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[The Smiler] Construction Updates / Ride Speculation Part 2 *SPOILER FREE*

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Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I think it's more a health and safety thing. The ride is designed to run at the speed that it goes through the trims at when the trims do not activate.

If the train is going too fast, the calculation is made to reduce the ride speed slightly by applying the trims 'slightly'.

I would not imagine a significant reduction in speed should occur, if the calculations have been done correctly. Obviously on 13 this wasn't the case, but I think I'm right that the trim on Air has 'never' activated?
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

The trim on Air is non-existent :p

B&M designed the ride to have a trim underneath the entrance bridge but apparently John Wardley didn't like the idea so asked them not to install it. If you look under the bridge you can see two holes in the track where the trim should be but it was never built. I'm trying to find a picture but failing.

The Swarm has a similar trim but to my knowledge it doesn't often get used:

e4139oj5p001j1535d5349.jpg

The two holes are what you can see on Air although in the case of The Swarm they did
add the trim, this is just a very early construction photo (as you probably guessed).



In honesty I'm not against trims. I'm not for them either but I have no issue with them being there as long as they either remain unused 95% of the time or somehow enhance the experience (on an air time hill they can add a little bit of force into the mix).

Th13teen's however I don't know why they bothered. There are better ways to prevent the ride overspending into the crypt and I don't buy that the ride was to forceful for the target market without them. As for the rumour that the added force caused the lap bars to come undone that's either a massive design floor by Intamin or complete twaddle made up by some enthusiasts ;)
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

There's a trim on the run down to the last turn isn't there? Not that it does anything.

I don't see the need for a trim. What, the ride might go 5mph more? Wow. That's hardly going to make people black out or bring the thing crashing to the ground.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

That's odd I've just found one of my pictures from 2011 that does show a trim under that bridge on Air. But I'm sure I've seen pictures without one there :S

Either way I've heard whatever is there has never actually functioned.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Yeah you can't really assess trims on rides until it's running, a lot of coasters add them as standard as mentioned above (Air, Swarm, Mamba, Oz-Iris all B&M's who are the best at precision engineering). I think because manufacturers are pushing designs to the limit they add them just to be sure. It's obvious these retract (unlike Th13teens) so they will likely adjust them to get a perfect speed into the knot thing.

It's no different to changing wheel compounds really as happened on Woodan.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Both trims on air are there, and were at least in 2007 wired up, but the brakes themselves cannot close as I believe they are permanently open now and they are only wired up to allow the computer to give train speed readings.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

They aren't trims, they are washing machines.

It seems H&S are worried nowadays about fibreglass, so not exactly surprised to find some just in case trims on a world record inverting coaster.

Also, it is sensible to build them in on a ride like this I think. It does push boundaries, so long as they are fail safes what's the harm? If they wreck the ride and are over used fine, but for now, I dunno, kinda common sense to me to have them in case.

Oh hang on, I forgot....

I HATE MERLIN.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

A note on trims:

The decision to add trims will be based on a park's preference. In order to be meet the latest German safety regulations set out by TÜV-Süddeutschland, large coasters should have a trim brake to help control the speed (read this in an amusements article - but can't remember which one). This probably gives a park lower insurance premiums for the rides, along with other benefits. So in many cases the trims are actually only cosmetic, just so they can meet these standards. As these are German standards, they will only apply to rides built in Europe.

Case in point being Swarm and X-Flight, both very similar wing-riders but only the Swarm has a trim. Similarly, the flyers Air and Superman: Ultimate Flight (SF Over Georgia), both opened in 2002, yet only Air has trims.

The only trims B&M add intentionally are on the hyper coasters, this is so even the first rides of the day (when the ride is running slower) get a nice pop of airtime on the hills, without becoming uncomfortable for riders in the evening (when the ride is running faster).

So if you want to blame anybody for trims, blame the Germans ;)
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Trims are needed on rides as if they overspeed it causes the computers to have a hissy fit generall, can you not remember the amount of times Blivvy went down last summer due to it overspeeding? I want the Smiler to have less downtime that that and if trims are needed to prevent this from happnening then so be it!
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Yes but they only overspeed because they are programmed that way, which as already mentioned, will be something the manufacture have done to comply with various H&S regulations. There will be no need for this to use trims as the brake before the 2nd lift and the finial brakes will have enough room to stop the train entering at full speed. The trims Im almost certain will be there as a precaution, just on the off chance it goes far too fast through that section.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I'm glad construction has picked up pace now. Sadly, though that'll be the end of track construction for a while as footers for the remaining sections are poured. Hopefully this bad weather won't delay that process too long. At least groundwork/footer work, structure work and electrical work can continue during this period.

Truly am excited for this and with regards to the trims, I too believe they are a precautionary manner so that delays aren't created if trims are needed at the last minute during testing (cough..TH13TEEN..) :D
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Ooh, walls are coming up on the building now! ;D How much more track needs to be installed? Is 70% of the track already up or is there more to be added? (minus the lift hills ofc.)
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

QTXAdsy said:
Ooh, walls are coming up on the building now! ;D How much more track needs to be installed? Is 70% of the track already up or is there more to be added? (minus the lift hills ofc.)
Click to expand...

I think that's the maintenance shed in the background, not the station.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Alastair said:
QTXAdsy said:
Ooh, walls are coming up on the building now! ;D How much more track needs to be installed? Is 70% of the track already up or is there more to be added? (minus the lift hills ofc.)
Click to expand...

I think that's the maintenance shed in the background, not the station.
Click to expand...

I thought that - unless it is Alton Towers new hotel?
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

QTXAdsy said:
Ooh, walls are coming up on the building now! ;D How much more track needs to be installed? Is 70% of the track already up or is there more to be added? (minus the lift hills ofc.)
Click to expand...

Left to be constructed:

1) Both Lift Hills
2) Bunny hill leading from the Sea Serpent roll to the Cobra Roll
3) The rest of both inverting drops
4) Second Dive Loop
5) Final turn into the breaks and the transfer track piece.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

As with the same over at TT, can someone please post that last picture of today's developments on something other than facebook? Would be much appreciated.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Buschgardensfan said:
As with the same over at TT, can someone please post that last picture of today's developments on something other than facebook? Would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

9is9cw.jpg

(Courtesy of The Alton Towers Guide Facebook page)


Does that work for you?
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Am I the only one thinking that having the catwalk stuck on the side, has totally ruined the look/curve of the 'Air-time hill'?! I just think it looks a bit clumsy, had they both followed the same shaping/curve it wouldn't have looked quite a bad! But, that's just me being picky, I understand that it has to be there for servicing etc! :p

Still, niggles aside... It's looking amazing, and the walls are truly flying on now! Which is great to see :D
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Sammy said:
Still, niggles aside... It's looking amazing, and the walls are truly flying on now!
Click to expand...

Nah mate, they're on blocks of wood.
 
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