zippity-doo-dah road strips

KingStefan

KingStefan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
sarabi said:
I thought it was the private airstrip too. I believe it's no longer in use which would explain the whole FAA thing but do recall that Disney got away with a lot of stuff when building WDW.
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It was a private airstrip at one time, and as such was listed on the FAA charts. It is now defunct, and removed from the charts.

If it was an active, listed, private airstrip, I still find it hard to believe that the FAA would allow WDW to experiment with musical rumble strips on a listed active runway.

Once it went inactive, they could install all the rumble strips they wanted, but then there would be no planes landing there.

I never argued the existence of the airport, I know it was there, I just don't think they had musical rumble strips for planes to land on. Nothing on that site confirms the strips, just the existance of the runway.


-dave
 
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Ah, the google power was with me today


http://deputy-dog.com/2007/11/09/the-most-bizarre-musical-instrument-on-earth/

So it seems the Japanese have a "musical road" and there is a video with sound to boot.

So it can be done, it sounds like - well garbage - and I still doubt it was ever created for planes.

However I CAN see the STOL port used as a testing ground for CARS after it was shut down. And given the way it sounds in the video, and the fact that this road is "tuned" to 28 MPH, that Disney at one time took a look at it and said, "thanks but no thanks"

-dave
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Phonedave said:
Ah, the google power was with me today


http://deputy-dog.com/2007/11/09/the-most-bizarre-musical-instrument-on-earth/

So it seems the Japanese have a "musical road" and there is a video with sound to boot.

So it can be done, it sounds like - well garbage - and I still doubt it was ever created for planes.

However I CAN see the STOL port used as a testing ground for CARS after it was shut down. And given the way it sounds in the video, and the fact that this road is "tuned" to 28 MPH, that Disney at one time took a look at it and said, "thanks but no thanks"

-dave
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If the one at WDW sounded like that I can see why they ditched the idea. That sounded more like white noise than music. I could not even recognize any discernable melody.
 
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
kingslyZISSOU said:
Its possible, I wish they would do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou-Xy5OI1kc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt5IxDMN-I8&feature=related
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It does look like the Koreans have it down pretty well - heck they even see to have created software to map out the grooves.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Webcast/Story?id=3931873&page=1

At least you can recognize the song.

So, did WDI figure this out and decide it was not worth the effort (as possible the associated traffic problems) or did they just not get it to work

-dave
 
TLS

TLS

Member
It'd be great if they could do this on a road that at least 90% of the Disney visiting motorist and Magical Express buses traverse. I was impressed with those Youtube vids.
 
Timon

Timon

Well-Known Member
The man behind the Musical Roadway project

The Musical Roadway was indeed an experiment BUT not by Imagineering. Tim Sprunger of the former Disney MultiMedia Group, invented the concept and made a removable one foot by 100 foot strip which had small raised ridges spaced to create an vibrating tone. For test purposes you would approach the strip at about 30-40 mph and pass the driver side tires over it. Tim made a video of this using my White Firebird. It seems nice wide tires sounded best. His plans would have added permanent ridges all the way across several lanes for all four wheels (surround sound:ROFLOL:) at locations on World Drive and Epcot Drive. The ridges were to be made of epoxy and special grit,the test strip ridges were plastic. These ridges were about 1/8" tall and a 1/4" wide, it sounded like humming. Driving over it at different speeds only changed the pitch and length of the tune. Early on he realized strips had an advantage over grooves. Since Disney roads are asphalt the grooves would disappear (melt) in one hot summer and rebuilding the roads in concrete would be prohibitive. When the strips worn down they could easily be ground off and reapplied with a machine he invented.

Tim tried to get Imagineering interested but they wanted to own the patent and give Tim a token fee and cut him out of any involvement with his project. Needless to say he still has the strip (he keeps everything) and probably the video. Tim is an incredibly creative artist, musician and inventor and still lives in Kissimmee.
 
TheDisneyMagic

TheDisneyMagic

Well-Known Member
Timon said:
The Musical Roadway was indeed an experiment BUT not by Imagineering. Tim Sprunger of the former Disney MultiMedia Group, invented the concept and made a removable one foot by 100 foot strip which had small raised ridges spaced to create an vibrating tone. For test purposes you would approach the strip at about 30-40 mph and pass the driver side tires over it. Tim made a video of this using my White Firebird. It seems nice wide tires sounded best. His plans would have added permanent ridges all the way across several lanes for all four wheels (surround sound:ROFLOL:) at locations on World Drive and Epcot Drive. The ridges were to be made of epoxy and special grit,the test strip ridges were plastic. These ridges were about 1/8" tall and a 1/4" wide, it sounded like humming. Driving over it at different speeds only changed the pitch and length of the tune.

Tim tried to get Imagineering interested but they wanted to own the patent and give Tim a token fee and cut him out of any involvement with his project. Needless to say he still has the strip (he keeps everything) and probably the video. Tim is an incredibly creative artist, musician and inventor and still lives in Kissimmee.
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Thanks for sharing that it was very interesting.

Timon, are you Tim by any chance?:wave:
 
KingStefan

KingStefan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wow! Thanks so much for that incredibly informative report. Rumors about these strips were rampant, but it seems you have first-hand information! Thanks for clearing that up.
 
TheDisneyMagic

TheDisneyMagic

Well-Known Member
Timon said:
Sorry I'm not Tim just a friend. It was very cool to drive on. You couldn't help but smile.
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Ahh man, thought I was on to you there :D :lol:

Thanks again for posting the info you had, very interesting, if you are ever able to (if he approves of course) upload the video it would be very cool.
 
Timon

Timon

Well-Known Member
I would upload that video in a second if I had it. I haven't talked to Tim since a reunion last summer. I know the original is a (don't laugh) 3/4 U-Matic format tape. From personal experience it's really hard to find a working machine these days. When we talked he wanted to do it but you know how people get busy with their lives. Who knows when or if it will happen.:shrug:
 
P

plunder56

New Member
Tim Sprunger

Timon said:
Sorry I'm not Tim just a friend. It was very cool to drive on. You couldn't help but smile.
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Timon, was I so relieved to read your post! I have recently heard about the new musical road that Tim invented being used by Honda. I happen to be a close friend of Tims and have been thru the making of the road. He received no money for it, for the record. It's nice to know that there is someone else out there who remembers this brilliant inventor. Plunder56
 
bluebird56

bluebird56

New Member
I too, am an old friend of Tim's...and this sounds exactly like ideas he had all the way back in the 1970s!!! He it's an absolute genius!!! Love him and miss him...i haven't seen him in years!!! :p
 
Timon

Timon

Well-Known Member
As far as I know Tim still lives in Kissimmee. I always enjoyed working with him, talk about an active mind.
 

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