Alright, here is a thread that should develop in an interesting fashion. We have all of course thought of different scenarios with a coaster that have made us think 'Could that happen?' Let's have a discussion on possible far out scenarios that you have wondered about and piece the safety system together into it to see if it is truly possible. I will outline one that I have heard in several places over several years.
Coaster Safety Fallbacks
- Thread starter Parkgoer
- Start date
Tthe ride's computer will not allow for a train to do a "fly-by" through the station. It will shut itself down if the situation were to start happening. With the station speed being so slow, the train would stop in the station.
The topic that arose was the possibility of the train doing this due to spacing. Spacing is controlled by the computer (unless in manual mode which is run by maintainance). If the next block is occupied, the ride WILL NOT send a train. Now for those who are not familiar with the "train block platform", here's how it works.
1) When running 2 trains, there are 3 blocks. From the station to the MCBR is block 1, MCBR (Mid-Course Brake Run) to the final brake run is block 2, and from the final brake run to the station is block 3. When one train leaves the station, the system will not allow another train to exit the station until the first train has passed/arrived at block 2 (MCBR).
2) When running 3 trains, the ride now has 4 blocks. In addition to the same 3 as with two-train operation, block 1 is split into 2 segments: lift hill and post-lift hill. With this operation setting, you can send a train as soon as the previous train leaves the lift hill. There is what we call stacking where one train is in the station, the other is on the transfer track, and the last is on the final brake run.
Now the only way that the ride can move "past" the station and stop is if it is on the lift hill and there is a ride malfunction or if there is a feeder wheel setup. The feeder wheels are the mechanisms used to transport the train from the station to the lift hill. If one of the 5 (plus quick queue when the button is on) operators release their "ride enable" buttons while the majority of the train is on the feeder wheels, the ride will shut itself down; causing a feeder setup.
As you can see, the idea of the train "passing through" the station is not only near impossible, but it is also not a matter of spacing whatsoever.
Lastly, had the train gone through the station (somehow), you don't the ride ops would've stopped the ride? There's a magical red button labeled "E-STOP"...
Just my .02..
The topic that arose was the possibility of the train doing this due to spacing. Spacing is controlled by the computer (unless in manual mode which is run by maintainance). If the next block is occupied, the ride WILL NOT send a train. Now for those who are not familiar with the "train block platform", here's how it works.
1) When running 2 trains, there are 3 blocks. From the station to the MCBR is block 1, MCBR (Mid-Course Brake Run) to the final brake run is block 2, and from the final brake run to the station is block 3. When one train leaves the station, the system will not allow another train to exit the station until the first train has passed/arrived at block 2 (MCBR).
2) When running 3 trains, the ride now has 4 blocks. In addition to the same 3 as with two-train operation, block 1 is split into 2 segments: lift hill and post-lift hill. With this operation setting, you can send a train as soon as the previous train leaves the lift hill. There is what we call stacking where one train is in the station, the other is on the transfer track, and the last is on the final brake run.
Now the only way that the ride can move "past" the station and stop is if it is on the lift hill and there is a ride malfunction or if there is a feeder wheel setup. The feeder wheels are the mechanisms used to transport the train from the station to the lift hill. If one of the 5 (plus quick queue when the button is on) operators release their "ride enable" buttons while the majority of the train is on the feeder wheels, the ride will shut itself down; causing a feeder setup.
As you can see, the idea of the train "passing through" the station is not only near impossible, but it is also not a matter of spacing whatsoever.
Lastly, had the train gone through the station (somehow), you don't the ride ops would've stopped the ride? There's a magical red button labeled "E-STOP"...
Just my .02..
Atlantis, you told me last month that Apollo was having station issues. Do you know/remember what that was about?
Griffonluv said:
Which coaster are you referring to?
Lochness used to do Fly-bys way, way back in the day (from what I've heard). A new ride system was installed and thus, blocks were born. I don't know if that is 100% true, but that's what I've been told.
Lochness however, does have blocks (along with all the other coasters), but they don't change with the number of trains on the track. Lochness has a total of 6 blocks if you want to look at it in literal terms. Station, Station to top of lift 1, top of lift 1 to block, block to top of lift 2, top of lift 2 to ready brakes, ready brakes to station. Honestly though, the station has never really been considered a block (well, unless things have changed).
The blocks on Alpengeist, Griffon, and Apollo never change. They never changed on Wolf either. The only thing that is done different is employees dispatch the trains at different locations to keep a certain amount of space between trains. Typically, they will dispatch when the train reaches the blocks when they're in two train operation, and just as the train clears the lift during three train operation. Verbolten is an entirely foreign ride to me and I'm not familiar with it's system.
If a train comes anywhere close to entering an occupied block, it will cause a set up. It's really easy to do with three trains if guests/employees aren't moving fast enough. Typically occurs on the second lift when a train in the station is being loaded, a train is sitting on the ready brakes waiting to enter the station, and the third train comes out of the cave and stops at the top of lift 2 because the block ahead of it is occupied.
