A M ountain Of A Dream

My Dream For many years I have had the dream of being a roller coaster engineer and designing the amazing architectural sculptures that bring many people a thrill Throughout my journey I have learned the mechanics of a roller coaster and can now accurately depict the parts of one

T ypes of R oller C oasters Roller Coasters Steel Sit Down Giga Coaster Strata Coaster BoomarangStand Up InvertedSuspended Pipeline Bobsled Flying Fourth Dimensional Wooden

Regular Steel / Sit Down Giga Strata Boomerang

Stand Up Riders stand instead of sitting Bicycle Seat + Harness

Giga Consist of large hills Usually over 200 feet high Lots of air time

Boomerang Short circuit track Allow riders to go backwards

Strata Begin with a launch segment of track Can reach heights of over 400 feet – For comparison: The Pitt Fall at Kennywood towered only 250 feet

Inverted The track is inverted Riders are suspending Creates a swinging sensation – Certain cars exist that are mounted to hinges so that they sway with gravity

Flying Riders sit down Lap Bar + Harness The cars rotate so riders face the floor Illusion of flying

Fourth Dimensional Seats back to back Cars ride along the sides of the track Cars rotate throughout the ride Allows for complex track

Wooden Constructed of trestle style supports The track is actually steel – The support system differentiates steel from wood Generally does not support inversions

Step 1: Preparations Steel versus Wooden Area cleared Holes for supports filled with concrete – Footers – Wooden supports are built on site – In comparison, steel is prefabricated

Supports Steel – Prefabricated – Thin trestle-style as well as thick tubular supports – Welding pairs of steel rubes – Box girders Wooden – Built on site – Trestle style – Usually Douglas Fir or Southern Yellow Pine

Step 2: Track and Rails Steel – Prefabricated and brought to the site – Lifted and welded Wooden (“Woodies”) – On top of the main support, cross tie beams are added for the track – On top of the beams, flat wooden boards are bonded together – On top of the wooden boards, is the steel

Step 3: Potential Energy Potential Energy Lifts Chain Lift Friction Wheels Launched LIM Hydraulic Launch Sytem

Chain Lift Links chained together – Called “Chain Dogs” A mechanism on the bottom of the cars link onto the chain Motor Powered

Friction Wheels A series of wheels rotated 90 degrees on the track are next to the rail and use friction as they rotate to push the car Generally used on small coasters – Kiddie Coasters

LIM Linear-Induction Motor Electromagnets – Magnet fields between track and car A magnet on the car, and the track – The one on the track moves and pulls the car Used in assistance with vertical wheels beneath the car

Hydraulic Launch System Used for more intense coasters A cable is round around a giant winch Train attached by use a catch car Winch turns and catapults the car down the track – Hydraulics: The winch is connected to hydraulic motors sitting on top of a container of hydraulic fluid – Compressed nitrogen gas forces the fluid motors and the motors to send energy into accumulators – Similar to blowing up a balloon – Demonstration Website Demonstration ( Click on link to view demonstration

Step 4: Brakes Brakes are not on the cars, but on the track Types – Sled – Fin – Block – Trim

Sled Brakes Flat bar between rails on the track Operated manually by lever Come into contact with “Brakes Shoes” – Located on bottom of cars Friction

Fin Brakes More modern Metal fins on underside of car Air-pressured clamps grip these Used on more intense coasters

Block & Trim Used for maintaining car speed Saftey

Step 5: Cars Assembled in a factory – Cutting car out of a mold – Aluminum or fiberglass – Cushions

Wheels Road Wheels – On top of track – Lets cars glide along – Most commonly known Upstop – Prevent car from jumping off on hills Guide Wheels – Along the side of the track – Prevent horizontal movement

Road Wheels Upstop Wheels Guide Wheels

Step 6: Stations & Operation Course of a roller coater is divided into blocks – One train per block Phonetic sensors – Calculate & control speed – Tells computer to change: Lift speed, braking pressure, stop trains

Review Step 1: Preparations Step 2: Supports Step 3: Rails Step 4: Brakes Step 5: Cars Step 6: Station & Operation

Reflection Not something I would want to do I prefer more immediate answers – Not to redo something until right – Like to get it right the first time Will always maintain an interest in this fine architecture

The End Thank you