Dollywood Discussion Thread

[bkwjjm]

I am going to the park on October 12. Looking forward to seeing the progress on Lightning Rod. Will try to get pictures.

[KBrylczyk]

Omg. I have never been so excited to see wood getting erected. It looks amazing!!!

 

SEX JOKE

[thedlr]

Thanks for the photos, WildEagle2014. The dip between the twin summits is more pronounced than I thought. I'm wondering if they are truly "twin" summits in that they are identical in height.

[CP Maverick]

I can't imagine, for safety reasons, that they would make the peaks identical height due to the risk of valley should the power be cut as the train reaches the first peak. But I could also be wrong.

[KBrylczyk]

I can't imagine, for safety reasons...should the power be cut...

 

By that logic no ride should ever be built anywhere ever.

[coasterbill]

 

I love this pic.

[TyRush]

^Seems like you should put your baby in a barrel!

[CP Maverick]

I can't imagine, for safety reasons...should the power be cut...

 

By that logic no ride should ever be built anywhere ever.

What? By that logic, a gravity powered ride will continue and stop at a safe point if the power fails. You know, instead of valleying in an unsafe location.

[KBrylczyk]

^ Except for the numerous Boomerangs that have valleyed in the cobra roll, or The Chiller's Robin side that valleyed in the cobra roll. Or a bunch of others that have valleyed in places that aren't easily accessible. Yeah, many have catwalks now but Chiller didn't have one when it first valleyed. They built it after the fact.

 

Also how would it be an "unsafe" location if it valleyed up there? The train is upright and the passengers are secured by the restraints. The only way it'd be safer is if it were to get stuck on the brake run.

[CP Maverick]

The difference is being designed to valley at a certain point and poor engineering that doesn't account for those situations.

[KingRCT3]

Those in your exemple are shuttles, it's normal that their "peaks" are symmetrical, as the train travels through them both forward and backward. Here, as it is a closed circuit, it would be more logical to have a small height difference.

[kcurry11]

The friction coefficient is what will determine the height difference. The kinetic energy that is created between the two hills will keep the train going. In theory, because the train is traveling such a short distance, both vertically and horizontally, between the two hills (much smaller then between two full sized hills), the kinetic energy transferred into heat energy (friction) is much less. This will allow the height differential between the two hills to be much less, creating the most potential energy to be transferred back into kinetic energy to give the train it's full speed. Also, I am sure the RMC engineers and Alan Schilke have done all the math hundreds of times to prevent something stupid like a valley on the first drop...

[shadox17]

Just found this picture on Facebook!

 

Lifthill!!!

 

Photo creds: https://www.facebook.com/BPARCS?fref=nf

[RyanTPM]

^First track, wonderful stuff

[KingRCT3]

That's some minimalistic supports over here.

[mordecai-75]

^ i agree, it doesn't look like enough to handle launching.

[TB305]

^ i agree, it doesn't look like enough to handle launching.

You're right. RMC has no idea what they're doing!

 

This kind of stuff was said about Outlaw Run before it opened, and would you look at that, the supports are still going strong!

[KingRCT3]

Of course it's enough, don't worry mordecai-75.

 

By the way, looking at the radius at the bottom of the lift/launch which is unusually large, I think we might be launched on the flat part and then carry on on the incline, unlike Hulk for instance where you climb slowly and then woooosh.

[horootle]

By the way, looking at the radius at the bottom of the lift/launch which is unusually large, I think we might be launched on the flat part and then carry on on the incline, unlike Hulk for instance where you climb slowly and then woooosh.

 

This is a joke right???

[TyRush]

^^Or there will be a block brake at the bottom on the flat part, and then it'll take off up the hill. There is no way it will launch before the hill

Edited September 30, 2015 by TyRush

[Intimidated305]

^^Or there will be a block brake and the bottom on the flat part there and then it'll take off up the hill. There is no way it will launch before the hill

Finally someone is using common sense! No offense people, but RMC knows what they're doing. Just chill out, it will turn out great.

[RollerManic]

I think he meant ala Maveshark, eg. it accelerates you into the pullout to start the lift.

[scbt]

^ i agree, it doesn't look like enough to handle launching.

 

Really? There's going to be very limited forces on the support structure (no laterals) and its practically on the ground so they don't need extra support structure.

[Coaster Hero]

I think he means something like Maverick, where you start accelerating before the incline, then once the train is on the incline full acceleration takes place.

[mordecai-75]

^ i agree, it doesn't look like enough to handle launching.

You're right. RMC has no idea what they're doing!

 

This kind of stuff was said about Outlaw Run before it opened, and would you look at that, the supports are still going strong!

I was never implying that RMC didn't know what they are doing, I was simply making an observation of my opinion of the supports. I'm certain that month's of development went into this design, ( if not year's ), but that still doesn't make the supports look any more special than what you would use to build a porch, because that's what they look like.