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Post by gary on Oct 21, 2007 9:56:36 GMT -5
I saw the toggle switch in the lower left back corner of the cars. A motor power kill switch, right? I was confused by this because I saw the attendant run up to a recently dispatched car and flip it as it entered the ride. I THINK he switched it off so he could push it through the lobby faster to load the next riders, but how on earth was the car dispatched if the switch was turned off? Maybe I'm confused by what I saw.
Some will argue the typical old red pretzel cars are the icon of dark rides and this is true, but I think going the extra mile to fabricate these unique coffin cars is one of those added touches that makes this stand out and grab attention. I know the first time I saw this ride, I knew it was going to be better than the rest... mostly because of the cars, since this is one of the few things you notice from the outside.
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Post by Brandon on Oct 21, 2007 10:25:13 GMT -5
You are correct -- That switch kills the motor of the car. It is used to stop the car inside the ride incase of an emergency. I remember when I worked there, I would use it to kill a car if two cars, for whatever reason, go too close within the ride, which can mean trouble for the water curtain at the ride's ending. It is also used to kill "The Unit" when taking a car off the track for repair. The person you saw killing the switch as it entered did so because (I am guessing from my experience), he did not allow enough time between that car and the one before. The second room contains a repeater for the Buzzer which is out in the lobby letting the operator know when to send the next car. Some cars, depending on their tire pressure and makeup of the Unit, require even more time (instead of the 10 seconds, they may need 15 or 20 seconds). That is why you will see the operator looking at the small number on the side of each car -- There is actually a list of cars on the back of the ticket booth door with how many seconds required to allow for each. This brings up memories actually -- The summer I worked there, I encountered a HUGE problem. After a car (I think it was #7) passed the second rat and came down the final ramp before the clock, something horrible happened, and the ENTIRE transformer came loose from the car and dropped to the floor. The car stopped instantly! And, I could hear another car up in the train tunnel, which means I did not have much time to react. I called Scotty for help on the radio, then had to push her out of the ride, and we spent the rest of the day doing the repair. What a Haunting experience!
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