Hulk - is it always the same speed?

[Sallieanne]

Please would someone put us out of our misery?

We recently visited this ride (3 times in one day) & friends who went with us insisted it was faster on the day they were there on their own. Is this possible? Or are they teasing????

I tend to think where you sit can alter your perception of the ride, or am I deluding myself??

Would love to hear from all you Hulk boffins!

Thanks in advance,

Sallie

 

[Candice30]

i agree that they are teasing. i have sat in the front, middle, and back. the speed always felt the same. the ride experience was definitely different. for us, much more thrilling in the front row but i didn't feel like i was going any faster.

 

[T-10X]

It is very possible that it was differnt speeds, these things can alter the speed.

Weight(number of people)
Time of day
Weather
Temprature
How old the wheels are
How many cars are on the track

 

[Sallieanne]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Is it faster with more people or less? Do they speed up the ride if 2 cars are on the track??

Just so we can be sure to ride it at it's fastest next time -

 

[Pkdcoastrs]

While those factors "can" alter the speed, it is nothing signification. Maybe 1 mph or 2mph, if even that. Your friends are messing around with you.

Did you hear the back of the roller coaster train goes faster then the front ????? Not true haha.

 

[T-10X]

Ride Hulk first thing on a very cold morning, and then again late on a very hot summer day and you will be bitting you tounge on that one.

 

[Absimilliard]

The launch cannot be adjusted by the operators. The computers already have it programmed in them for the normal operation of the ride. After all the harnesses are verified, the operator at the control booth push 2 buttons and the train is sent out. Once its out of the station... computer is in control.

After the launch, there is no brakes or booster tires for the first part of the ride. The factors already mentionned influence a little bit he speed here, but nothing significant. After the 6th loop, its goes up on a bit of straight track, which is called a brake run. The brake run can trim (slow down) the train based on its speed in the first part, to make sure its goes through the last corkscrew as per the designer wanted it to be...

So, as you can see, there are no ways the speed of the ride can be cranked up really high.

 

[spewey]

Further to that - yes, some factors (temperature, wheels, wind, etc.) can have a noticeable impact on the speed of many coasters, but Hulk? Hmmm ...

I do wonder if, like with other launched rides, the train is weighed and the speed of the launch adjusted. Timing is crucial to any ride that runs more than one vehicle (such as Hulk's three), as you cannot have more than one vehicle per "block" at a time. Roughly put, blocks are sections of track between devices - i.e. brakes or the lift hill - that can stop a train. The Hulk has the station, lift, the aforementioned mid-course block brake, and I believe two end of the ride brake runs. IOA runs it like most parks with a three-train coaster, trying for one on the course, one loading, and one on the near brake run.

Here's a bit of trivia that may interest some: As the story goes, the company that built Hulk - B&M, probably the most respected coaster company in the world - was not thrilled with Universal's idea for the tire launch system. As it happens, Universal desinged it in-house and then sub-contracted the installation to another company (called MTS, if I recall correctly). Why they needed to do this, I'm not sure, but B&M does have a reputation for playing it pretty conservatively, and not diving in to untested waters ...

 

[Dznefreek]

Further to that - yes, some factors (temperature, wheels, wind, etc.) can have a noticeable impact on the speed of many coasters, but Hulk? Hmmm ...

The net effect is minimal.

 

[spewey]

I assume that, yes, those factors are minimal on the Hulk. I thought that came through in my post.

As for other coasters - the effects can be very significant. In fact, if those variables are not taken into consideration, especially before the ride is "warmed up", there is the very real possibility of a "rollback", or the train not completing the circuit. On some coasters the remedy for this is a lengthy shutdown; some require the trains to be removed, car by car, by a crane. Not a pretty sight ...

 

[Sallieanne]

Wow!! Thanks so much for the info - I knew you wouldn't let me down. I feel a bit more confident that we didn't miss out on "an extra fast ride" now.

By the way - the same friends also said MGM's Rock'n'roller coaster was faster in Paris (which we haven't been to)

Maybe I should stop listening & carry on enjoying the rides as much as we always do!!!

Thanks again