Intamin Drop Tower Differences

[OzCatter]

Ok, I've rode only one Intamin tower, Dungeon Drop at SFAW. I got a question, how much different in drops are the 2nd gen drop towers to the 3rd and 4th?

 

-Cal

[map2]

Both rides have the same concept, you go up to the top of a tower and then they drop you, only the second generation has newer rings. The second generation has up to 50 or 60 something people to a ring, instead of seperate four seated cars around the tower. There is a different crane sort of mechanism that allows 360 degree views.

[RCoasterny]

The first generation are the L shaped drop rides, such as the Demon Drop at Cedar Point and Stuntman's Freefall at SFGAdv. You can do the penny trick on the 1st generation.

 

Second generation and onward are all similar. They use a single tower, same as their observation deck towers, and use magnetic braking for slowing down the cars with either hydraulic or pneumatic rams to stop the cars or carriage at the bottom. I haven't heard anyone call the newer Intamin tower style drop rides 3rd or 4th generation. They always refer it to 2nd generation because all the newer drop rides use the same tower design. It comes in several different flavors, using 4 or 5 individual 4 passenger floorless sitdown cars, tilting or non-tilting, stand-up, both tilting and non-tilting, as well as a ring shaped carriage that rotates, both tilting and non-tilting. Intamin also combines a Superman-ese launched coaster with the vertical part sharing a drop ride tower. There are also some indoor drop towers that use a double-decker carriage.

[imbordisux]

I still prefer the 1st-gen Intamins to all other tower-rides...

[Hurricane]

That superman esque ride, is Tower Of Terror At Dreamworld, It also has the Tallest Vertical Freefall ride on it. 30 mins from my house! Let's just say i'll be dropping in on my homepark tomorrow.

 

Daniel " Now that's one HUGE Intamin erection!" Harmer

[slick]

Riiiight.

 

There are only three generations of Ride Trade drop towers (Ride Trade is the division of Intamin that control the Towers department). There are the first, which as you know are like the L shaped type rides, which drop from the top and then slope horizontal into breaking, then you have the first type of Ride Trade freefall towers (second generation) that use the traditional 4-across seating with the special "squarish" looking seats and then you have the 3rd which have your typical Intamin seats which are used from basically everything from gyro swings to impulse coasters, with the exception being their new hydraulic coasters, which use a different restraint system anyway.