Ride Tribute
parkworld-online.com Winter work
company approached the owners of all such coasters, promising the Holy Grail by applying automatic braking systems. Tivoli chose to wait and see the results of other refurbishments. We observed that many rides lost their value because the train would have to stop and start at every drop and await a ‘go’ signal from the train ahead, making for a very ‘unsexy’ stop and go ride experience. On top of this, the capacity would often fall. We are proud that the oldest coaster in the park has 1.3 million riders per year. This capacity can only be achieved because we can have up to four 22- passenger trains on the track at any one time. The second highest capacity ride in the park is our Daemonen steel coaster. This is fully automatic and can run 870,000 riders per year on 564m of track, compared to 650m of track on Rutschebanen. A central person on the station monitors all of the trains and gives the go ahead for the next train after receiving a hand signal from the brake men on the hills. Men can be faster than machines, and make informed decisions and predictions based on their years of experience. Each brake man also runs the ride a little differently, which gives a personal touch to the ride experience.
The biggest challenge with the refurbishment was time. Tivoli closes after the winter season on New Year’s Eve and opens again the first week of April, leaving only three short months in the midst of Danish winter to do whatever new actions are needed for the coming season. We really had our work cut out with Rutschebanen. Tivoli is a crammed park in the middle of a city, not an open field in the countryside. This meant we had to block off main roads in order to receive materials. We erected 10 storeys of scaffolding to cover the constructions site so the concrete sculptors could start their work once the old rock faces were torn down. Safety lines for people working up top at night were also required, together with a heating system so the concrete would not freeze. As well as 4,500 square metres of new rockwork, paint, woodwork, and LED lighting, the waterfall was a challenge as we are running 60 cubic metres of water per hour down towards a basin 2 metres from one of park’s most trafficked walkways. However, when people stop and get out their phones to take pictures, we know that we have done a good job.
tivoli.dk “
In 1914 the mountains did not have to be as impressive as today. Now the train travels through two mountain peaks, the tallest of which is 26m
Happy Birthday
As well as Rutschebanen, several other Tivoli attractions are celebrating noteworthy anniversaries in 2014, such as The Demon floorless B&M coaster, now in its 10th season. The 63m-tall Golden Tower (by S&S) is 15-years-old. The Grøften restaurant celebrates its 140th anniversary, with a reputation as one of Copenhagen’s most popular dining spots. Meanwhile the Tivoli Boys Guard, “the world’s oldest boy band” (pictured), who have been a valuable source of music education to Danish children, will be marching through the park for their 170th year.
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MAY 2014
47
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