Calling all Control Panel Enthusiasts! I intend to make this thread like the thread on TPR, but focused on the control panels of Busch Gardens! There are a lot of fun ones out there and BGW gives access like no other park, so I hope to see a lot of panel pics! I will start off with the ever sexy Invadr panel by Consign!
Also, as you can guess by the username, I am an electrical engineer who does know a lot about the inner workings of ride electrical systems, so I will try to answer any questions about control panels, PLC programming, and electrical systems of rides.
Very Important Question! There is a blue "Acknowledge" button on the left side, but If I ever design a ride panel, I will definitely put a purple one on it!
Still don't quite understand why they decided not permitting the train to stack on the transfer track instead of out on the safety brakes right on the helix.
Other than that Consign pretty much makes cut-n-paste start up procedures for rides, especially with GCI and B&M.
Turn ride on, acknowledge lamp test, HMI Enable to perform stop checks, Hit all stops, hit ESR, Ride Start, Ride Start, Lift Start.
1– Control Power Switch- Key switch that turns power to ride on or off. 2– Control Power “On” Light- White light adjacent to Control Power On key switch that illuminates when the power is turned on. 3– Maintenance Mode Switch- Maintenance function only that allows a train to be dispatched or brought into the station without any inputs received from the foot pedals or remote dispatch panels. 4– Comb Up Button- Button, when depressed enables the floor to raise to its full upright position. Also, if the train is dispatched and has not passed the prox-switch, depressing the button will bring the train in reverse and raise the combs 5– Operations Mode Selection Switch- A two-position key switch for placing the system in manual or automatic mode. This is a Maintenance function 6– Comb Down Button- Button, when depressed lowers the combs to the full down position. This button is a Maintenance function. 7– Transfer Mode Switch- A key switch that selects the storage mode, which allows Maintenance Personnel to operate the transfer table at the transfer remote control panel. 8– Lock All Harnesses Button- An amber pushbutton that, when depressed, will lock all harnesses by releasing a mechanical mechanism below each coach. When the harnesses are pulled down, the locking mechanism prevents the harnesses from opening again. 9– Advance/Dispatch Buttons- Two green pushbuttons that, when depressed simultaneously along with the platform “Dispatch Enable Presence” buttons allow trains to move into and out of the station. Buttons must be depressed until the entire train is stopped and positioned in the loading/unloading area or until the entire train is out of the station. 10– Panel View Enable Button- Must be used in conjunction with the Panel View system to avoid any accidental depressions of anything on the Panel View screen. 11– Unlock Harnesses Button- An amber pushbutton which, when depressed, opens a panel view screen allowing the Control panel Operator to choose which rows are to be unlocked. 12– Emergency Stop Button- A red pushbutton that, when depressed, activates the closing of all the rides’ brakes and shuts down the power to all motors. “Emergency Stop” should only be used in the event that an unsafe situation should develop. Operations may re-start. 13– Emergency Reset Button- Green pushbutton with pilot light used to reset the hard wired emergency stop circuit. Only enabled if there is not an E-Stop condition present. 14–Ride Stop Button- A red pushbutton that is used to stop the ride. When depressed, the pushbutton will illuminate. This button activates the closing of all the brakes and shuts down the power to the lift and feeder motors. Power to all transfer and station motors is removed and area brakes are applied. Operations may re-start. 15– Ride Start Button- Green pushbutton used to enable or re-enable the entire ride, such as the station and transfer area. 16– Lift Stop Button- A red pushbutton that will stop the lift immediately. You must allow the train to be fully engaged on the lift chain before depressing the Lift Stop button. The pushbutton will illuminate after it has been pushed. 17– Lift Start Button- Pushbutton with green colored pilot light used that starts the Lift Chain. Only used in Automatic mode to start the lift. 18– Acknowledge Button- Green pushbutton with pilot light used to acknowledge displayed error messages. A second or multiple depressions of the pushbutton will reset the error messages after the malfunction is resolved. 19– Drop Start Button- Pushbutton with green colored pilot light used that starts the Drop Chain and activates the operation of the Drop Brake area motors and brakes. Block and other control functions are still in effect. 20 –Main Control Panel Screen- Panel view touch screen up on the Panel view.
The FOUR orange lights (1) on the right side of the panel monitor water levels throughout the ride. When the pumps are turned on, these lights will sequentially come on as water starts flowing through the trough and proper levels are achieved. Similarly when pumps are turned off, the lights will go off sequentially as water drains from the trough.
The RESET button (just below the orange light) (2) is used when one or all of the orange lights goes out or fails to come on when pumps are turned on. If the reset button fails to light the lights
The lift lights switch (3) is used to turn the lights on the lift catwalk on and off.
The green pumps running light (4) is lit when the pumps are running and goes out when the pumps are turned off.
The red air pressure light (5) is off when there is sufficient air pressure to operate the brake system.
The next two red lights (6) indicate when there is a boat in the Sawmill or Spillway chute. The light comes on when there is a boat in the chute and goes off when the chute is clear.
The two orange lights (7) indicate when there is high water at the Sawmill and when there is low water at the Spillway. In addition to the Spillway low water light, there is also a Spillway low water alarm located above the control panel.
The four buttons located below the EMERGENCY STOP button, control dispatching action. The blue buttons allow boats to enter the LeScoot Log Flume from the left (#1 channel) or right (#2 channel) but not simultaneously.
Once the button is depressed, the lights go out, the appropriate dispatch brake is lowered and the boat enters the LeScoot Log Flume.
A series of photo eyes monitors the boat and after a sufficient length of time, the blue lights illuminate indicating that it is okay to dispatch another boat.
The green DISPATCH BYPASS button is used to dispatch more than one boat. It is used occasionally for such things as putting boats on the belts during a Weather 1 shutdown, preventing an excess amount of boats at the Unloading/Loading area, etc.
NOTE: This must ONLY be used when dispatching empty boats.
The red DISPATCH STOP button prevents boats from being dispatched after you hit the blue DISPATCH button. It is used when you need to talk to a guest before dispatching them into the LeScoot Log Flume.
The left side of the control panel consists of 2 rows of buttons/lights, which allow the operator to monitor/control actions critical to the ride operation. The control power key is used to turn ride power off or on (10) and the blue light adjacent to it indicates that power is on or off (if the light is lit, power is on). ALWAYS turn the power off and remove the key when the pumps are off.
The four green lights (11) (beneath the CONTROL POWER ON light) indicate, when lit, that the Sawmill (CHUTE RUN), Spillway, Upper belt, and Lower belt are functioning correctly.
The red CHUTE STOP button (12) stops the ride (i.e. the Sawmill/Spillway brakes come up, the Upper/Lower belts stop, and dispatch is not possible). In addition, an alarm on the control panel will sound and all four green lights (listed in Paragraph 2.b.11 above) will go out. The operator uses this button whenever there is a safety problem involving guests and/or the ride.
The black ACCEPT ALARM button (13) is used to clear an alarm, which may be the result of a chute stop or a ride malfunction.
The two red buttons (14) are used to stop the upper and/or lower belts. The controls team member should never stop the upper belt without coordinating with the Spillway and Top of the Lift team members since they have a better view of the upper belt. The Controls Team Member always starts the lower belt since he/she has the best view of the lower belt.
1. Control Power On: Light indicating the control power is on.
2. P.A. System: Microphone located at the control panel with separate switches to access the station area, queue house, and track area. Microphones are also located at platform positions to access the station area.
3. Trouble Light: Red light that blinks, indicating an error in the normal operating mode. The ride will set up and shut down if the trouble light comes on.
4. Emergency Stop: Located on the control panel; sets all brakes, stops the lift and turns off ride power.
5. Ride Stop: Button located on the main control panel and at the back loading and unloading positions; sets all brakes and stops the lift, does not turn off power.
6. Lift Stop: Button on the main operators control panel and the front loading remote control panel; stops the lift but allows the other train to be brought into the station and stopped on the transfer track brake.
7. Unlock Harnesses 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8: Unlocks each corresponding row of harnesses on the train in the station; must be depressed until the harness completely releases.
8. Dispatch Train: Located on the control panel, moves the trains to the loading position in the station and sends the train out after loading is complete; must be pressed in conjunction with the Dispatch Enable.
9. Lock All Harnesses: Button that locks all safety harnesses
10. Panel Key Switch: Key switch that enables or disables ride power.
11. Auto/ Manual Switch: Key switch that selects auto mode or Maintenance (manual) mode used in startup procedure. Ride is to only be run in auto mode.
12. Auto Light: Light indicating the ride is in automatic, operational mode (ride can only be run in Auto mode).
13. Lift Start Button: Button which, when pressed in conjunction with the Lift button at the front loading remote control, sends a signal to start the lift motor and chain.
14. Block Lights: Lights that illuminate when each particular block is occupied by a train; indicates the location of the trains. Labeled as Lift, Block Brake, Main Brake, Transfer Brake, and Station Brake Occupied.
15. Transfer Off/Enable: Key switch that selects transfer or run mode, to be used only by Maintenance personnel.
