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[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

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No other Eurofighters have 4x4 seating. The lift 'might' be launched, but I just can not see it looking different to the plans.
 
The weather forecast is good for around at least a month apparently, so hopefully track construction will be finished before opening!
 
I also find it weird that the plans show a 'normal lift hill and a vertical one, it'll look weird for a start.
I think it will either have:

-An upwards launch
-Two vertical lift hills
-Or a level launch to a vertical hill
 
siralgenon said:
I also find it weird that the plans show a 'normal lift hill and a vertical one, it'll look weird for a start.
I think it will either have:

-An upwards launch
-Two vertical lift hills
-Or a level launch to a vertical hill
Click to expand...

The plans don't actually specify lift hills in particular, it's just assumed by their shape that that's what they are. The non-vertical one at least may well be a launch for all we know.
 
Alastair said:
siralgenon said:
I also find it weird that the plans show a 'normal lift hill and a vertical one, it'll look weird for a start.
I think it will either have:

-An upwards launch
-Two vertical lift hills
-Or a level launch to a vertical hill
Click to expand...

The plans don't actually specify lift hills in particular, it's just assumed by their shape that that's what they are. The non-vertical one at least may well be a launch for all we know.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know, I just said lift hills so everyone knew what I was talking about :)
 
I think we will see the lift hills and above toilet section as per the plans, which does make me question a launch as although seen launched lift hills on other rides in the past it seems a stange way to start the ride if as per the plans as if launched I would have thought they could have gone with some kind of small top hat element or large inversion rather than launching up what looks like a normal lift hil. Which brings me onto my second Reason to doubt it is the running cost of an LSM launch. They use a lot of electricity which as you know is expensive in the uk especially compared to America and parts of Europe, hence why lack of launched rides in the uk. So not sure Alton would go down the LSM launch when the a normal chain lift would work on the ride layout we have seen.

Also the below off ride video shows how the launched system fitted to the ground rather than standard footers, but also shows how it could also just be a break run.

Hansa Park Launch
 
It was great to see some good vertical progress over the weekend. They seem to have got a fair bit up over the toilet block, and you can really see the supports from quite a few different places around the park. They've been moving quite a lot of supports over from the car parks so hopefully we will see some really good progress over the next few weeks now.

Also, I hope they've got a jet wash ready from when it's all done, the supports that have gone up are filthy! :p

:)
 
I was at AT today, and although I've seen lots of photos of the track already, to see it sat in the car park in front of me felt like something else! Totally amazed by the twists and turns, and looking forward to riding it even more now!

Also, it was great to see supports going up; definitely won't take too long now to finish if they carry on at the same pace! ;-)
 
If a launch, won't it make Rita look tame? Its going to already going to look scarier than oblivion (by the inversions, the drop on oblivion beats all!) So using a launch will automatically put the two in comparison, which sees Rita being overlooked, because "the Smiler will be much more worth queueing for"
I'd love a launch, but I just can't see it happening.
 
No ones going to care if its powerful or not, it will be minor considering the rest of the ride.

Gerstauler LSM are very effiecnt and the coasters breaking energy is converted and stored for launches. In fact comparison via wiki shows its barely draws more energy than a standard coaster.
 
Maya said:
If a launch, won't it make Rita look tame? Its going to already going to look scarier than oblivion (by the inversions, the drop on oblivion beats all!) So using a launch will automatically put the two in comparison, which sees Rita being overlooked, because "the Smiler will be much more worth queueing for"
I'd love a launch, but I just can't see it happening.
Click to expand...

Launches are more and more standard now, so I don't think it'd be a real issue. One of the things I like so far about what we've seen of The Smiler is the sort of 'everything and the kitchen sink' design.

Had no idea about the brake energy conversion either, very good!
 
Matt said:
This is the artwork in Towers Trading, looked pretty good actually, there is now other artwork of other rides around the rest of the store.

1361011666.jpg
Click to expand...

The train debate is interesting.. Note here on the shop livery that uses the promo image the restaints are not actually visible.

Also saw the crane lifting supports into place yesterday and got a cheeky view of the top of the knot from the bridge leading from Mutney Bay to Hex.
 
The only thing I would say is not to make huge assumptions from the promo art-work. Airs looked nothing like the eventual train design, so although its possibly accurate I would keep an open mind.

And I am still certain the ride will not be exactly as the plans showed.
 
Whilst I'm in the camp that the ride will be as stated on the plans, I wouldn't complain if the ride started as a launch into an overbanked turn before heading into the inversion section.
 
Not sure if this has been already posted, but a close up photo of the supports (Taken from Alton's twitter page)

BDZefczCAAAwvCN.jpg
 
It's been a while, so I have cracked out the paint skills again!!

BDZefczCAAAwvCN_zps29135396.jpg


The track connectors show the route of the track pretty well really, you can clearly see the two swooping turns similar to the plans!

However, note the big arrow, the angle of that track connector screams over-banked/another inversion at the top of one of the drops! Something else to point that this isn't going to entirely follow the plans :D

Great to see more finally going up though, it's certainly one complex structure that they are building right now!
 
Expecting to see a lot of progress over half term. Looking forward to see what's happening next week :)
 
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