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Splashdowns

Pixelnicks

Pixelnicks

Mega Poster
Do splashdowns only occur on B&M coasters, or do other manufacturers also do them (in the sense of scoops on the back, not a 'log flume' dive)?

Are they currently only on Dive Machines and Hyper Coasters?

How much do they slow the train down?
 
Bozouc at Bagatelle *almost* has a splashdown.

p2491.jpg



The train just drops into a trough in the pond/lake, into a straight section of track, then comes back out.

There are waterfalls either side of the train, but no actual splash!
 
^ Hahaha, that image always makes me LOL. Here it is from the other angle.

3966.jpg

Image taken by Ian from CoasterForce.

In answer to the question, I cannot think of any other coasters with a spalshdown (aside from the B&Ms).
 
NickkyG said:
(in the sense of scoops on the back, not a 'log flume' dive)?
Click to expand...

I think that at the moment, B&M are the only manufacturer who have used scoops on the trains to effectively throw a load of water into the air for visual effect.

It doesn't change the ride at all, it just looks pretty!

It's surprising that more coasters haven't done it, but it requires a lot of space, so more compact coasters can't really do it properly I guess.

It's also a relatively new concept (less than 5 years anyway) so perhaps we will start to see more coasters that do it!

Saying that, a lot of rides use fake splashdowns, via fountains placed either side of the track, to create a similar effect, Hulk and Thunder Mountain being prime examples...
 
The idea behind the B&M splashdown has been around since the dive coaster was first patented. The splashdown was part of the original patent drawings and the original layout. Just that layout was never built...
 
Brad said:
They also occur on the Matterhorn's at Disneyland California as a brake.
It slowed the train down quite a bit from what I remember.
Click to expand...

Yep I remember them, so these would be the 1st splash downs.
 
Do B&M use the water to slow the coasters down? I have only done Sheikra and really can not remember.
 
I haven't ridden any, but the scoop part seems to just be a hollow tube which channels the water upwards, so i imagine it has almost no effect on the speed of the train. Any confirmation?
 
It may not be designed to, but the fact is that it does slow them down, like Ben said. I'd be surprised to find out if they didn't design the slowdown in.
 
You can feel the water slowing you down. They are almost certainly designed with the added advantage of slowing the train down.

The water needs to change direction and it gains a large amount of kinetic energy, conservation of energy says that this has to come from somewhere, in the kinetic form from the train. I wouldn't work otherwise. Now, seeing as the mass of the train doesn't change, it must slow down.

I know it's not as simple as that, before someone steps in, but it's a basic argument as to why it must slow the train down.

B&M will have designed the layout, then taken into account the amount of speed lost from the splashdown. At least, that's my best guess.
 
I could see companies starting to use splashdowns as a opposite to brakes. They probably won't but I could see that.
 
I imagine if you used them to actually slow the train considerably it would end up either spraying an awful lot of water or being too forceful on the actual splash maker.
 
It has to be a break. It is simple physics. When the train encounters greater resistance (the water), it will slow down.
 
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