Quick SOB question
Okay, maybe this has been discussed before and I missed, but how exactly is this thing NOT supposed to accidently derail when it goes through the loop. I mean, I'm sure it won't b/c they wouldn't have spent 15 million bucks on a ride that doesn't work, but I just don't see how it will be 100% underailable.
CT
at 4/1/00 10:25:01 PM
Same principal as any steel coaster. All modern wooden coasters have upstops, guidewheels and running wheels just like the metal ones. Wooden coasters do not just ride on "top" of the tracks like many think.
Shaggy
There was a close up of the loop posted earlier. I dont see where there is room for upstop wheels. I'd like to see a diagram of how these work on SOB. From all the pictures ive seen of the track it looks like it just rides above the 6 layers of wood. I may be wrong, i'd just like to know exacly where and how the upstop wheels make contact.
at 4/2/00 8:42:38 AM
The upstops are there. They are required for the negative g's on the hill crests.
The track on SOB is 8 layers of southern pine. the bottom six are all the same width, the top two are wider. This creates an upside down "L" shape (when looking at the profile.) The upstops run under the top two layers of wood.
Ironically though, the upstops more or less just guide a train through a vertical loop. The g's within a loop put more strain on the running wheels and the guide wheels steady the train between the track.
Shaggy
