16 replies to this topic

[Wolfman]

I found that it's tough to make money in Mothball Mountain. Mostly because it rains so much, that nobody wants to ride anything, thusly, the money just doesn't come in that easilly.

[randyripoff]

Oh yeah, that scenario should have been a blast, but ended up being a total pain. You don't have much space, you depend a lot on underground rides--which are more expensive and the smaller coasters which simply can't earn as much money. It took me pretty much a season and a half to build my big steel coaster, but after that the money did start rolling in and I was able to barely win the scenario.

[Woodpecker]

My two pennies:

1) As long as the combined speed of the two colliding trains is 23mph or less, the trains just stop and nobody gets injured.
2) "Station brakes failure" means "all brakes failure". Any MCBRs (mid-course brake runs) also fail at the same time.

So, when building:

1) Build your coaster and remove the brakes from your brake runs, then test the ride.
2) Remember that when fully loaded a train will go 1-2 mph faster than when empty so allow for that.
3) If the train reaches the station at 20mph or less, great. If not, change the layout so it does.
4) Adjust the timings in the operations box for maximum separation between the trains.
5) Put safety racks (chain lift sections) on the crests of strategic hills, where the train goes slowly. If a vehicle malfunction occurs, the train can roll backwards crashing into the train behind. The safety racks will prevent this and ease the train over the top if it does happen.
6) If you have an MCBR (mid-course brake run) or several MCBRs, remove the brakes and check the train reaches the station at the right speed. Then replace the brakes and re-check. Make sure all the 'block' sections between your MCBRs are safe without the brakes.
7) Hire a mechanic and put him on a one-grid patrol covering the exit and the platform only, and set the ride's inspection time to 10 minutes.
8) Open the ride and wait for a full train to leave the station. Check that the speed difference allowance you made during empty testing was correct.

Congratulations: your ride should now remain crash-free even with a 'Station Brakes Failure'!

In essence, if the coaster is safe without the brakes, it will be safe with the brakes.

Edited by Woodpecker, 22 January 2009 - 01:46 AM.

[Woodpecker]

Two things I forgot:

1) With powered launch (shuttle) coasters, make sure you have a steep hill of track at the back of the station, otherwise if the brakes fail the train will shoot through the back and hit the crowd. With the hill in place the train will rock backwards and forwards through the station but not crash or hit anything.

2) The idea of a chain lift into the station isn't bad. Only thing is, if there's a safety cut-out a train coming up from behind could crash into the one stuck on the lift. Then again, I haven't seen this happen so maybe I'm worrying too much!

[randyripoff]

2) "Station brakes failure" means "all brakes failure". Any MCBRs (mid-course brake runs) also fail at the same time.

I'm going to quibble with you on this, because of the information here:

Although there are those who insist that all brakes fail when
the "station brakes failure" occurs, I can assure you that this is not
so. On several occasions during these observations I have seen the
"station brakes failure" pop up in the operations window, and the next
train into the station would slow down to a crawl on the braking section
I had added prior to the station entrance, and then coast slowly right
through the station and back to the lift hill. This indicated that
only the brakes in the station had failed and not the additional ones.
However, I also had times when it appeared that all of the brakes did
fail simultaneously and the train would crash into its leader after
blazing through the station with undiminished speed.

FWIW, although I am not a fan of using brakes, there are times when you must, and I've never noticed a total failure either.

I agree with your other observations as well, save one:

1) With powered launch (shuttle) coasters, make sure you have a steep hill of track at the back of the station, otherwise if the brakes fail the train will shoot through the back and hit the crowd. With the hill in place the train will rock backwards and forwards through the station but not crash or hit anything.

My only disagreement here is that this is more of an RCT2 issue than one for original RCT. I use the powered launch coaster frequently, and have yet to experience a crash with them.

[Woodpecker]

I'm going to quibble with you on this, because of the information here:

Although there are those who insist that all brakes fail when
the "station brakes failure" occurs, I can assure you that this is not
so. On several occasions during these observations I have seen the
"station brakes failure" pop up in the operations window, and the next
train into the station would slow down to a crawl on the braking section
I had added prior to the station entrance, and then coast slowly right
through the station and back to the lift hill. This indicated that
only the brakes in the station had failed and not the additional ones.
However, I also had times when it appeared that all of the brakes did
fail simultaneously and the train would crash into its leader after
blazing through the station with undiminished speed.

I have a game file with a coaster that has brakes to slow the train to 5 mph just before a 180 degree bend into the station. This coaster will crash within 15 minutes of opening the game file, every time, because of a station brakes failure. The train blazes through the brakes and around the corner into the station at 35 mph. Clearly the scarf brakes outside the station fail at the same time. This is why I said "Station Brakes failure" = "All Brakes failure". Notice, too, the italic text where your quotation's author admits seeing the mid-course brakes failing too! However, it's interesting that a long station brake seems to prevent the Brakes Failure occurring. In RCT2 I ran the Ocean Park Giant Dipper for over 30 years and never experienced this failure. This ride has a long functioning station brake, plus an MCBR that doesn't slow the trains. Then again, RCT2 doesn't seem to have as many brakes failures as RCT1 where they seem to occur without fail every 3 years. Perhaps I should run the RCT1 conversion for a while to see what happens.

[Woodpecker]

Just found this article on coaster brakes and avoiding crashes:

http://www.rctstatio...er_brakes.shtml

And it says this about brakes failures:

In original RCT, it has been reported that track brakes may remain operational when the station brakes fail. I can't verify this because I have never run original RCT; I have always had at least the AA/CF add-on pack. I can say this: With the AA/CF and LL add-on packs, when the station brakes fail, all of the track brakes fail as well, no matter where they are located on your track. The same principle applies no matter what edition of the game you're playing: you cannot rely on track brakes to prevent a crash when the station brakes fail.

(My Bolding)

That's what I've experienced with coasters, hence my warning. I have both add-on packs.

EDIT: The following two links are further articles on crash studies:

http://www.rctstatio...ase/crash.shtml
http://www.rctstatio...se/crash2.shtml

Edited by Woodpecker, 27 January 2009 - 05:27 PM.