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Future of the Congo River Rapids
- Thread starter Benjsh
- Start date
Steve74
TS Member
Must admit I never noticed the VR on Galactica in that clip.
I'm more inclined to think it was an oversight when stock footage has been used than any hint for them returning, but you never know.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
You can see how old the footage is because the gates aren't on the Rapids boats in that video.
AT86
TS Member
Interesting (and very sad) video from a rapids incident last year that resulted in a death when a boat capsized. Shows why seat belts are not a good idea on these boats, I know the option of seatbelts on CRR has been mentioned here a few times over the years, so here is a solid reason why this wouldn’t be implemented.
The other part of the video that got me wondering was the section about the ride trough not fully draining during an e-stop, due to the lake that the water drains into being too full.
From memory it is often the case that the final section of CRR has standing water in it when you walk past before it opens for the day (from around the drinks refill location on the Katanga pathway onwards) - does this essentially mean the same thing could happen at Towers? That the ride could not drain fully into the central lake in the case of an e-stop scenario?
The other part of the video that got me wondering was the section about the ride trough not fully draining during an e-stop, due to the lake that the water drains into being too full.
From memory it is often the case that the final section of CRR has standing water in it when you walk past before it opens for the day (from around the drinks refill location on the Katanga pathway onwards) - does this essentially mean the same thing could happen at Towers? That the ride could not drain fully into the central lake in the case of an e-stop scenario?
I think that’s just because it’s at the bottom of the gradient which is slightly below the lake height. Water is then pumped back up to the loading area so it can then make its course back down the channel. The rafts are powered by gravity essentially so it’s pretty much unavoidable that there’s standing water at the end of the ride. The E stop feature is an interesting point though and makes an interesting discussion. Assuming the pumps are switched off and then the water is drained into the lake, water will no longer flow down the channel so I guess the rafts will just glide to a halt, apart from the rafts at the end of the ride which will just bob around? Or perhaps they have another solution where the water is just drained away into a soakaway so it can be completely drained, and then I assume the lake has a refill pipe.
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I don’t think the water is actually that deep. When you see the track empty you realise that you could quite easily stand up in the water.
The two issues however are 1 if the boat flips and lands on top of you and 2 the water pressure. An e stop would easily address point number 2 and male standing up easier on the water. The issue is what to do about a boat flipping.
This may be more related to the actual layout of the track. I don’t think there has ever been an incident where a boat has flipped in Alton towers.
The two issues however are 1 if the boat flips and lands on top of you and 2 the water pressure. An e stop would easily address point number 2 and male standing up easier on the water. The issue is what to do about a boat flipping.
This may be more related to the actual layout of the track. I don’t think there has ever been an incident where a boat has flipped in Alton towers.
AT86
TS Member
Regarding the point of the water not completely draining. Here is picture during construction which seems to show the central lake completely full and most of the ride channel empty of water, however from the point of the waterfalls to the end of the ride there is water in the channel, so it seems this is how the ride was designed from day 1. That the channel wouldn’t fully drain when the pumps are off.
When the water stops following and collects in the end of the ride like that it does end up being quite a bit deeper than the water level when the pumps are running, it nearly reaches the top of the channel.
I am not saying this is a show stopper in terms of ride safety, just that the video raised an interesting point that if a boat got into difficulties in this section of the ride then an e-stop wouldn’t result in the ride draining in this area, whereas it would if it happened earlier on in the course.
If nothing else the video shows what an operational nightmare these rides have become over the years for parks. If it were me I would be actively looking at finding a replacement for rapids rides as they seem more trouble than they are worth these days.
When the water stops following and collects in the end of the ride like that it does end up being quite a bit deeper than the water level when the pumps are running, it nearly reaches the top of the channel.
I am not saying this is a show stopper in terms of ride safety, just that the video raised an interesting point that if a boat got into difficulties in this section of the ride then an e-stop wouldn’t result in the ride draining in this area, whereas it would if it happened earlier on in the course.
If nothing else the video shows what an operational nightmare these rides have become over the years for parks. If it were me I would be actively looking at finding a replacement for rapids rides as they seem more trouble than they are worth these days.
Steve74
TS Member
I'm no pump expert, but would the water left at the bottom of the lift hill be required so that the pumps don't run dry when they first start up?Regarding the point of the water not completely draining. Here is picture during construction which seems to show the central lake completely full and most of the ride channel empty of water, however from the point of the waterfalls to the end of the ride there is water in the channel, so it seems this is how the ride was designed from day 1. That the channel wouldn’t fully drain when the pumps are off.
When the water stops following and collects in the end of the ride like that it does end up being quite a bit deeper than the water level when the pumps are running, it nearly reaches the top of the channel.
I am not saying this is a show stopper in terms of ride safety, just that the video raised an interesting point that if a boat got into difficulties in this section of the ride then an e-stop wouldn’t result in the ride draining in this area, whereas it would if it happened earlier on in the course.
If nothing else the video shows what an operational nightmare these rides have become over the years for parks. If it were me I would be actively looking at finding a replacement for rapids rides as they seem more trouble than they are worth these days.
Yeah that’s a fair point too because most water pumps can’t be started dry. Although all I’m going off here is my aquarium filter …
Steve74
TS Member
if someone fell off the turntable and got caught up and they needed the flow of water to stop, or the unimaginable - someone fell into the bit where you see the water cascading out out of the top of the pumps?
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Am I right in assuming that there are two e-stops (one for the pumps and a combined one for the turntable, lift hill and other mechanical parts that move or stop the boats along the course)? Or is there only one button that stops everything?
A boat did flip at towers during testing around 07-08
Been thinking a bit about the future of CRR. The ride opened back in 1986, only 5 years after The Log Flume. It’ll be entering its 36th year in operation this year which I believe makes it by far the oldest major ride on park. Realistically, how much more life has it got? As someone else said previously, it must be an operational nightmare to run and is very staff heavy. Whilst I struggle to imagine the park without it, I expect it’s days are numbered and I can see something major, potentially SW9 going on that site. If this is the case I’d love to see the park do something with the Dungeons to turn it back into a high capacity fun ride for all the family.
Squiggs
TS Team
I'm not sure comparing the Rapids with the Log Flume is a particularly good comparison, as they are such a vastly different type of attraction.
Rapid rides are much more modular than a flume ride, so the ride has much more longevity and reliability. With a rapids, different elements of the ride can go-offline without the ride itself needing to shut down - broadly, the only mechanical elements that have to be working are the parts around the station and lift hill to allow the ride to operate. This is not the case with a Flume, if any part of the ride fails (including the trough itself) it can shut down the whole ride.
I'm aware this description of how each ride works is rather crude, but it hopefully it helps illuminate why it is so rare for rapid rides to be removed from parks, whilst flumes get replaced relatively often.
There is also the boat ride in the Dungeons, which opened in 1981. But that really depends on how you classify it, whilst not on the same scale as the other three, it's still a reasonably significant piece of infrastructure.
Rapid rides are much more modular than a flume ride, so the ride has much more longevity and reliability. With a rapids, different elements of the ride can go-offline without the ride itself needing to shut down - broadly, the only mechanical elements that have to be working are the parts around the station and lift hill to allow the ride to operate. This is not the case with a Flume, if any part of the ride fails (including the trough itself) it can shut down the whole ride.
I'm aware this description of how each ride works is rather crude, but it hopefully it helps illuminate why it is so rare for rapid rides to be removed from parks, whilst flumes get replaced relatively often.
Whilst the Rapids are a little older, both the Monorail and Skyride opened the following year, so there are a few major rides still operating from that period.
There is also the boat ride in the Dungeons, which opened in 1981. But that really depends on how you classify it, whilst not on the same scale as the other three, it's still a reasonably significant piece of infrastructure.
Good point to be fair. The Flume was predominantly a plastic trough on stilts whereas the Rapids trough is concrete and on the ground. Come to think of it, an E stop or any kind of malfunction on The Flume must’ve caused all sorts of problems, especially in an evac scenario.
I believe that there is a 'Cycle' Stop and an Emergency Stop. Cycle Stop will cut power to everything except the pumps, so lift hill, turntable etc. Emergency Stop would cut everything, with pumps too.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
To be taken with a massive pinch of salt - but I've seen various different people say that staff at the Rapids have been telling people that have been asking that the waterfalls "should be on around the middle of the season". I'm not convinced, but just putting out there what I've seen.
