WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:03.290 I recently returned from a family trip to Walt Disney World. 00:00:03.290 --> 00:00:06.860 Everyone in my family is a bit of a Disney fanatic, and we’ve made many a trip. 00:00:06.860 --> 00:00:10.840 Yes it’s an expensive adventure, but it’s a place that has a special place in my heart, 00:00:10.840 --> 00:00:13.809 and one that I truly believe has shaped me into who I am today. 00:00:13.809 --> 00:00:18.580 Particularly my experiences at Epcot, perhaps the only theme park dedicated to exploring 00:00:18.580 --> 00:00:21.450 new technologies and world cultures. 00:00:21.450 --> 00:00:24.710 What excites and interests me most about Walt Disney World is their constant innovation 00:00:24.710 --> 00:00:27.030 and use of technology in novel ways. 00:00:27.030 --> 00:00:30.090 The technology throughout the resort has always fascinated me. 00:00:30.090 --> 00:00:34.820 From what today we would call simple things like using RFID tags to cue up narration segments 00:00:34.820 --> 00:00:36.454 on Living with the Land 00:00:36.454 --> 00:00:41.000 (Narration: Some of our best ideas have been inspired by nature) 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:45.480 not to mention Magic Bands, to the use of Monorails as an actual transportation solution, 00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:48.990 oh and why not send it through the atrium of a hotel and build a station while we’re 00:00:48.990 --> 00:00:53.250 at it, to the use of linear induction motors to propel the ride vehicles of the Peoplemover 00:00:53.250 --> 00:00:58.160 (a system, by the way, which has been in near constant use since all the way back in nineteen-seventy-freaking-five. 00:00:58.160 --> 00:01:05.300 (60Hz hum from propulsion system) 00:01:05.300 --> 00:01:06.420 Love that sound! 00:01:06.420 --> 00:01:10.950 To the increasingly complex and impressive Animatronic figures, with this new Na’Vi 00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:13.390 figure being remarkably fluid and believable. 00:01:13.390 --> 00:01:17.060 But this video isn’t about those things, it’s about ride safety and capacity. 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:18.060 Yeah. 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:19.060 I’m a nerd. 00:01:19.060 --> 00:01:20.280 Deal with it. 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:24.540 Because of Disney’s extensive use of theming, they are able to hide certain ride control 00:01:24.540 --> 00:01:28.700 elements to make their attractions accommodate more people while still remaining safe. 00:01:28.700 --> 00:01:31.520 What I’m talking about here are roller coasters. 00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:35.600 Roller coasters generally receive all the energy they need at the beginning of the ride. 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:39.310 Whether it’s a launch or a more traditional lift hill, a roller coaster train starts the 00:01:39.310 --> 00:01:43.660 course with the maximum amount of energy at the beginning, and then navigates the track 00:01:43.660 --> 00:01:46.850 with an overall downward slope from its highest point. 00:01:46.850 --> 00:01:51.869 With rare exceptions, roller coaster trains are entirely passive vehicles, requiring elements 00:01:51.869 --> 00:01:56.330 in the track to both provide them with energy (such as a chain lift) and to stop or slow 00:01:56.330 --> 00:01:58.070 them through the use of brakes. 00:01:58.070 --> 00:02:01.860 Because the control elements are located in the track, the capacity of a roller coaster 00:02:01.860 --> 00:02:03.100 is limited. 00:02:03.100 --> 00:02:07.100 When in operation, two trains cannot navigate the course at the same time or a collision 00:02:07.100 --> 00:02:11.290 would be possible should one train encounter a problem, such as a dislodged wheel, and 00:02:11.290 --> 00:02:13.230 come to an unexpected stop. 00:02:13.230 --> 00:02:17.980 In many roller coasters, this is managed with large trains capable of handling many people. 00:02:17.980 --> 00:02:21.730 When one train is dispatched, another takes its place in the station to be unloaded and 00:02:21.730 --> 00:02:22.730 reloaded. 00:02:22.730 --> 00:02:26.430 But that train cannot be dispatched until the train in front of it returns to the station, 00:02:26.430 --> 00:02:30.670 at which point it is certain a collision cannot occur as the first train has returned and 00:02:30.670 --> 00:02:32.080 is now stopped. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:36.379 This means that trains can only be dispatched about as frequently as the ride is long. 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:40.450 A roller coaster with a two minute ride time can therefore only dispatch one train every 00:02:40.450 --> 00:02:45.030 two minutes, so its capacity is limited to 30 train loads per hour. 00:02:45.030 --> 00:02:49.320 This necessitates long trains with many seats, or an acceptance of lower ride capacity. 00:02:49.320 --> 00:02:53.130 Now, if you’ve ever ridden Space Mountain, you’ll know that each train holds a whopping 00:02:53.130 --> 00:02:55.030 6 people. 00:02:55.030 --> 00:02:59.590 This is needed because the ride is enclosed in a building and doesn’t have a lot of space. 00:02:59.590 --> 00:03:01.530 Which is odd given the name. 00:03:01.530 --> 00:03:06.100 Anyway, the tiny trains are able to navigate really tight corners and sudden changes of 00:03:06.100 --> 00:03:10.080 direction, which allows for the ride to be very thrilling even though it’s so compact. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:14.360 But with only six people per train, the ride’s capacity would be pretty awful if only one 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:16.530 train was allowed on the course at once. 00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:21.019 With a ride time of 2 and a half minutes, only 144 people could ride per hour. 00:03:21.019 --> 00:03:23.500 So, there must be some tricks up their sleeves. 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:27.710 The first and most obvious trick is that there are two mirrored copies of the same roller 00:03:27.710 --> 00:03:30.120 coaster inside the mountain at Walt Disney World. 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:33.260 So now we’ve got 288 people per hour. 00:03:33.260 --> 00:03:35.240 Whoop-a-de-freaking doo-da. 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:40.110 But if you pay attention while in line, you’ll see that they send a train about every 20 seconds. 00:03:40.110 --> 00:03:42.959 With two sides running, that’s like sending 6 people every 10 seconds. 00:03:42.959 --> 00:03:47.190 That’s a much more impressive 2,160 people per hour. 00:03:47.190 --> 00:03:49.840 But how can they do that and still be safe? 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:54.410 Dispatching a train that frequently means there are about 7 trains running about at once. 00:03:54.410 --> 00:03:57.940 Well, the fact that the ride is in nearly complete darkness means that Disney can hide 00:03:57.940 --> 00:03:59.910 a lot of safety elements. 00:03:59.910 --> 00:04:01.330 What are they hiding? 00:04:01.330 --> 00:04:03.409 Lots and lots of brake runs. 00:04:03.409 --> 00:04:06.630 Incidentally, it’s not that hard to see what Space Mountain looks like with the lights 00:04:06.630 --> 00:04:10.810 on, just ride the peoplemover while it’s broken down and you’ll get a good view. 00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:15.720 There’s oodles of mechanical equipment everywhere, and among the wires, girders, and gobbledygook 00:04:15.720 --> 00:04:19.689 are frequent, regular intervals of straight ride track containing brakes just like you 00:04:19.689 --> 00:04:21.930 see in the station, but stronger. 00:04:21.930 --> 00:04:24.949 These are called brake runs, and they are capable of bringing the train to a complete 00:04:24.949 --> 00:04:26.400 stop with a moment’s notice. 00:04:26.400 --> 00:04:28.869 Let’s build a mini-roller coaster using marbleworks. 00:04:28.869 --> 00:04:30.600 Yes, marbleworks. 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:35.120 When a marble is placed on the course, it can’t be stopped until it reaches the bottom. 00:04:35.139 --> 00:04:39.159 If these marbles were vehicles containing fragile and litigious human beings, the only 00:04:39.159 --> 00:04:43.270 way to prevent collisions would be to only allow only one marble on the track at once. 00:04:43.270 --> 00:04:46.909 But let’s imagine that at each connection to the next piece there is a brake run that 00:04:46.909 --> 00:04:48.699 can stop the marble. 00:04:48.699 --> 00:04:52.120 Now we can send more than one marble at a time because there are multiple places that 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:54.029 we can stop them if necessary. 00:04:54.029 --> 00:04:57.749 To prevent collisions in a rollercoaster, the ride’s computer system is constantly 00:04:57.749 --> 00:05:01.939 monitoring sensors in each of these brake runs which tell it if a train is there and 00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:03.680 how fast it is going. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:07.939 The computer’s goal is to ensure there is always a brake run between trains. 00:05:07.939 --> 00:05:11.550 It will not allow a train to pass through a brake run unless the following brake run 00:05:11.550 --> 00:05:15.159 has already had a train go through it and is now clear. 00:05:15.159 --> 00:05:18.839 If the train in front of you hasn’t made it out of its own brake run, the computer 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:24.270 will immediately apply the brakes ahead of you to stop your train and prevent a possible collision. 00:05:24.270 --> 00:05:28.710 These intervals on the track are called block sections, as any Roller Coaster Tycoon aficionado 00:05:28.710 --> 00:05:30.139 would know. 00:05:30.139 --> 00:05:35.280 Also of note is that the type of brakes used in roller coasters generally require power, 00:05:35.280 --> 00:05:39.300 often in the form of air pressure, in order to be released, with a spring providing the 00:05:39.300 --> 00:05:40.879 actual braking force. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.749 A sudden loss of pressure will cause them to immediately engage. 00:05:43.749 --> 00:05:47.960 Now, with trains being sent every 20 seconds in Space Mountain, there needs to be a brake 00:05:47.960 --> 00:05:50.569 run at least that frequently throughout the ride. 00:05:50.569 --> 00:05:54.300 But sticking to that interval for brake runs would require that each train go through the 00:05:54.300 --> 00:05:56.889 course at precisely the same speed. 00:05:56.889 --> 00:06:00.740 If the train in front of you were to slow down even just a little bit, your train would 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:04.369 need to be stopped at the next brake run to eliminate the risk of a crash. 00:06:04.369 --> 00:06:08.169 This would happen because the computer didn’t see the lead train go through the brake run 00:06:08.169 --> 00:06:10.809 and can’t be sure a collusion won’t happen. 00:06:10.809 --> 00:06:13.860 This would also require all trains behind you to be stopped. 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:17.919 Additionally, if your train got ahead of where it should be, there would be no way to prevent 00:06:17.919 --> 00:06:21.349 a collision with the next train should it stop unexpectedly. 00:06:21.349 --> 00:06:25.539 There should therefore be a brake run about twice as often as the trains are dispatched. 00:06:25.539 --> 00:06:30.199 This allows wiggle room for inconsistent train speed, and ensures there is always at least 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:33.150 one brake run between every train. 00:06:33.150 --> 00:06:37.509 And in fact, if you pay attention while riding Space Mountain, you’ll notice an odd regularity 00:06:37.509 --> 00:06:38.740 in the ride. 00:06:38.740 --> 00:06:42.889 Space Mountain as a ride is very twisty, turny, droppy, and fun. 00:06:42.889 --> 00:06:44.129 Kinda like marbleworks. 00:06:44.129 --> 00:06:47.860 But about every ten seconds, you spend a moment going perfectly straight. 00:06:47.860 --> 00:06:51.800 Then you resume the shenanigans, and after another 10 seconds, you go perfectly straight 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:53.539 for a brief moment. 00:06:53.539 --> 00:06:57.599 After which point you again spend roughly 10 seconds careening through the galaxy, before 00:06:57.599 --> 00:06:59.369 going perfectly straight. 00:06:59.369 --> 00:07:01.879 Each of these straight sections is a brake run. 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:05.679 Brake runs have to be straight as the brake fins below the train need to be lined up between 00:07:05.679 --> 00:07:07.259 the squeezy bits here. 00:07:07.259 --> 00:07:10.789 And though you can’t see it, there’s also a platform and walkway beside you along the 00:07:10.789 --> 00:07:13.409 brake run in case of a ride evacuation. 00:07:13.409 --> 00:07:18.209 With frequent brake runs, the computer controlling the ride can also adjust the speed of trains. 00:07:18.209 --> 00:07:21.750 Because train detection sensors can determine the speed of each train in addition to simple 00:07:21.750 --> 00:07:26.180 presence, the computer can compensate for a train going too fast by lightly applying 00:07:26.180 --> 00:07:28.009 the brakes to slow it down. 00:07:28.009 --> 00:07:32.009 In this case, the brakes would be referred to as trim brakes, and you might notice your 00:07:32.009 --> 00:07:35.259 train being slowed down in these straight sections from time to time. 00:07:35.259 --> 00:07:39.929 Likewise, it can slow trains if a train up ahead is going slower than usual. 00:07:39.929 --> 00:07:43.910 The brakes and computer system work together to allow perhaps as many as 7 trains on each 00:07:43.910 --> 00:07:46.139 track to traverse the course at once. 00:07:46.139 --> 00:07:47.709 But sometimes errors do occur. 00:07:47.709 --> 00:07:51.839 If the computer tries to slow down a train and slows it too much, it may not clear the 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.999 following brake run before the train behind it catches up. 00:07:54.999 --> 00:07:59.150 Or perhaps the brakes failed to act well enough, allowing the train to get too close to the 00:07:59.150 --> 00:08:00.369 following train. 00:08:00.369 --> 00:08:04.469 Or even simpler, a sensor may be acting up and reports something weird to the computer, 00:08:04.469 --> 00:08:07.659 making it think a ride vehicle is present when it actually isn’t. 00:08:07.659 --> 00:08:09.749 In these cases, the computer will need to take over. 00:08:09.749 --> 00:08:13.180 Though I can’t confirm it as I’ve never worked on a roller coaster or studied its 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:17.469 operating minutia, it’s likely any of these scenarios will trigger a complete stop of 00:08:17.469 --> 00:08:23.300 the ride, with every brake run instantly engaging to stop all motion on the track as soon as possible. 00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:27.399 This safety measure is probably the cause of many a lengthy breakdown, as the ride will 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:30.529 have to be manually reset after these emergency stops. 00:08:30.529 --> 00:08:34.669 In fact, there’s a great video here on YouTube of the Disneyland space mountain, that’s 00:08:34.669 --> 00:08:37.399 Disneyland in California, going through just that. 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.459 Disneyland’s space mountain is slightly different in that there’s a single track 00:08:40.459 --> 00:08:42.860 with each train holding 12 people. 00:08:42.860 --> 00:08:46.660 In the video, you can see that there are trains scattered throughout the mountain, with each 00:08:46.660 --> 00:08:48.740 of those brake runs holding a train. 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:52.670 The cast members then go backwards through the mountain, starting at the bottom, releasing 00:08:52.670 --> 00:08:55.529 trains one at a time through the rest of the ride. 00:08:55.529 --> 00:08:59.649 Once all the trains have returned, they can begin the process of restarting the ride. 00:08:59.649 --> 00:09:02.790 The unfortunate thing about Space Mountain is that’s it’s pretty much impossible 00:09:02.790 --> 00:09:04.680 to show you any of this. 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:08.850 Disney went the easy route and relied on the cover of darkness to hide what’s going on. 00:09:08.850 --> 00:09:11.860 But at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, I can. 00:09:11.860 --> 00:09:15.740 Remember how I said “Because of Disney’s extensive use of theming, they are able to 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:20.220 hide certain ride control elements to make their attractions accommodate more people 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:22.540 while still remaining safe” earlier in the video? 00:09:22.540 --> 00:09:25.100 Well, at this attraction, they use a different method. 00:09:25.100 --> 00:09:29.889 Big Thunder has an immense capacity, with each train consisting of 15 rows that can 00:09:29.889 --> 00:09:32.480 accommodate two adults with a child. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.970 AND, Big Thunder’s station uses two loading platforms with track switches, which allows 00:09:36.970 --> 00:09:40.339 for sending trains twice as fast as they can be loaded. 00:09:40.339 --> 00:09:44.640 Sending trains so frequently means that multiple trains occupy the track at once, which requires 00:09:44.640 --> 00:09:46.620 the use of block sections to prevent collisions. 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:50.779 But rather than use frequent brake runs which are obvious without Space Mountain’s shotgun 00:09:50.779 --> 00:09:55.820 approach of complete darkness, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad contains three separate lift hills. 00:09:55.820 --> 00:10:01.560 A lift hill can be a type of block section as the train can be stopped simply by stopping the lift. 00:10:01.560 --> 00:10:05.720 Lift hills also offer more flexibility, because the train travels along it for a large number 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:10.379 of seconds and therefore is in complete computer control for longer. 00:10:10.379 --> 00:10:14.600 The computer has all this time to decide if it needs to stop the train, allowing for a 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:17.620 large amount of slop and inconsistency between trains. 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:21.810 Also, because each lift hill moves the train as part of its normal operation, the ride 00:10:21.810 --> 00:10:26.240 can recover from minor trouble by restarting a train’s movement after a stop was required, 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.560 so long as it’s safe to do so. 00:10:28.560 --> 00:10:32.260 This is in contrast to Space Mountain, where the block brakes are simply providing a last-minute 00:10:32.260 --> 00:10:35.060 means of stopping the ride altogether in emergencies. 00:10:35.060 --> 00:10:40.199 This merging of theming and mechanics is one of those things that I consider genius on Disney’s part. 00:10:40.199 --> 00:10:44.040 The extra lift hills on Big Thunder seem, from the rider’s perspective, to simply 00:10:44.040 --> 00:10:49.069 be theming elements or perhaps just a fun addition to the ride, but they are more than that. 00:10:49.069 --> 00:10:53.050 They are an integral part of the ride’s safety systems, allowing for a huge boost 00:10:53.050 --> 00:10:58.600 in ride capacity all the while protecting you from injury (and the company from lawsuits). 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:01.680 Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom takes this one step further. 00:11:01.680 --> 00:11:05.170 I don’t have footage of the ride so I’ll be brief, but this ride contains two lift 00:11:05.170 --> 00:11:07.699 hills, and two reversing sections. 00:11:07.699 --> 00:11:11.589 All of these elements allow the train to be stopped if need be, with the reversing sections 00:11:11.589 --> 00:11:14.790 stopping the train as part of a normal ride experience. 00:11:14.790 --> 00:11:19.790 By building a stop into the ride’s theme, there is yet another added point of flexibility. 00:11:19.790 --> 00:11:24.070 In this case, if a train in front of you is occupying the next block section, the ride 00:11:24.070 --> 00:11:26.550 system simply holds your train longer than usual. 00:11:26.550 --> 00:11:28.750 Once it’s clear to go, the train is released. 00:11:28.750 --> 00:11:31.590 If you’d like to see this ride in action, check out the link below or through the card 00:11:31.590 --> 00:11:32.910 on your screen. 00:11:32.910 --> 00:11:35.029 And please, fix the Yeti. 00:11:35.029 --> 00:11:39.060 I’ve often felt that Disney has shaped the kind of person I am in more ways than one. 00:11:39.060 --> 00:11:43.850 I’d say a large part of my interest in technology comes from this technological mecca of entertainment. 00:11:43.850 --> 00:11:48.550 It was always fun to try and figure out how they did what they did, and let me tell you, 00:11:48.550 --> 00:11:51.040 I’m still having fun doing that today. 00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:52.839 Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed the video! 00:11:52.839 --> 00:11:54.730 And if you did, please consider subscribing. 00:11:54.730 --> 00:11:58.459 I’d also like to thank all of my supporters on Patreon. 00:11:58.459 --> 00:12:02.310 You can also support this channel through a totally voluntary contribution by visiting 00:12:02.310 --> 00:12:04.569 the link below or on your screen. 00:12:04.569 --> 00:12:07.880 Your support can help me make videos like this more frequently, and your consideration 00:12:07.880 --> 00:12:09.700 is much appreciated. 00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:10.900 I’ll see you next time.