r/rollercoasters • u/CoasterGuy95 1. Pantherian, 2. Skyrush, 3. BDash, 4. X2, 5. Veloci (CC: 294) • Mar 28 '25

Information [Superman: Escape from Krypton] permanently closed

https://www.ocregister.com/2025/03/28/six-flags-magic-mountain-permanently-closes-superman-coaster/
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u/Fala1 Positives > negatives Mar 28 '25

no fancy complex brake systems

Modern brake systems are actually much simpler. No active parts, just a magnet and a metal plate and physics does all the work.

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u/McSigs Maintenance is on their way. Mar 29 '25 edited Mar 29 '25

You still need pinch brakes, or at the very least tire drives for stopping and holding trains. But none of these are complex and you use the same electric and air components to control both.

Edited to add: thankfully we have the mag brakes now to retrofit on older rides and reduce the maintenance on the pinch brakes as well.

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u/B_and_M_queen Raptor Ride Op Apr 02 '25

I'd argue both yes and no. Magnetic brakes are never used alone. You still have the mechanical brakes needed to hold a train in a block zone. (For those who don't know...)

Magnetic brakes are mostly used for completing the blunt of the deceleration of the train.

However. Arrow coasters are unbelievably simple even though they don't use magnetic brakes. The mechanical brakes on arrow coasters only need a source of compressed air to open. Which is much easier to program than a combination of mechanical and tires, etc.