stormrider Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Hi! I know this might sound really nerdy, but the B&M box track has always intrigued me, and I'm trying to wrap my mind around how it's put together. I know it's probably a trade secret, but my hypothesis is that it's made partially like this: And sorry for the MS Paint To further this hypothesis, I'd like to know if anybody can find pictures of the track showing that the diagonals on the corners run in opposite directions on opposite sides (for instance, the top of the track would have the diagonal running right to left and the bottom of the track would have the diagonal running left to right, in the forward direction). It's hard to find pictures that show both the top and the bottom at the same time (must be some funky inversion to capture that ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I found a video that explains box track construction in detail. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fooz Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 "F*@&ing roller coasters, how do they work?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormrider Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 ^^ Jeeze, that's why I love this website Anyways, I did find a picture that shows the diagonals do indeed work that way, but the bends happen on the diagonals and the welds happen along the edge (so it's more like 4 bent rectangles, but the rectangles are connected, so it's really 4 very long polygons bent multiple times welded together ) I'm almost tempted to test this by folding some paper and taping it together While listening to that song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal1br3tto Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 ...I'm almost tempted to test this by folding some paper and taping it together While listening to that song. I always recommend listening to ICP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormrider Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Guess what ends up working? See! Maybe the ghetto fair is looking for a new coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyyyper Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Yet you still fail to show us how the box-track looks from the inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterlover420 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 ^^yep that's pretty much it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Guess what ends up working? [attachment=0]Picture 3.JPG[/attachment] Miracles all up in this b*tch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormrider Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Look, I figured it out on my own, if you want to jump on the ridicule bandwagon, fine. I know now that TPR is a travel forum and it's not okay to look deeper than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal1br3tto Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Coaster track construction is genuinely beyond my comprehension. So I for one am impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Brandon_ Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 B&M's box track is made up of 8 right triangles, every 2 form one rectangle. The insides are hollow which creates the extremely loud "B&M Rumble", although in some cases (Like Kraken at SeaWorld), the track is filled with sand to decrease the rides roar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormrider Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 The thing is, I saw pictures of the track while it was being welded, and the diagonals are not welded together in general. It's really that each long track segment is made of 4 long, folded polygons welded on their edges. Yet some pictures show that the more twisty segments have more welds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterlover420 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 ^I would like to see said pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fooz Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I think its a clever deduction, and I think you're just as knowledgable as anyone here, ans we don't seem to have manufacturing insiders, so jokes are all we have to offer. So good job, I think thats likely the method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueerRudie Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 OK: Digging into my dusty memory banks, moving the old files of lost items, and where my car keys went... Back about four or five years ago, one of the Travel Channel/Discovery/etc. channel types did a program on coasters- and featured a segment on the B&M plant outside of Cincinatti, OH, and they showed the partial assembly of the box beam segments. As well, they showed the water cutting of the steel itself, and the assembly of the final 'product'- or as much as they could without giving away trade secrets. Remember this: Occum's Razor: The most logical answer is normally the most correct. In this case, you might want to dig through and find that program- I don't recall the title- sorry! But it would give you the best guess for the final product you're looking for. (And we're not all about travel here. We're also about having fun- and admittedly, I'm not an engineer- I'm a manager.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonR Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Hell I'm an engineer and the B&M track still intrigues me. Bending a box beam into complex 3D shapes is no easy task. I'm assuming they've come up with some kind of computer program to generate where the bending and welding lines need to be for each track section and then, as mentioned above, have a waterjet machine cut out each section. Then they probably use a press brake (depending on how automated this process is) to bend the sections and then weld it all together. Of course not every bend is welded, you can easily tell which sections are welded due to the raised seam. So the most complex part about B&M track was probably creating the initial program that generates the track's bend/weld sections based on the spline of the course. Beyond that it's pretty simple manufacturing... And FYI, a little digging came up with the company's name who makes B&M's track: http://www.clermontsteel.com/ (whose site shows some supports in their raw(er) state). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Look, I figured it out on my own, if you want to jump on the ridicule bandwagon, fine. I know now that TPR is a travel forum and it's not okay to look deeper than that. Your question was just very specific and my simple mind was unable to follow the diagram! I honestly didn't mean any disrepect.. I just like the jokes! Chris "seriously has no idea how magnets work" Con Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDCOASTERFAN Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 OK: Digging into my dusty memory banks, moving the old files of lost items, and where my car keys went... Back about four or five years ago, one of the Travel Channel/Discovery/etc. channel types did a program on coasters- and featured a segment on the B&M plant outside of Cincinatti, OH, and they showed the partial assembly of the box beam segments. As well, they showed the water cutting of the steel itself, and the assembly of the final 'product'- or as much as they could without giving away trade secrets. Remember this: Occum's Razor: The most logical answer is normally the most correct. In this case, you might want to dig through and find that program- I don't recall the title- sorry! But it would give you the best guess for the final product you're looking for. (And we're not all about travel here. We're also about having fun- and admittedly, I'm not an engineer- I'm a manager.) I believe it was Natgeo channel's supercoasters program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueerRudie Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 ^ thanks... Senior moments do hit on occasion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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