EPISODE · Sep 5, 2023 · 45 MIN
Behind the Thrills: Inside Coaster Maintenance and Safety
from ACE - Ride With Us · host American Coaster Enthusiasts
Behind the Thrills: Inside Coaster Maintenance and Safety The thrill of experiencing rides is based on the trust that comes from knowing that every park’s maintenance team works diligently to keep each ride safe for all riders. When a ride or attraction has an incident, it’s sure to get a lot of negative attention. The less visible side of maintenance is the number of hours and the attention to detail that every park spends maintaining their most precious commodity: the safety of their park visitors. Today, co-host John Davidson talks to Will Meldrum-Thush a Mechanical Engineer at Roush Entertainment Systems about the important work his team does to keep their rides safe for all guests to enjoy. Listen carefully for a pro tip about getting out of a B&M hyper coaster’s train! In this episode: [02:00] Introducing Will Meldrum-Thush, mechanical engineer at Roush Entertainment Systems [06:20] John recaps his Ice Breaker maintenance bay tour at SeaWorld Orlando [08:10] Annual maintenance insights (spoiler: it’s VERY thorough!) [18:30] Daily checks: Every bolt on every support [25:20] Testing block zones and avoiding "bumper cars" [26:53] Transition from manufacturer to park maintenance [32:10] Complex coaster maintenance (i.e., flying coasters vs. hyper coasters) [36:55] Coaster operating costs [38:15] Dealing with delays in operations [40:00] The secret behind one-train operations [43:15] The key to coaster education Share your ideas and thoughts about this podcast via email: [email protected]. Visit ridewithace.com to learn more about the non-profit organization American Coaster Enthusiasts. Join the team of ACE volunteers. Volunteering offers different ways to share your talents by: Having an impact on the future of ACE Providing opportunities for rewarding experiences Developing friendships in a small group Learning new skills or sharing your talents with ACE Podcast Volunteer Team Hosts: Jessica Gardner and John Davidson Producer: Derek Perry Editors: Bob Randolph Show Notes: Liz Tan Project Manager: Corey Wooten Correspondent: Bryant Yeager Cover Photography: Andrew Pace, Anthony Saporito, and Rafael Larios
What this episode covers
Behind the Thrills: Inside Coaster Maintenance and Safety The thrill of experiencing rides is based on the trust that comes from knowing that every park’s maintenance team works diligently to keep each ride safe for all riders. When a ride or attraction has an incident, it’s sure to get a lot of negative attention. The less visible side of maintenance is the number of hours and the attention to detail that every park spends maintaining their most precious commodity: the safety of their park visitors. Today, co-host John Davidson talks to Will Meldrum-Thush a Mechanical Engineer at Roush Entertainment Systems about the important work his team does to keep their rides safe for all guests to enjoy. Listen carefully for a pro tip about getting out of a B&M hyper coaster’s train! In this episode: [02:00] Introducing Will Meldrum-Thush, mechanical engineer at Roush Entertainment Systems [06:20] John recaps his Ice Breaker maintenance bay tour at SeaWorld Orlando [08:10] Annual maintenance insights (spoiler: it’s VERY thorough!) [18:30] Daily checks: Every bolt on every support [25:20] Testing block zones and avoiding "bumper cars" [26:53] Transition from manufacturer to park maintenance [32:10] Complex coaster maintenance (i.e., flying coasters vs. hyper coasters) [36:55] Coaster operating costs [38:15] Dealing with delays in operations [40:00] The secret behind one-train operations [43:15] The key to coaster education Share your ideas and thoughts about this podcast via email: [email protected]. Visit ridewithace.com to learn more about the non-profit organization American Coaster Enthusiasts. Join the team of ACE volunteers. Volunteering offers different ways to share your talents by: Having an impact on the future of ACE Providing opportunities for rewarding experiences Developing friendships in a small group Learning new skills or sharing your talents with ACE Podcast Volunteer Team Hosts: Jessica Gardner and John Davidson Producer: Derek Perry Editors: Bob Randolph Show Notes: Liz Tan Project Manager: Corey Wooten Correspondent: Bryant Yeager Cover Photography: Andrew Pace, Anthony Saporito, and Rafael Larios
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Behind the Thrills: Inside Coaster Maintenance and Safety
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