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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
I was at Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park north of Los Angeles last Friday to ride the new flying coaster called "Tatsu." This new roller coaster just opened a few weeks ago, and the ride is great! You are horizontal to the ground facedown as you go through steep drops, twists, and loops. It really is like you're flying. Highly recommended!
Goliath is still my favorite roller coaster there, though. That first drop of 255 feet is incredible! |
Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
And where will it end? we keep building bigger taller faster and more intense roller coasters, what is next? The U.S. military knows well from aircraft carrier launches what the human body can take, and modern roller coasters sometimes push the limit of g force comfort...(less than 5 g's please)
I have been teaching a unit on roller coaster physics for the last 12 years. 12 years ago the roller coaster wars were just getting started, and now... What's next?
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
I wonder, too, just how far these coasters will go. The g-forces I felt on Tatsu towards the end of the ride in the final somersault loop were some of the greatest I have ever felt. I could literally feel myself being pushed down and back into the seat. It was a great ride!
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
I don't ride the new coasters as my frame can't take the G's. Even at 3 G's I can't be 525 lbs. for even a fraction of a second without paying the price. Great fun for the youngsters though!
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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-06-09 00:27, Jerrine wrote: I don't quite understand what you mean, Jerrine. Are you saying that the increased g forces cause you to momentarily weigh 525 pounds? If so, how would this adversely affect you? |
Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
Yes I am saying the pressure on my frame at 3 G's is equal to me weighing 525 lbs. For me, great weight = stress on vertebrae = subluxation = pain. Coasters are meant to be fun and are for most. I've had much fun on them in the past. I'm feeling good these days and want to stay that way.
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Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
As your body sits in a roller coaster and you speed up a hill and over the crest of the top, you body's inertia wants to keep going up. The car on the tracks forces you to go down, and you experience "air time" a floating sensation. We call this pulling negative "G"s. In this situation, your organs inside your body, which are designed to hang down inside you, actually float up a bit. There are some who can be damaged by this.
Coming down the hill into an uphill section is the opposite. Your body wants to keep going down, and the car and track force you up. These are positive "G"s. Positive "G"s can be deadly. For example a person in an explosion can be pushed away at great acceleration and pull as many as 20 "G"s. This causes your floating brain to smash against yoru skull and kill you. On a roller caoster, the "G"s are kept under 5. according to our military, 10 "G" will cause most people to black out as blood is driven away from the brain. 13 "G"s is death. Even at 3 or 4 "G"s you will experience a multiplcation of your weight, which can seriously stress the body. This is what Jerrine is refering to.
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
Thanks for the explanation! I have read that coaster designers test and re-test the ride using sensors and crash-test dummies as passengers before they even open the ride to the public in order to insure g-forces are kept at safe levels.
I would assume that sitting in the front seat rather than the rear seat also alleviates some of the g-forces as well. It would seem that the people sitting in the rear of the train would experience more intense and longer sustained g-forces because of their location on the train. |
RandyStewart Inner circle Texas (USA) 1989 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-06-08 10:19, Cliffg37 wrote: Well they get bigger, faster, and scarier and still not enough from the lines waiting to get on. I think the breaking point will be the ride with G force that causes the thrill seeker to turn inside out beginning at the mouth. Somehow the lips wrapped around their ears just ain't a cuttin' it! "Have anything at the park that causes my shoes to come out my mouth"?... |
fabian New user 25 Posts |
I loved Tatsu as well. I found it extremely smooth and enjoyable. My favorite ride there is X though. Nobody ever mentions it, but it's probably one of the best rides anywhere.
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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-12-31 16:49, fabian wrote: I, too, rode "X" last May while at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Now that was intense! I could not believe the speed coming out of that first vertical drop! That was crazy!! Awesome ride, though. |
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-06-08 10:19, Cliffg37 wrote: What's next? I don't know..but whatever it is, let me at it! Posted: Dec 31, 2006 7:07pm Quote: On 2006-06-09 13:05, hoodrat wrote: Thanks for the explanation! I have read that coaster designers test and re-test the ride using sensors and crash-test dummies as passengers before they even open the ride to the public in order to insure g-forces are kept at safe levels. I would assume that sitting in the front seat rather than the rear seat also alleviates some of the g-forces as well. It would seem that the people sitting in the rear of the train would experience more intense and longer sustained g-forces because of their location on the train. True, but I like the front seat because then you get the full thrill of seeing what's coming directly at you.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
I was always a front seat guy. The view is the best, and if someone barfs you are clear of fallout.
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