Baffles 8 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 In this instance though the dog is on the chain rather than the car. This also works as the anti rollback, and the magnetic brakes prevent the car from rolling backwards should the chain snap. Link to post Share on other sites
KingRCT3 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 So rcrider4, you basically said that Eurofighter lifts work like a cable lift? Meaning the car can't catch the chain anywhere? Link to post Share on other sites
linearinduction 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 In this instance though the dog is on the chain rather than the car. This also works as the anti rollback, and the magnetic brakes prevent the car from rolling backwards should the chain snap. If the chain were to snap, the Magnetic Brakes would allow the Train to roll back down the lift at a controlled speed. Link to post Share on other sites
rctneil 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Just ridden Smiler. Surprisingly smooth apart from a sudden jolt coming out of the cobra roll. It squeaks a lot and has a unique roar sound and most of the time it duals quite nicely. When it was testing it crawled through the second half of the batwing and the following corkscrew but once with people it navigates fine. Will try to post my photos later Link to post Share on other sites
rcrider4 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 So rcrider4, you basically said that Eurofighter lifts work like a cable lift? Meaning the car can't catch the chain anywhere? That is correct, although it is still a continuous chain, not a cable that stops at the top and returns back down. As linearinduction said, it works like straight lift hill Schwartzkopf coasters, such as Scorpion at BGT. Link to post Share on other sites
KingRCT3 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Thanks for the info rcrider! I found a video . Just ridden Smiler. Surprisingly smooth Glad to hear! But doesn't the Gerstlauer shakiness come with years? How was Saw at its opening? Link to post Share on other sites
mousch 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Just ridden Smiler. Surprisingly smooth apart from a sudden jolt coming out of the cobra roll. It squeaks a lot and has a unique roar sound and most of the time it duals quite nicely. When it was testing it crawled through the second half of the batwing and the following corkscrew but once with people it navigates fine. Will try to post my photos later Exactly my sentiments although our second ride was a bit better as it had warmed up a bit, but Nemesis is still the best coaster in the park, having rode it before myself and rctneil left, it was just so intense and forceful compared to a rather forceless Smiler! But Alton have done a fantastic job with the whole theme of The Smiler, it does look fantastic. Link to post Share on other sites
rctneil 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Here's a few photos of the Smiler from today: Link to post Share on other sites
chaos 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 I can't get over how awesome those trains look full of people. And I find the washing machine hilarious for some reason. I feel like if I went to Alton Towers right now I'd just get hypnotized watching the ride and how cool it looks as the cars go around the track. And then I finally realize, "Wait! I can actually ride this thing, too." Link to post Share on other sites
Wes 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Certainly my favorite looking ride in quite some time. Link to post Share on other sites
David H 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Great pics, Neil! It's a great looking ride. And props to the park for trying something completely new with theming. Link to post Share on other sites
MayTheGForceBeWithYou 5 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 This was my most anticipated ride of 2013, and this does not look to disappoint. Very nice TR! Link to post Share on other sites
TyRush 0 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Wow, those pictures make me Smile Link to post Share on other sites
Nrthwnd 183 Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Great set of photos, Neil! It all looks wild and crazy. But man, that's going to be some upkeep they're going to have to maintain, every year, year after year. All that "stuff", lol. Link to post Share on other sites
ansley 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Finally made our first trip to Alton Towers last Monday, after hearing so much about the park for about 20 years now! I really liked the park, but the coasters were all a bit underwhelming, yes, even Nemesis. I've heard so much about Nemesis since it opened, how great of an inverted it is, and despite it's size and age how it still tops many enthusiasts inverted coaster list and it in many top ten lists. I thought Nemesis was good, really had no idea where I was going,but really honestly felt no better or more intense then most of my favorite B&M inverteds. It is short, like Batman, with no really good drop. It is all about the trenches and theming. A really fun ride, but not even near my top ten steel coasters. I think that OzIris at Parc Asterix last month was clearly better. I think the two coasters I came way really liking were Air and Sonic Pinball! Air was a really fun flying coaster with all the close to ground elements. Not super thrilling, but very well done package and a truly fun coaster. Sonic Spinball was the big surprise. I think I've only been on two of that type of spinning mouse, made by Maurer - Sohne. It was really fun and seriously intense. The G forces in the helix were extreme, was a very long ride with some great twists and turns. Easily the best mouse type coaster I've ever ridden! The park is nice, and seriously large with lots of walking. Had a great time, will be since we have Merlin Annual Passes. Didn't get everything in for the kids, will return and hit everything else later this summer. We only live about 115 miles away so can't wait to head down for a quick day trip! Also, the Smiler was closed which was a big disappointment since originally we thought it would be open. It does look quite cool though, can't wait to ride it! Ted Link to post Share on other sites
larrygator 9 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Neil - thanks for sharing the photos Link to post Share on other sites
goatdan 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I've heard so much about Nemesis since it opened, how great of an inverted it is, and despite it's size and age how it still tops many enthusiasts inverted coaster list and it in many top ten lists. When I got to Alton, I felt the same way. I think because Nemesis is *so* built up because of the amazing theming, I expected it to be the "be all, end all" of inverts. I came away surprised that I didn't really like it that much at all. It was cool, but I had no intention of waiting in line for it again. Air was a really fun flying coaster with all the close to ground elements. Not super thrilling, but very well done package and a truly fun coaster. I felt the same way about Air, and it was my favorite coaster of the park. I've managed to ride Tatsu and Superman: Ultimate Flight, and I didn't find either of them half as much fun as Air thanks to all the close to the grounds stuff. Air makes you feel like you're flying, whereas Tatsu and Superman make you feel like you're on a roller coaster, hung in a weird position... or at least that is what I and my dad who was with me felt. It's been a long time since I was at Alton, but while Nemesis didn't really impress me, the park blew me away. The Houdini-in-the-castle was amazingly well done, and the theming they did with all of their rides makes it a top five park to me. Nemesis was the only thing that didn't hold up for me, perhaps because I was hearing about it for about 10 years before I got there being one of the best rides in the world. It's hard to live up to that billing. Link to post Share on other sites
jray21 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Great pictures! I really like the look of the trains. Such a great looking ride! Link to post Share on other sites
skitt2010 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Great set of pics, i love the theming of the queue. Despite hiccups its finally built, well done to all those who waited for up to 5 hours in line to ride this beast!! Ill be there in a few weeks time. Link to post Share on other sites
skitt2010 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 AMAZING PIC!!!! Perfectly placed fish eye, great quality, on a truly awesome coaster. This picture makes me moist. Link to post Share on other sites
rctneil 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 ^^^ & ^^^^^ Everyones opinions differ, I prefer Nemesis over Smiler at this moment in time. Smiler was good but personally for me, Nemesis still has it. I rode Nemesis straight after Smiler and it was just running as such intensity and it blew me away even though I have ridden it so many times before. The best parts of Nemesis are the first tight helix and the final hidden corkscrew. The heartline roll over the station is the weakest point of the ride to me and yes it can be a bit rattly over there. Overall though, the fact that it is 19 years old and is still running amazingly well has to say something. I do like Air and it is fun but I don't normally make sure I ride it on every visit. The small bunny hop and final turn at the end are the best points to me. Spinball, I honestly could care less about. Chessington won on this one. Dragons Fury is epic. Really nice ride. Link to post Share on other sites
JayTricky 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Stunning photos Neil. Thank you for sharing! Nice to see Smiler get good reviews on the whole. It's literally everything I expected it to be. Stunning to look at, rough in parts, fun, disorientating, and a solid addition to Alton Towers. It's a little bit of an over reaction at the moment on the forums as people are claiming it to be better than Nemesis already. Of course that's their own opinion but let's just give it a while to run in and see how the reviews go from more of the GP and day to day visitors. Can see it coming in the top 20 in the coaster rankings. Link to post Share on other sites
coasterfreak101 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 It just looks amazing. Sitting next to it and watching would almost be good enough for me. Link to post Share on other sites
zombi3elephant9 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I love the look of the ride but the theme is just weird. I say just theme after the Nemesis. Hell, re theme all the rides to be Nemesis. Every single roller coaster in the world should be re themed to Nemesis Link to post Share on other sites
TPDave 0 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Looks cool, I really like the trains! Link to post Share on other sites
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