The safety of the braking system in Scooby?

[pazzap]

I don't remember the last time i got a bit of a fright on a ride, but scooby did this to me when I finally visited the GC and rode it in Feb. I went on it about 10 times and this did only happen once I will admit but I thought it was cutting it a bit close and wonder if anyone else agrees. I am talking about the brake before the lift. this particular time the lift was right up the top and we had to wait for it..and the car stopped literally right on the edge of a big hole at the last minute with no previous signs of braking. if the brakes had even minorly failed we'd have gone right over the edge and the lift come down on top of us and squash us. I just felt it was a bit unsafe personally, and want to know others' thoughts on the issue.

[Richard]

It's equally as safe as every other brake on every other modern coaster around the world. Outside of freak incidents where pipelines have cracked or ruptured (as a result of poor maintenance), I don't believe I've ever heard of brakes failing. The PLCs controlling the brakes say "stop, the elevator's not here yet", and the brakes listen (it's not often that they misbehave). It's also useful to note that they're not pneumatic brakes at this point on the ride, they're tyre drive systems, which lock if there's no power going to them, and all speed on the ride at this point in the ride is from these tyres, so not too much chance of it running away. Just call it a freaky effect - I know I've thought the same things when it's happened to me. It just adds to the dilapidated ghost train theme.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

i too have experienced this effect on Scooby, but I have seen Scooby's track, and knew about the tyre drive systems before it happened. essentially, if the braking system became non-functional for some reason, as Richard has said, the brakes would be locked up anyway, and you would not make it onto the lift staging area. Asides from this, I believe that Warner Village TP, with the exception of minor incidents on WWFalls (read: major fires destroying half the major lift hill) have a pretty good track record when it comes to maintenance. Anyone who is involved with WBMW - how often does maintenance conduct a full walk-through check of SDSC? I know at Wonderland maintenance essentially just cycled the ride a few times each before the day's operation, but Bush Beast usually got a full track-walk at least once a week... how often does SDSC get the same treatment?

[pazzap]

hmm i've been on a lot of coasters but never has one stopped me actually so close to the "end of track" before. Thanks for the info though I aprreciate it. Deep down I knew it was safe but ineed it was freaky lol, enough to make my heart skip a beat when it happened. Merry Christmas everyone!

[scott]

At Cedar Point most tracks are checked every day and as far as I'm concerned it should be the same for every park.

[Bussy]

It has been brought to my attention that Alex is yet again wrong. I was informed of this error by a learned friend of mine.

I know at Wonderland maintenance essentially just cycled the ride a few times each before the day's operation, but Bush Beast usually got a full track-walk at least once a week...

Bush Beast was not 'essentially' cycled a few times in the morning. Bush Beast had the most thorough of checks of any ride at Wonderland. Most rides only required 1 maintenance worker to check them. Bush Beast on the other hand had a minimum of 3. One was a mechanic who checked the lift and the train, one was a sparky who checked the electrical system including the PLC and one was a carpenter who completed a full track walk everyday. Those three people were then required to sign off a checklist stating that the ride was in working order. "The Bus is now leaving for Checkingurk Creek, Victoria"

[joz]

I'm not sure about specifics, but I know some of our rides (For which read pretty much all of Movieworld's rides) take more then an hour to start up in the morning, due to safety checks, tests and making sure all is turned on as it should be. A ride like Scooby Doo is one of the more complex rides, as it entails not only the ride operating system, but also the special effects, and hardware on the ride. Even the simplest of rides need to have a good deal of time spent on them on in the morning, and bigger rides even need to have checks and tests done before opening up for night operation.

[Inverted]

Hey guys just wondering how many of you guy know (im sure most of you do) that there are two lifts on the scooby doo coaster. I thought it was cool how they did this by the way.

[Nebuchanezzar]

Hmmm, can someone do a picture or gimme a photo (in paint or summat) of how this braking section works. Is there like...a corner or something that it brakes before that and nearly falls off or something? And even then, wouldn't there be up-stop wheels or even a bar or whatever they call em underneath the track to stop it flying off the track? I am confused.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

It has been brought to my attention that Alex is yet again wrong.  I was informed of this error by a learned friend of mine. Bush Beast was not 'essentially' cycled a few times in the morning.  Bush Beast had the most thorough of checks of any ride at Wonderland.  Most rides only required 1 maintenance worker to check them.  Bush Beast on the other hand had a minimum of 3.  One was a mechanic who checked the lift and the train, one was a sparky who checked the electrical system including the PLC and one was a carpenter who completed a full track walk everyday.  Those three people were then required to sign off a checklist stating that the ride was in working order.

You never miss a beat bus, ill give you that. I did not want to state "a daily track walk" in case it was not done EVERY day, to give you something to rant on. I did say AT LEAST once a week, and every day is more than once a week, which, as i said, again, was AT LEAST. I was not trying to say that Beast was cycled a few times, i know this is one of the most labour intensive rides in the park to get started, but i WAS saying that most OTHER rides are just cycled a few times.

[Bussy]

No ride at Wonderland was "just cycled a few times". Each had a checklist that had to be completed by the mechanic who checked the ride. The checklist included, checking each restraint, for sharp edges, queue line faults. It then had mechanical checks, enough grease, and physical faults in the ride structure, etc, etc. After these and more were checked the ride was then cycled several times and the breaking (normal and e-stop) was checked as was various other aspects of ride operation. Bobby, I mean Alex, stick to singing and dancing and leave the stuff about rides to the people who know. "The Bus is now leaving for Singers Gully, NSW"

[Adam]

The braking system is a fail-safe, double, system. The computer systems which control these brakes can operate very quickly so often the car is only stopped just before it needs to be.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Bobby, I mean Alex, stick to singing and dancing and leave the stuff about rides to the people who know.

you keep getting me confused bus. i was not in entertainment. and I know a lot of rides at WLS that WERE "just cycled a few times". Those that required specific checks, were generally the more advanced or high tech rides. Beast, Demon, Probe and Beastie were generally those with in depth checks. bounty's, zodiac, endeavour, taz, autos, snowy are examples of a ride that was "just cycled"

[Bussy]

Berty, Berty, Berty, when will you learn? You know nothing about how the rides were operated or maintained.

bounty's, zodiac, endeavour, taz, autos, snowy are examples of a ride that was "just cycled"

I can assure you that none of these rides were "just cycled". Bounty's probably took the most time to check in the morning, not including the major rides, each seat had to be checked individually and with 50 seats you can see what I'm talking about. Zodiac also required a fair bit of time due to the size of the hydraulic system. Endeavour also had a fairly large hydraulic and electrical system, Taz was much the same. Auto's had a track to inspect, electrical system on each car to check. Snowy had up to 12 boats to check, a full track walk to do, 3 pumps to inspect. The points I have just outlined are just the start of what was inspected on each ride daily. Sorry Bert I meant to say you should stick to taking photos. "The Bus is now leaving for Captain Bert Madigan Park, Western Australia"

[Richard]

Discuss Wonderland's inspection procedures in the appropriate forum please.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

i was waiting for that.

[Nebuchanezzar]

Hmmm, can someone do a picture or gimme a photo (in paint or summat) of how this braking section works. Is there like...a corner or something that it brakes before that and nearly falls off or something? And even then, wouldn't there be up-stop wheels or even a bar or whatever they call em underneath the track to stop it flying off the track? I am confused.

Exactly, and can anyone help out with this post?

[Gazza]

I think its just a set of pinch brakes that the car cant continue past if they are shut because of the friction.

[rappa]

Okay sorry but I'm gonna do it anyway, slap me later Rich... Just a quick question Bus... Just out of curiousity if the park opened at 10am what time did the fire up procedures for the park start up each morning? And how many staff were involved in checking all these rides? NOW BACK TO EVIL SCOOBY SCARY BRAKE SYSTEMS

[Bussy]

Please see here for an answer. "The Bus is now leaving for Answer Downs, Queensland"

[dr_teeth]

Hmmm, can someone do a picture or gimme a photo (in paint or summat) of how this braking section works. Is there like...a corner or something that it brakes before that and nearly falls off or something? And even then, wouldn't there be up-stop wheels or even a bar or whatever they call em underneath the track to stop it flying off the track? I am confused.

I dont believe this question was actually answered propperly. For those of us who have never been on this ride would someone kindly explain in a bit better detail the lift and brake area thats being discussed...just a little confused about the "falling off the end" part. dosent sound like any coaster ive been on cos usually they dont have bits to fall off! :eek:

[Gazza]

SDSC uses a vertical lift where the car rolls onto a section of track, and the track section is raised like a lift. Before the lift is a set of brakes that stops the car going foward if the lift isnt down in position. The issue people are discussing is whether the car could roll off the section of track before the lift if the lift is in operation (going up or down) because the track ends there.

[dr_teeth]

gotya thanks gazz

[Nebuchanezzar]

Thankyou finally. It all makes sense finally.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Richard has just posted an image gallery that might better explain it, although the image that you guys would be interested in is a little obscure - http://www.parkz.com.au/forums/sh...read.php?t=1505 View the Gallery HERE: http://www.roller-coaster.com.au/gallery.php?gid=130