Just what do they do when a coaster stalls?

[Three]

Rare event, yeah. But what do they do? How do they get the train back to the station? It doesn't have any means of getting back on its own, does it?

 

Do they just get a bunch of sweaty guys to push the train back?

[YoshiFan]

It depends on the ride. I think with Batman and Robin The Chiller, there is a cable they use if Robin stalls between the Zero G Roll and the Cobra Roll.

[okinawaboy11]

I think on some coasters they have to dis-asemble the car, and then re-asemble the car back in the station. I think they do that on Deja Vu. I know on Two Face at SFA, when it stalls between the Loop and the second lift, they just get it to catch the lift again.

 

Yup... thats all I know.

[Carnage]

It depends on the ride, and where it stalls.

 

Some have a series of cables/cranes to pull the train back, some have to remove the train entirely.

[Three]

Okay, the cable thing makes sense, I was thinking something somewhat similar. But that's only on some coasters.

 

And in terms of disassembling the train... I can see how that would make the load more bearable... but it still doesn't explain how it gets back. I can't see that being a very simple process.

 

edit: Hmmm... on second thought, I'm getting a somewhat clearer mental image now.

[UberBeavis]

Millennium Force has a section of track that unbolts - we saw it undone 4 days after the ride opened when it valleyed during testing - triggering the loudest "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" scream I've ever heard.

[Carnage]

And in terms of disassembling the train... I can see how that would make the load more bearable... but it still doesn't explain how it gets back. I can't see that being a very simple process.

 

By "dissembling" we mean removing the up stop wheels, physically taking the train off the track, and carrying it back to the station area, where it is put back on the track.

[martinb]

If you see my trip to Fantasy Island UK you will see pictures of a coaster thats has curently stalled, The Jubilee Odyssey, I don't know how but it was held near the top of a hill(horse shoe turn), it had loads of chains hanging down from the front of the trains, occasionally some people in a crane would go near it and keep pulling at the chains, like church bells, I don't know how it works but after about 2 hours of constant pulling the train moved about 10inches, eventually they got it over the horse shoe, but it stalled again before the next hill!

 

Photos can be found here:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24335

[Jon Sabo]

I recall a coaster "valley" at BGE and when I worked there, we had to repair any damage and then wench it to around the track until it was able to engage in the next lift. Then it returned to the station and wah lah....the work begins....did someone say.....OVERTIME!>>??..lol

[Blazen_AZN]

On X they cut the track, remove the cars, and use a crane to get them back to the station. (atleast, thats what they did when the already had cranes in the park working on tatsu)

 

If the train gets stuck somplace like between the station and the lift, people just push it.

 

Somtimes they also use cranes to pull the train to the top of a hill, then release it so it cant complete the curcuit.

[coaster1]

On X they cut the track, remove the cars, and use a crane to get them back to the station.

 

Somehow I can't see them cutting the track as that would require a re-cerification from the state and Cal-OSHA. If this is true, the hell if I'll ever ride it again, plus Arrow no longer welds track in place, so wouldn't it bee easier to unbolt and remove a section of track, rather and CUT it?

 

Most parks will remove the wheel bogies and carry the train by crane or forklift back to the maintance shed/transfer track area and re-assemble the train. They do this with Mr. Freeze at SFOT when it vallies due to power outages or high winds. It's the quickest means of it since it doesn't require alot of time, just a reassemble of the wheel bogies and inspection from maintance.

[MonkeyPants]

Well, I don't know if SFMM would cut the track to remove a valleyed train, but they did it prior to opening to set a couple cars on the track. And then they had to re-weld that piece back in.

 

http://www.twistedrails.com/sfmm2k1/dec01-11.shtml

http://www.twistedrails.com/sfmm2k1/dec01-12.shtml

http://www.twistedrails.com/sfmm2k1/dec01-16.shtml

 

As for how other rides deal with it...

 

I've seen them remove the upstops and take each car off Gemini with a crane. I've also seen Blue Streak stall climbing to the turn around and they used a front loader with a cable to pull it up. I've also seen Maintenance guys push Blue Streak (when it was almost over a hill).

 

Dragster stalled on the top at least twice, one of which there is vid of maint. pushing it over.

[a7x4ever000]

Scream stalled when i was on it, but we were in the brake section, (not going into the station) and a dude just came out and pushed a couple buttons and we got going again.

[benzo41190]

^thats just because of safety-blocking. Like if there was a problem in the station and a train was in the middle of the track, the traveling train would stop on the trim brake area. This happens alot on Raging Bull when running 3 trains. After the trim brakes, the rest of the ride is VERY slow, but it still makes it into the station.