The answer is that yes, the trim brake has always been there based on povs from 1999, but it didn't slow down the train as much as it does now until about 2004 because of its first development of a rattle similar to Diamondback and thus its now increased use of its single trim brake.
I'm impressed with the engineering knowledge presented in this thread.
Please explain your engineering that allows you to overcome the necessity of having the trim brake.
/sarcasm
Seriously, this is why I am really starting to hate enthusiasts at times. Do you really think that SF and B&M woke up one morning and decided to piss in your Cheerios by putting a trim in? I mean it's not like there is any structural engineering or mechanical engineering reasoning behind the trim. It's not like those factors could ever cause the need for a limited speed through certain sections of track.
I have been riding it since the day it opened and even before it officially opened, the trim hits identical now as it did in 1999 unless it's later in the day in May/October when the coaster is good n warmed up and it's running with some nylon wheels to speed it up a bit in the cool weather, so the trim ends up hitting much harder.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
RaceBoarder wrote:I'm impressed with the engineering knowledge presented in this thread.
Please explain your engineering that allows you to overcome the necessity of having the trim brake.
/sarcasm
Seriously, this is why I am really starting to hate enthusiasts at times. Do you really think that SF and B&M woke up one morning and decided to piss in your Cheerios by putting a trim in? I mean it's not like there is any structural engineering or mechanical engineering reasoning behind the trim. It's not like those factors could ever cause the need for a limited speed through certain sections of track.
Well actually it's funny, because I did graduate last year majoring in Physics/Applied physics with an emphasis in physics of materials, and a minor in engineering mathematics. It all has to do with the upstop wheels, the polyurethane or nylon wheels that sit below the rails and prevent the train from rising off the track during downward sloping changes in pitch and inversions or overbanks. If the upstop wheels degrade too quickly on Apollo's Chariot, then surely they would have activated the couple trims or installed new ones since 1999, but they haven't because the airtime and speed over their identical parabolic hill do not cause significant wear and tear on the upstops in comparison to the final smaller and stronger airtime hills on AC.
Again, AC and Nitro are mechanically and functionally identical to Raging Bull, and they feature the same parabolic hill taken at the same speed without trims, though after a larger hammerhead on Nitro I believe. RB's parabolic hill provides an identical floater airtime strength and duration if the trims are not activated on a full speed circuit, which shows us that is what B&M intended when they designed RB. Therefore it is clear that either park management or an inexperienced construction supervisor made the decision to not allow the mechanically harmless, identical airtime featured on AC and Nitro. Go to King's Island, Busch Gardens, or Great Adventure and ride their B&M hypers and you will see how these mechanically identical coasters put RB to absolute shame in terms of allowing airtime.