Have you ever known a coaster exceed its theoretical throughput?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. On RCDB, coasters will be given a theoretical throughput figure that the manufacturer believes the ride can attain in ideal conditions. You’d think that in theory, this would be the maximum figure a coaster can attain. But my question to you today is; have you ever seen a ride defy the odds and exceed this figure?

Personally, I have seen and heard of coasters exceed their theoretical throughputs before.

A key example that sticks out to me is Wicker Man at Alton Towers. GCI claims that Wicker Man is capable of processing 952 riders per hour, which is a little under 40 trains per hour or a train roughly every 1m 30s. However, I have seen it exceed this figure on a number of Alton Towers visits; on my most recent visit, it was getting 1,015 riders per hour, or slightly over 42 trains per hour, over an average of 10 readings. And I have timed it as high as 1,050pph or higher in the past; on one visit, I saw it hit a consistent interval of about 1m 20s for about 7 straight dispatches, which would equate to 1,080 riders per hour or 45 trains per hour. That is a dispatch interval around 10 seconds faster than GCI say the ride is capable of.

This is rather confusing to me; surely whatever GCI claims the ride’s theoretical throughput to be is the very maximum the ride could attain?

But have you ever seen a coaster exceed its theoretical throughput? And why does this happen, I wonder?

 

[DistortAMG]

Because their numbers are in essence, a theoretical maximum throughput.

I guess many factors come into play that can speed this up slightly, such as slick operations.

 

[Rob]

Thirteen on opening day, even Wardley was surprised!

 

[Dave]

Hi guys. On RCDB, coasters will be given a theoretical throughput figure that the manufacturer believes the ride can attain in ideal conditions. You’d think that in theory, this would be the maximum figure a coaster can attain. But my question to you today is; have you ever seen a ride defy the odds and exceed this figure?

Personally, I have seen and heard of coasters exceed their theoretical throughputs before.

A key example that sticks out to me is Wicker Man at Alton Towers. GCI claims that Wicker Man is capable of processing 952 riders per hour, which is a little under 40 trains per hour or a train roughly every 1m 30s. However, I have seen it exceed this figure on a number of Alton Towers visits; on my most recent visit, it was getting 1,015 riders per hour, or slightly over 42 trains per hour, over an average of 10 readings. And I have timed it as high as 1,050pph or higher in the past; on one visit, I saw it hit a consistent interval of about 1m 20s for about 7 straight dispatches, which would equate to 1,080 riders per hour or 45 trains per hour. That is a dispatch interval around 10 seconds faster than GCI say the ride is capable of.

This is rather confusing to me; surely whatever GCI claims the ride’s theoretical throughput to be is the very maximum the ride could attain?

But have you ever seen a coaster exceed its theoretical throughput? And why does this happen, I wonder?

There isn’t a rule for making the calculation, some manufacturers will quote a maximum capacity based on the fastest possible dispatch time, others will quote something they expect an operator can attain with reasonable operations. I suspect GCI just did the latter with Wickerman and the operations team sometime exceed it.

You also have to remember that over a whole day the average is going to be lower than than the maximum. Just because you see a 20min stretch where a ride is plowing out dispatches it only takes a few awkward guests to quickly slow down the dispatches and reduce the throughputs.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

The Swarm used to frequently exceed B&M’s throughput. I’ve no idea if it still does now, but it used to very comfortably do it, and that was without even putting any extra staff on.

 

[John]

Meanwhile a lot of Intamin coasters are not physically capable of reaching the quoted theoretical throughput due to the length of the minimum dispatch interval. Cedar Point were supposedly very unhappy about the throughput of Millennium Force being lower than anticipated.