News Minor Ride Failures

[horsesboy]

Apparently the pirate ship's breaks malfunctioned and they could not stop the ride for about 15 minutes today.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/08/01/kennywood-pirate-ship-ride-brake-malfunction/

 

[Ice]

That is weird to me. I can think of two things if the breaks malfunction.

1. Turn off the engines, let gravity do the work (though it could take a while for the swaying to stop depending on the bearing system they use and that is possibly what they did if they couldn't fix the breaks)

2. Throw the motors into reverse since those ships are driven by tires like a ferris wheel (though this could severely damage the motors)

I can imagine being stuck on a ship for 15 minutes like that would be sickening, but I think people are overstating how terrifying of an experience this was to be on a pirate ship for 15 minutes.

Unless the park didn't do #1 and the ship actually was in full swing for 15 whole minutes. Which would mean the ride operators panicked and didn;t know what to do.

All in all it is kinda a comical event if you disregard the human suffering involved, which I am not saying one should nor am I condoning chuckling softly after you read the article.

 

[Nicole]

Guess it has been a bad week for Kennywood. The new Thomas the Train ride derailed earlier this week, as well.

 

[I305Evan]

That is weird to me. I can think of two things if the breaks malfunction.

1. Turn off the engines, let gravity do the work (though it could take a while for the swaying to stop depending on the bearing system they use and that is possibly what they did if they couldn't fix the breaks)

2. Throw the motors into reverse since those ships are driven by tires like a ferris wheel (though this could severely damage the motors)

I can imagine being stuck on a ship for 15 minutes like that would be sickening, but I think people are overstating how terrifying of an experience this was to be on a pirate ship for 15 minutes.

Unless the park didn't do #1 and the ship actually was in full swing for 15 whole minutes. Which would mean the ride operators panicked and didn;t know what to do.

All in all it is kinda a comical event if you disregard the human suffering involved, which I am not saying one should nor am I condoning chuckling softly after you read the article.

Based on the article #1 is what happened, just it wasn't the power getting cut... it just kinda happened. Once maintenance arrived, they engaged the secondary system (based on the article) to get the boat to stop.

#2.... most likely the system wouldn't allow for this to happen. And if they did it would indeed damage the motors, tires, and brakes. Not to mention to god awful noise it would make.

But it's kinda interesting to watch.... Delirium does this when the ride faults mid cycle.

Guess it has been a bad week for Kennywood. The new Thomas the Train ride derailed earlier this week, as well.

This type of thing happens a lot more than you would think.... usually happens if you put uneven weight on the train. Example would to put adults on one side and kids on the other. Then let it around one of those sharp turns.

 

[Nicole]

The train derailed again.

Maybe they should have left the charming, old one in place.

 

[b.mac]

Minor note: That isn't actually a piece of track, no idea what it is actually.

 

[Gavin]

Kennywood sounds more dangerous than Six Flags America after dark during Fright Fest. @Zachary & @Nicole, we should go sometime.

 

[b.mac]

Okay Pittsburgh, I get it. Time to stop now...

 

[Zachary]

Kennywood must have angered the gods with Thomas Town...