Rocket Coaster Launch Fins, what is thier purpose?

[coolbeans326]

I was watching a storm runner video and I started to notice those fins go down, but then pop back up as soon as the train leaves that portion of the track where the fin is at. Now I've noticed this before but I've never aksed why. Anyways, my guess is that those are there in case of roll back. If they were up during the launch, it would totally kill the speed of the train, and maybe ruin the launching system (depending on how much strain those brakes would put on the car thats attached to the launch cable) so basically fins go down at launch so they don't slow down the car, and fins pop back up directly after in case of roll back to catch the car. Does this seem logical?

Yah, exactly logical. The fins keep a train from rolling back and smashing the train in the station. The fins use magnets to slow the train down, so no pinching and less wear and tear.

and i think when it realase or go down it launches . . .and they look cool

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by CoAsTeRkRazY

and i think when it realase or go down it launches . . .and they look cool

they aren't linked to the launch in order to accelater the train, it are brake lims, not launch lims, the launch is totaly up to the chain, on hydro's that is

^Hyyyper, it's a cable with a catapult attached that accelerates the train not a chain. Just thought I'd let you know.

Edit: Just to let you know, Coolbeans326's name has been changed to Nutsack326. I just noticed that.

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by Woodie Man

^Hyyyper, it's a cable with a catapult attached that accelerates the train not a chain. Just thought I'd let you know.

Edit: Just to let you know, Coolbeans326's name has been changed to Nutsack326. I just noticed that.

danm, i always make that mistake, i'm aware of the cable, but for some reason i always type chain in these kind of explanations

itys going to be unonatsuck if that rediculous rumor is true...but it isnt so w/e

[coolbeans326]

thats the edge, not me!

I have aslo notice the fins on the rocket coasters I am gussing that they help stop a train from rolling back and crashing into another train. I have aslo noticed the cable that helps lunch the train down the track and up into the top hat. If you look at were the train gets lunched on the strom runner there is a wheel with a cable what does that wheel do? I like how the storm runner has two diffent stations were the track swiches to the two stations before beaing lunched down the track. I have also noitced how the train on the strom runner gets pushed back and makes a clicking nosie and then gets lunched that is relly cool. I have aslo noticed that the fins go down when the train is lunched and then they go back up for the next train.

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by chrisps

I have aslo notice the fins on the rocket coasters I am gussing that they help stop a train from rolling back and crashing into another train. I have aslo noticed the cable that helps lunch the train down the track and up into the top hat. If you look at were the train gets lunched on the strom runner there is a wheel with a cable what does that wheel do? I like how the storm runner has two diffent stations were the track swiches to the two stations before beaing lunched down the track. I have also noitced how the train on the strom runner gets pushed back and makes a clicking nosie and then gets lunched that is relly cool. I have aslo noticed that the fins go down when the train is lunched and then they go back up for the next train.

trains getting lunch?
[lol][lol]

anyways, to answer your questions:

the cable only runs on a (slightly tilted) horizontal piece of track, it doesn't get onto the tophat

the wheel driving the cable is somehow attached to the hydraulic works

the duel station has a switch track with switches like it does on some trainrail systems, shifting a curved piece of track...

and the clicking noise is the cable-car attaching to the train

Just to put out the noobiest question ever, how does it release? I've wondered that with a chain lift too and although I've seen how the thing works, I've never understood how it releases off the cable.

I think it might be the same method as chain lifts. which means, there is a little "attachement/dog" that hooks onto the chain/launch car and it's only hinged that so it can it attach in one direction and whenever it stops getting pulled it comes of the chain.

Sorry if you didn't quite get that, I might post some pics of my screamin' serpent K'nex coaster, it has that same layout.

[Brtnboarder495]

The fins standard position are active, so that incase of a power failure they go into the active position (if they were'nt already since they typically are for about 70%+ of operation time) to slow down any train that in case does not clear the block.

And the catapult is fueled through a complicated pressure system built up using a system of hydraluics. Seems you kids got the rest of the information right [pshades]

This is just an observation of mine but whenever TTD launches it makes a sound similar to the Deathstar powering up.[launch]

I think it might be the same method as chain lifts. which means, there is a little "attachement/dog" that hooks onto the chain/launch car and it's only hinged that so it can it attach in one direction and whenever it stops getting pulled it comes of the chain.

Sorry if you didn't quite get that, I might post some pics of my screamin' serpent K'nex coaster, it has that same layout.

A chain dog is the roll back system that is connected to the train (What I was told)

[hyyyper]

the cable-car simply has a hook with one side open which connects with the train, once the cable-car is stopped the train just goes forward because of the speed it gains

A "dog" in coaster terms is used for the part of the device that hooks the car/train to the launching/moving mechnism.

It has nothing to do with anti-rollback. That is taken care of on chain coasters by anti-rollback teeth and spring loaded pin while on a rocket the rollback has everything to do with the brake fins and nothing to do with the actual dog that launches it.

[coolbeans326]

Did any of you see that thing on National Geographics last night? Man, it was good and it sure explained a lot about how the rocket coaster works. Can you believe that 5,000,000 of the 25,000,000 used to build that ride just went towards the system to launch that thing? They also showed several other designs that they had for the ride. One was they were thinking about having 2 air hills after the top hat instead of just the 1.

I taped that show, it was pretty good. That hydrualic engine part was pretty good.

I was surprised that they mentioned Kingda Ka's misshap with the empty launch that had it out for a while, but they didn't really go into much detail about it. There were a few factual errors when at the start when they showed a Superman: (any of the flying coasters) and said that it broke the 100 mph barrier in 1996. But thats a nit-picky error.

All in all it was very interesting.

Superman: The Escape DID break 100 mph.

^But now don't they run it slower? More like 90 mph?

Originally posted by cjd

Superman: The Escape DID break 100 mph.

But if you read, he said (Any of the flyers) so he meant Ultimate Flight.

[coolbeans326]

^ no, during the show they mentioned Superman the Escape, but while they were talking about it, they were showing video of SFGad's flyer Superman Ultimate Flight. Probably because they were to lazy to go get stock footage of S:TE.

Ugh, thats what I said.

"There were a few factual errors when at the start when they showed a Superman: (any of the flying coasters) and said that it broke the 100 mph barrier in 1996."