American Eagle - Retracking/New Trains

[FParker185]

The trains come assembled from PTC, parks cant go around changing stuff around.

I'll try to explain the setup more clearly.

The front 2 wheels of the car are bolted directly to the frame of the car (actually on a spiffy square nut slide in job). On the back of the car there is a bar (axle) that attaches to the car on sort of a swivel, on the ends of that bar are the wheels. when the car is running forwards the fixed wheels bank the car then when the rear wheels make it to the banked track it compensates. Cause of this the cars are designed to roll forwards so the axle follows along (kinda like a tractor trailer going down the road, the trailer always does what the tractor does). When you turn the car around, it's leading with the axle, so there is nothing steering it and it shimmy's, shakes and hunts up as it tries to turn and bounce back and forth between the rails keeping it straight, there is nothing steering or guiding it, then all that bouncing screws up the track, especially when the axle tries to turn, it's like wedging a huge crowbar between the rails trying to spread them apart.

On older PTC's like say Kings Islands, those are boxcars (no axle, just 4 wheels bolted directly to the frame), just when you use those you cant have any sudden banking in the track else it'd twist the car right in 2.

[shockwave guy mark]

Seeing as the ride running backwards seems to be very popular, I dont even see why they would not even bother running it backwards again. It got alot more attention that way, and I am sure it made them more money too.

Although, I am still sure the ride wont, because I know the costs are very expensive to fix the track.

Also before they even did that the ride ran backwards (permanently for a while) every 4 years during fright fest they ran the blue train backwards didn't they?

[FParker185]

Blue seemed to run backwards once every 5 years til it was made semi permanant. I could see them doing backwards for a limited time only (they used to do that, run it backwards until like early june now and then), but I wouldn't count on seeing it full time again. I dont think SFGAm could even get a train capable of running backwards unless they got it used from somewhere and even then something would have to be done with the banking in the final helices. For new trains it's a long and private story with PTC wont come from them, GCII cant run backwards plus they wont sell either, Gerstlauer is identical to PTC, and that pretty much rules them all out.

[tp41190]

I have heard storys of them switching the train backwards the last hour of the day, and the first hour of the day. Now, I know there is no way they could do this that fast every day. But is there *some* truth to this?

Maybe with the whole early May and late October backward was part of it.

[traincrossing9]

I don't think there is any scedule to when they have it going forwards or backwards. I go around June every year and sometimes its backwards and sometimes its not. But backwards is way more fun

[viper1988]

I have heard storys of them switching the train backwards the last hour of the day, and the first hour of the day. Now, I know there is no way they could do this that fast every day. But is there *some* truth to this?

Maybe with the whole early May and late October backward was part of it.

No this would never happen, no truth to this.

American Eagle Blue side has run Backwards every couple years since I believe 1991 correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure that American Eagle Blue Side will not be running backwards for many years if ever again.

[cycamps]

Theoretically speaking, couldn't they switch the location of the axle to the front of the train, then bolt the other wheels to the back, and then run it backwards?

[FParker185]

no, not really. If, we were to say you wouldn't be breaking state laws by not keeping the train to manufacturer's specs, the axle assembly is rather large and there would just be no room for it at the front of the car. It'd be faster, cheaper and easier to buy new trains in that case.

Only thing I could think of would be if it were possible to just turn the car body around on the chassis, but then the well for the axle would leave basically no legroom for people sitting in the "front" of the car.

It's just alot cheaper and easier to just run everything forwards like it's supposed to. GP doesnt care much either way. For most people I see or listen to in line they just take it as a matter of fact that it's either running backwards or not.

[RagingBullFan]

To have the trains run in reverse, new brake brackets were welded on the opposite side of the train, as well as the strikers being moved to the other side. Reversal is only possible on the blue side.

[CoasterDave316]

I have heard storys of them switching the train backwards the last hour of the day, and the first hour of the day. Now, I know there is no way they could do this that fast every day. But is there *some* truth to this?

Maybe with the whole early May and late October backward was part of it.

No this would never happen, no truth to this.

American Eagle Blue side has run Backwards every couple years since I believe 1991 correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure that American Eagle Blue Side will not be running backwards for many years if ever again.

I clearly remember it ran backwards in just May and Fright Fest some years. So that part is true. They used to have TV Ads advertising it.

[viper1988]

Dave yeah your probably correct on the May and Fright fest but there is no way that they would ever run the ride forwards in the morning and at night run it backwards. There are multiple things other than flipping the trains around that go into it to take into account. We obviously addressed some of those earlier but also on a park operations side of it, all the maintenance inspections would need to be done again for that day not to mention what the rides department would have to do their inspections again. Not at all practical and not worth it!

[TwistedSTEEL666]

The easiet thing to do would be for them to buy 2 or 3 new blue trains from PTC for AE. Trains desinged to run backwards. Hell, they probley have more than enough!!! How much does SFGAm make in a season?
2 million+? How much does one PTC reverse train cost?

I'll bet the'll be making a lot more this year, becasue of TDK.
So the issue of reverse blue trains for Eagle shouldn't be a problem.

Has anyone ever brought this up to SFGAm management?

[FParker185]

Money SFGAm makes goes to Six Flags, which is 2+ billion dollars in debt. They cant afford any frivolous spending.

[rctfan1556]

Was out filming the park along Washington today and got too see American Eagle get stuck on the lift hill. Took 15mins for them to get the train unstuck and going on it's way. When they got back to the station I heard the one of the Ride OP's ask, "Sorry for the inconvinence. How was your ride?" I just started laughing when I heard that.

I am making video of what footage I got today so I'll be posting that soon.

[ttd rox]

^That's funny but that makes no sense at all to say "How was your ride". The people on the train riding it today started laughing too I bet. He most likely did it as a joke though. That's funny can't wait to see the video! About the backwards thing, will they have it go backwards in My and October this year or is it now permant that it might never run backwards again?

[Goku1910]

^ no more backwards.....Six Flags employee told me.

[ttd rox]

^That stinks! Same with Kings Iskand's Racers thi year. One side isn't going backward anymore. It was always fun riding it backwards! Not as good as the red side though.

[BrianPlencner]

^ Did not know that about PKI's racer. Is there an "official" post on the web about it? I'm looking on PKI's site and have not found anything yet.


edit Found it in the news section. Link to PDF is below
http://www.pki.com/mediakit/news/6.pdf

--Brian

[ttd rox]

Actually I just read about it here. http://www.coasterwarriors.com/news/article.php?id=37 Good find though! That stinks that they are both swithing to going forward this year. It always gave it more thrill when one went backwards the other went forward and they were racing! Thats just to bad though! I wish AE also kept there camera so you can get your on-ride photos. Were was the cameras at when AE still had them anyways?

[BrianPlencner]

The On-ride cameras on AE were located as the train went up into the lift hill near the end of the ride, right before the final helix.

I think before that, they were at the bottom of the first drop, but I could be wrong on that.

--Brian

[rico28]

Video on you-tube First time AE backwards in 1991 newscast NBC5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SB-6NZYyQ&feature=related

[tp41190]

The On-ride cameras on AE were located as the train went up into the lift hill near the end of the ride, right before the final helix.

I think before that, they were at the bottom of the first drop, but I could be wrong on that.

--Brian

Im just wondering, but wouldnt the speed to too fast to take the pictures. And is there even enough room at the bottom of the drop for the cameras?

[FParker185]

Cameras on TTD have no problem taking pics at 120+ mph. Basically unless the coaster is traveling faster than the speed of light, can take pics at any speed.

[kumba830]

it makes me mad tough. they just bought new trains... and they diden't buy backwards ones!

[DejaVu2001]

^ They did NOT buy new trains. All trains recieved new logos on the front, and one of the red trains received a thorough mechanical / cosmetic rehab.