Intamin’s Second Single Rail Coaster Opens in Europe

[themagician]

Intamin’s second ever Hot Racer (single rail coaster) has just opened at Walibi Rhone-Alpes in France. 
 

As we know, Intamin’s first attempt at this coaster model was the Big Dipper at Luna Park Sydney. For comparison, I don’t believe the Big Dippers height or length have ever been revealed, but Mahuka reaches a height of 18m, track length of 600m, has 3 inversions and reaches a speed of 67km/h. While Big Dipper has 2 inversions and reaches a speed of 72km/h.

For those who have ridden Big Dipper, watching this POV of Mahuka, how does it compare in terms of its layout and what it has to offer?

[Tricoart]

Haven't ridden (either), but from what I've heard from people that have ridden Big Dipper, it tends to run a bit rough. Don't know if that was an issue with the 'prototype' LPS got, or if it's due to it's location or another external factor, but the main thing I'm interested to hear about Mahuka is if that issue has persisted.

[franky]

HWR definitely has a few rough spots in it, and I can hear the rattling on this one too. I'm a tall guy; I didn't find it too uncomforable, it was no better/worse than I remember SE's rattling being. Newer intamin restraints are comfortable which helps, they're a little more restrictive than DCR/ST but much better than SE.

The layout looks a bit longer than HWR to me. Triple down, stalling inversion and camel back look like new additions for this ride.

They've put the launches side-by-side and used the same support structure for the first loop/camel top (ala Full Throttle SFMM on a smaller scale). Makhuka has two sustained launches too; HWR just has a little one to start, really just to get you over to the bigger launch.

[wikiverse]

This does not look like a well engineered ride.  From the video, there are a number of spots where the 'single rail' track is mis-aligned, and you can see a lot of welding and grinding has happened to get the actual rails aligned and smooth.

There's nothing really wrong with welding track pieces together, but most modern coasters are so well machined that they just bolt together.

There is also a lot of rattle happening in this video.  It's always hard to notice initially since both cameras and editing software can add stabilization/smoothing, but look at the track as it moves past the bottom of the screen, probably not enough to be painful or even uncomfortable (for now), but definitely enough that you'll notice it.

It will be interesting to see how well these rides age.

[Tricoart]

Looking closer, it seems like the welding was their way to get around Big Dipper's roughness, meaning they must have thought, either from their own rides or from the feedback of others', that the cause of Big Dipper's roughness is gaps in the track. Which, looking at it's construction, may very well be at least partially the case, as even in the POV's there are pretty noticeable gaps in the track. And, from their handy construction timelapse, I can potentially see why. Unlike RMC Raptors, which have track connectors that work similarly to most coasters, where track pieces are bolted to each other independently of a third factor like a support, Hot Racer's by design seem to only be able to be pieced together via a support. Here are three instances of this from said construction timelapse, as to show different angles:

Instance 1 (Before & After)

     

Instance 2 (Before & After)

     

Instance 3 (Before & After)

     

Hopefully that explains what I mean, that track pieces are only able to be connected to one another through the use of support connectors, and in all of those albeit low-quality photos, gaps are still recognisable.

So, if I had to guess, welding track pieces together was their 'fix' for this, as there doesn't seem to be any other aside from completely redesigning the track (and/or trains) to allow for separate connections that could negate the gaps seen above, but it seems either it hasn't worked or there are other factors for the models' roughness.

And, for comparison, here's the best image I could get to explain how Raptors can do it, but Hot Racers' can't:

At the bottom is a connected track piece, with a plate bolting the 2 sides together independently. There is also a similar plate on top of the track, as seen in the middle, and a small square for another bolt to connect them without any plates that's viewable on the bottom half of the track piece that's being lowered into place. And, though the connector is much easier to view than that of the Hot Racer's, there's no noticeable gap, because of the precision that method allows for. But, because of Hot Racer's tubular track, and possibly them being a launched model, flat connectors above or below the track are impossible without redesigning the track entirely, and possibly the underside of the trains. What they could have done, and what they hopefully do in the future, is do a more minimal redesign that still keeps with the same basic track type, but allows for semi/circular connections as seen on most other predominantly tubular coaster types (their own included, like Pantheon below)

Again, no welding needed, and no gap viewable despite an even closer photo.

Edited June 15 by Tricoart

[Baconjack]

The thing is that big dipper’s roughness is not a result of the way the track is assembled it’s an issue with the ride’s trains being too heavy for the track it rides on. You don’t feel any of the pot holes/gaps you have mentioned throughout the ride, the rattle is only noticeable during moments of high intensity (the pullout between the non inverting loop and the sidewinder being the prime example). I think that might be leading to some stress on the track, so the rattles gotten a bit worse over time. I personally don’t mind it, you have to accept coasters will have at least a little bit of rattle in our climate, but I can see why it would put some people off.

on mahuka the trains have been re-done with carbon fibre lap bars among other improvements that make the trains a lot lighter than big dipper’s ones. By all accounts this has made the ride much smoother (based on people’s opinions who have been on both installs) - would love to see the new owners of Luna park upgrade the trains on theirs to this new spec but I’m not holding my breath.

Edited July 2 by Baconjack

[Gazza]

I thought it was because the trains were a bit light so they rattled more easily.

I dont think track gaps are what make things rough, else what about rides like Steel Taipan and Toutatis where the cars are passing a non welded joint at high speed on the track switch?

Edited July 3 by Gazza

[New display name]

For me it felt like, the guide wheels were slapped the track.

[Tricoart]

38 minutes ago, Gazza said:

I dont think track gaps are what make things rough, else what about rides like Steel Taipan and Toutatis where the cars are passing a non welded joint at high speed on the track switch?

Steel Taipan’s track extends so no hard gap exists.

Toutatis, however, has just been designed with a very small gap, one that can only be seen from super close up (significantly closer than Big Dipper’s)

Also, I’d hazard a guess that the issue of not having track connected to itself independently is mad worse by the forces being put on the connections. Toutatis’ track switch, at least while at speed, is mainly experiencing push-pull forces, i.e. the main force its’ direct ground connection is braced for. Meanwhile, the general layout connectors on Big Dipper (and all coasters) are susceptible to all different types of forces, which could make the gap become/feel worse while in motion than it looks whilst stationary (especially with a heavier train).

Edited July 3 by Tricoart

[Gazza]

No, Big Dipper is closer than Toutatis:

Besides, those gaps are only every few meters between segments, so you would expect a predictable bump-bump-bump...not continuous rattling.

[Tricoart]

7 minutes ago, Gazza said:

No, Big Dipper is closer than Toutatis:

Besides, those gaps are only every few meters between segments, so you would expect a predictable bump-bump-bump...not continuous rattling.

Fair, I hadn’t been able to find a high-quality close up of Big Dipper’s connectors. Still, though, them being the way they are remains a weird decision to me, and even there I feel like it’s slightly uneven.

Edited July 3 by Tricoart

[Baconjack]

12 hours ago, Gazza said:

I thought it was because the trains were a bit light so they rattled more easily.

I dont think track gaps are what make things rough, else what about rides like Steel Taipan and Toutatis where the cars are passing a non welded joint at high speed on the track switch?

Intamin released this information (link below) relating to their upgrades. Carbon fibre is lighter than metal anyway so I would have guessed they found the trains on Big Dipper to be too heavy. They also changed the restraints to allow a 120cm height restriction as opposed to the 140 on Big Dipper, much better for a family oriented park.
Either way you look at Arkham vs Lethal Weapon, the Arkham trains had heavier bodies, and it had a far far nastier rattle towards the end of its life than it ever did as Lethal Weapon.

https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/intamin-enhances-hot-racer-for-walibi-rhone-alpes/

Again the gaps on the track mean nothing. Between the portions of track that make contact with the wheels of the train (ie: the end rails) the gap is minimal. If you’ve been on it, you’ll know you don’t feel a bump bump bump through the layout.

Edited July 3 by Baconjack

[webslave]

Took a ride on Big Dipper a few days ago for the first time, and yes; the rattle was very noticeable.  It did not coincide with track joints.

[downunder]

I went opening day and wound up speaking to the Intamin engineer (he was doing video interviews with first day riders was what started things). Getting the side wheels right was an issue - as in too loose and you get that side-to-side shuffle that has been present since the ride opened (it was a lot worse while they were testing and adjusting); or too tight and there's too much friction. Don't shoot the messenger that's what I was told, and if you've ridden the coaster you'd understand.

On a side note on LP, they are busy reconditioning the wild mouse track and it's looking shiny and new.

Edited July 9 by downunder

[Tricoart]

3 hours ago, downunder said:

On a side note on LP, they are busy reconditioning the wild mouse track and it's looking shiny and new.

Wait, so the structure has been rebuilt by now? Last I remember hearing about it/seeing it, it was more-or-less completely torn down.

Edited July 9 by Tricoart

[downunder]

^No, track pieces are in a workshop being restored.