Roller Coaster Block Sections: Explained
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- Опубликовано: 3 июл 2024
- Roller coasters usually have multiple trains flying through the circuit at once. But what keeps these trains from coming into contact with each other? The more cars on the ride at one time, the more chance of them colliding, right? Fortunately, roller coasters feature comprehensive systems to prevent this from happening in the form of block sections, more commonly referred to as blocks. But what are block sections, how can I spot them, and why does the roller coaster at my favourite theme park need them?
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Thanks to reddit user DjTrailer for the photo of Fury 325 used in the thumbnail!
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Manual block system from 1963? Railway block systems have been in use since the 1800s...
I imagine you mean 1863
I did! I'm a roller coaster channel and there aren't many roller coasters built in the 1800s, so it's force of habit to say 19 something, sorry!
COASTER BOT: Thanks for the love! The context of the rest of the video makes it obvious that you intended to say 1863 😂😂.
As much as it might not count as a roller COASTER because it would require each train to have breaks and their own power, it would be interesting to see how many trains you could run if you applied modern railway signalling systems to roller coasters, where the ride functions normally and would only use the brakes and motors if it gets too close to the one in front. If you have enough split platforms you could probably get a train every 10 seconds.
Harry: ‘preventing them from ever coming into contact’
Also Harry: shows smiler
Bluedragon967 Smiler wouldn’t have crashed if the operator hadn’t told it too.
@@danielledewitt1 That could also be filed under poor design. Unless you're implying that the operator was intentionally committing murder. It shouldn't be up to the operator to bypass the most important safety mechanism.
@@logicn.reasoning9744 don't forget the smiler in essence was a prototype it was the first coaster of its kind so all the systems were never going to be 100% perfect
@Blue Morpho Busy day or not, I would expect any ride operator trusted with the lives of several people at once to follow proper procedure and check the ride path before they override a crucial safety feature. The ride system functioned exactly as it was supposed to. An idiotic and under-trained employee trying to save some time was what caused the accident.
Don’t wanna disturb the conversation but that isn’t smiler lol
Clearly I need to rewatch this video to enhance my RCT builds
Oh most definitely ;)
Ah, yes.
Block sections.
The one thing that I always can’t manage to figure out how to work in Planet Coaster...
rip
COASTER BOT definitely a big rip
I mean, No Limits 2 works, but even they can jam up soooo. :P
Coaster Fusion change the coaster type to block sectioned instead of standard and run one test to see the duration. Take the ride duration do it -15 seconds and add that time in the departure interval
@@mintybluej thats why you gotta make sure you have your blocks spaced out properly and change your dispatch intervals to work
Another benefit of block sections (mid course brakes) is that for highly themed coasters it allows the train to stop or slow for a section of dark ride elements. I have no problem with a coaster being stopped and losing its momentum if there is a pay off in terms of theming.
Very true!
Some also make for some pretty fun and aggressive dive off the mid course.
Hi, Senior mechanical engineering student here, and I have experiencing interning with a roller coaster design company - you did an exceptional job with this video and explained everything perfectly! Well done
Thank you very much, that means a lot! What company did you intern for, are you allowed to say? :)
COASTER BOT follow and message me on Instagram @rsp_will and I’d love to talk to you about it :)
Cool, I had no idea this was inspired by the railroad system.
The strings of cars are called trains, and they run on tracks ... coasters are railroads/railways. They just run from A to A rather than A to B :-)
“On rollercoasters a block zone is a section of ride that only one train may occupy at a time. At the end of a block zone there is a method to stop the train, in case the block zone ahead is still occupied. This is the safety system that prevents rollercoaster trains from colliding with one another. Let’s look at the block sections on...”
-El Toro Ryan
I honestly think every GP should see this video
Agreed
They'd rather claim every ride is going to kill you.
One thing I like to do when a ride is closed is say "yeah, they started coming back empty"
Uh huh, suuuuure, the western, civilized, regulated, engineered world is going to kill you. If you were gonna die today, it'd be on the road.
@@MyNameIsEarl42 bruh, gp's can be a little dumb sometimes, but their the ones who help theme parks earn profit
GP?
MatrixRetoastet general public
Alternate title: Hollywood rip ride rockit: explained
Skyrush Fanboy Easy, rip ride rockit is a roller coaster.
Skyrush Fanboy - lmao
Ahhaaha
Or Smiler accident of 2015 explained.
Or incredicoaster explained
“... to allow multiple trains to navigate the roller coaster’s layout at once.” Was it coincidence that you showed The Smiler while saying this?
Ummmmmmmmmm hmmmm coaster bot what are you telling us here
Literally nothing, I'm showing you an example of a ride which allows multiple trains to navigate the circuit at once. It's some of the only footage I have of a ride like this.
Hey the block brakes worked perfectly and stopped the trains. The collision happened because the operators overrode the stop.
@@themagicboy6548 True, but the computer shouldn't have allowed an operator to make such an override and I believe this has now been fixed on Smiler.
@@boom_headshot manual override should always be possible. However, only a limited number of trained people should be able to do so.
Wow, i’ve been into coasters for a long time but even i didn’t know there was such a thing a smart lifthills.
You know how Fury speeds up as soon as the train is completely engaged with the lift hill, and how it slows down at the top? That's a smart lift at work!
TheSpanish Potato, ive always wondered why it does that... So now i will know next time i ride Fury 325
TheSpanish Potato It might have other reasons, as well. The speed of the lifthill is added to the coaster when it disengages and starts to move by gravity. Thus the lifthill might have to slow down at the end.
@@UP87 Some rides, lime Dynamite at Plohn, have a "Boost" feature on the Lift, giving it basically a slight launch when compared to normal operation. In the case of Dynamite this Boost is intended for testing / warming up the ride before opening it to the public, however it could be used to keep the ride operational in lower temperatures as well. Dynamite is roughly 3 seconds quicker through the layout when the Boost engages when the ride is warmed up compared to regular operations.
An interesting use of variable-speed lift hills is to ensure that trains on separate layouts (or possibly different blocks in one layout,) come into close proximity with each other on dueling coasters. If I'm not mistaken, each train on Dueling Dragons (Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Florida,) is weighed once it has been loaded and the lift hill speeds are adjusted on-the-fly to ensure that weight differences don't counteract the 'dueling' aspect of the design. I always thought that was pretty cool, anyway 👍🏻
Omg I have to hit a park after quarantine is over! Thank you for keeping us entertained during this!!!
No problem! I think we'll all be doing that once the parks are open again :)
I want to show this comment to someone in 2018
Is it weird that these ‘explained’ videos are some of my favourites out there?
I knew all of this and still watched in awe, i just love roller coasters and everything about them
Roller coasters are awesome to just watch, for sure!
Great Explanation! However, I think it's important to add a few things:
Block Brakes are always designed to work even when there's no electricity provided to the System, e.g. due to a power shortage. This means that there are always pneumatic friction brakes found on a block section that are normally closed and need electricity to be opened and to let a train pass through. This way, when the ride doesn't get electricity any more, all trains stop automaticly at the end of the block section they're in. And if they are on the lifthill, the mechanical anti-rollback system prevents them from moving down the lift.
All great additions! There's so many facts like these throughout the world of roller coasters. I think we've covered some both at least once somewhere in another video. Thank you :)
8:15 - 8:29, did some playing around with the Helix launch, eh? Lovely job editing that bit of footage, same goes for the rest of the video!
I did, and thank you! :)
@@coasterbot There's some impressive footage you may enjoy of Taron doing basically this: ruclips.net/video/d8XkfWNZyx8/видео.html
Hot damn that is great footage, now I just wish I understood German!
I was wondering what was going on between the "fence posts"
Premiere Pro, the editing software I use, being shown two frames if video and trying to come up with the additional frames that it thinks would be in-between. It can do this 'okay' but when there's a lot going on it gets a little weird. That's exactly what is happening there
For me, I love learning about the technical side of roller coasters, especially with block sections :) I saw ElToroRyan's video on Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster, and he was excellent at explaining the technical side of both of those Intamin coasters. Especially during the one he did on Top Thrill Dragster, he really went into depth of how the blocks are programmed when in automatic mode.
ElToroRyan's videos are extremely interesting, especially learning about the quirks of the rides :)
As a former ride op, ElToroRyan cares deeply about block sections and includes a capsule explanation of them in most of his videos (to the point that it's become a running joke).
For those of you who are unfamiliar, a block zone is a section of ride that only one train may occupy. At the end of a block zone is a method to stop the train in case the block zone ahead is still occupied. This is the safety system that prevents roller coaster trains from colliding with one another.
I love that you showed a ride with a really weird and untraditional block system for the thumbnail 😂
Running two trains with one always stopping on the brake run *completely* (for DC Rivals Hypercoaster) makes a lot more sense now thanks to this video
RollerCoaster tycoon Series (specially 2) made me understand how a block system works.
"For those of you who are unfamiliar, a block zone is a section of ride that only 1 train may occupy. At the end of a block zone is the method to stop a train in case the block zone ahead is still occupied. This is the safety system that prevents Roller Coaster Trains from colliding into one another." Signed, El Toro Ryan.
I'm glad you mentioned the continuous rolling block sections. 3 Major rides I can think that have this, especially one complicated one, is Maverick at Cedar Point. Which has multiple stations, and multiple waiting blocks for trains that when trains in the station begin to move, you can see trains overlapping other blocks and coming in very slowly over each other. Typically with coasters like this, you may notice more block sensors like on Top Thrill Dragster which accurately knows the position of each train between the Unloading station(s) and Main Loading Station(s)
I was just rewatching these yesterday thinking, I wonder if he'll do another one of these! Love these!
Amazing video thanks for the explanation and history behind the block section system.
I’ve worked as a ride operator at the Matterhorn Bobsleds before! It still uses the old fashion brake block zones. They have 11 block zones on each side. It’s really cool to see such an old iconic roller coaster still in operation.
Watching roller coasters move is mesmerizing
Next video: Log Flume Block Sections: Explained
Comprehensive insight. Nice work as always Harry!
Thanks my dude, I always appreciate your comments :)
Loved the animated diagrams as always 👌
Thanks man, that means a lot :)
Not many UK theme park youtubers do what you do. Well done 👍
Brilliant video! It's impressive hope they work together to help a ride run smoothly and safely!
Thanks Dan, I couldn't agree more :)
Thanks for this video. Now, when I play the Roller Coaster Tycoon franchise or Planet Coaster, and see the term “block section, now I have a better understanding of what it specifically means. I’ve seen the term before, but now I understand it better. It will help me when building great coasters in the future, while accounting for safety. Again, thanks. Btw, Planet Coaster is SO realistic.
No problem, I'm glad to hear you've learnt something new which you can apply to some awesome games!
Great content once again harry!
Thanks Joseph!
If you’ve been on Rip Rockit then you definitely know how block sections work! There’s like a 90% chance you’ll get stuck on one since they run like 7 trains at once and anytime a train is slow to load, all the other trains have to stop all along the layout.
The stop timed with the train stopping at 4:34 is just *chef kiss* pique God-like editing skills
I love this comment
Loved the video, though I wish the smiler wasn't there in this specific video without the incident being addressed
Thank you. The Smiler showed multiple trains on the track at once perfectly, hence why it made it into the video. It didn't feel right, and isn't right in my opinion, to talk about the incident in a video like this.
COASTER BOT respect 🙏🏽
Great video, Harry, very thorough look into block sections. I just wish you hadn't spent 20 minutes showing us your OpenRCT2 bobsled coasters and moaning whenever a train passed through the block without stopping.
Thanks Frank, maybe one day eh? ;)
my dope ass dinn corp deltas in RCT2 had amazing blocks i dont blame harry one bit for creaming his jeans when you get the block sections perfect.
Very interesting! Thanks!
No problem, thanks for watching :)
Very informative, thanks!!!
No problem, thanks for watching :)
Great video!
Thanks!
6:11 not necessarily on a lot of rides if it sets up like that an operator may have to run to the block to clear it. usually done by holding an acknowledge button on a panel on the block in conjunction with the operator holding ride start. i think there is a video where you see them do this on space mountain.
Oh you're right, this was completely over-simplified. But ultimately the idea is the same whether an operator has to achieve this or the ride system does it itself :)
@@coasterbot yeah, I didn't mean that to be like an "uhhhh you're wrong" type comment but starting the comment with "not necessarily" does make it seem that way. I intended just to provide a bit more detail good vid very informative
No no I totally get it. My videos are always over-simplified for those who actually work on and with roller coasters. Only because I feel it's easier to learn the basics without knowing all of the additional caveats and technical points. Once you've got the basics then you can expand your knowledge base, you know? I appreciate comments like yours because sometimes I learn something new too! :)
I was pretty close with my guess of Foliage surrounded by roller coasters: explained! 😉
Great, informative video as always though Harry! 🤓
So close! And thank you :)
Thanks a lot, great video;)
Something, something Smiler.....
And thank you for the video, very informative!
No thank you for watching!
... And then there's the Spike coaster, that takes every concept you've learned about block sections and yeets it into a furnace! 🤣
"For those of you unfamiliar, a block zone is a section of roller coaster track that may only be occupied by one train"
At the end of a block zone is a method to stop a train in case the block zone ahead is still occupied
6:35 since the lifthill is a blocksection for its entirety you could increase the number of trains to a total of the number of block sections. With proper timing and design of the rest of the rollercoaster you can always move a train (train C) from the block brakes before the station into the station while the train in front (train A) is on the lift. In the meantime the other train (train B) is moving on the rollercoaster as normal.
I guess technically you could? But I imagine roller coasters aren't set up in this way :)
@@coasterbot yeah, This would only be usefull when you would want to absolutelly max out the capacity of the coaster. Since usually with such a scheme you would have one waiting to roll into the station when the other goes out, you would increase the capacity by less than the theoretical 50% increase.
And I guess you would have to be quite quick while loading the people onto the train.
Saw: The Ride at Thorpe Park has had a number of incidents where the ride has stopped on the vertical lift hill, although this hasn't happened when I've been on it myself.
Very cool and in-depth. I personally would love to get on the programming side of these roller coasters. #lifegoals
AMAZING! I didn't know the blocks are computerized and have automatic function!
ElToroRyan watching this “write that down, WRITE THAT DOWN”
4:41 hey look theres Doug operating! strange the decided to film the POV in maintenance mode.
THE SMILER - ACCIDENT EXPLAINED: The Smiler and it's block brake system worked to perfection on the day of the crash, but when the train go stuck in a valley, the engineer told the operator everything was fine and he chose to override the system allowing trains to be released from the chairlift. The engineer checked and had counted 4 trains which he believed were in safe positions. The operator failed to tell the engineer they had released another train just before during the busy period. This lack of communication ultimately caused the crash and bother engineer and operator are to be blame in my opinion.
Your voice is very therapeutic
Thank you! :)
This is like what happened on the Smiler but the engineer overrided the system (assuming it was a ghost train), causing the train to collide with the one stuck in a block section
Space Mountain at Walt Disney World has so many trains on the track at once that it needs (and has) like 10 block sections!
Watching this really makes me miss operating coasters mannnn 😪
Theme parks will be back again soon!
COASTER BOT I can’t wait!!!😭
1:26 My home park!
"If the block section ahead is occupied, the train will not progress from one section to the next"
*Steel Vengeance has entered the chat*
Génial !! 👍
You should a channel on flat rides and the types of flats youhave as well this also inclydes drop towers
4:40 wasn’t expecting to see Maximus in this video!
Wood have been cool to talk about the proximity switches, limit switches, eye beam, thru beams, motion sensors and optical curtain portions of the safety system.
Talking about cars not colliding: *shows picture of smiler*
Actually that’s a good example the block system did exactly what it should of done, it was the staff who messed up
You're doing God's work sir.
Get me on a coaster again! =S
I would like to point out something you missed. On most rides, if a train got stuck on a block brake for whatever reason, the park would typically have to send someone out to release the breaks once the problem has been fixed. Despite what games like RollerCoaster Tycoon and Planet Coaster would have you believe, most block breaks are not self-clearing. I say most because most B&M coasters actually do include self-clearing block breaks.
Let’s hope Holiwood Nights isn’t cancelled this year - Trimless rides on The Voyage are said to be unreal!
Ding dong your block sections are wrong.
What do you mean. From what I know about roller coasters he is pretty right on about the block sections.
@@ethenbrandenburg692 his block sections are wrong
What you on about?
@@alexraphael2327 his block sections are wrong
video: explains how block sections allow multiple trains to move safely through course
also video: awkwardly shows smiler multiple times
Case in point, Rip Ride Rockit
I'm pretty sure Space Mountain at Disney World was the first to have a fully automated block system.
Space mountain has a million block brakes seeing how many trains run at once is insane
How do rolling blocks work?
10:39 WOAH LOOK AT THE WOODEN STRUCTURE!
whats with it?
I thought this was going to be about the framework box section for holding track in place. I was wrong but this was much more interesting.
I'm glad you were pleasantly surprised!
Would two separate stations be considered two separate blocks?
I'm honestly not sure but I'd guess they do. As each one can hold it's own train surely they are two separate blocks? :)
Happy El Toro Ryan noises
This video taught me how to make Factorio train runs.
Ha ha that's so cool, Factorio is a great game :)
You probably should have mentioned why the smiler failed, ie the computer controlled block was over ridden.
Like in building where most professionals study the disasters like fires and collapses for lessons, knowing how block sections can fail is important in understanding how they should work.
I didn't feel like this was within the scope. I purely wanted to explain how block sections work, not their shortcomings or how they're interacted with by ride operators. This video isn't for professionals but novices becoming interested in how roller coasters work :)
Nevertheless I do think a video about the relationship between ride operator and ride system would be a great idea :)
the lift hill on the batman ride at six flag broke, we were stuck on the hill for 30 mins before they evacuated everyone
ElToroRyan better be here
Exhaustive and interesting video ! I still have one interrogation though. At 10:08, you show us a footage of Lost Gravity's MCBR : if the train is stopped at this block section, how can he manage to pass the dive drop wich is actually higher than the MCBR ? I can't see properly at 8:53, is there any magnetic system which could give the train some speed ?
Thanks! And that's a really interesting point! I'm honestly not sure. Maybe the train can gain just enough speed to complete the roll, or operators have to give it a push to get it through, or maybe there is a magnetic system as you said to push the train forwards! I don't know but I'm sure someone familiar with the park does. Maybe ask around and let me know if you find anything :)
Although the track itself goes up, because it flips the center of mass of the train goes down so it will still be pulled through. At least that’s how it looks to me.
I guessed correctly yesterday!
Why do some coasters have no block breaks ; for example HYPERION in Energylandia ??
What happens if there is a Medium-Approach-Medium signal?
unless its materhorn bobsleds at the loading area
How did the smiler crash take place then . Was it a block section malfunction
No, the stupid ride ops overrode the stop.
I’m pretty sure that space mountain has like 20 or more of these on the ride.
Space Mountain certainly does have a lot due to the small capacity of the trains :)
Those that are on the middle of the track, do they also tend to break the train on purpose? Or is that just a feeling from the loss of momentum? Even though I understand their need, those pauses bum me out a little bit :(
Many MCBRs will slow the trains down as they pass through them, as the next part of the layout is designed to be taken at a slower speed compared to the one which the train enters the MCBR with. Not all rides do that, but most do.
What about the smiler crash
At kennywood, on exterminator, they send two cars on the lift hill at the same time
Does one wait at the bottom while the other climbs the hill? Quite a few roller coasters do that, including Oblivion at Alton Towers!
No they’ll both be climbing the lift hill at the same time. I’ll try to find some footage
La Vibora at SFOT can do two bobs on the lift as well. but it does have a holding brake at the bottom of the lift to make sure the bobs are properly spaced
Zonies Coasters Thank you! I thought it had something To do with the lift hill sort of counting as two block brakes
Block Sections: *exists*
The Smiler: Hold my beer
Hello
9:59 YOOO THAT’S A GOOD COASTER
Can't wait to ride that bad bastard
Felice Graziano Do back left. After marathoning it for almost 2 hours straight, my thighs were almost bruised the next day. It’s worth it for the amazing -2g ejector
Felice Graziano also the drop is the most insane I’ve ever done. It’s the only element on a coaster that genuinely scares me. You almost have to brace yourself for the strong ejector in the back, but you don’t have time to think because you get JOLTED over the drop so freaking fast, and that’s already from the 18mph lift hill. *even the lift hill is intense.*
@@SkyrushFanboy ai hope I can fly to the US this summer and try it. Damn virus
Felice Graziano Yeah I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to get to CW due to the Canada borders being closed
Aren't they also called break runs?
I think @ 2:02 you meant to say 1863 rather than 1963. Also: @ 7:33 you mentioned that for a conventional coaster's MCBR the block brakes have to be high above the ground, but I think you might not have mentioned that the MCBR must be angled to slightly descend downwards going forward to allow the train's heavy weight to cause it to not only slowly go forward, but to complete it's circuit, as opposed to the launch block brakes which are angled to sightly descend backwards so that the train can roll back safely in the event rollback. (SHEESH! Now you've got me talking like Coaster Bot.) My sincere apologies Harry, but sometimes Coaster Bot can be infectious (did I just say that during these times?) Yes. Having said that: you know I love your content. Stay safe during these times.
I did mean to say 1863, I'm not used to working with dates past the 1900s, there weren't a lot of roller coasters around before then! And you're totally right, a lot of MCBRs are tilted downwards to allow the train to roll off! I definitely should have slipped a sentence in there to cover this. But some do use kicker wheels to hold and push the train on an MCBR. Thanks for the comment and nice Coaster Bot impression ;)
@@coasterbot Kicker wheels? That'd be education, at least for me. Don't feel bad for the wrong century: When referring to a particular year, half the time I start off typing "19..." until I realize my folly as it's now 2020. Yup, even after 20 years... you get the picture. ;)
Kicker wheels are essentially car tyres places within the track which are used to transport the trains along sections of the track. You usually find them in and around the station and they are used to push the train into the station and out of it when it's stopped :)
Thanks! ElToroRyan calls them drive tiers. I learned this from a funny video he did about a VIP behind the scenes tour of Lightning Rod at Dollywood. Check it out if you get the chance: He's the funniest coaster enthusiast on RUclips.
El Toro Ryan fans: "allow me to explain"
What’s the roller coaster at 8:17 ? I love the color.
It's Helix at Liseberg!
@@coasterbot thanks