Discussion in 'Roller Coaster Construction' started by roomraider, Aug 31, 2016.
Something is beeing tested @ Vekoma Test-site Vlodrop. But what in the world is it?
UGH. WHAT THE IS THAT?
Didn't Vekoma have a concept for a single, vertical rail coaster design? I swear seeing something like this at IAAPA.
Sorry for the wild speculation (because that's what it is) the way the track at the bottom of the drop is on its side and the supports at the top are suggesting it's in a inverted style I'm putting my money on some kind of variation on the S&S free fly concept in Scandinavia with free rotating cars.
At first I thought it could be some kind of variation of a zacspin, until I realised it may just be inverted track lying on its side. Then judging by the steep incline into a break run I thought it could be some kind of inverted boomerang? Perhaps a family one with swinging cars (complete speculation). Now after seeing the inclined break run (or launch?) and harsh banking I am completely clueless.
I agree with your S&S free fly theory though. Train must be like that on a pivot. Bizarre thing.
That transition? No thanks, it looks vile.
Stick to doing the fab new launched coasters Vekoma. You're on to something there!
Don't judge it until you ride it, but that thing is the definition of WTF. Is that a tire launch or brake run I see?
I'm gonna go with the posts above and say it's their variation of a free spinning style zac spin coaster, that's a bit more versatile than the Intamin and S&S ones. But yeah, that's wrong!
I've been thinking about how the trains would work and all I can think of is the car/rider sits on a free spinning mount that also swings out on the banked turns? Then the bogey can move between those bits of track, but would mean it sits out on an arm on the side of the track on that 'launch' section?
Could this simply be purely structural in nature? A test of new track/support couplings, bolts, welding seams or other things? It seems really strange to mount a coaster car cantilevered from the track, apparently without a counterweight on the other side. This could just be a test of new ways to mount track at certain angles and with certain transitions, and not necessarily be a new ride concept.
^ Potentially, but if they was to do that they wouldn't be creating a whole continuous tracked layout. Look at what they've done in the past when it comes to the dropping lift hill and stuff found on Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars in Hong Kong Disneyland, they literally only developed what they needed to develop as the thing is, prototypes like this come at the cost of the company, not a client - as much as Vekoma are producing a lot of new rides, what they're creating here is a lot of raw material, man hours, design etc., they wouldn't just develop more than what they need to as it's capital they won't be reimbursed for.
Someone's suggested it could be a variation of the flyer concept mooted a while ago where the cars rotate 90 degrees as the track twists onto its side allowing loading in a sit down position.
I'm not sold on that but it would account for the small envelope.
But, wouldn't that mean that the entire journey is spent travelling sidewards? Unless it spins 90 degrees, which just isn't probable?
Spinning 90 degrees is exactly what it would do. Strangely both Vekoma and B&M have patents for a system that does just this.
Ninja Throwing Star the Ride?