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Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 467: Media Town Hall Report

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That really is some amazing work Arrow did to get that timing right. I wish we could still see it in action, but I'm not sure that I've ever seen waits for LNM that justify all three trains running (or that people nowadays would care as much as they did back when the ride was new about seeing them hit the loops at the same time).

 

Does this only happen when they run 3 trains? Is it possible to do it with two? I wonder how soon after they dispatch the first train that they have to dispatch the second to get that perfect timing to synch the loops.

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On the topic of Loch Ness Monster, does anyone have a picture of the control panel in the middle of the woods that we heard about on TPR day?

 

Apparently, Nessie has a control panel in the middle of the woods that because of the way the ride was designed, there can only can be 2 trains on the break run behind the station. Meaning that if the operators can't get the 3rd train out in time, one has to stop on the second lift after the helix. So there is a control panel in the middle of the woods that's located to where all 3 blocks can be visually checked if they are clear, because this ride was designed before computer checked block systems.

That is why it sometimes randomly closes for a moment sometimes.

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Even with three trains they stopped interlocking them years ago, I believe for maintenance reasons. And yes, they run three trains many times during the summer on Saturdays mainly.

 

I'm curious as to what the maintenance reasons would be for not interlocking trains? Doesn't seem like any extra stress on the trains or the ride, just some on the operators to get a consistent dispatch interval. But what do I know!

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Vaguely off-topic, does anyone know how ride height requirements are actually determined? Is it up to the manufacturer's discretion or the park's, or some other governing body? And what criteria are used? So many questions!

 

Manufacturers make the recommendation, but it is the park's decision at which height to set the requirement.

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Even with three trains they stopped interlocking them years ago, I believe for maintenance reasons. And yes, they run three trains many times during the summer on Saturdays mainly.

 

I'm curious as to what the maintenance reasons would be for not interlocking trains? Doesn't seem like any extra stress on the trains or the ride, just some on the operators to get a consistent dispatch interval. But what do I know!

 

Two multi-ton trains = double the stress on the foundation. Due to the location/spacing of the concrete support pedestals at the water surface, it is likely that both loops are founded on a single mat footing that is now almost 40 years old.

 

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I agree. In other pictures (which I'm not going to bother posting - you all know how to go to rcdb.com), you can clearly see that there are individual footings - not one single connected one. Also, I don't see how it would make a difference to the structure. The same amount of trains would traverse the course of the loops, so why should it make much difference if they are in the loops at the same time?

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I was gonna say the same thing about separate footers. Unless they're connected for bracing underwater...but the above-water portion is for sure a separate footer for each of the four sets of supports that branch off. I could see why doubling the forces simultaneously on a connected system would be worse than having the same amount of force but at separate times, but I've never seen evidence to show that the footers are connected to each other in any way.

 

Whatever the case is, it still sucks that we can't see it happen anymore! I'd be curious to see if improvements could be made to the structure/footers/whatever the problem is so that it could be done again, but I doubt we'll ever see that happen.

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^^DarKastle has gone back to using the preshow as a preshow again; that is, they've removed the stanchions and chains, so groups now have to watch the whole video instead of just walking by it. (The "frozen in time" lighting effect is working in the preshow room again, too.) The smoke/mist effect was also restored in the "library" scene (where the car enters the fireplace). Unfortunately, they've really reduced the spinning in that section, too (seems that too many people were complaining about feeling sick).

Edited by cfc
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I talked to a ride op at the exit and he said part of the reason they stopped the spinning was because of people bringing drinks in there and spilling them... didn't make much sense to me. He also said they were gonna add some other effects in that part so take that for what it's worth... Although now that the spinning is gone I really have no reason to ride it any more cause that was the best part.

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Man, did they reduce the spinning even more than before? The last time i rode it it felt like it only spun once or twice. I like that they've added the effects back in that part got really lame lately... i could do without the preshow. It's a great ride, if only there was some magic to make that line shorter.

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The "drink" excuse seems, um, odd.

 

It's cool they're finally have effect in the fireplace scene, though, as I always thought that part needed something, other than thinking to yourself, "hey, we're in a fireplace!".

 

dt

 

I was thinking that they should at least paint the walls to look like stone and maybe have some flames projected on them. It is the weakest part of an otherwise good dark ride.

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I always expected them to have intense heat at that part sort of like the temperature control part of Test Track at EPCOT. Sucks that the spinning is gone. Was the best part of the ride to me. Not that excited to ride it again without it.

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I always expected them to have intense heat at that part sort of like the temperature control part of Test Track at EPCOT.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong but they used to do that didn't they? Like the first few seasons it was open if i recall. I feel like there used to be some effect, at the least some orange light and a blast of air, but i seem to remember it being hotter as you entered the fireplace.

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From that picture it looks like individual footings, not one single mat.

 

What you are seeing are the concrete pedestals that extend from the foundation, those concrete pedestals are not the foundation. Think of them more as short concrete columns meant to transfer the load to the foundation. The foundation itself is below water and not visible. There is literally not enough space between the pedestals for each one to have its own spread foundation (or pile supported spread foundation). They are typically a minimum of 3'x3' Length by Width.

 

The other option would be they are each founded on single piles or caissons... However, there is a minimum spacing required between piles or caissons to avoid what is called "group effect", which is just a fancy way of saying that if the piles are spaced too closely together they will not act individually and their combined strength will be less than the sum of their individual capacities (usually approximately 3x the pile diameter)... From eyeballing the dimensions, it does not seem to be met in the previously posted photo( If they are caisson's then they would have to be almost as wide (in diameter) as the concrete cap at the top are almost touching in many cases.

 

Below is a typical spread footing sketch...

 

 

That widest section at the bottom is the footing, nothing else. The rest is considered a pedestal or pier.

Edited by vdejarnette
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I always expected them to have intense heat at that part sort of like the temperature control part of Test Track at EPCOT.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong but they used to do that didn't they? Like the first few seasons it was open if i recall. I feel like there used to be some effect, at the least some orange light and a blast of air, but i seem to remember it being hotter as you entered the fireplace.

 

They've restored the blast of mist ("smoke") as you enter the fireplace.

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Well it is official:

 

via Busch Gardens official Facebook

 

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The wait is over for Verbolten. Our new multi-launch, indoor/outdoor roller coaster will open Friday, May 18.
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