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Splash Mountain braking system
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
wanabeimagineer
New Member
Geez talk about whiplash man! :lol:
10 min. to wdw
Member
could that stop you in the middle of the drop as well???? That be the worst place to stop I think right in the middle.:animwink:
wild01ride
Well-Known Member
Talk about being ejected from the vehicle
It already feels like you're gonna bail when the thing's moving! :hurl:
It already feels like you're gonna bail when the thing's moving! :hurl:
![Dean[AU]](https://d3ofq03apmfb8c.cloudfront.net/data/avatars/m/8/8019.jpg?1339212325){kind=avatar}
Tom
Beta Return
Braking
No. It is physically impossible (and very dangerous) to stop the log on the down-side of the hill. The hills are designed to be safe at those angles only because of the speed at which you descend - thus the short time you are actually heading down.
The only physical braking that occurs in SM is when there are levers and conveyors, which are used to keep the logs spaced evenly. The "braking" that occurs at the base of the big hill is done only with a hump in the guide rails and the pond of water that slows the log.
There is never a need to stop a log after the big drop because the Ride Timing System would prevent it from going over the top ANYWAY if there was a log in the way at the bottom. There are redundant sensors (the little yellow things with lenses) all over the ride that keep track of where the logs are. If a log is in a "landing zone" it will not permit another log to go down a hill. And, since they're logs - they're allowed to bump each other - not like coasters.
No. It is physically impossible (and very dangerous) to stop the log on the down-side of the hill. The hills are designed to be safe at those angles only because of the speed at which you descend - thus the short time you are actually heading down.
The only physical braking that occurs in SM is when there are levers and conveyors, which are used to keep the logs spaced evenly. The "braking" that occurs at the base of the big hill is done only with a hump in the guide rails and the pond of water that slows the log.
There is never a need to stop a log after the big drop because the Ride Timing System would prevent it from going over the top ANYWAY if there was a log in the way at the bottom. There are redundant sensors (the little yellow things with lenses) all over the ride that keep track of where the logs are. If a log is in a "landing zone" it will not permit another log to go down a hill. And, since they're logs - they're allowed to bump each other - not like coasters.
Tom
Beta Return
Explanation again 
Splash Mountain's braking system consists of a few methods:
1. Conveyors: Obviously noted at the loading/unloading platforms, the logs are controlled only by the conveyor belts under them. These also occur on the lifts. The big lift has 2 belts so that it can dispatch a log up to the half-way point and stage it there, so that fewer back up at the bottom of the lift. A last conveyor is used just after the big drop. It's where they stage you right next to the water falls before going to the unloading platform. Again, it is only in place to keep the logs separated properly and to make sure you get wet over and over!
2. The other method of braking is by using water jets, deeper ponds and rails - all together. Again, this is seen at the bottom of hills. The normal ride propulsion is done with jets propelling the water forward in the flumes. To slow a log, they are either spaced further apart, or simply aim them backwards. At the bottom of the big hill, the log is guided by rails, which lift it back up a few inches then plunge it into the big pond after the briar patch. These rails are to ensure that the log gets safely past the Danger Zone, thus allowing another log to come down the hill.
As stated before, there are no hard-braking systems in Splash Mountain - just not possible in a free-floating water-ride. Logs at certain points (bottom of hills or staging points) can be stopped, but the entire ride cannot. A common misconception.
Again, any other engineering questions, feel free to ask! My profession is Construction Management and Design, and a good friend of mine is one of Disney's Construction Managers.
Splash Mountain's braking system consists of a few methods:
1. Conveyors: Obviously noted at the loading/unloading platforms, the logs are controlled only by the conveyor belts under them. These also occur on the lifts. The big lift has 2 belts so that it can dispatch a log up to the half-way point and stage it there, so that fewer back up at the bottom of the lift. A last conveyor is used just after the big drop. It's where they stage you right next to the water falls before going to the unloading platform. Again, it is only in place to keep the logs separated properly and to make sure you get wet over and over!
2. The other method of braking is by using water jets, deeper ponds and rails - all together. Again, this is seen at the bottom of hills. The normal ride propulsion is done with jets propelling the water forward in the flumes. To slow a log, they are either spaced further apart, or simply aim them backwards. At the bottom of the big hill, the log is guided by rails, which lift it back up a few inches then plunge it into the big pond after the briar patch. These rails are to ensure that the log gets safely past the Danger Zone, thus allowing another log to come down the hill.
As stated before, there are no hard-braking systems in Splash Mountain - just not possible in a free-floating water-ride. Logs at certain points (bottom of hills or staging points) can be stopped, but the entire ride cannot. A common misconception.
Again, any other engineering questions, feel free to ask! My profession is Construction Management and Design, and a good friend of mine is one of Disney's Construction Managers.
Tramp
New Member
Interesting stuff!
Quite a few years back, I rode the flume at Busch Gardens in Tampa and, apparently, there was a problem on the ride. The water was emptied out of the flume in what seemed like seconds in order to stop the logs in their place. We stopped at the very top of the flume for lack of water to float. The flume was refilled just as quickly when the ride resumed.
Is Splash Mountain capable of emptying the water or, at least lowering the water level, quickly if there was an emergency that required it?:wave:
Quite a few years back, I rode the flume at Busch Gardens in Tampa and, apparently, there was a problem on the ride. The water was emptied out of the flume in what seemed like seconds in order to stop the logs in their place. We stopped at the very top of the flume for lack of water to float. The flume was refilled just as quickly when the ride resumed.
Is Splash Mountain capable of emptying the water or, at least lowering the water level, quickly if there was an emergency that required it?:wave:
Tom
Beta Return
Water
Yes, their pumps can empty and fill the ride in minutes, however, SOP would say that it's MUCH safer to leave the water in the flume. Being Disney, and not Busch Garden, actual thought and engineering went into the design of the ride before they built it, HAHA.
There are hundreds of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) keeping track of all the logs, and where they are. The ride control computer will not allow any log to be in the Danger Zone of another log - thus, there is no reason to stop all logs on a dime. They simply turn off the jets and the weight of the logs causes them to stop in a few seconds anyway, as you may have noticed on temporary ride shutdowns. Also, by leaving the water in the flumes, it keeps the logs up near the access platforms. If they drained the flume for an evac, you would have trouble climbing out of those flumes.
Yes, their pumps can empty and fill the ride in minutes, however, SOP would say that it's MUCH safer to leave the water in the flume. Being Disney, and not Busch Garden, actual thought and engineering went into the design of the ride before they built it, HAHA.
There are hundreds of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) keeping track of all the logs, and where they are. The ride control computer will not allow any log to be in the Danger Zone of another log - thus, there is no reason to stop all logs on a dime. They simply turn off the jets and the weight of the logs causes them to stop in a few seconds anyway, as you may have noticed on temporary ride shutdowns. Also, by leaving the water in the flumes, it keeps the logs up near the access platforms. If they drained the flume for an evac, you would have trouble climbing out of those flumes.