The Off Topic Topic

[themagician]

Wow that's an insane offer. Let's hope plenty of people take advantage of it, and real get those big crowds going again 

[Cactus_Matt]

So, had a random nostalgia-gasm thinkin' bout this ride the other day, yup just thinking about it, but seriously what is it/where can I find it or a version of it anywhere else in the world? I know the Australia's Wonderland page says the ride type is a 'Sea Panic' but googling that came up bupkis, *screams into the void* "MOAR INFO PLS!"

Linky for those interested http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/content/hms_endeavour

P.S. I'm drunk.

P.P.S I'm always drunk

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

In two google searches I found

http://www.themeparksofengland.com/features/china/china06/china0604.htm

and this brief mention, which seems to indicate the ride was a Togo creation?

 

Although i'm pretty sure the Kings Dominion blurb relates to the same ride - i feel like their model was sent to Wonderland, as many of Wonderland's rides came out of other Paramount parks.

[Brad2912]

Quote

Ardent Leisure, the owner of the Dreamworld theme park, has revealed a fall of 34.3 per cent in revenue at its parks which were forced to close briefly during the recent heavy rain on the Gold Coast from Cyclone Debbie that hit in March.

Despite good visitation numbers during the first three months of the year, Dreamworld's revenue was $3.1 million down on the previous corresponding period.

According to the group, in its third quarter update for the 2016-17 financial year, from March 1 to 24, the Gold Coast experienced a 159 per cent increase in total rainfall versus the same time a year ago, including greater rainfall occurring on weekend days.

The update comes two weeks after Gary Weiss' Ariadne Group emerged as a 6.85 per cent shareholder, sparking suggestions of corporate activity. Mr Weiss has denied the speculation, saying he would "work with Ardent" to help improve the business.

Little snippet in the SMH today about DW/Ardent

can read the whole article at:

http://www.smh.com.au/business/property/ardent-leisures-dreamworld-theme-park-hit-by-cyclone-debbie-20170410-gvhk0t.html

[Reanimated35]

10 minutes ago, AlexB said:

At the risk of derailing the thread - call it curiosity here - but IS Arkham programmed to bring the trains straight back into the station? I know in the Lethal days, as it was programmed two-train operation, the final brake run wouldn't advance automatically. I know some other coasters where the final brake run is a dead man brake, and the operator has to hold the release button in to allow the train to clear it.

I must say I don't remember WHEN i've seen operators do it, but I have - and it may very well have been in the old lethal days... but for me, I can't see them reprogramming the entire ride logic when the trains were upgraded - sure it'd need adjustment, but why take out code if you don't need to?

That said - if a single-train coaster has departed the station to a degree where anti-rollbacks prevent the train from re-entering from the front, even if the brakes are automatic-park enabled, you've got a fair bit of time to take the one-step-down-two-steps-over-one-step-up journey across the station - and even if you somehow got stuck halfway across, the train re-enters at a snails pace, and there is plenty of distance between the floor and the cars that you aren't going to get hit.

I really don't see the problem with doing it, TBH, as long as you have agreed procedures to do it. Worst case, if you stumble \ get stuck, the operator can always hit the e-stop at the final brake run, but really, chances of that happening are beyond minute.

But all it takes is one accident to cause a huge amount of problems, regardless of how safe it seems logically. 

[Brad2912]

Quote

 

Girl’s brush with death after carnival ride malfunctioned

A YOUNG girl has had a brush with death after a carnival ride attraction malfunctioned in Paris, leaving her dangling by her ankles 50 metres from the ground.

The girl was on a ride called Adrenaline, which is essentially a giant swing.

Everything looked fine as she and another person were winched to the top, but when the swing was released the straps holding her to her seat failed. 

Onlookers gasped in horror as she flipped backwards, suspended only by her ankles.

She swung so low her head almost smashed into a steel platform at the bottom.

A video of the incident shows concerned bystanders attempting to grab her as she swung past, in a bid to slow her momentum.

Eventually, someone grabbed her arm and she was rescued.

Witnesses tried to grab her arm to stop the wild swing. The girl swung so low she almost smashed into the platform.

The owners confirmed the serious malfunction, telling website France Bleu they were shocked by what happened and that it would be dismantled as soon as possible.

“It could have been more serious. It’s a miracle the girl was not hurt,” they said in a quote translated from French.

“We are here to give joy, and not to make people afraid.”

Scary video footage at.. 

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/girls-brush-with-death-after-carnival-ride-malfunctioned/news-story/401896ac06203a1e0e6ec2fd248054a1

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

15 minutes ago, Reanimated35 said:

But all it takes is one accident to cause a huge amount of problems, regardless of how safe it seems logically. 

so the important fact missing from this discussion is whether the ride system advances the train into the station automatically. If it does, then a risk exists. If it requires manual operator input to advance the train, then its perfectly ok to do it.

We need @Spotty

[Reanimated35]

See the Smiler incident. The automatic stop was overrode. Not saying it's likely, but it can and does happen. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

that's a very different situation.

[mission]

It would be negligent of MW, or any park, to allow staff or anyone to cross the tracks of a ride that is in motion.  It doesn't matter what safety mechanisms there are, it is just simply bad practise.

[Reanimated35]

You say there is (or want to know if there is) a design in place to prevent a car automatically proceeding along a segment of track. 

I'm saying that even if there is, it shouldn't allow for any staff to be on the ride path during a cycle as there is always the possibility of something going wrong. 

[mission]

5 minutes ago, Reanimated35 said:

I'm saying that even if there is, it shouldn't allow for any staff to be on the ride path during a cycle as there is always the possibility of something going wrong. 

Exactly, mechanical or human error, it happens.

 

And that swing is pretty nasty, very lucky she wasn't killed :/

Edited April 11, 2017 by mission

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

On 4/11/2017 at 3:12 PM, Reanimated35 said:

...I'm saying that even if there is, it shouldn't allow for any staff to be on the ride path during a cycle as there is always the possibility of something going wrong. 

so you're saying scooby is a death trap waiting to happen then?

[MaxxTheMonster]

4 minutes ago, AlexB said:

so you're saying scooby is a death trap waiting to happen then?

What of Tijuana Taxis and Junior Driving School?  Staff continuously on the ride path while in operation!!!  And what of the children on the ride???

[Reanimated35]

4 minutes ago, AlexB said:

so you're saying scooby is a death trap waiting to happen then?

Scooby has a track crossing setting that will prevent cars from leaving the brake runs while the mode is engaged. 

Only once clearance is given will the system be allowed to release the cars and have them move again. 

Wouldn't call it a death trap waiting to happen, but would be in the same situation as Smiler where human intervention could cause a serious problem. 

When with these features in place, instead of shifting the focus to Scooby, we were talking about AA and what specifically applies there. 

Staff should not be on the ride path while it is operation and not in a maintenance lock out. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

but the flaw exists in both Arkham and Scooby - (assuming Arkham requires manual input to advance beyond brake - why isn't this answered yet!!!???!!!???) - each of them requires an operator to do or not do something to prevent a collision. An operator could just as easily release the track from the final brake on Arkham as they could accidentally not engage the crossover function on scooby. 

So saying scooby is different because it has a crossover switch is bunkum, and giving a blanket 'nobody should cross the ride path ever' doesn't work when we already know that Scooby requires it, and Arkham (or as i've said earlier, possibly when it was Lethal) has done it.

So unless you can bring in something like pressure switches, or pedestrian sensing fire eyes as an automatic, operator-not-required safety function on scooby, the same flaws you decry on Arkham also exist on Scooby.

[Reanimated35]

My understanding is it's a maintenance lock on Scooby, not a simple press of a button. Hence in my understanding it's a different process to what you are saying it should be for Arkham. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

yeah I get that scooby has an actual control input that locks the track out. It's necessary for the operation of the ride in its current setup - but it still relies on an operator to put input in - making each as infallible as the other.

[Reanimated35]

Yes, but you're saying a button can be pressed to release AA. That's a lot more unsafe than Scooby being locked. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

...and how is the lock on scooby released? My money is on either a key, or a switch. 

I've also made the assumption that the button to release the brakes on Arkham must be held in for the entire time the train takes to clear the brake run (the button holds the brakes open and closes the second the button is released) - this is consistent with many other coasters i'm familiar with.

If my assumptions are in the right ballpark - it seems to me that it would be 'safer' to cross Arkham than scooby.

(one additional point on safety between the two also - Scooby requires the operator to step across the live track - there is a greater risk of slipping \ falling through the track itself, becoming stuck, wedged, or mangled by kicker wheels. Arkham is like walking across a very narrow street with high gutters. deceptively flat, and unimpeded.

[Reanimated35]

Scooby I think is a padlock operation. Not 100% on that though. 

I believe that it uses a bridge across the track rather than just stepping on the track. 

[rappa]

Oh dear this is getting a tad ridiculous.

Simple... Scooby it is a fundamental part of the ride control system, specifically and only integrated for this purpose. THREE things would need to happen in order for it to go wrong.  The main operator enables track crossing mode... you will see a green light come on beside the control room and also a light comes on illuminating the step on the track where you cross. this is also only a slight (ie normal size step). Then the cast memeber knows it's safe to cross and can do so. Then once they have completed the crossing, crossing mode can be turned off. THEN the station attendant still has to dispatch a car (remember the main op doesn't dispatch cars) before something moves. 
So that's three people who have to violate a set and documented procedure for there to be any sort of incident.

 

Arhkam, there is no such system. The main op simply brings the train back in (if its not automatic - i dont know if it is). So the floor which isn't locked out needs to not move for 1. The cast member needs to take large steps down and back up to cross the lowered floor, and not fall over or trip. The main op needs to know they are crossing and be aware of that (they are meant to be looking at the train) and then not follow the usual procedure of bringing the train in. So it only takes one person to cause an accident, and it isn't a formalised part of ride operating procedures or the control system, totally different.

[Rollercoaster_Lover]

Buzzsaw got stuck at approximently 11:30am.

[Reanimated35]

 

[Flynn_Smith]

13 minutes ago, Reanimated35 said:

 

I was too, stuck on the Buzzsaw yesterday.

They were doing maintenance checks and then they let me on, the chains started moving but the cart didnt and so they got me to jump off. After that, the ride didn't re-open.