Kumbarider1993 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I rode the hulk last in august and WOW! definetly in my top 10 list, i think i might have even liked it better than Kumba. Well i know the ride was manufactured by B&M and build from 1997-1998 but does anyone know who esigned the flywheel launching systems? for starters Walter and Claude don't like to do launches, they perfer to do gravity powered rides and that is why this is the only launching coaster they built. They didn't even engineer the launching system from what i heard...and if you din't know, the little tires are powered by several large flywheels and huge powering systems backstage. That's why it doesn't cause orlando to black out at every launch like the early LIM coasters did. I still am bewildered at who designed the launching mechanism cause it sure was awesome! if you know please respond! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalCoasters Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 if I recall correctly, Premier Rides did the launch system for Incredible Hulk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G$ Kurt Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 ^ I believe that is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJeXeL Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 B&M wanted nothing to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stricklandCC Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I believe Universal sent out a contracting bid, Premier and Lockheed-Martin were both in the running. Lockheed-Martin had proposed LSM's versus Premier's tire propulsion. Premier won the bid do to cheaper costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumbarider1993 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thank for the resopnese everyone. i wouldn't even have guessed that Premier did the launch system. they were mainly doing their LIM systems back in the 90's that's pretty cool though. i'm always surprised that B&M built it but didn't design the launch. it just seems kind of wierd only doing part of the project escpecially when they didn't want to design a launching system. well im very glad they built it cause its one wonerful ride (one of their best too in my personal opinion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stricklandCC Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 It was interesting to watch it being built too. I went to high school across the street during construction, and all you could see was an elevated corkscrew looking thing with no lift (obviously) connected. Not being tuned into the coaster community at the time, I thought it was going to be a Drachen Fire like element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 So the launch is generated purely from tyres spinning under the train? That launch is a great trick shot, and that inversion before the first drop is nice as well. If I hadn't seen the House on Haunted Hill just before I went to IOA, I never would have saw that launch coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumbarider1993 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 It was interesting to watch it being built too. I went to high school across the street during construction, and all you could see was an elevated corkscrew looking thing with no lift (obviously) connected. Not being tuned into the coaster community at the time, I thought it was going to be a Drachen Fire like element. Yeah i always though it was weird how far in advance this was built. i have a few constructrion photograpghs on my pc (not shot by me) from 1997 an it's only the cobra roll.. in another from 1998 it lloks like the whole thing was just about done. Hah that must have been cool seeing the hulk built, i am totally blown away by this coaster every time i ride i ride it. I also love Premier's designs for the launch (now that i know it was premier!). they are the most creative company in the buisness right now i think. their layouts and concepts are really unique and every since they have had lap bars on all their rides they've been some of the smoothest. It was really creative of them using the drive tires an brake fins on the trains. I really enjoy every premier i've been on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumbarider1993 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 So the launch is generated purely from tyres spinning under the train? That launch is a great trick shot, and that inversion before the first drop is nice as well. If I hadn't seen the House on Haunted Hill just before I went to IOA, I never would have saw that launch coming. The 150 ft long launch tunnel is full of drive tires that grap on to the coaster car's brake fins. The tires are connected to several large fly wheels which have their own power units to prevent blackouts. the train is carried @ 5 mph or so up the hill and about 2/3 the way in the launch which is powered by the big flywheels launches the train generating 1.42 G's on the riders and accelerating the train to 40 Mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterlover420 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Just for the record, drive wheels on B&M's are not tires. They are made of a much more solid material, I'm not sure what, but they are surely not tires filled with air. This is for traction and control purposes, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 ^The launch is so powerful I could never believe they were just inflated tyres rubbing against the underbelly of the train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterlvr_nc Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 ^ im pretty sure that they are solid rubber. no air in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJeXeL Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Just for the record, drive wheels on B&M's are not tires. They are made of a much more solid material, I'm not sure what, but they are surely not tires filled with air. This is for traction and control purposes, I suppose. Riddler's Revenge and I believe all stand-ups for that matter have inflatable tires. Sorry for the blurry photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Alex Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 ^ You're referring to drive tires, though. Most coasters (even woodies) have air-filled, regular looking tires that do nothing but move the train along the transfer/station area. Since the speed of the vehicle is only around 5-10mph, this is fine. With the Hulk, the train is being launched uphill at an ultimate speed of 40mph. A different type of tire is used due to the added stress. I'd imagine the ride would have seen many a blow-out by now if it used air tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJeXeL Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I'm aware of that. I'm commenting on coasterlover420's post. Hence the quotations.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterlvr_nc Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) ^ incidentally though, if you look at B&M inverted coasters, they use similar tires on their drive wheels. I think that this is what coasterlover420 was referring to. See image below just ahead of the train. Edited March 24, 2011 by Coasterlvr_nc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJeXeL Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I'm aware that B&M drive tires (Pinch wheels) are not inflated tires!! I'm aware of this for the 3rd time! I operated a B&M invert with "Solid Rubber" pinch wheels for 3 1/2 years! I'm just going off of his original post. You're right he may have meant that but that's not what was said.That's all I was pointing out. Back on topic: What's the average wait time for IH on a busy summer day? Does the park consistently run 3 trains or is that rare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGuy06 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 ^Both times I have been to the park they were running 3 trains. One of those days was a moderately busy day and by night the ride was a walk on for rows 2-8 and they kept running all 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpengeist04 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 ...This coaster has great capacity. I think Universal and their staff does a great job keeping the line moving on The Hulk. I've been to the park dozens of times during all times of the year and they have always had either 2 or 3 trains running. So to answer your question, I would expect them to be running 3 trains on their busy days this summer. As for waits, at opening it should range from a walk-on to 15 minutes as everyone else runs to Harry Potter. As the day goes on the lines will probably build to a 45-90 minute range, with an occasional 2 hour wait on some days. ...Then as the day winds down the lines should shorten once again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Yeti Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 If I hadn't seen the House on Haunted Hill just before I went to IOA, I never would have saw that launch coming. I was there the day they were filming it actually. Apparently people who got there near when the park opened were asked if they would like to ride it and be on it for the film shoot, and I heard a girl saying as we left that park that day - pointing at the Hulk - "I had to ride that thing 14 (somewhere around that number, it was 12 years ago) times in a row this morning!" I was so incredibly jealous...The ride was closed all day, and I was upset that I didn't get to ride it. However, I rode Dueling Dragons probably 12-13 times that day and none of the rides had lines (basically because it was a "soft-open" of the park, Dudley Doo-Right was nowhere near done and they had work to do on Suess and some other stuff). Anyway, the launch into the Zero-G roll is amazing every year I go and I even get goosebumps when the Doctor is saying "I think this time it-it's going to work." IOA just did such a great job with the theme and concept... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumbarider1993 Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 I'm aware that B&M drive tires (Pinch wheels) are not inflated tires!! I'm aware of this for the 3rd time! I operated a B&M invert with "Solid Rubber" pinch wheels for 3 1/2 years! I'm just going off of his original post. You're right he may have meant that but that's not what was said.That's all I was pointing out. Back on topic: What's the average wait time for IH on a busy summer day? Does the park consistently run 3 trains or is that rare? I went on a really busy day in august and the wait time during the morning was like a 2-3 ride wait for the front row with a three train operation. the crew was really efficient loading when i went too, they were also really enthusiastic about their jobs and that's definetly a plus. toward the middle of the day the line was still only like 20 mins which is still decent. and at night, it was a walk on for the front, i rode the front three times in a row @ night. The best ride capacity at IOA though is the dueling dragons. it was a walk on for all rows throughout the day. like the hulk, it also has a really efficient crew at both the loading and unloading docks. it's only better because since it is two tracks, it has six (!) trains. They had actually built a huge queue house for it when the park opened in 1999. but the ride was so efficient and had such high capacity that they it wasn't needed and they tore it down and built the flying unicorn (now hypogriff something) for the 2000 season. Lines werent a big problem at all on the wicked busy day i went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumbarider1993 Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 If I hadn't seen the House on Haunted Hill just before I went to IOA, I never would have saw that launch coming. I was there the day they were filming it actually. Apparently people who got there near when the park opened were asked if they would like to ride it and be on it for the film shoot, and I heard a girl saying as we left that park that day - pointing at the Hulk - "I had to ride that thing 14 (somewhere around that number, it was 12 years ago) times in a row this morning!" I was so incredibly jealous...The ride was closed all day, and I was upset that I didn't get to ride it. However, I rode Dueling Dragons probably 12-13 times that day and none of the rides had lines (basically because it was a "soft-open" of the park, Dudley Doo-Right was nowhere near done and they had work to do on Suess and some other stuff). Anyway, the launch into the Zero-G roll is amazing every year I go and I even get goosebumps when the Doctor is saying "I think this time it-it's going to work." IOA just did such a great job with the theme and concept... Yeah, i heard that during the soft opening the coasters worked perfectly, but they wanted to get them used to handling large crowds so that's why they weren't opened full time during the soft opening. Yeah though that park is so well themed, i really hope they don't remove the mythos restaunrant and change it to a haryy potter themed one, it would just ruin it unless they do the same thing they did to the ragons and heep all the theming except for one or two thing. When i rode the hulk last year, they had actually added even more themeing to the hulk. now they have this really sweet lazer light and fog pattern that they do in the tunnel, it's even more immersive an cool. i think my favorite part is how well it ties into the story on how the animations of the doctor guy climing into the gamma tube have him climing into a car and pulling down shoulder restraint, getting ready to go into the gamma tube, which is what you, the rider, would be doing soon. it's jusy awesome how well they tied it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterlover420 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 As far as the wheel debate, I was referring to the "pinch" wheels, since those are the ones used on the Hulk. I know other types use tires, I should have been specific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Based on this thread, I'd love to see some photos of the hulk launch construction. Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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