Secret Weapon 7 Discussion

[LiamC]

Just a little fun piece of information:
Do you remember the throughput calculation I used before which was based on the NoLimits recreation? It gave the absolute maximum throughput if the outside sections took the longest* and a train passed each block section as soon as it cleared. Well I've run the calculation again knowing the actual capacity:

Ans = 1,728 People Per Hour.

That is absolutely fantastic!

Obviously it'll never reach that number, but I'd say at a guess it could easily sit around the 1,400 to 1,500 pph mark which would make it the second highest capacity roller coaster after Oblivion.

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* that time period was 33 seconds which by pure coincidence 165 seconds / 5 block breaks = 33 seconds each!

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Whats your workings?

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Can only assume he's used the Throughput Calculator that was created by Sam. At least I think that's how that figure has come about?

 

[Tim]

Just a little fun piece of information:
Do you remember the throughput calculation I used before which was based on the NoLimits recreation? It gave the absolute maximum throughput if the outside sections took the longest* and a train passed each block section as soon as it cleared. Well I've run the calculation again knowing the actual capacity:

Ans = 1,728 People Per Hour.

That is absolutely fantastic!

Obviously it'll never reach that number, but I'd say at a guess it could easily sit around the 1,400 to 1,500 pph mark which would make it the second highest capacity roller coaster after Oblivion.

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* that time period was 33 seconds which by pure coincidence 165 seconds / 5 block breaks = 33 seconds each!

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Whats your workings?

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Can only assume he's used the Throughput Calculator that was created by Sam. At least I think that's how that figure has come about?

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Basically yes. I did the calculations before Sam released the throughput calculator but it's the same calculation process. I did post how but I'm not searching through over 100 pages of discussion to find where. It's only rough anyway, especially as the plans have been thrown into doubt, but I thought you might like to know.

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In other news I have come across something weird concerning the minimum rider height. In the press statement they have announced a 1.4m restriction. This set off warning alarms because 1.4 normally implies OTSR. lap bars tend to be at 1.2m or 1.3m (again another reason to go with lap bars). So I checked Iron Shark and it does indeed says 48" (1.2m)...

...but then I checked Mystery Mine and it also says 48" even though it has traditional OTSR.

So now I’m not sure what to think. Maybe Alton are doing another Sub-Terra and deliberately raising the height restriction so it doesn’t get the ride confused as a family ride? This would make sense as the very first thing we were told about SW7 was that the brief was for a 1.4m thrill ride, so maybe they don’t care if the restraints could technically allow lower. Or maybe American parks are just more lenient with their height restrictions as Wild Eagle was only 50".

 

[BigAl]

There's always this old guide on TPR to work out coaster throughput. Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

But anyway, didn't Th13teen exceed its predicted throughput estimations on opening day? Perhaps this will do the same and maybe 1728 riders an hour isn't out of reach? It's certainly more than adequate for a roller coaster like this at least.

 

[Tim]

There's always this old guide on TPR to work out coaster throughput. Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

But anyway, didn't Th13teen exceed its predicted throughput estimations on opening day? Perhaps this will do the same and maybe 1728 riders an hour isn't out of reach? It's certainly more than adequate for a roller coaster like this at least.

Th13teen exceed its throughput because Intamin made the prediction before they made tweaks to the ride to insure it didn’t pause unnecessarily during the show part of the ride. Because of this they were assumption that the transfer and trick-track would take longer and I guess they gave more time for loading as well. I think they also planned for one cart to be waiting outside the station (which still occasionally happens) but on opening day everything synchronised perfectly. It helped that the staff were doing an excellent job when they calculated the actual value as well.

However the value I've just given is based on me not knowing what goes on inside which could potential slow things down. It also relies on the rides running so well that as soon as one train hits the mid-course lift the next train crests the top of the previous lift hill. If A) the plans are different or B) The ride carts are timed to duel each other this will take a few more seconds of that time and significantly drop that number.

But it’s a good base number to guess what a more realistic throughout could be.

 

[BigAl]

Well what ever happens won't ruin the throughput so we can still expect something with a decent capacity, unlike Saw.

 

[John]

Regarding the height restriction, I think it’s simply due to Merlin’s policy of thrill coaster = 1.4m.
Saw was also given a 1.4m restriction entirely unnecessarily – Speed at Oakwood has a height restriction of 1.25m and Rage is only 1.2m.

 

[GAGrathea]

I think keeping all *big* coasters at 1.4m saves the parks a LOT of hassle, though, imagine having to explain on a daily basis to a guest that they were tall enough to ride the constantly-inverting massive SW7, but couldn't ride Air, or Oblivion, say. They'd find it ridiculous and there'd be more fuss created than would be worth it in having a more accurate height restriction!

 

[Sam]

Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

Today is your lucky day.

 

[LiamC]

Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

Today is your lucky day.

Using this and the 165 second time rule I got 1388pph, does that sound about right?

Obviously this is shy of Tim's estiamte of 1728, but I still don't think that's a bad figure at all!

 

[BigAl]

Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

Today is your lucky day.

Bookmarked!

It even works on my iPhone! No need to drag my entire desktop around to parks to work out ride throughputs!

Bring on SW7!

 

[Tim]

Not as easy to do as an app and not always convenient, but I use it and I'll continue to do so (unless it's very wrong ) until something arrives on the PC or iPhone to do it.

Today is your lucky day.

Using this and the 165 second time rule I got 1388pph, does that sound about right?

Obviously this is shy of Tim's estiamte of 1728, but I still don't think that's a bad figure at all!

Did you use just over 40 second time intervals? (165/4). In which case yes that sounds right.

Like I said my figure was an absolute maximum and not what I'd expect the ride to achieve on a regular basis. This figure however would be achievable and better than many of the parks other roller coasters which very rarely make their theoretical capacity.

 

[Scott]

1200-1400pph as a theoretical achievable throughput is a fantastic number! It's on a par with Nemesis and is definitely the capacity needed for a ride which looks as though it could be incredibly popular for years to come...

 

[Martin]

Bring on March! 2014!

 

[Sam]

Do we know yet if this will have a single rider queue?

If implemented well, an SRQ improves throughput by reducing empty seats. If implemented badly, it decreases throughput by reducing dispatch times.

 

[John]

The plans appeared to show 3 entrances, which would presumably be main queue, fastrack and single rider. Obviously how accurate those plans were is open to debate, and it's worth remembering that the plans for Swarm also showed a SRQ.

 

[Tim]

Do we know yet if this will have a single rider queue?

If implemented well, an SRQ improves throughput by reducing empty seats. If implemented badly, it decreases throughput by reducing dispatch times.

From the plans there are 3 queue lines from the rides entrance. One leads straight into the building, one cattle pens for a bit then leads into the building and the other goes all over the place. So I guess in that order they will be: Fastrack, Single Rider, Main queue.

 

[Martin]

I'd say fastpass was the one with the little cattlepen. Are we also assuming the disabled entrance will be via the exit?

 

[Equinox]

I'd second that too, i've never seen Single rider ques being anything more than 20 people at Max so don't think they'll require a mini cattle pen.

Disabled acces via the Exit is ideal for everybody really, i can't think of any reason they wouldnt?!?!

 

[Tim]

I don't know, I've seen Single Rider queues that have been quite long. I'd be worried if the Fastrack Queue took up a whole cattle pen.

Either way all that matters is their are 3 queue lines which suggest they plan on having probely plan on having single riders.

 

[GAGrathea]

Something which occurred to me in the shower just now is that this coaster will see the return of Alton making coasters with distinctive logos (see Oblivion and Air), which is brilliant for marketing (and merchandise, as already seen). This obviously was reintroduced to the Merlin parks by the Swarm, which has the logo everywhere and made into just about every type of merch possible!

So the question is, who'll be the first to get a tattoo?