Greg writes: This giant coaster has taken fifteen years to get to this stage. There are three chain hills. #1 has six motors, four at the top and two at the bottom to reduce drag. #2 and #3 hills both have two motors at top and bottom. The height of the first hill is approximately eight feet, the width is six feet at the widest point and it is a little more than fifteen feet long. After the first hill and drop the track inverts so that the car travels upside down until it loops back to the second chain hill. When it reaches the top of the second hill the track does a double helix turn with a few camel hump hills near the end and it then drops to the third chain hill. At the top of the third hill, it does a slow turn to the final drop with a double loop at the bottom before returning to loading building.
There is a little more than 100 feet of track. I am presently working on an electronic sensor system that will control the starting and stopping of the cars.
Developing the catch for the chain has been an ongoing research project that has tried my patience to the limit. The only other problem is trying to slow the cars down at key sections of the track.
I’d be glad to answer any questions if anyone is interested. But if you’re starting a coaster model you better have a lot of time, parts, and an unbelievable amount of patience because you’re going to need it!