1st drop. Truly, B&M is taking steps to cut costs. I loved those little dips. Like the pre-drop on Apollo's Chariot. It tricked me my first time riding. I thought it was the inital drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I never did like the look of the little dip, and never understood why the rides couldn't be designed to just come off the lift and into the first drop. About the stairs, I'd go along with a cost cutting measure. Every little bit helps. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuschSchoe Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 It wouldn't really be fair to say that B&M is "cutting costs". I mean look at Diamondback's splashdown... I know having the splashdown doesn't really mean money out of B&M's pockets, but the trains had to be more expensive to manufacture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterPete Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 My guess would be simply park preference. Some parks surely would prefer a catwalk on both sides as where others don't see it necessary, therefore saving money in the process. Great question though! I'm really curious as to the real explanation. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. That's not how markets work. If demand is down, prices go down to attract more buyers. Current example: housing. I never did like the look of the little dip, and never understood why the rides couldn't be designed to just come off the lift and into the first drop. I really enjoy the pre-drop on Raging Bull and believe it makes for the best first drop of the B&M hypers that I've been on. I believe the point of the pre-drop was to reduce wear on the lift system. The back part of the train tends to jerk the lift chain as the front part of the train begins to drop. The pre-drop pulled the train off the chain more smoothly. But, a much cheaper way to reduce wear is to just speed up the lift motor as the train is beginning to drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vekoma Fan Boy Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I never did like the look of the little dip, and never understood why the rides couldn't be designed to just come off the lift and into the first drop.About the stairs, I'd go along with a cost cutting measure. Every little bit helps. Eric From what I remember it was supposed to serve as a shelf for the weight of the train so it could disengage from the chain without putting excessive stress on it. Although now I believe they just speed up the chain when the train crests the hill to alleviate stress. But then again, I'm a half-asleep 14 year old, what do I know? EDIT: I was beat to the punch by ginzo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDCOASTERFAN Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Well if you look at things this way it looks like only the newer hypers have lost the pre-drop off of the lift,while just about every other model B&M have produced still use a pre-drop element...then again unlike the hypers most of B&M's loopers usually have a 180 degree curving drop with the exception of a couple of models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 It wouldn't really be fair to say that B&M is "cutting costs". Noone said they were. What many of us are offering here are reasons why the stairs aren't on both sides of the lift hill. "Cutting Costs", "Saving Money" "Trimming the Fat" "Lars", whatever you want to call it, point to the same meaning. Less metal on the coaster, less cost. TheRapidsNerd wrote: I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. That's not how markets work. If demand is down, prices go down to attract more buyers. Current example: housing. It's a valid point, but I disagree. Utilities went up for the first time in about 5 years here. Rumor has it, it's due to people using eco-bulbs that draw less wattage. Demand on the power grid is less, yet the rates are higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixflagsguy5 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 It's probably just park preference or building codes. It's not a big deal though, as long as there's a way to get down if it gets stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryPa77 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Raptor and the orignal Batman used to be only B&M's I could think of without steps on both sides until recently. It never really made sense to me why the other ones all had them on both sides, but that's one thing I liked about climbing Raptor's hill was the lack of steps on the left side. I'm glad they're not doing steps on both sides on most of the new rides, it made the lifts seem too wide to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUSHIE Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Could possibly be that some designs require it and others don't. Inverted and floor less needs stairs on both sides to get the people off and styles that have floors generally don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinacaniac Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 It's a valid point, but I disagree. Utilities went up for the first time in about 5 years here. Rumor has it, it's due to people using eco-bulbs that draw less wattage. Demand on the power grid is less, yet the rates are higher. I would guess that it may be that your power company is a public entity like ours is here in Greenville. While it is ran by the city and not intended for profit, they still have to maintain the revenue to cover operating costs and expansions for new sub-divisions. Demand may play a bit into it, but I believe there are other factors as well. -Gary T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahecht Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. That's not how markets work. If demand is down, prices go down to attract more buyers. Current example: housing. It's a valid point, but I disagree. Utilities went up for the first time in about 5 years here. Rumor has it, it's due to people using eco-bulbs that draw less wattage. Demand on the power grid is less, yet the rates are higher. You can either pretend to know better based on anecdotal data and rumors, or you can look at actual data. Check out the attached chart below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 TheRapidsNerd wrote: Quote: TheRapidsNerd wrote: I'd guess cost and materials. Less metal to buy for the project, especially if that market's prices are jacked up to compensate for bad economy. That's not how markets work. If demand is down, prices go down to attract more buyers. Current example: housing. It's a valid point, but I disagree. Utilities went up for the first time in about 5 years here. Rumor has it, it's due to people using eco-bulbs that draw less wattage. Demand on the power grid is less, yet the rates are higher. You can either pretend to know better based on anecdotal data and rumors, or you can look at actual data. Check out the attached chart below: Oh dear....this is getting out of hand fast. Ginzo, Carolina, ahecht, all points valid and taken. Thanks for the insight. Now back to one-sided stairs on lift hills, and the coaster nuts who love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_Smith Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 I noticed that the newer coasters that don't have a floor have 2 sides of stairs. The sitting down w/ floors have only one. If someone can prove me wrong, please do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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