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Thirteen: General Discussion

Rick said:
With tyre-drives, each pair of tyres is independent of each other in terms of its function of pinching the car's central fin to maintain/advance the train on the lift. In most, but not all cases they're also powered independently with a 1:1 motor/tyre ratio.
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Yeah if you look at each tyre you can see the motor behind it.
 
Does anyone know if Thirteen has a minimum operational temperature?

On Fri night there was an announcement to the platform staff of "7.9 degrees and dropping fast". Also its the 1st time I've ever felt the train been pulled up the lift hill to the crypt. You physically felt the train accelerate up the incline.
 
Jim said:
Does anyone know if Thirteen has a minimum operational temperature?

On Fri night there was an announcement to the platform staff of "7.9 degrees and dropping fast". Also its the 1st time I've ever felt the train been pulled up the lift hill to the crypt. You physically felt the train accelerate up the incline.
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I think it does but not sure what it is.
 
Poisson said:
With ARB, Smiler has magnetic and can e reversed. I've been down the second hill backwards. It's a bit odd
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In that case, maybe it would be worth installing ARBs on Thirteen? Or is that not possible with drive tires?
 
Rick said:
It's more complicated to retrofit. Tyre-drives can provide an entirely effective ARB solution if they are maintained and are loaded within the weight range specified.
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This is exactly why Thirteen has a minimum rider limit. It can stall on the second lift otherwise!
 
Do the motors themselves not have anti-reverse mechanisms and are the tyres inflated or solid?

Do we believe that these changes around not operating during rain strengthen the likelihood of there being a rollback into, and collision in, the station recently?
 
We're now in the middle of an unseasonably warm and dry October. Normal October Scarefests bring temperatures of below 5 degrees at points and on and off showers of rain and it looks like it's forecast to be a normal Autumn week. So with the issues on the Smiler persisting and the Congo Lazy River out until next season (also can't be operated after dusk apparently even if it was open) we can pretty much count Thirteen out of the lineup for much of Scarefest as well?
 
It's pretty lousy that Thirteen can no longer operate in the rain (or when the temperature falls below a certain level that is much higher than the level for most coasters). Towers have got to address these issues otherwise they may as well have it as a summer only attraction.

No issues on opening day when it was pouring with rain, but then the tyres would have been brand new.
 
Rob said:
It's pretty lousy that Thirteen can no longer operate in the rain (or when the temperature falls below a certain level that is much higher than the level for most coasters). Towers have got to address these issues otherwise they may as well have it as a summer only attraction.

No issues on opening day when it was pouring with rain, but then the tyres would have been brand new.
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Hopefully they can sort out the rain and temperature problem over the winter, or at least the rain problem as that's a major issue for an outdoor uk attraction
 
I don't expect the temperature issue to ever be sorted. I think Intamin state that it should not be operated below a certain temperature, and then Towers add a couple of degrees to that incase the temperature drops during operation. Which is complete madness, but we that is the post-Smiler world we live in at Merlin/Alton Towers.

Once a coaster has been running for a period of time and has wamred up, the minumum operating temperature is no longer as relevant.
 
I wouldn't personally say it's a loss to me, but it is to families. It also will impact the queue of Rita and Wm, even more so if the smiler is shut too
 
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