Smell of rubber burning in Test Track @ Dreamchasers Exhibit

[wdwjmp239]

My brother, Nick, and I were at Epcot on Sunday, August 18th at around 2:30pm. We were going to get one last ride in on Test Track for the weekend before we left on Monday and when we got up to ride, a cast member said the ride was experiencing "technicial difficulties" and that they didn't know if and when the ride was going to be functional again. So, Nick and I decided to check out "Inside Track" (the gift store inside Test Track) and then worked our way inside towards the GM floor show where all the new vehicles are, and then back towards DreamChasers, which is a 5 min advertisement where you sit on these cool looking futuristic-type chairs, lean forward where you're looking into a "view-finder" type device (you guys remember the viewfinder toy? If you don't know what a view finder is.. go to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin -- it's that HUGE red thing with the lever going up and down that changes the slides) to watch this video on GM ideas. Cute cartoon... I've seen it about 5 times already. Anyways, as we were waiting to go on, the people in line started to smell rubber burning. The kid working the control panel had a weird look on his face as if to say, "What the hell is that smell?" I asked him if he knew what was going on with the Test Track ride and he said that the ride was experiencing technical difficulties. So, I wonder if that rubber burning smell was coming from the ride and the odor was being pushed through the ventilation system. Anyways, after we got off DreamChasers, there was another cast member who was passing out Test Track re-entry passes which allowed us to get on the ride going back through this maze of stairs "backstage" (kinda/sorta). We did get to see the security room and the cool computer with the Test Track ride monitoring software on it, but I didn't want to hold up the line, so we just pressed on. Anyways.. I was wondering if anyone was at Test Track about the same time (2:30pm-3:00pm on Sun August 18th). Let me know! Thanks!

Oh -- and my apologies to RobFL -- there is a "no bags" line -- but we'll save that for another thread

 

[wdwcrazy]

Sorry wasn't there. But when I went on a few months ago right in the morning and it had a smell of burning rubber too. I thought it just added to the experience and was suppost to be there. I could be wrong though.

 

[wdwjmp239]

I'm also wondering if its normal to also see smoke come out of the back of the car in front of you when it takes off for the hill climb test (right after the cast member checks to see that everyone is belted in).

 

[mikebrakes]

When I went in May, TT was down for a while. After they said is was going to be opening again, I got in line. They sent the cars around the track as a test. Suddenly a car came screaching to a halt on the track right above the entrance. You could smell the rubber. I thought this meant it would be a while before it opened, but it opened about ten minutes later. I'm guessing the smell you experienced was the same thing. It must be due to stopping the cars while they are testing it. That's what happened when I was there anyway.

 

[wdwjmp239]

Originally posted by mikebrakes
When I went in May, TT was down for a while. After they said is was going to be opening again, I got in line. They sent the cars around the track as a test. Suddenly a car came screaching to a halt on the track right above the entrance. You could smell the rubber. I thought this meant it would be a while before it opened, but it opened about ten minutes later. I'm guessing the smell you experienced was the same thing. It must be due to stopping the cars while they are testing it. That's what happened when I was there anyway.

Interesting.. I'll buy that though. And I say that because when we were waiting for TT to open, they were doing the same thing -- racing the cars around the track. So, I wonder if they slammed on the breaks real hard while me and my bro were waiting to get on Dreamchasers.

 

[wdwcrazy]

I'm also wondering if its normal to also see smoke come out of the back of the car in front of you when it takes off for the hill climb test (right after the cast member checks to see that everyone is belted in).

That is normal, the smoke comes out of the ground.

What happend was probably a zone stop or somthing. When somting goes wrong all of the cars come to a screeching halt resulting in some burning rubber.

 

[WDWdude12]

Funny

When you are actually watching the film in thoose little VR things@ the TT i noticed theese green gew cup holders that are supposed to be the newest technology in cupholders. Well i saw the cup holders again on tv but this time real people tried it and the cup holders dont work!!!!! LOL!!!:brick: :drevil: :zipit: :lol:

 

[wdwjmp239]

Re: Funny

Originally posted by WDWdude12
When you are actually watching the film in thoose little VR things@ the TT i noticed theese green gew cup holders that are supposed to be the newest technology in cupholders. Well i saw the cup holders again on tv but this time real people tried it and the cup holders dont work!!!!! LOL!!!:brick: :drevil: :zipit: :lol:

I guess they didn't bring those "goo grippers" to "Proof County" (if you've seen the Dreamchaser movie -- then you know what that is)

 

[RobFL]

One of the opening procedures at Test Track is a full scale panic stop break test. The vehicles get to full speed and slam on their breaks to ensure they work properly. The cars stop like real vehicles and thus a lot of rubber gets burned from time to time.

-Rob

 

[RobFL]

Also,

Standing outside and listening for the "Vrrrrrrooommmm... SCHREECH!" is one way we know wether or not to tell people Test Track will be reopening soon.

-Rob

 

[wdwjmp239]

Originally posted by RobFL
One of the opening procedures at Test Track is a full scale panic stop break test. The vehicles get to full speed and slam on their breaks to ensure they work properly. The cars stop like real vehicles and thus a lot of rubber gets burned from time to time.

-Rob

That's cool -- it's always nice to know they're checking the breaks to make sure they work.

Do they do these "panic stops" with people in the car as well? The reason I ask is because when TT opened up and we were able to go back on, the car was travelling faster than normal outside the building (or at least, it seemed) and then on the re-entry, they jammed those breaks pretty hard. I have a slight bruise from the seatbelt going across my chest.

 

[wdwjmp239]

Originally posted by RobFL
Also,

Standing outside and listening for the "Vrrrrrrooommmm... SCHREECH!" is one way we know wether or not to tell people Test Track will be reopening soon.

-Rob

So, if I hear "Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroooom.. SCREEEECH" and test track is closed, is that an indicator that TT will be re-opening? If that's the case, then I guess it would make sense for the TT crew to "cycle" the ride after a malfunction to make sure everything works. When I say cycle the ride -- they make sure that all the cars go through the hill climb test, hair pin turns, environmental chambers, "crash test" and then the outside high speed run.