Thunder Mountain Closed 4/18

[Rinx]

As of 1:30 pm BTM has still not opened. There is a train stuck on the track where it has never been stuck before near the Rivers of America. The train got stuck during the pre-opening tests.

 

[mitchk]

wonder what's going on

 

[Rob562]

So are you saying it's stopped ("valleyed" in coaster terminology) on the curve after the third lifthill, where it dips down around by the river? Or is it stopped on the brake run just after that, before its drop down to the dinosaur skeleton?

-Rob

 

[gbrooks135]

So are you saying it's stopped ("valleyed" in coaster terminology) on the curve after the third lifthill, where it dips down around by the river? Or is it stopped on the brake run just after that, before its drop down to the dinosaur skeleton?

-Rob

yep that is where it was when I saw it, they had hooked some chains and was winching it around into the tunnel.

 

[totaldisneygirl]

Thats My favorite ride! I hope it gets fixed soon

 

[memster]

Thats My favorite ride! I hope it gets fixed soon

Oh mine too

 

[Rinx]

At around 5 pm BTM was up and running. It took so long because of rain and the complications it caused with fixing the sensor.

 

[BrerFrog]

So the train really valleyed? That is an odd thing to happen.

 

[mickey2008.1]

brer, you seem to know something of coasters, is this serious, or just a minor malfunction?

 

[disneydata]

What's with these threads about nothing lately?

 

[magicmaya]

I got stuck on that same part on Christmas...in the rain.:shrug:

 

[ucf disneyfan]

That's not a totally uncommon thing to happen. There are actually winches located throughout BTM because of the fact that certain brake zones are in lower lying areas.

 

[benji]

I was at the Magic Kingdom on 4/17/10. Thunder Mountain was working fine. I think they had three trains working that day.

 

[BrerFrog]

brer, you seem to know something of coasters, is this serious, or just a minor malfunction?

I don't know a lot about them, but I learned a thing or two when I worked at the Barnstormer. The term to "to valley" is used to describe the situation on which a coaster train doesn't have enough speed to go up a slope, and as a consequence it is unable to move pass a certain point in the track. Therefore, the ride needs to be evacuated so that the train is removed from its valley position, I have no idea how that is done, though.

I think the reason behind the train's valleying depends on the location where the train is stuck. It could have been caused by a ride stop, due to an emergency, or something else.

I hope I didn't say anything stupid, but that is what I remember.

And it is not that big of a deal.

 

[Rob562]

I don't know a lot about them, but I learned a thing or two when I worked at the Barnstormer. The term to "to valley" is used to describe the situation on which a coaster train doesn't have enough speed to go up a slope, and as a consequence it is unable to move pass a certain point in the track. Therefore, the ride needs to be evacuated so that the train is removed from its valley position, I have no idea how that is done, though.

I think the reason behind the train's valleying depends on the location where the train is stuck. It could have been caused by a ride stop, due to an emergency, or something else.

I hope I didn't say anything stupid, but that is what I remember.

And it is not that big of a deal.

It's possible that the train advancer system on the brake zone immediately after that curve by the river malfunctioned. That brake run is on an upslope, and requires the computer to implement proper timing of the release of the brakes and then the start of the powered advancer system (which I believe uses Linear Induction Motors at that point, kinda like on the TTA) to push the train up and over the drop down to the skeleton.
If for some reason the brakes released and the advancers didn't engage, the train would have rolled backwards down the hill into the curve, where it would eventually settle to a stop (after rolling back and forth quite a few times).

-Rob

 

[benji]

I found this video on youtube. It's a vid of thunder getting stuck in the same spot reported. Looks like they keep having trouble with that section of track. The vid was filmed in 07. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4tWneZ86LY&feature=related

 

[BrerFrog]

It's possible that the train advancer system on the brake zone immediately after that curve by the river malfunctioned. That brake run is on an upslope, and requires the computer to implement proper timing of the release of the brakes and then the start of the powered advancer system (which I believe uses Linear Induction Motors at that point, kinda like on the TTA) to push the train up and over the drop down to the skeleton.
If for some reason the brakes released and the advancers didn't engage, the train would have rolled backwards down the hill into the curve, where it would eventually settle to a stop (after rolling back and forth quite a few times).

-Rob

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that section of BTMRR worked like that.

 

[Rob562]

I found this video on youtube. It's a vid of thunder getting stuck in the same spot reported. Looks like they keep having trouble with that section of track. The vid was filmed in 07. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4tWneZ86LY&feature=related

Not really stuck, as that's a brake run and the system is designed to stop a train there. Though it does sound like they're having issues advancing the train out of the brake run.
It's hard to tell if the loud noise is a winch being used, or if it's the LIM system "singing" because it's not operating/propelling at the correct rate.

-Rob

 

[Monorail_Orange]

Not really stuck, as that's a brake run and the system is designed to stop a train there. Though it does sound like they're having issues advancing the train out of the brake run.
It's hard to tell if the loud noise is a winch being used, or if it's the LIM system "singing" because it's not operating/propelling at the correct rate.

-Rob

I think the sound may be a winch. If you watch towards the end of the video, as the engine is leaving the camera view, you'll notice they stop the process for several moments, while one of the techs is reaching under the train. He then stands up, they release the brakes a final time, and he manually pushes the train over the crest. Presumably, he's reaching under the train to disconnect whatever chain or cable is winching the train uphill.

 

[mastif]

It's possible that the train advancer system on the brake zone immediately after that curve by the river malfunctioned. That brake run is on an upslope, and requires the computer to implement proper timing of the release of the brakes and then the start of the powered advancer system (which I believe uses Linear Induction Motors at that point, kinda like on the TTA) to push the train up and over the drop down to the skeleton.
If for some reason the brakes released and the advancers didn't engage, the train would have rolled backwards down the hill into the curve, where it would eventually settle to a stop (after rolling back and forth quite a few times).

-Rob

talk about a 1 upper