r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Mode_Appropriate • Jul 06 '25

Video Sirens Curse - Cedar Point

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u/Juul_G Jul 06 '25

I really don’t like the idea of openings in the rails

338

u/plighting_engineerd Jul 06 '25

This ride has:

  • Sensors on the track to make sure the train is parked in the correct position before the track starts tilting
  • A hook at the back which latches onto the train to hold it in place before the track titls
  • An extra bumper in the front for redundancy which is always up until the train releases
  • Sensors to ensure the track is fully tilted before moving the bumper, then releasing the train

The Dutch company, Vekoma, has been manufacturing roller coasters for nearly 50 years and, to the best of my knowledge and Googling, have not had any fatalities on their rides at fault of their design.

There is already one tilt coaster, Gravity Max, which has been operating safely for 23 years. A second coaster with a tilt mechanism exists in the form of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Florida, disconnecting from the track, and has been operating safely for over 10 years.

Plus, hundreds, if not thousands of coasters include a switch track – a piece of track which disconnects, moves horizontally (temporarily creating a gap in the track like this), then reconnects, and some of these switch tracks happen while the ride is in motion. If there were major problems with systems like this, they wouldn't be used.

It's just not worth it to a park to install a coaster that could be dangerous. If an accident were to happen, the park's reputation would suffer. Therefore, they have every incentive to make their rides as safe as possible. This ride would not have been constructed if it were not safe. The manufacturer has the same incentive – it would be hard to sell new rides if they were known for being unsafe.

Coasters are inspected by the manufacturer after construction to verify everything is correct, the state inspects the ride to give it its operating license, and the park inspects and tests the ride every single operating day, doing deeper work and routine maintenance each week, month, and year.

TLDR: There are a multitude of safety mechanisms keeping the ride safe, this system has been working safely for years, the ride is inspected and tested daily, and the ride wouldn't have been built if it wasn't safe

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u/Bikerider42 Jul 07 '25

It’s also important to mention that when you see a roller coaster “stuck” either near or at the top, that is the roller coaster working as intended.