How does a weight drop shuttle coaster works STROBE WARNING

Strobe warning skip to 1:15
I loved these rides as a kid and was lucky enough to grow up with one close by. Take a look at the Chanels and videos below if you enjoy this!
Have to take the info I have with a grain of salt as I was getting a ton of conflicting information. If you say I’m wrong that’s fine, please let us know where, I/all of us, can find the correct info to make future content better.
Used video from
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Greezed lightnin’ on ride Kentucky kingdom.
• Greezed Lightnin' at S...
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25th anniversary of the tidal wave.
• The Tidal Wave's 25th ...
David J Ellis
@davidjellis
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David’s video;
Greased lightnin off ride footage.
• Greased Lightnin' (200...
Chapter
Strobe warning skip 01:15 Source
Description 02:37
Counterweight 09:30
My first time 12:00
Counterweight 14:20
Screamer 19:30
Winch package 26:00
Launch cable rotation 33:05
Tensioner 38:30
Launch dog 42:50
Counterweight catch 47:01
Loop 54:05
Brakes 56:30

[@SkeledroMan]

Very minor correction, the guy's name is David J Ellis. He does a lot of POVs for the european coaster club. Very nice man.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I updated his name in the description as well.

[@mmocken]

I was 100 yards from Tidal Wave and the weight cable SNAPPED!!! It was Summer 1981 in Gurnee. It was raining and lightening/thundering and then there was a huge Boom! ...no lightening. Back then, Tidal Wave would run in the rain, Willards Whizzer, Demon and American Eagle would not. Due to rain and being late night, the park was nearly empty. A week later, they were working on the drop tower weight. They were shoveling out sand(no water) and tossing out large lead 'x' shaped weights from the window you mentioned... so the window might also have been for access too. But I agree, there is an air shock effect. I was told by my supervisor, the tower tilted slightly(but in tolerance) and that the cable snapped. Note, ride was down the week prior from what I was told was a cable replacement. Would be neat to have a Gurnee mechanic comment. I loved Tidal Wave...43 years ago it was so special. I became a mechanical engineer partially from admiring the Tidal Wave from backstage and watching the cables. I have ridden Montezooma and look forward to the Un-named one at Niagra opening. Side note, you may already know, Silver Bullet has some water tanks at the loop and turnarounds(ballast?) and square section at the loop. Thanks for the great vid. Marty

[@ryantheridemechanic]

awesome info/ counterweight snap is about the worst maintenance thing I could think of, yuck. as far a water on silver bullet? maybe vibration absorption? very odd, normally you don't do that with a steel coaster as it will eventually corrode the tank for the inside out, but Ill take a look and see if I can spot what your referencing. can you see it on any videos or google earth?

[@mmocken]

@@ryantheridemechanic RCDB has pictures. My 13 YO(then) son told me, water tanks were because Silver Bullet(Frontier City) was a traveling model. It has a steel latticework base for tubular supports sitting on the ground(and planks for shims?)... and 3 large water tanks. The exit walkway parallels the northern side water tank. This thing must have been a lot of work to move. It is a work of art. I would love to hear a breakdown of that specific coaster and other traveling coasters. Coaster365 does a good youtube review. I think this is a fun and underated ride. Other resources say it was the first looping travel coaster and from 1978 in West Germany and Texas in the 80s. Side note, KZbinr Pete Rondeau does assembly videos of flat rides. Fun to watch

[@mmocken]

Hi Ryan, a little deeper into the rabbit hole! Scorpion at Busch/Tampa has a similar but permanent version...but Big Blue in Croatia has tanks filled with sand. These were Silver Arrow Models versus Looping Star(Silver Bullet). Funny how Scorpion gets tons of love at BGT, but Silver Bullet Frontier gets little. I felt both were very similar ride.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@mmocken it had to be for ballast. We had a spinning gerschlour (no I can’t spell that haha) it was built to be portable, and between all the beams in some high force areas we had to add tons of rock as it was starting to walk on the pad sense there was no true foundation anchors.

[@mmocken]

@@ryantheridemechanic on a related note, jet star 2 at lagoon also 'walks'. About every 15 minutes, the operator stops the ride and walks out to the support lattice with a large 🔨. I was floored when I saw it. Same operation felt js2 was on borrowed time due to age of electric motors

[@matb9027]

Loved this coaster at Alton Towers.

[@sarahbowman7566]

Thunder looper. Is it now in mexico? It broke down a lot.

[@SavageMark824]

I haven't even starting watching this video but I'm already filled with excitement. Back when I was a kid Greezed Lightnin at Paramounts Great America was my first upside down roller coaster. My passion and interest in roller coasters and the amusement industry as a whole all started with that coaster. Was sad when it was taken out.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Same here!! I remember I was able to ride Title wave before demon, so it was my first as well.

[@ralfrick1]

Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning in Santa Clara was my son's 1st coaster with an inversion. Due to lap bars only, he could ride before he was 5 (well, if the ops didn't notice how thick his hair was). All those times we saw it in the parking lot elsewhere, we never noticed the weight. Would've taken a closer look if we had.

[@lilmac194]

i remember greased lightnin when i went to Kentucky Kingdom.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I wished it stayed in tact more but everything there was just end of life it seemed.

[@EmeraldIV]

absolutely loved this video, i have such a big fascination/satisfaction for mechanical stuff like this and ive always wondered how this system worked. amazing!!

[@joesmith6972]

I practically lived on The Viper at SFOG as a kid. The sounds of the entire ride cycle are permanently etched into my brain. Swampwater Jack's pre-ride safety speech, the launch horn counting down, the roar of the train going through the loop, the distinct sounds of the air brakes clanking and finally the thing coming to such an abrupt stop with the lap bars releasing so quick at the end you could practically use your momentum to stand up. I also remember the swamp theming being so damn cool at night as a kid. The lighting, the fog and the bayou music as you made your way up to the queue building.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Awesome! Memories are the best. I can still remember the tidal waves brake sounds clear as day. All the clicks and chirps they make. With the abrupt stop at the end haha!

[@spaceistheplace2293]

It is totally possible to stop the counterweight due to the small gap between the counterweight and the walls. S&S made a drop tower called Sonic Boom that used that exact principle as the rides main breaking system.

[@dwhitman12341]

I’ve been looking forward to this. Fond memories of riding White Lightnin’ at Carowinds back in the 80s. Though I’m not sure if it were weight drop or not.

[@aldoparise1224]

It is a weight drop. It is still operating at Gold Reef City in South Africa.

[@markvolpe2305]

I'm still kicking myself for not riding it when I had the chance when I was younger and starting to get into coasters, my uncle was telling me bad stories about it and I backed out and said maybe next time, but next time I was there, it was gone. Technically, I still can ride it if I go to Gold Reef City.

[@dwhitman12341]

@@markvolpe2305 I remember being 13 and it was the first looping coaster I rode. Scared the life out of me at the time. I believe that was in 86.

[@alexlail7481]

For a couple years I wanted to ride it so bad I couldn't stand it... but I wasn't tall enough I watched my older sister and cousins ride it ... the first Time I would have been tall enough my sister promised to ride it with me and they had just shutdown (we thought for maintenance) and the next tume we were at Carowinds they had removed everything but the station....

[@joaovictorfranco6987]

Finally! Was waiting for this one! I'm amazed that the one in Brazil is being kept so well!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Very amazed. When I was researching a little I came across that one and was absolutely shocked that it was still operating!

[@joaovictorfranco6987]

The park did a quite a big refurbishment on it, not sure in what extent, and also a bit of retracking... I wonder how much they spent! It was my home park and they struggled a lot in the beginning to keep it opened

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@joaovictorfranco6987 they were absolute beasts to maintain from what I was told.

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Awesome video. Thanks for posting this.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Your welcome!

[@awesometronic]

This is really cool. I always wondered how these rides worked. I rode Tidal Wave at CaGA back in the 80's and loved watching the pulley at the top of the tower spin. I'm sad that this (and Whizzer) got removed...

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Me to

[@RileyBerggren-hm1oy]

My uncle worked title

[@user-ie3rf8vu2d]

Random idea for a video... Evacuations from vertical lift costers when there is a stopage

[@RileyBerggren-hm1oy]

My uncle worked title wave in the late 80s 80s and early 90s

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Nice.

[@thisguy_w0n]

Thanks Ryan, I've been waiting for this info! Very much appreciate all of your informative content

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Great! Enjoy!

[@ballbag]

The tube with the counterweight in reminds me of the S&S Sonic Boom Freefall ride they had out in Utah

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Yea same thing. But I can’t get someone to say it actually worked. Un like sonic boom, we know that works.

[@ballbag]

@@ryantheridemechanic by the way, great videos. It's awesome finding out all the details.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@ballbag thank you! I try

[@crooked-halo]

A wonderful, highly-technical episode from Ryan! I find it amazing & fantastic that Gene Staples purchased Lazer Loop/Cascabel, one of the flywheel Schwartzkopf shuttles, and plans on rebuilding it at Niagra Amusement Park! This coaster was built at Kennywood, moved to Chapultapec Park, Mexico City, and has returned to the U.S. I have a special affection for Greezed Lightnin at Astroworld, which I rode perhaps 200-plus times during it's life. I loved how it wasn't braked or slowed at all going backwards through the station and the train rolled so far up the back spike that it straightened out (front car went beyond the curved pullout) and gave some awesome airtime when stopping and coming down. I can't say enough great things about Schwartzkopf loops, and going backwards through them was almost a surreal experience it was so fun! There's also something extra-special about these launches that set them apart from even today's strongest LIM launches.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

love tl opp, your right something about them, don't know why. Straightening the train out on the bak tower is quite impressive, but how was the stop in the station? that was already hard when the first 3 coaches were still on the curve!!

[@crooked-halo]

@@ryantheridemechanic I find the brakes on all Schwartzkopf loopers to be very quick & sudden. Greezed Lightnin was a _very_ fast stop. It was a habit for me to watch the front car while waiting in the station to see if it made it past the pullout, which it didn't _always_ do. I rode most (all?) of the Schwartzkopf shuttles & Greezed Lightnin was the best to me simply because _all_ the others were braked going backwards through the station, killing the airtime Greezed Lightnin gave on that rear spike. Today, Shock Wave is an incredibly quick stop, which is one of my favorite steel coasters currently operating. Mind Bender also is a fast & sudden stop. I can't wait for American Triple Loop to open soon! I rode it in 85 in Germany & it's the greatest steel coaster I've ever ridden. It had lap bars only then & I know the shoulder restraints will taint this ride just like they did on Texas Tornado/Thriller. Sounds like you maybe used to work at Astroworld?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@crooked-halo I didn’t work there but I have experience with that ride. The shoulder restraint addition was not good. Like an SLC will beat the crap out of you. But if you leave the restraint loose, it’s nice. Quite an impressive line up you have made.

[@jackschissler255]

Kennywood had the Laser Loop back in the 80’s. Had for 10 yrs and got rid of it cause the maintance on it was a headache and the cost was enormous to maintain.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Unfortunately, when you put these roller coasters up against modern equipment, they just have no bang for the maintenance buck. People like me love them for nostalgia, but that's about it.

[@muffels6410]

Its out!

[@jordanburdett4979]

I've been on the transportable one of these, the bullet. I wish you'd do the fly wheel version. Love you video

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank I’m going to do the flywheel in a little bit

[@jordanburdett4979]

Nice one 😅

[@jordanburdett4979]

I don't know if it was the same on all the fly wheel version. But the transportable version set off up the backwards spike first. I wonder how they got it to change direction in such little time, obviously sum sort or gearing. But it seems complicated. If you watch a video of the bullet you will understand what I mean.

[@ThatDogBarks.]

Great video as always.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank you!

[@Jenlovescoasters]

Love the hair! 1st off, my faves were tidal wave and montezuma,. I worked at revolution at magic, an intamin/Schwarz. However my top 5 coasters ridden are all Intamin launchers: Velocicoaster, Maverick, Millenium force, Xcelerator, Cheetah hunt❤

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I know xcelerator is not much of a track but...THAT launch! wooo!!!

[@Jenlovescoasters]

Rode top thrill and kingda ka. But somehow xcel is way more xciting!

[@MrMakoFL]

Hip hip hooray for Bob! He’s the coolest around 😃

[@ryantheridemechanic]

we love bob

[@michaezell4607]

The prototype was king kobra at kings dominion in 1977,unfortunately the ride was removed at the start of the 1986 season so I never got a chance to experience it.by the summer of 1990 anaconda was already under construction on Kk's former site.

[@shawnrw3727]

Yes, finally !!🎉

[@rikp]

The flywheel launch felt stronger to me. I grew up with Montezooma's Revenge but rode Tidal Wave a couple of times when I lived up north for a few years. Tidal Wave was fun, but 'Zoom was really somethin' special, even when Boomerang opened with more inversions and Xcelerator opened with a faster speed.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

bee interesting to see a accelerometer of each. just mechanically, yes, monty should have a much more forceful acceleration.

[@CatofthePotatoes]

26:29 Those footers have a tree growing tn the middle of them now! Honestly, its kind of sad seeing whats left, as the station and most of the footers for the ride are still there, just not being used.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

No good

[@JEdwardBanasikJr]

"Come On In And Get Looped" was written on the flywheel building (themed as a saloon) of AstroWorld's Greezed Lightnin'. They later painted over it because some guests complained it was inappropriate. 🙄

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Really? THAT was inappropriate? Jeeze. I know they don’t subscribe to my channel haha!!

[@JEdwardBanasikJr]

@@ryantheridemechanic My 11-year-old brain thought, oh, riding Greezed Lightnin' was what it was like to drink adult beverages. 🤣

[@CoastersThrillsAndAirtimeHills]

Love your content!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank you!

[@highoctaneadventure]

This was cool. Always wondered about the weight drop version. I think Niagara Falls Amusement Park had a fly wheel model sitting in the parking lot that will hopefully be rebuilt at that park soon.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

cool!

[@obxkevin]

I believe the one at Niagra is the old Laser Loop from Kennywood . It's most recently been running in Mexico and was well cared for.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@obxkevin kind of funny I consider the US to have good quality in most things but a lot of rides seem to live better outside of the country. I honestly consider Europe the top of the maintenance game. With the TUV overseeing work, very demanding.

[@Colaholiker]

@@obxkevin To be honest, it wasn't well cared for in Mexico. It was sitting right next to Quimera, that was running with trim brakes off and going so fast that parts broke and the train derailed, killing people. I am sure they have to put in a lot of work before they can open it, just like it took them years to get American Triple Loop up and running at Indiana Beach.

[@ballbag]

Loads of pictures of the parts in the parking lot on RCDB's listing of Tidal Wave.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Yes, just not the ones I needed. Dang it.

[@ballbag]

@@ryantheridemechanic Haha!

[@dfgwm30]

Thanks!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Wow thank you very much! I so appreciate this!

[@Scjheinen]

Properly geeking out on this video, thanks!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Awesome! Your welcome

[@sock501]

Do you happen to have any videos or other information on how the launch cylinders are sealed on a compressed air launch coaster? I can’t quite wrap my head around how they prevent blowby around the launch sled or launch cable, depending on how its put together.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I have a little but it's not easy to explain. luckily im making a video on that soon.

[@markvolpe2305]

You know, I had the chance to ride White Lightning at Carowinds in the 80's and I missed out on it because of horror stories my uncle told about it, I was also young and was just starting to get into coasters. Anyways, my thought is how can one park not maintain it any longer (Carowinds in this case), but another park overseas (Gold Reef City) has kept it in operation long after Carowinds sold the ride and the Manufacture is long out of business?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I believe this is because of oversight. Insurance here in the US prevents inferior components from being installed. Places where no one is really watching, repairs are easy, just build whatever you want. just my thought/ my opinion. Keeps repair costs low.

[@Colaholiker]

@@ryantheridemechanic It's often not really a "we are not able to do it", but a "It is not economically feasible to do it" - the ride doesn't generate enough revenue for the park to offset the cost for keeping it running. Think about a big name park as Carowinds, a ride like a shuttle loop has way too much competition there.

[@orionwatts9200]

We have scorpion at Bush gardens tampa

[@EveryoneIsFamily]

Very Fun Video!!

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Thank you!

[@alexlail7481]

Like many things of a mechanical nature with a heritage of German engineering it seems like pure mechanical engineering 'corn' , pardon the innuendo.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

He mace up with some wild stuff that's now just normal. so interesting!

[@mxslick50]

I'm glad you mentioned Zoom at the end..it was my favorite ride. I worked there for a few years and loved the sounds of the flywheel launch. I would take my breaks close to it whenever I could. I rode it many times, got to see under the station during testing, and heard a few war stories about it from the mechanics. IIRC it also "rang the bell" but just once. The only thing I (and many riders) never liked was the brakes into the station. They were extremely rough and whiplash makers, and you never knew how intense because it changed constantly. Ops told me it was pain as it frequently (especially in fog or mist) wouldn't home consistently. (I saw that in my under the station view. The home position range was only a few inches.) Have you done a deep dive on flywheel launch shuttles yet?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Not yet. Honestly I was waiting to see what people said about this video. I learn from people’s comments because I have lots of mechanics and engineers that worked on these. So I wait to see what I / we can learn and take it to the the next video. I do plan on making it though. Probably soon. And homing on these rides like a boomerang are a pain for sure. Especially closer to the ocean.

[@johnphillips3475]

Thank you for a fascinating video - I'm a huge Schwarzkopf fan, and I always found the weight drop rides particularly fascinating. One question (sorry if you covered it and I missed it): Which position does the weight get left in when the ride is closed? I always figured it would be at the bottom of the tower, to maybe reduce the stress on the cable, but I may be totally wrong.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Honestly I don’t know. I have a feeling this is a park thing not so much what the manufacturer says. To Me, just me thinking, it makes the most sense to leave it all the way down at night. This way all the brakes can be inspected and adjusted as needed in the morning. But I don’t have an actual answer for you. For cable inspection you would want it at the top so the most cable possible is visible.

[@RWGresearch]

So... About the air hole... Although I have no way to prove it. I bet it indeed does work. For instance. Do some homework on this ride called " Sonic Boom at Celebration Centre" it has no brakes no real way to stop the 300 ft plus drop... Except for a tube... And the air compressing around it. So I would believe this same principal is at play as a last resort safety. Not so much as a normal ride use control. But more or less a last resort safety. Check it out. I think it's even worth its own video. Also S&S I think made it.. Very worth checking out. There are a few other YT videos on it as well. But id like to see your take on it ;) . as always thanks for the videos ~Russ (what air gates? Hehe)

[@ryantheridemechanic]

I will check that out! thanks!

[@Colaholiker]

My information specified the drop weight to be 42 metric tons (about 96000 lbs). But I don't know what is more accurate...

[@ryantheridemechanic]

It all theory anyway. I doubt anyone has ever weighed it. Even with a strain gauge there enough pulleys to thro the measurements off.

[@sendyboi7028]

After skyrush’s restraints were changed I was wondering what they do to put new restraints on and do they need to do the whole entire testing process again?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Depends on the type of change they called it. More than likely it was load it for 100-200 cycles, inspection, have insurance and engineering sign off, train the crew. Should be good to go then.

[@ericcross7154]

This ride works on the same concept of using compressed air chamber to slow the ride down. No breaks drop tower. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaOWZoFvqch6nas

[@Paul-js1to]

That’s what she said.

[@Livk57]

Can you add a warning about the flashing image at the beginning? It's a disability hazard. Text that says "flashing images, skip to [insert time stamp]" at the top of the frame (to avoid captions covering it) a few seconds before the aesthetic strobing effect is ideal.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Let me see what I can do.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

added in description, video as a card, and title. thanks for letting me know.

[@sumguy8]

I would never get under a weight, especially that size and depends on air pressure to stop.You just broke the air brakes by opening that door.

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Yea but I guess it was safe?

[@Colaholiker]

@@ryantheridemechanic I wouldn't be surprised, if there were actually some supports that could be put in place to keep the weight in place. If people still would be afraid to work underneath the weight, they should be terrified of being on a low floor of a high-rise building... Sure, I wouldn't rely on that if the weight is all the way up. But if it is lowered onto these supports, where could it possibly go?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

@@Colaholiker you ever work underneath supports that are creaking. The noise is an uneasy feeling that they will just break. But got to get it done right!