[The Smiler] Spoiler Discussion

[Anonymous]

Where has all this 'The ride has 5 trains' stuff come from? I've only seen 4 on track and 4 delivered? Not to mention, I don't see how it can run 5 when the advertised riders number was 64. 4x4x4... Am I the only one who doesn't see them running all 5? (If there is 5)

 

[Dave]

Where has all this 'The ride has 5 trains' stuff come from? I've only seen 4 on track and 4 delivered? Not to mention, I don't see how it can run 5 when the advertised riders number was 64. 4x4x4... Am I the only one who doesn't see them running all 5? (If there is 5)

They have 5 trains, train 5 is in the maintenance shed awaiting commissioning, whether they use all five i'm unsure if they will see any benefit as the system stacks on 4.

Astro said they where hitting 1000pph today so things have already improved

 

[DiogoJ42]

i'm unsure if they will see any benefit as the system stacks on 4.

I thought that too. They shoulda had dual loading, I tells ya!

 

[delta79]

I think the 5th train is a swap out spare for fault with a train. It the only logic reason when they stack with 4 train on the circuit.

 

[Andrew]

I thought only 4 trains could be in operation at one time, with the fifth train as a back up in case one fails.

In other news, Gerry will be on park tomorrow in The Smiler's queue (not as Doctor Kelman however). He says that he'll be wearing the staff uniform.

 

[delta79]

In other news, Gerry will be on park tomorrow in The Smiler's queue (not as Doctor Kelman however). He says that he'll be wearing the staff uniform.

he been demoted after the failed experment with Miles

 

[John]

We spotted Gerry today, in the ents/ccl (blue) uniform.

Throughput peaked at around 900/hour from what I saw, but could be improved further by having 4 staff checking restraints rather than the 2 they've got at the moment. The ride would not benefit from a 5th train unless dispatch times were reduced quite a bit further.

If running flat out, the ride will not duel - a train should leave the first lift well before the previous one leaves the 2nd.

 

[Alastair]

If running flat out, the ride will not duel - a train should leave the first lift well before the previous one leaves the 2nd.

I definitely hope that they don't attempt a 5th train then. I'd rather sacrifice capacity for the duelling, it's is a massive benefit to the queuing and on ride experience IMO.

 

[DiogoJ42]

While it looks good from off ride, the dueling really adds very little to those onboard. Why make an already dire throughput even worse for the sake of it? They need to bang those trains through as fast at they can.

I'd have thought the computer system would be able to vary the speed of the chain lifts (like many racing coasters) to help sync the two trains, but it seems the only speed control is the variable trims.

 

[John]

I completely disagree - boosting capacity of the Smiler is desperately needed. For a headline coaster at Towers, anything under 1000/hour is simply not enough. When fastrack is added to the Smiler the queue will be just as slow as Rita's is now unless they can push the throughputs a little higher. If the ride maintains its popularity with guests it could lead to agonisingly long queues even several years down the line.

For me, a bigger benefit to my queueing experience than seeing the trains duel would be a faster moving queue, and even then there will be a few trains that duel as it's inevitable that some trains will be dispatched slower than others. Also with faster dispatches there's more to see as there will always be a train somewhere on the track, rather than having 2 at once and then none as the ride currently operates.

 

[QTXAdsy]

The news of it's low throughput is worrying indeed, unless they can somehow push it into the 1000pp section then we're laughing. If proves to be very successful over the next few years, then I can only imagine the queues remaining like that.

I know we like seeing it duel at times and adding on a 5th ride car could stop this. The only way I could see it being done is instead of using ride cars that are in rows of 4, how about 6 instead? They did a similar thing with Indy at DLP and did help a little bit though it still has a lower throughput compared to Smiler, but it could work squeezing in an extra two seats in the row and if there is no space for OTSR...just use the lap bars instead...

 

[Fredward]

surely if it's running flat out it's garmented to duel? Gets to block brake at bottom of first lift, can't go until the over train gets to block brake at the bottom of second lift. Enters lift hills at same time. I wouldn't think they are using the lift hills as block brakes...

Or am I missing something.

 

[James]

I'd have thought the computer system would be able to vary the speed of the chain lifts (like many racing coasters) to help sync the two trains, but it seems the only speed control is the variable trims.

I thought that too, as it allows for decent throughput and still keeps the duelling aspect. It seems not though!

I'm sure we all knew from the offset this would have dire throughput. But if it is capable of 1000 plus pph then I think it would be worth saying goodbye to the duelling. As great as it looks, it will really impact harshly when Fastrack is introduced.

I doubt they would have gone for this ride type if it had not been capable of some decent throughput. They do know this is Alton Towers and it's a park that needs something near 1000 pph in order to work well. Unless this is another Spinball mistake where that didn't cross their minds (or they simply rushed to find a manufacturer).

 

[TheMan]

I'm sure we all knew from the offset this would have dire throughput.

I have to admit here that I thought it would have a good throughput. I guess this is where you lot totally out geek me.

The (clearly wrong) way I thought about it, was there are a lot of seats and 4/5 cars, so I had imagined with the blocks/hills etc that you could keep those cars moving slick and keep a very decent throughput going.

Comments such as this:

When fastrack is added to the Smiler the queue will be just as slow as Rita's is now unless they can push the throughputs a little higher.

Really? I am not doubting you for a second, don't get me wrong, but THAT BAD? You have the chance to design a coaster from scratch, and it is that bad?

That is where I don't agree with fast track. If they have not designed it well enough to cope, they shouldn't have it.

 

[Dave]

When the trains leave the lift-hills at the same time you meet up twice, just after the lifts and in the middle of the two knot elements and neither is that close. Ironically for an on-board close encounter its better when they don't duel perfectly as sometimes you then meet where the track gets really quite close to each other. Had one ride like that and it was great fun.

I'm not going to worry about throughputs at the moment. Staff need a little time to warm up and get used to the system. I do think they could have designed the station a little better (on-load/ off-load or duel loading) would have helped dramatically.

 

[Alastair]

I do think they could have designed the station a little better (on-load/ off-load or duel loading) would have helped dramatically.

The worst aspect of the station is the fact that the ride op that stands next to the queue to the front row has to attach and unhook a chain every time there is a dispatch. Surely there could have been a more efficient system than that?

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Just a quick question. Do you think AT will maintain and even switch on all the effects, both indoor and outdoor, during quieter off-peak days? I'd hate to visit and not get the full experience just because it wasn't necessarily busy and the hype of opening had died down. What do you think?

 

[Dave]

I do think they could have designed the station a little better (on-load/ off-load or duel loading) would have helped dramatically.

The worst aspect of the station is the fact that the ride op that stands next to the queue to the front row has to attach and unhook a chain every time there is a dispatch. Surely there could have been a more efficient system than that?

I get the feeling that chain is the result of H&S, last minute.

 

[T]

I do think they could have designed the station a little better (on-load/ off-load or duel loading) would have helped dramatically.

The worst aspect of the station is the fact that the ride op that stands next to the queue to the front row has to attach and unhook a chain every time there is a dispatch. Surely there could have been a more efficient system than that?

I get the feeling that chain is the result of H&S, last minute.

In all fairness, there's a pretty hefty sudden drop a mere couple of metres away from where the ride host stands!

 

[John]

surely if it's running flat out it's garmented to duel? Gets to block brake at bottom of first lift, can't go until the over train gets to block brake at the bottom of second lift. Enters lift hills at same time. I wouldn't think they are using the lift hills as block brakes...

Or am I missing something.

Towers Nerd Live got a couple of pics showing a train can leave the first lift well before the one sent before leaves the 2nd (despite the first lift taking longer to climb):

Those trains would not duel at any point.

RE: throughput. I believe it can be improved, most simply by having 4 staff checking restraints rather than 2, but I don't think it's likely to ever go much above 1000/hr. That would be better than Rita gets these days, but not as high as rumoured during construction.