News Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island closing for lengthy refurbishment

[JoeCamel]

Yes, a concrete bottom. All the dirt you see them scooping out is what has washed in over the years.
CB, thanks for the pictures but I still can't see the guide wheel. Based on the design of the guide rail my guess is that the guide wheel would look a lot like what you see under the monorail. That being a wheel or wheels on top in the channel on the top side of the rail to set the elevation of the guide arm with wheels on the outside of the guide rail that guide the boat. The "guide wheel assembly" would then be on the end of a hinged arm connecting it to the boat which would allow for variations in both water level the draft of the boat depending on passenger, fuel, and boiler water load.
Not that it matters, but my engineer's curiosity has been piqued on just what it looks like.

Bingo, bogies on the sides and a top to set the depth and guide the sides. I don't know if it has a hydraulic component to press the arm down on the rail then can be raised to allow it to be towed out to the service dock but that is how I would build it.

 

[DisAl]

Bingo, bogies on the sides and a top to set the depth and guide the sides. I don't know if it has a hydraulic component to press the arm down on the rail then can be raised to allow it to be towed out to the service dock but that is how I would build it.

My next item of curiosity on this is whether there is just one set of guides or it there are two, one for the front and one for the back. I would guess two because if there was much of a crosswind the back end of the LB could be pushed to one side. That would be especially important when docking.

 

[JoeCamel]

My next item of curiosity on this is whether there is just one set of guides or it there are two, one for the front and one for the back. I would guess two because if there was much of a crosswind the back end of the LB could be pushed to one side. That would be especially important when docking.

You already understand how it is done. More midships but yes two.

 

[_caleb]

You already understand how it is done. More midships but yes two.

So not so different from what they used for Pirates in Shanghai (which they obviously innovated to include controlled spins and sideways movement).

EP2505241A1 - Amusement park ride with underwater-controlled boats - Google Patents

A boat ride with precise speed and orientation control. The ride includes a track assembly positioned in a water basin and includes front and rear bogies engaging the track assembly. The boat ride includes a passenger boat and front and rear tethering assemblies coupling the front and rear...

patents.google.com

EDIT: And of course in the case of the river boat, the power comes from the boat itself rather than the track rail.

 

[Truk777]

I thought it was interesting to see the Nearmap images of the river drained.

 

[JoeCamel]

So not so different from what they used for Pirates in Shanghai (which they obviously innovated to include controlled spins and sideways movement).

View attachment 517928

EP2505241A1 - Amusement park ride with underwater-controlled boats - Google Patents

A boat ride with precise speed and orientation control. The ride includes a track assembly positioned in a water basin and includes front and rear bogies engaging the track assembly. The boat ride includes a passenger boat and front and rear tethering assemblies coupling the front and rear...

patents.google.com

EDIT: And of course in the case of the river boat, the power comes from the boat itself rather than the track rail.

Remember that a good portion of the rear of the boat is paddlewheel so forward of that. Also gives a "real" feel to the steering as the rear overshoots the rail on turns.

 

[Rteetz]

 

[DCBaker]

 

[PrinceCharming617]

Tom Sawyer's Island is honestly where Tiana should have went. The Riverboat works perfectly with the New Orleans theming. Aunt Polly's could have even sold Beignets.

 

[DisAl]

Tom Sawyer's Island is honestly where Tiana should have went. The Riverboat works perfectly with the New Orleans theming. Aunt Polly's could have even sold Beignets.

Selling beignets at Aunt Polly's would probably double the traffic to TSI.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Tom Sawyer's Island is honestly where Tiana should have went. The Riverboat works perfectly with the New Orleans theming. Aunt Polly's could have even sold Beignets.

100%

 

[wdwmagic]

Photos from today

More at https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...of-america-refurbishment---january-4-2021.htm

 

[MisterPenguin]

Photos from today

More at https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...of-america-refurbishment---january-4-2021.htm

They're expanding the Speedway!!

 

[larryz]

They're expanding the Speedway!!

I thought 7-11 bought the Speedway?

 

[MisterPenguin]

I thought 7-11 bought the Speedway?

Slurpee Rivers of Flaverica!

 

[donsullivan]

Does anyone know how the guides for the riverboat stay in the track? Do they just control the water level that precisely? Feels like a good thunderstorm could raise the water level enough to make it jump out.

The water level in the river is maintained at a specific level as part of the flood control system that spans most of the property. The river is actually connected to Seven Seas Lagoon by the canal that passes behind Big Thunder and along the west side of the park out to the Lagoon. It's the same canal where the Electric Water Pageant floats are stored. Just to the west of the view from the park is a pair of flood control gates that maintain the minimum water level in the RoA for safe operation of the riverboat. If the water level gets too high, it just flows out through those gates to maintain the desired level. If it ever gets too low, water can flow from Seven Seas Lagoon back to RoA to maintain the level.

If for some reason Seven Seas Lagoon gets too low/high and the riverboat needs to be moved in or out, the two gates can function like locks to bring the riverboat to the appropriate level to continue movement to or from Seven Seas Lagoon and back to the RoA.

 

[marni1971]

The water level in the river is maintained at a specific level as part of the flood control system that spans most of the property. The river is actually connected to Seven Seas Lagoon by the canal that passes behind Big Thunder and along the west side of the park out to the Lagoon. It's the same canal where the Electric Water Pageant floats are stored. Just to the west of the view from the park is a pair of flood control gates that maintain the minimum water level in the RoA for safe operation of the riverboat. If the water level gets too high, it just flows out through those gates to maintain the desired level. If it ever gets too low, water can flow from Seven Seas Lagoon back to RoA to maintain the level.

If for some reason Seven Seas Lagoon gets too low/high and the riverboat needs to be moved in or out, the two gates can function like locks to bring the riverboat to the appropriate level to continue movement to or from Seven Seas Lagoon and back to the RoA.
View attachment 522166

Those gates are technically a wet dock; but like any other lock gates water can flow over them.

 

[donsullivan]

Those gates are technically a wet dock; but like any other lock gates water can flow over them.

I'm confused, what did I say above that was incorrect that you felt the need to correct?

 

[marni1971]

I'm confused, what did I say above that was incorrect that you felt the need to correct?

The gates aren’t specifically flood control gates (particularly of the kind found elsewhere on property) - but being lock gates water can flow over them if it gets too high.

 

[donsullivan]

The gates aren’t specifically flood control gates (particularly of the kind found elsewhere on property) - but being lock gates water can flow over them if it gets too high.

My point was to explain at a high level how the water level is maintained, and how the riverboat can be removed, not to get into a pedantic 'I know more than you' on the precise details of what something is called.