An Odd Noise on Medusa

[atem122]

About a month ago, I went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and rode Medusa, in the front and back, many times. One thing I noticed is that it made a weird clicking noise as it traveled through the zero-g-roll. I'd normally disregard this as some normal B&M noise, but I don't think I have heard it on Scream (the only other Floorless I've been on). Does anyone know what causes this? The only hypothesis I have is something to do with the anti-rollbacks.

 

Edit: Don't mind the video tags. Pretend like nothing's there.

[Dietcokevan]

I'm no pro, but I think it is the anti-roll backs.

 

I like the noise it makes, mostly because when we went over the summer we stayed at the hotel right across the street, so I woke up to that noise in the morning. Gave me nice coaster morning wood.

[themeparkman25]

Deleted by author

Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

[atem122]

^I sometimes add "boobs" in the tags of my videos to raise the view count. Don't ask.

[robbalvey]

Those are the snakes you are hearing.

[atem122]

Snakes? Excuse my cluelessness, but what are those?

[RCFreak]

Medusa... snakes... google it...

[atem122]

^Oh, damn, I knew that. Sarcasm doesn't work for me this late lol. I guess I walked into that one

[Tmcdllr]

It has done that for years. I believe it's the wheels rolling over a 'questionable' weld where two track pieces meet near the top of the Zero G. You can focus on that one point on the track and as a train passes you'll notice where the wheels 'bump' when they go over that spot. Either a weld or slightly mis-aligned track is causing this, or there is a slight gap between the two track pieces. It's not the anti-rollbacks as there is nothing on that part of the track for them to catch on.

[Rocket Rodder]

This might be crazy... but it could be a kind of expansion joint...? So the steel could expand or contract at that particular spot? Now I'm only guessing, and I'm probably dead wrong, but that's just my guess.

[thrillgeek]

It's been there ever since I can remember. I really like it. Adds a little anticipation thrill for on lookers. I think all coasters with a zero G roll should have it.

[Steelinwood]

I'm sure the coaster is still great but it has been around for about 10 years; so does anyone think it's aged well?

 

^I also don't think it's an element of sound to attract (or scare) riders.

[CoasterLover]

Sounds a lot like the sound Griffon makes at the bottom of the first drop... like at the 0:14 mark in the below video...

 

[TPDave]

It sounds like anti-rollbacks to me. If it's going to valley they'll want it further round the course as it's easier to get the train round from there. Basically they won't want it to go back down the zero-G

 

Dave

[thrillrideseeker]

^^ The sound in the Griffon IS for sure the Anti-Rollbacks. SheiKra does the same thing, I kept hearing it day in and day out when I worked there so finally I asked, and guess what... It was the Anti-Rollbacks. So my guess is the noise on Medusa is caused from the Anti-Rollbacks as well.

~Matthew

[DBru]

But...why would there be anti-rollbacks halfway up Griffon's first drop?

[thrillrideseeker]

^ There are not anti-rollbacks on the drop. It is the anti-rollbacks on the train "Falling back down" into their normal position. When the train is falling the anti rollbacks are not in their "normal position" Its kind of hard to explain, unless you know what I am trying to say. I drew a ghetto photo to try and explain. When the cars are vertical the anti rollbacks are flat up against the bottom of the train, when the train starts to level out the anti rollbacks fall back down into the normal position, resulting in the clanking sound you hear on Griffon, and SheiKra, and I would assume the same sound on Medusa. Any ways check out the photo, maybe it will help you understand.

~Matthew

Make Sense?

[A-kid]

Basically the anti-rollback dogs are banging about under the train.

[thrillrideseeker]

Basically the anti-rollback dogs are banging about under the train.

That is what I was trying to say, you just made it much easier to understand!

~Matthew

[atem122]

That sounds pretty feasible, but has anyone heard this noise on other zero g rolls?

[FeelTheFORCE]

As others have said, sounds like anti-rollbacks to me. As someone else has said, Griffon makes the same noise.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

But if they're anti-rollbacks, why would (in Medusa's case) take so long to level out? If it were the vertical loop I could see it, but the 0-g is the third element in the ride, and for every B&M I've had the privilege to work at I've seen that B&M springloads their antirollback, so the usually pop back down to their home position on the pre-drop.

[thrillrideseeker]

^ Maybe Medusa's are not spring loaded?

~Matthew

[DarkStitch626]

Its the anti-roll back units. Having worked 3 B&M's I know the sound very well. It tends to mostly happen on aging B&M's such as Afterburn. I noted it alot on Nitro,Goliath, and Apollo's chariot over the hill tops. I mean they are spring loaded so they would naturally bounce. Coaster Porn for some people in action. The springs pop back every so often or in say Afterburns case after it disengages the lift on occasion you hear a loud "CLACK!", its called giving the anti roll back a little play room. Listen to a B&M Disengage the lift hills..you'll hear it quite nicely RIGHT as the last cars go over the lift.

 

In listening to the Medusa video you can hear 7 distinct "clacks" out of the 8 cars which means 1 did not have the "loose" issue. Its called Gravity can tug them any time its not a question of "why so long to level out?" Its more a fact such as the elements all pulling on the different ride parts due to forces.

 

As I keep giving instances.

 

Afterburn you hear it in the Zero G roll and the batwing.

Goliath you hear it on every single hill top mostly the smaller ones.

Nitro every hill top.

Apollo every hill top.

 

As said its a fact "depending on proper forces" or loose springs.

[thrillrideseeker]

At 0:37 in this video you can hear them as well. I belive its just something that happens on the rides. A little anit-rollback clanking never hurt anyone!!

~Matthew