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Incident on The Smiler 02/06/2015

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Tom said:
It would be interesting to know what would have happened if it were a Friday when the crash happened, would they close over a weekend.
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Of course they would.

We all saw Nick Varney's interview and how upset he looked about the whole thing. This could have happened in the middle of the summer holidays and I am almost certain the park would have followed the same procedure as now.
 
Leah said:
Thanks, now I know. But wait... this has happened before???
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Ground photos from the earlier stall (I've stolen them from this forum probably, sorry to whoever took them):

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Now I know the ops can't change them, but I wonder what would have happened if all of the trims were out? Would there ever be the possibility for the train to not make it over the first part of the batwing, especially in an empty car. Not suggesting they should have done this to slow the train speed blah blah, more curiosity.
 
Magnetic trims can only slow a train, not stop it. And the slower a train moves past them, the less effect they have. I'd doubt they would have made much difference, as why would they ever be designed to stop a train? They are only trims, not blocks.
 
EuroSatch said:
As awful as this would have been for those approaching the valleyed car, this does remind you how ignorant public can be about how roller coasters work. Saying they shouted for the ride to be stopped and were ignored... The coaster works ok gravity alone, at the mercy of gravity. Once released over the crest of the lift hill, that's it
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I think the public can be really ignorant when talking about roller coaster physics/mechanics, but think it's really harsh to say this about the guy who this article is about.

Essentially he is saying whilst at the top of the lift hill he (and others on the train) were aware of the stalled train and were shouting for the ride to be 'stopped' (or likely shouting to make someone aware because your worst fear would be that staff at the control booth wouldn't share their knowledge). At this point the ride wasn't in motion, it was stationary. I think his fear of what was potentially about to happen was a legitimate fear - a fear us enthusiasts likely wouldn't have had with a greater understanding of how the ride works.

I think it's laughable to question his understanding of the physics/mechanics of the ride when he's essentially screaming after just having impacted another ride vehicle - this is a guy who is now likely to be in serious pain whilst seeing blood everywhere and as he says - expecting people up front to have died.

You would assume at this point he would have come to the conclusion that staff were unaware of the accident. His fear could have been that another train was on its way behind? I really don't think him screaming 'stop this f**king ride' is unreasonable. Heck, given the circumstances I would probably be shouting the same thing.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Magnetic trims can only slow a train, not stop it. And the slower a train moves past them, the less effect they have. I'd doubt they would have made much difference, as why would they ever be designed to stop a train? They are only trims, not blocks.
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are the trims raised and lowered as and when they are required? (rita has them powered by pneumatics thinking on the launch section (but they are fixed on the approach to the station) ) but are the ones on the smiler fixed?
 
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AirFAN said:
I really don't think him screaming 'stop this f**king ride' is unreasonable. Heck, given the circumstances I would probably be shouting the same thing.
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in them circumstances I would just be shouting the 3rd word in a strung out way ( not getting to the ing part).
 
Croftybaby said:
Just thinking. All the people that must have been around the ride, one of them must have phoned 999?
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It has been proven that the more people witness an accident, the less chance of one of them doing anything. If you get hit by a car and there's only one person around, there's a good chance they will stop and help. But if a crowd of people is watching an event unfold, each person subconciously things "meh, someone else will help". And just stands there gawping.
blackholes crow said:
are the trims raised and lowered as and when they are required? (rita has them powered by pneumatics) but are the ones on the smiler fixed? thinking on the launch section (but they are fixed on the approach to the station)
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I honestly couldn't tell you, though I believe they are "adjustable" to some extent.
 
AirFAN said:
Essentially he is saying whilst at the top of the lift hill he (and others on the train) were aware of the stalled train and were shouting for the ride to be 'stopped'
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I want you to think about this seriously and honestly. How when facing the opposite direction and looking up into the air could they have known that there was a valleyed carriage at the opposite bottom end of the track?
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It has been proven that the more people witness an accident, the less chance of one of them doing anything. If you get hit by a car and there's only one person around, there's a good chance they will stop and help. But if a crowd of people is watching an event unfold, each person subconciously things "meh, someone else will help". And just stands there gawping.

I honestly couldn't tell you, though I believe they are "adjustable" to some extent.
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Slightly off topic, but this reminds me of the Murder of Kitty Genovese, in which 37 people were witness to a murder but didn't contact the authorities because they assumed someone else would have - essentially the diffisuion of responsibility in which people are less likely to take action if other people are present.

BarryZola said:
I want you to think about this seriously and honestly. How when facing the opposite direction and looking up into the air could they have known that there was a valleyed carriage at the opposite bottom end of the track?
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My point really isn't to question whether or not he was or wasn't aware. In the event that he was/wasn't, I don't think his actions (specifically those which are documented by witnesses/video) deserve criticism.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It has been proven that the more people witness an accident, the less chance of one of them doing anything.
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Not related to The Smiler but I can understand how this is true. In 2013, I drove past a crash on the M1 which must have happened only moments before (it was an overturned vehicle) and pulled over to help and immediately called 999 as I approached the incident. There were about 5 or 6 people already around speaking to the person in the car. Turned out I was the first one to call 999. Can't stress how important it is to just phone them even if you think someone else would have.

As for the Daily Mirror article, I also wonder how they would have known that the train in front had valleyed which makes me question the legitimacy of the interview.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It has been proven that the more people witness an accident, the less chance of one of them doing anything. If you get hit by a car and there's only one person around, there's a good chance they will stop and help. But if a crowd of people is watching an event unfold, each person subconciously things "meh, someone else will help". And just stands there gawping.

I honestly couldn't tell you, though I believe they are "adjustable" to some extent.
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i m just trying to get my head around where and how they operate, i know there powered by induction magnets on the train powered by electric, what i cant remember is if the ones under the inoculator/spider section are raised and lowered but i can tell you that the ones leading into the vertical lift are powered (just in case a train comes in to close to the stopped train waiting to ascend the incline) they have more than enough energy over that length of track to completely stop the train, but the trimmers under the spider are only short (to regulate the speed of the train going into the inversion, i guess) but if the trains empty then they should move out of the way to not hinder the train going into the inversion but if its fixed then it will slow it down weather its empty or not (im just trying to understand)
 
blackholes crow said:
are the trims raised and lowered as and when they are required? (rita has them powered by pneumatics thinking on the launch section (but they are fixed on the approach to the station) ) but are the ones on the smiler fixed?
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DiogoJ42 said:
I honestly couldn't tell you, though I believe they are "adjustable" to some extent.
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From my understanding, rides using trims like this have sensors at various points which are there to keep track of the speed. If the train is going faster than required for the next set of elements, trims are put out. Same for going to slow. The Smiler has...don't quote me, but perhaps 3-5 fins on each trim section, where different numbers of them can be used to slow the trains to a different extent :)

My original point was if all were extended, could it have slowed the train enough with the given wind speed. Probably not, but still.
 
blackholes crow said:
i m just trying to get my head around where and how they operate, i know there powered by induction magnets on the train powered by electric, what i cant remember is if the ones under the inoculator/spider section are raised and lowered but i can tell you that the ones leading into the vertical lift are powered (just in case a train comes in to close to the stopped train waiting to ascend the incline) they have more than enough energy over that length of track to completely stop the train, but the trimmers under the spider are only short (to regulate the speed of the train going into the inversion, i guess) but if the trains empty then they should move out of the way to not hinder the train going into the inversion but if its fixed then it will slow it down weather its empty or not (im just trying to understand)
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The trains usually have permanent magnets on, rather than EMI ones, which require a lot of power. The ones on the lifts I do believe are just to reduce the strain on the motors when it has to stop. Again, don't quote me, but as they probably cant stop it fully, they just give a helping hand. The retractable fins are a metal that can be magnetised, but they aren't EM or permanent magnets.

Edit: Studying physics at uni next year so I have a basic/limited understanding of field theory :p
 
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