Rita's Launch Cable Snaps
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
_koppen
Hyper Poster
Joey said:
2010 actually, Formula Rossa.
Martyn B said:
they are LSM, and not LIM.
And it's the ability to now produce magnetic launches that can be used without breaking the bank.
They used to demand a huge amount of power to launch the cars, now they can launch the train with pretty much the same power consumption as your average amusement ride.
Plus there is a lot less maintenance work on the magnetic ones as well.
So there will not be any more Intamin hydralic launches unless you want a record breaker.
Edit: Also really glad no one was hurt, and I really hope it's just a coincidence that it snapped, and not because Alton was not inspecting it properly.
Second "snapping" that Alton Towers have had due to hot weather since I've had an interest in theme parks. (The other being the mine train several years ago).
Thankfully nobody was hurt and they appear to be repairing it quickly.
There's a free CoasterForce window sticker for the first person who posts a link/scan of a Daily Mail article overplaying this unfortunate incident.
Thankfully nobody was hurt and they appear to be repairing it quickly.
There's a free CoasterForce window sticker for the first person who posts a link/scan of a Daily Mail article overplaying this unfortunate incident.
owentaylor121
Giga Poster
Nice to Alton working fastly on this, but if they had been doing their mantance checks properly this event wouldn't have happend, the park is just lucky that nobody was hurt.
owenrita121 said:
Would you mind giving us the run down on the maintenance checks that Alton carries out please and expand on how they weren't doing them properly?
I have no idea about this stuff, so I'm happy for you to give us the exact details please.
Exactly.furie said:
Obviously, something went wrong, but unless you know the full procedure for the checks it seems a little rushed to say they didn't do them properly.
Maybe I'm just cynical and really REALLY don't care about things like this, but stuff breaks. It shouldn't have, yes, but it did. Be thankful no-one was hurt and forget about it.
owentaylor121
Giga Poster
Rita had broken down on sunday, with workers walking up and down the catwalks checking the cable, so surely if the park had checked it properly and noticed that their was a problem with this wouldn't have happend. It also broke down on thursday with workers checking the cable. So it's not like it just happend with them not checking it for a while, it's the fact that it had been having problems and they waited right untill the last minute to fix it.
Doesn't really make a park look good when things like this are happening, does it?
Doesn't really make a park look good when things like this are happening, does it?
So, you followed them, knew the reason for the breakdown and know all about coaster maintenance?
I'd assume that there is a standard check each day for "fraying" of the cable and any visible/noticeable wear and tear. Then I also assume that there is a scheduled "close check" every so often within the life span of the cable (it will have an estimated number of launches it can survive).
If there is a fault inside the cable that can't be seen and it's developed outside the in depth checks, then there's not a lot that can be done about it. As Hixee says, these things happen.
Although I really don't know, that's just what I assume, there may be more information about the lax maintenance, but I'd hope nobody was spreading rumours like that unfounded...
I seem to remember the RMT incident was caused by similar weather. They think the drastic changes in temperature over a short space caused the metal to weaken and crack inside.
That's what I seem to remember, but I can't find any sources for it now :lol:
I'd assume that there is a standard check each day for "fraying" of the cable and any visible/noticeable wear and tear. Then I also assume that there is a scheduled "close check" every so often within the life span of the cable (it will have an estimated number of launches it can survive).
If there is a fault inside the cable that can't be seen and it's developed outside the in depth checks, then there's not a lot that can be done about it. As Hixee says, these things happen.
Although I really don't know, that's just what I assume, there may be more information about the lax maintenance, but I'd hope nobody was spreading rumours like that unfounded...
oriolat2 said:
I seem to remember the RMT incident was caused by similar weather. They think the drastic changes in temperature over a short space caused the metal to weaken and crack inside.
That's what I seem to remember, but I can't find any sources for it now :lol:
It does make me laugh when people straight away blame maintance.
I preform computer checks every day, it does not stop a disk failing 1 hour later. Same with car lights I can check them in the morning then on the way to work it blows.
It just happens people can only check so much. **** happens.
I preform computer checks every day, it does not stop a disk failing 1 hour later. Same with car lights I can check them in the morning then on the way to work it blows.
It just happens people can only check so much. **** happens.
owentaylor121
Giga Poster
But the ride had broken down twice last week, due to problems with the cable, so they must have knew that their was a problem with it. On Sunday the whole queue line had to be evacuated and the ride closed for around an hour.
ParkLogic_Chris
Roller Poster
I'd also like to back up the dicussion about the ride closing during the day, it wasn't a standard close/open check but the entire queue line evac'd and workers around the cable areas.
I'm not blaming maintenance but IMHO if there was any doubt, or any weird going on (hence the need to evac the queue line) then the cable should have been changed there and then as a pre-caution.
It's good to see the ride being repaired already but I can't see it opening for a while yet, depending on how much damage there is inside the ride launch area from flailing cables or the launch drum spinning out of control.
Best of luck to the team, I can't imagine it's an easy job at all.
I'm not blaming maintenance but IMHO if there was any doubt, or any weird going on (hence the need to evac the queue line) then the cable should have been changed there and then as a pre-caution.
It's good to see the ride being repaired already but I can't see it opening for a while yet, depending on how much damage there is inside the ride launch area from flailing cables or the launch drum spinning out of control.
Best of luck to the team, I can't imagine it's an easy job at all.
owenrita121 said:
So what exactly was the cable problem? Was it broken? Frayed? Splintered? Stretched? Were there tension issues? Was it catching on the trough?
Until you know exactly what the issue is, you can't say "bad maintenance". It could be, but you have to be careful about saying "that's what it was". Don't be absolute until you actually know 100% for sure. People have been sued for much less.
If there wasn't an injury, then we'll never know unless you get a direct quote off maintenance, but I can absolutely, 100% guarantee you that the ride would not have been reopened with a cable that was considered potentially dangerous or damaged. They had a spare cable at Rita in about three hours, if there had been any evidence it needed replacing, then it would have been replaced.