Testing Space Mountain's track for faults

[m star]

An interesting tidbit:

Today in my Structures and Controls lab, my professor showed a picture of one of his former students. He's working for a company called ATA Engineering (http://www.ata-engineering.com/index.html) in California.

He was testing Space Mountain's track using what looks like a big sledgehammer, but is really is a sophisticated instrument. By striking the track and analyzing the vibrations, he can determine if there are any faults created by fatigue. He's two years out of grad school and is already making $100,000 doing this.

This was Space Mountain in Disneyland, but Disney probably does this for all their attractions. He said they do this about once a month.

For all you engineering students who are Imagineering hopefuls (including me), this might be another job for you to consider.

 

[ONUpolarbears]

An interesting tidbit:

Today in my Structures and Controls lab, my professor showed a picture of one of his former students. He's working for a company called ATA Engineering (http://www.ata-engineering.com/index.html) in California.

He was testing Space Mountain's track using what looks like a big sledgehammer, but is really is a sophisticated instrument. By striking the track and analyzing the vibrations, he can determine if there are any faults created by fatigue. He's two years out of grad school and is already making $100,000 doing this.

This was Space Mountain in Disneyland, but Disney probably does this for all their attractions. He said they do this about once a month.

For all you engineering students who are Imagineering hopefuls (including me), this might be another job for you to consider.

I get my ME masters in may....too bad i have a job lined up I can swing a hammer!!!!:sohappy:

 

[brkgnews]

If I remember correctly in Arrow Development's book (Roller Coasters, Flumes, and Flying Saucers) that they originally used some type of pressurized track system on Matterhon. They filled the track with some type of gas, and if there was a drop in pressure, it meant that there was a crack or fault somewhere. That sound familiar to anyone?

 

[joel_maxwell]

is there a pic or pdf on the site talking about this specific matter... i dont have time (unfortunately) to comb through the site. if there is a pic, i must see. lol

 

[marni1971]

Yep; Space Mountain in Orlando, at least, has it`s track split into zones. Each zone is filled with an inert gas. A drop in pressure signifies a crack or similar.

 

[m star]

Unfortunately, no, but I did find this about the Indiana Jones ride:
http://www.ata-engineering.com/solutions/design.htm

Click on the link in the first section.

 

[joel_maxwell]

Yep; Space Mountain in Orlando, at least, has it`s track split into zones. Each zone is filled with an inert gas. A drop in pressure signifies a crack or similar.

well, that is just freakin cool.

is this with most theme park/coasters?

 

[Rob562]

To the best of my knowledge, this feature is strictly from the very earliest tubular steel coaster designs by Arrow. The Matterhorn and SPace Mountain are the only ones I've ever heard of having it. Modern coasters don't have this system.

In fact, some B&M coasters have their rails filled with sand to help dampen the noise of the coaster. (Though I suppose if they notice that the coaster is louder because sand leaked out, I guess then they'd know there was a problem.)

-Rob

 

[brkgnews]

Not to get too farr off on a tangent, but one of Bolliger & Mabillards signatures is that gorgeous "roar" that they make when they roll by. Why the heck would anyone wanna dampen that?

 

[joel_maxwell]

Not to get too farr off on a tangent, but one of Bolliger & Mabillards signatures is that gorgeous "roar" that they make when they roll by. Why the heck would anyone wanna dampen that?

that is kind of like trying to make a 1967 427 Shelby Cobra more noise friendly. it takes the intimidation factor out. louder the better

 

[Rob562]

Not to get too farr off on a tangent, but one of Bolliger & Mabillards signatures is that gorgeous "roar" that they make when they roll by. Why the heck would anyone wanna dampen that?

The two B&M coasters that I know of with sand-filled tracks (Talon at Dorney Park and Batman: The Dark Knight at Six Flags New England) are near the edge of the park property and are very near residential areas (at least in SFNE's case, and I think Talon at Dorney is right across the street from some hotels). The parks did it to appease the neighbors. They still have the trademark roar, it's just a bit muffled.

-Rob

 

[CatLady]

Kraken, at SeaWorld Orlando, is also a muffled B&M. SeaWorld had problems with the way that noise carried from Journey to Atlantis into the adjacent neighborhood. It allows The park to operate the coaster longer hours than they would be able to if they let it roar.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Wow, cool stuff. WDWMAGIC.....not only a great site to visit, but educational.

 

[Paul&chris2005]

The B&Ms at BGT are filled aswell, although they do this because of the animals in the vacinity of the rides, like for example Montu is right beside the safri area and jungle trex's.

The best B&M has to be Nemesis, its at the rear of the park and you can hear it all the way at the front entrance of Alton Towers, with it being mostly buried the sound is echoed and amplified