Toyota powered park?

[man]

So I searched and found a slight mention of it in another thread, but didn't really want to hijack it with random discussion....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vfrcv8qZK0

 

Anyways I saw this commercial a while ago, but never heard anything about it.... While I don't think that it could sustain a whole park it does seem like a possible good way to keep the ride running on itself with a little injection of power in the morning. While a manual lift mechanism or even tugging the train up the hill for the morning test runs is not an efficient way of running a park it is one way.... The ride could even have a shelter the top of the lift hill or put a sheltered brake run after and leave the train up there for the night so it is easier to start it manually in the morning. IMO It seems possible to use this in combination with other natural forms of power like solar and wind to make a park that sustains itself with the proper weather conditions.

 

I am curious what is everyone opinion on the idea proposed by Toyota possible or not? Any cool designs in mind for it? Or does it just FAIL for some good backed up reason?

[coasterfreak101]

Wasn't there something from Maurer-Sohne or Mack at IAAPA where they were essentially doing this? And doesn't one of them already take harness power from the brakes and send it back to power the next launch? I've seen this commercial, and I always feel like Toyota's taking ideas that are already there/in the process of being used in the real world. Correct me if I'm wrong, though!

[Coasterlvr_nc]

What you guys are trying to do is create a perpetual motion machine, not possible. With some power added in the morning this idea would somewhat work, but you would always have to inject power into the system. The problem with generators on the wheels is that they cause excess friction, so current standing rides will not be able to make the course AND provide any kind of decent amount of power. The wheels at IAAPA used low energy leds, which is fine and easy to harness the power for. A chain lift pulling a X-ton train, not so feasible. sorry to burst your bubble.

[stormrider]

Hmm, what it sounds like to me is that they could be more efficient with the energy that they already use. However, permanent magnetic brakes seem to me like the best thing to save energy. They might be thinking of something like using the regenerated energy to power things that are not involved with the roller coaster. Then again, they could also get the most out of roller coasters by designing them to use all their energy in a long and hopefully fun layout

[man]

Ah I honestly do not really know how it works What I thought is the brakes (needing a form of stored power to use initially) stopping the train would convert the power from every wheel into one battery which could somehow be collected and used to reduce cost of running the rides... Maybe even throw it on the cars of rides like loopers at knobles which utalizes peoples energy into adding into the excitement of the ride. When it brakes in the end I would think it could be applied to collect energy the riders have put into it. I am not saying its something very economically feasible, but I was just curious to see if combined with other green sources of power if there was a way to make a very unstably powered park

 

(youtube for loopers at knobles)