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Rita launch cable snap!?!

I personally don't see this as a "major/serious incident" as some are touting.

The cable is enclosed in a tray so that it won't go flying out at speed if it ever breaks, if there was a chance of a high velocity snap that would send the cable flinging everywhere, there wouldn't be a path underneath.

As for the train, it simply wouldn't get the same full acceleration as per norm, possibly causing it to stall round the track.
 
The fact is though that on past Intamin rides with a cable launch the cable has snapped and sent shrapnel flying which caused injury to people... The cable may be enclosed in order to protect people but this doesn't mean it will always work.

Thankfully it did today.
 
Knicker elastic!

Just saw on the Towerstreet facebook about the new cable arriving. Kudos to towers for being bloomin efficient I'll give them that.
 
When did stealths cable snap?!? and I think that the launch cable is made of metal,so the weather may have affected the cable.(?)
 
I think people are maybe over exagerating the level of "incident" here. The cables sit in the U trough so that if they snap they dont fly around the place too badly. The major accelerator injuries have been caused by a train launching slow and the anti roll back breaks catching up with the train creating drag and damaging the cable, trough and the break fins themselves.

I just think we need to be careful of making a judgement on the severity of this, I imagine it will be running again soon.
 
well there its nice to see they are getting ready to replace the cable. I believe the failed cable with under go checks to see if they can find why it failed. they may bring a Metallurgist to test it.
 
It's probably already been mentioned (I've just skimmed through this), but a reason for the cable severing could be because A it was need the end of its life span and B the weather. I mean the heat we've had over the past few days could have weathered it a bit, especially compared to the adverse weather we had just days before. It may have just sped up the decaying process.
 
mrbrightside said:
The fact is though that on past Intamin rides with a cable launch the cable has snapped and sent shrapnel flying which caused injury to people... The cable may be enclosed in order to protect people but this doesn't mean it will always work.

Thankfully it did today.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think the incident you're referring to (Kingda Ka?) was when a bolt in the cable channel failed and came loose as the car launched. Lots of friction, lots of shrapnel, the ride was closed for months. A totally different and far more serious incident.
 
Ben. said:
It's probably already been mentioned (I've just skimmed through this), but a reason for the cable severing could be because A it was need the end of its life span and B the weather. I mean the heat we've had over the past few days could have weathered it a bit, especially compared to the adverse weather we had just days before. It may have just sped up the decaying process.
Click to expand...

The weather might have lead to the demise of the cable(s). It has been a bit all over the place the past few weeks. We've gone from cold weather, to heavy rain - and now the country has hit a big rise in heat and sunny weather. I would guess the big spikes of weather change have not helped.
 
Thought the ride had a safety feature that monitored the cable to detect damage a bit like the skyride does. In this day and age, this should not have happened. Excessive wear should have been detected long before the cable snaps.
 
I'm sure seen by all previously, but this is what it looks like when that cable goes...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFL2ybuxeUY&feature=player_detailpage[/youtube]

Red hot metal flying at you, so clearly potential for injury. The design is supposed to contain this though, and generally does. You can only minimise risk, never eliminate it. This RITA incident is a bit of a nothing thing really, I expect opening quickly with no changes.

However, if they use the same manufacturer for the skyride cable I want to know about it. I'll walk thanks!!
 
That is pretty horrific - you wonder how well the design was implemented when something like that happens. It really does raise the question of whether hydraulic launches are so much more beneficial to be used over LSM/LIM these days.
 
I don't see what all the fuss is about... Metal cables have a life span, this can be greatly reduced by the climate and exposure to the elements. Also in manufacturing processes in all industries it's accepted that not every single product produced will be to the same standard every time.

Tolerances are normally built in for a certain amount of leeway for its prescribed life but every so often parts wear out quicker and fail.

The cable in question is under constant stress then relief all day long, moving several tons in weight at high speed hundreds of times a day. heat can effect the cable causing it to expand and contract which can create weak spots.
The ride has been designed with a system in place to prevent the cable from whipping persons below the track in event of it failing. As someone else suggested worst case is ride stalls on launch run of part way round the track. Even with people on board it's not a major issue... Cherry picker, fire truck with ladder and everyone is off safely.

New cable being fitted, ride reopens end of matter till the next time it needs replacing!
 
Seem to be saying this a lot but the whole sparks flying and bits flying through the air incident on Kingda and Accelarator where not due to simple cable snaps. One was a bolt issue the other was due to the anti-roll back breaks catching up with a slowed train still trying to launch.
 
I don't see this being a major issue at all. They will of already of anticipated this as they have have prepared for this by putting the 'U' channel in & having a spare cable.

Of course they would of had numerous RA's for this too, h&s wouldn't of signed the ride off without protection should this happen.

It CAN happen anytime, & this is why there are precautions & practices in place for it.

As someone said earlier (sorry should of quoted) but h&s wouldn't get involved unless someone was hurt, or there was a 'near miss.'


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Rita is currently closed.

Sonic Spinball opened for ERT today.

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