why are the running rails empty, and the center part filled? or covered.

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Its murda...

im not quite sure about the answer, but thats how all coaster tracks look like form what i can remember.

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Because it uses less steel to fill the rails. The rails and spine are always hollow, except when ithe spine filled to keep the ride silent. The ends are just covered, the rest of the spine is hollow.

Kraken's right, It's for noise if not anything else.

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If it was solid steel it would cost more and be a lot heavier so it might not even be able to support its own weight and it would put more strain on the supports.

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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Kraken [/i]
[B]Because it uses less steel to fill the rails. The rails and spine are always hollow, except when ithe spine filled to keep the ride silent. The ends are just covered, the rest of the spine is hollow. [/B][/QUOTE]

It is not for noise! That peice of sheet metal that covers the end is welded to the spine to connect the track sections together. The reson is that if you keep the spine in the same shape, It will last longer under very high stress. Remember, if there is a train with 4 acrossed and eight rows, that is 32 people. The average that they figure per person is 170lbs. 32 multiplyed by 170 is 5,440. An educated guess of 15,000lbs empty running weight is not off by too far. 15,000 + 5440 = 20440lbs. The space shuttle pulls 3.2g's so I'll use that. 3.2 * 20,440 = 65408lbs. Now pull these forces time and time again for many years. the design has to be as close to perfect as possible, not only for a safe ride, but a smooth one too

P.s the running rails have for less stress on them because of all those connecting rods between the running rails and the spine distribute the force.

O.k. that seems like the reason more then the noise thing Kraken mentioned. ( I just found out they add sand to make it quieter).

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I am not fully sure about this one, but probly to make it quiter i would think.

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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by RCFreak [/i]
[B]O.k. that seems like the reason more then the noise thing Kraken mentioned. ( I just found out they add sand to make it quieter). [/B][/QUOTE]

Only on some select coasters, most notably Talon.

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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by mfmfmf [/i]
[B]

It is not for noise! That peice of sheet metal that covers the end is welded to the spine to connect the track sections together. The reson is that if you keep the spine in the same shape, It will last longer under very high stress. Remember, if there is a train with 4 acrossed and eight rows, that is 32 people. The average that they figure per person is 170lbs. 32 multiplyed by 170 is 5,440. An educated guess of 15,000lbs empty running weight is not off by too far. 15,000 + 5440 = 20440lbs. The space shuttle pulls 3.2g's so I'll use that. 3.2 * 20,440 = 65408lbs. Now pull these forces time and time again for many years. the design has to be as close to perfect as possible, not only for a safe ride, but a smooth one too

P.s the running rails have for less stress on them because of all those connecting rods between the running rails and the spine distribute the force. [/B][/QUOTE]

I never said it was because of the noise! It's because it uses less steel! It still can handle all the stress without being solid. They wouldn't make the spine hollow so it could be filled. If the spine was solid steel, it wouldn't make any noise, so making it hollow just to fill it and make it silent would be pointless!

Its not for noise, its for cost effectiveness

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No clue who the guy pictured in my avatar is, but its a great picture nonetheless!

isn't karaken (not tha guy on tha boards) tracks filled wit sand, to make it quite? and if so, how do u do that easily?.

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Its murda...

Yea, Kraken is silent, so it doesn't disturb all the animals. Since the spine of B&Ms is hollow to save weight and use less steel in the construction, vibrations go through it and cause the loud, distinctive, "B&M Roar". To keep things quiet, they filled the spine with sand.

I love that B&M Roar........ it adds 2 it

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The best B&M roar I think is Hulk's roar,but anyways have you ever stood under a new B&m coaster compared to an old Anton Scharwscopf coaster,the difference is so much different,the B&m is a lot quieter.

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The B&M roar is awesome

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No clue who the guy pictured in my avatar is, but its a great picture nonetheless!

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by viperlord [/i]
[B]The best B&M roar I think is Hulk's roar. [/B][/QUOTE]

Hulk has a differn't roar than the rest of B&M's. IOA used special wheels on the trains to make a special noise. thoes wheels are only on hulk.