Yeah I was wondering about Skid Brakes and how they work, and what coasters have them thanks!

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Umm all SF coasters.

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Great answer, intamin101 :rolleyes:. I am pretty sure skid brakes are brakes on older woodies and they are a brake below the trains. As the trains pass over the skid brake, it raises up a little, skidding the train's speed slower. I think Beast has skid brakes in that first shed after the second drop and there was a coaster at LeSourdsville Lake (now defunct) that had them.

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Most wooden coasters that were built during or before 1970's have had at one time skid breaks. Now a days, a lot of parks are modifing the breaks to be clap breaks.

Definition, Skid or Sled Brakes

Wood bars topped with steel or brass, hooked to manual lever or hydraulic system that raise and 'Skid' against Pads on the bottom of the train, gradually slowing or stopping the train

Examples: all brakes on Beast, Knoebels Phoenix/Twister.

Pros: can be on curves/turns, and are a more gentle stop than squeeze/clap brakes, similer to magnetic brakes

Cons: take a long brake run to stop train.



Feel free to correct me if anything is incorrect

Well, if that's what skid brakes are (I'm afraid my tech terminology isn't all it ought to be), then Disaster Transport (bobsled coaster) at Cedar Point uses them -- the brake pads contact a metal "skid" plate on the bottom of the shuttles, and after they're stopped they're restarted by being propelled by tires along the brake pad.

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I know The Beast at PKI has them,
I think the Cyclone at AstroLand NY
And Big Dipper at SFWoA


And yes it takes longer to slow a train down and useally means with longer brake runs.

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All the Little Dipper kiddie coasters I know have them, but are the brakes on the Matterhorn Bobsleds skid brakes? I'm still not sure.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Melissa [/i]
[B]Well, if that's what skid brakes are (I'm afraid my tech terminology isn't all it ought to be), then Disaster Transport (bobsled coaster) at Cedar Point uses them -- the brake pads contact a metal "skid" plate on the bottom of the shuttles, and after they're stopped they're restarted by being propelled by tires along the brake pad. [/B][/QUOTE]

Thanks Melissa! That is the exact answer to the question I was looking for. I haven't seen these on many rides, but have seen them on all bobsled rides.

yes, Bobsleds use a variation of skid brakes, because of the way they are(trackless) they cannot use squeeze brakes because the fin could not align right.

Coney Island Cyclone and Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz use manual skid brakes.

Just look for 2 wood bars topped with steel, or actual steel bars in the middle of the track.

in the shed of the beast, you can clearly see the brake bars, also on the 1st drop, up the second hill, and on the drop to the helix.


-ForceCoaster, AKA The BrakeMaster

I operated the Big Dipper brakes at SFWOA years ago. At that time they were manual - the operator put force on a lever that raised the brakes to slow the train.

I don't know if they have automated the Dipper now or not.

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Wahooskipper, yes I do remember the manual skid brakes for the ol' Dipper. They have not automated the Big Dipper but it still uses skids. They have also 'locked' the brake levers in place by nailing in wood around them. The operators most likely like this better than the manual brakes.:D

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Here is the Beast. It is hitting the skid brakes on the largest drop.

[url]http://www.rcdb.com/installationgallery67.htm?Picture=3[/url]