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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

Is there really that much play in the bolt holes? I thought the holes were practically the same size as the bolts, hence the need to hammer them in before tightening?

If all the holes line up and all the bolts fasten, I can't see how this will ride any differently.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

DiogoJ42 said:
My money is on that bit of track they had to "bodge" in to place being a headbang moment.
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I think it's a bit presumptuous to think this. Gerstlauer aren't complete morons, I'm sure they'll make sure the track is fitted together so as not to cause any obvious problems when the train goes through that element. They are hardly going to leave the joints open a bit just so that it fits are they? If it were that bad then they'd have simply taken it down and had another piece fabricated. As it is, it fits and so there should be no discomfort.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Alastair said:
DiogoJ42 said:
My money is on that bit of track they had to "bodge" in to place being a headbang moment.
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit presumptuous to think this. Gerstlauer aren't complete morons, I'm sure they'll make sure the track is fitted together so as not to cause any obvious problems when the train goes through that element. They are hardly going to leave the joints open a bit just so that it fits are they? If it were that bad then they'd have simply taken it down and had another piece fabricated. As it is, it fits and so there should be no discomfort.
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We all hoped that about Saw to be honest though, and from what I know there was no problem track on that :p
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I agree Alastair. This is a major investment for Alton and they surely will not allow a "bodge" job to detract from the enjoyment of this ride. If (which is unlikely) this joint does detract from the ride experience in any way after testing, then at that stage I'm sure they'll be off producing a replacement piece.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Tuggerz said:
Alastair said:
DiogoJ42 said:
My money is on that bit of track they had to "bodge" in to place being a headbang moment.
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit presumptuous to think this. Gerstlauer aren't complete morons, I'm sure they'll make sure the track is fitted together so as not to cause any obvious problems when the train goes through that element. They are hardly going to leave the joints open a bit just so that it fits are they? If it were that bad then they'd have simply taken it down and had another piece fabricated. As it is, it fits and so there should be no discomfort.
Click to expand...

We all hoped that about Saw to be honest though, and from what I know there was no problem track on that :p
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Yes but how do we know that issues like this aren't normal, and that there haven't been instances like this on other coasters in the world that have ended up perfectly fine? Just because they struggled to get a track piece in for a day or so doesn't mean it's out of the ordinary - it's just been covered so much and photographed and hyped so much to the point where people that have no knowledge of the technical aspects of coaster construction are stating that it will affect the ride comfort.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I'm not saying it's a guarantee to affect Ride Comfort, I'd just say that there's a chance for such a case.

We have no idea until we ride it.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I'm confused...

Can someone explain why its a botch job?

Seems to me they got the track pieces to line up in the end and all the bolts to connect up properly, so to me that means it fit fine...

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

They had to move around the supports and track to line it up properly. It's not exactly a botch in the strictest sense, but in terms of following plans and protocol, it's a bit of an iffy way to do it.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Tuggerz said:
They had to move around the supports and track to line it up properly. It's not exactly a botch in the strictest sense, but in terms of following plans and protocol, it's a bit of an iffy way to do it.
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I don't think it's "iffy" at all. Surely the very fact that they didn't concrete in the supports was an indicator that they expected this to happen at some point? And their reasoning was correct, and has resulted in the track being able to be fitted in the end.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Alastair said:
Tuggerz said:
They had to move around the supports and track to line it up properly. It's not exactly a botch in the strictest sense, but in terms of following plans and protocol, it's a bit of an iffy way to do it.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's "iffy" at all. Surely the very fact that they didn't concrete in the supports was an indicator that they expected this to happen at some point? And their reasoning was correct, and has resulted in the track being able to be fitted in the end.
Click to expand...

But think about it this way, they misjudged the supports over the toilet block too, and as such needed to cut a section out of that roof to make them fit.
It's quite natural for this to happen, but at the same time, you'd expect a bit more professionalism and understanding of the ground they're working on, More research should have been done in my opinion.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Tuggerz said:
Alastair said:
Tuggerz said:
They had to move around the supports and track to line it up properly. It's not exactly a botch in the strictest sense, but in terms of following plans and protocol, it's a bit of an iffy way to do it.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's "iffy" at all. Surely the very fact that they didn't concrete in the supports was an indicator that they expected this to happen at some point? And their reasoning was correct, and has resulted in the track being able to be fitted in the end.
Click to expand...

But think about it this way, they misjudged the supports over the toilet block too, and as such needed to cut a section out of that roof to make them fit.
It's quite natural for this to happen, but at the same time, you'd expect a bit more professionalism and understanding of the ground they're working on, More research should have been done in my opinion.
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How do you know they "misjudged" the supports over the toilet block? The toilet blocks are an immovable object, and it is clear that Towers didn't want them demolished and rebuilt (which is what should have been done IMO). Therefore, from what I have gathered, the best way to achieve a solid, strong support structure at the lowest possible cost was to cut through the roof. I don't see how it was a mistake, I imagine it was planned all along.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I think we've got to remember that this isn't a simple 25 piece jigsaw bought in a charity shop. It's a massive 3D jigsaw bought from a leading roller coaster manufacturer.

I'm no expert in this field. However I can imagine how much of a nightmare it is to assemble these rides. You only have to have one support a few inches out which results in a nightmare. This just shows that problems like this do happen. The supports not being concreted was done for a reason - and this shows why.

I just think we all need to get some perspective of how complex this is, especially with a ride of this scale!
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

James said:
I think we've got to remember that this isn't a simple 25 piece jigsaw bought in a charity shop. It's a massive 3D jigsaw bought from a leading roller coaster manufacturer.

I'm no expert in this field. However I can imagine how much of a nightmare it is to assemble these rides. You only have to have one support a few inches out which results in a nightmare. This just shows that problems like this do happen. The supports not being concreted was done for a reason - and this shows why.

I just think we all need to get some perspective of how complex this is, especially with a ride of this scale!
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We also need to remember though that this ride is allegedly being constructed by highly skilled and extremely well paid experts who do this all the time and as such should know exactly what they are doing. Yet if you watch construction you see the track being swung into other track on a regular occurrence. I for one, am worried that these experts aren't quite as expert as they should be, and if not, we will end up with a rough ride.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Just to go back to the previous discussion about track pieces not lining up there was a documentary around the time Griffon opened which shows that this type of thing is quite normal:

Apologies I could only find a video that's been dubbed over in French:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_QaAOEZmcaQ#t=165s

Edit: I've just realised the clip I've linked to does not show the final piece of track being installed. But I have watched this before and know they have the same problem fitting the last piece in as this one.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

I think people just need to stop criticising and wait until the ride has been tested and ridden. I watched a documentary on Tatsu at Six Flags being built and they had loads of issues, especially with the massive pretzel loop. There aren't any records of this being rough. This is a B&M too! I remember thinking when they started this, how on earth are they going to get the footers in such precise positions when they're being placed on a muddy, unfinished, hilly plot. I thought the fact that they're not cemented in was a genius and obviously simple solution. How do you be millimetre perfect in the real world - you cant be.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Indeed I think this is the way things are planned for Gerst rides, and its not just Gerst that are responsible for track accuracy. The ground-work team have to get the footers in the right place or there will be discrepancies.

I imagine this is irritating though as its another delay for a project that just can't afford anymore delays.
 
Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

ianto42 said:
I think people just need to stop criticising and wait until the ride has been tested and ridden. I watched a documentary on Tatsu at Six Flags being built and they had loads of issues, especially with the massive pretzel loop. There aren't any records of this being rough. This is a B&M too! I remember thinking when they started this, how on earth are they going to get the footers in such precise positions when they're being placed on a muddy, unfinished, hilly plot. I thought the fact that they're not cemented in was a genius and obviously simple solution. How do you be millimetre perfect in the real world - you cant be.
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I think that people not only should but have a duty to criticise when there is a valid need to and also be allowed to express concern. Without criticism you have an emperors new cloths scenario. Why was NST improved? Because of valid criticism. I want Towers to be the best park in the world. The ONLY tool that you and I have to help that is to point out when things are going wrong. Management don't watch construction all day. In fact most will visit the site once a week or so. The noise and chatter that we make raises issues that they can work on and fix. I am sure other coasters have had similar issues and your saying mm perfection, unfortunately your exceedingly under exaggerating. The following image was taken after about 20 minutes of ratcheting. Initially it was around half of the track's span out but I didn't grab a photo as I was on oblivion at that time.
P1040491.JPG

The joints of the next section down were creaking. This is a photo just after a creak. As you can see there is a gap there.
P1040492.JPG

They then did a lot of work with pneumatic rams and wedges and other ratchets and got to the following photo's stage by the end of the day.
P1040548.JPG
 
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