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Phantasialand | F. L. Y. | Vekoma Launched Flying Coaster | 2020

Crazycoaster said:
Train’s always need a zero car of sorts, because they’re trailered. Either that, or the first and second (or last and 2nd to last) carriage needs to be rigid. The easiest way to see this is by looking at a B&M floorless or Invert, the first row acts as the zero car - it’s completely attached to the second row, with only the rotation being separate.

Now, looking at the design of the Vekoma flyer, the rotating centre of the seats are placed centrally in the bogies. I would assume this means that it’s much more difficult to go zero carless (usually seating is more central to the train carriage, the Vekoma design has the seats on one side). And the distance between bogies should be uniform through the whole train, hence why there’s such a gap.
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CC ive always known this to be true. But i cant say i fully understand why and that bugs me.
And while this is true of deep quantum physics too i feel i have a chance of understanding this.
In this picture of Alpinia Bahn for instance the Zero Car is the first car i assume? as its the only one with 2 bogies.
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@roomraider - yeah that’s right! If you think of it like a Lorry/Truck and it’s trailer. The trailer can’t stay upright on it’s own without support, the same goes for rollercoaster trains. It gives the train stability, keeps the seats upright etc.

Now usually a coaster car has 2 rows, which makes it easier to have the above setup (Intamin trains, Mack Train etc). But when a coaster is trailered, such as a B&M train, it needs a zero car (the zero car, and the first row make the same set up as Alpin Bahn’s first car).
 
Crazycoaster said:
@roomraider - yeah that’s right! If you think of it like a Lorry/Truck and it’s trailer. The trailer can’t stay upright on it’s own without support, the same goes for rollercoaster trains. It gives the train stability, keeps the seats upright etc.

Now usually a coaster car has 2 rows, which makes it easier to have the above setup (Intamin trains, Mack Train etc). But when a coaster is trailered, such as a B&M train, it needs a zero car (the zero car, and the first row make the same set up as Alpin Bahn’s first car).
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Cool ok i get that far. Now why with say floorless cars cant you have one set of wheels per car in the center of each car under the COG? i assume its for redundency in a way?
 
It’s all because of stability. On a floorless or Invert, the first two rows are connected together, both acting together as the Alpine Bahn set up. Keeping the two rows rigid together stop the seats from tipping forward or backwards (the wheels are flexible, they wouldn’t keep the seats upright on their own). The front two cars then forms a base that supports the rest of the trains trailored design.
 
In that photo of Alpena Bahn, the forward bogey on the first car is technically the zero car. The interface between that forward-most bogey and the one supporting the bulk of the car above it only has rotation about one degree of freedom (rotation about the direction of travel). The rest of the couplings all have three degrees of freedom.

Millennium Force is the same way:

cedar-point-millennium-force-close-up.jpg



As Crazycoaster mentioned, B&M do it slightly differently. Typically, they just join rows one and two together allowing only one degree of freedom of rotation, so technically they would be one car if we were still thinking about their trains like we would Intamin or Schwarzkopf. This interface is easy to see in a vertical loop and also on dive machine's holding brakes - note the seat structures and how they are parallel in the first two rows, but slightly angled throughout the rest of the train (the dive machine is tough to see, but the first two rows are well over the edge while the third still hasn't crested):

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So why does Alpengeist have an extra row with no seats mounted on it? I vaguely recall reading somewhere YEARS ago that B&M designed those trains as such to mitigate any excess stresses caused by the insane forces on the ride (although don't quote me on that because I could be completely wrong in my years old recollection).


Arrow and old Vekoma also had a somewhat unique method of joining their cars, although instead of trailering them, they tractored them. Essentially, they did what Intamin and Schrwarzkopf have and flipped it around such that the 1 DOF section is the last pair of bogeys:

suspended-roller-coaster-loop-and-corkscrew_h2em1gc7__F0004.png



It does the same thing, but it's just packaged a bit differently.


Regarding this new generation's trains...I'd wager that the length or spacing between each row is due to clearance as the seats rotate and the zero car is so far ahead of the first row just because Vekoma wanted to utilize common parts instead of designing a unique coupling just for the zero car.
 
The right arch is completed:
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I'm curious to see the wall completely finished and without scaffolding during my visit within 2 weeks.

What would they put into the empty spaces in the wall and the arches? Other decorations or plants?

Source: PhantaFriends.de
 
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If they added some sort of swirly pattern to the green section, then that might work? Is it definitely finished? Although I am really liking the way the wall looks so far, the green part of the arch does look a little bit strange.
 
Ethan said:
I mean... I'd love to see them try to work on it without scaffolding, but they're done.
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I agree with you. It should have looked liked a bit more industrial. That is how I see steampunk... Now It looks now a bit too much fairytail-ish. Like the Efteling for example.
 
Then it's okay I guess. But I still do not really like the looks of it. Nevertheless this coaster is going to be in the top 3 best coasters in Europe. An amazing layout, darkride section, inmersive theming, a high capacity and propably as smooth as the new Vekoma's.
 
Also can I just clarify that although Brian (he's back <3) says he agrees with me, I haven't actually said anything about industrial/fantasy themes. I just don't like it. I'll say it again, it's the flat top. Can't deal with it. I actually don't mind these new arches if I'm honest...

CrashCoaster said:
Doubt it will be world class but it looks like a solid ride.
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We haven't even seen the layout yet, what are you on about?
 
It has more potential than Taron. A whole new concept. A worlds first. Taron is fine, don't get me wrong :)

Yes I am back, and yes I do agree with you :)
I was asked to stop posting on this forum, so I deleted almost everything...

MOD EDIT: Please don't double post - Pokey
 
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