Vekoma

Vekoma is an originator and manufacturer of Russian Montagnes and other attractions with feeling whose seat is based with the Netherlands. The company developed attractions going of imposing the Russian mountains out of metal with the rivères fast family.

History

Wire of farmer, Hendrik COp founds in 1926 Veldkoning (or King of the Fields ) with Vlodrop, with the Netherlands. This company then proposes solutions, considered innovating, in the field of the metal Structures agricultural.

Strong of its success, the company took the name into 1948 of Eerste Nederlands Staalploeg in Pompenfabriek (or first Dutch factory of plow and pumps ), but in front of the decline of agriculture to beginning of the year 50, the son of Hendrik, Gerald COp, made take a turning with the company.

The company which will be called from now on Machinefrabrieke Vekoma , abbreviation of “Veld Koning Machinefabriek” , and will create increasingly heavy equipment, first of all bound for the mines, then for the Pétrochimie.

It will have to be waited until 1967 so that the company, in a desire of diversification, tries its chance in the entertainment, with a Grande wheel initially, then with Russian Montagnes in 1977.

The company concentrated thereafter on this last field, giving up any other activity in 1983. Today, Vekoma is regarded as a world leader of the sector.

Design

The general design of the rails Vekoma resembles much, except for some nuances, with the model used by Arrow Dynamics on its most recognized models Années 1980 and 90. Vekoma was one of the first manufacturers to use two Rails of tubular form to facilitate the courses curved and tortuous of the trains on the way. The wheels of trains Vekoma encase inside the tubular Rails. These rails are connected outside to carrying tubular the larger by three-dimensional stems in the shape hook. The carrying one is in lower part of the pair of rails and is supported by cylindrical pillars or scaffolding made up of intersected beams.

These last years, Vekoma works with other designs of rails. The technology of the wheels encasing itself inside the course is regarded by several as exceeded. This positioning involves a bearing more jerked, less fluid of the train and transmits much uncomfortable vibration to the passengers. Lately, Vekoma was thus put has to work with rails allowing a fitment external with the rails for certain models. It is difficult to date determine a constant in this new type of design. On the other hand, it is possible to see there some similarities with the rails of Morgan and Mack wrinkles.

Typical models of Vekoma

If Vekoma knew to carry out original projects like Space Mountain, its success is due enormously to a “catalog” of layouts ready to be used. The model chosen, it any more but does not remain to decide color and name of attraction. They are the Russian mountains “turn-key”.

In addition to dividing the costs of design by the number of sold specimens, this method also makes it possible to have reliable equipment insofar as Vekoma has an experiment of several tens of years for some of its models.

Here are some examples.

Boomerang

Invertigo

In 1996, Vekoma improved its concept of the Boomerang and introduced its Invertigo . Invertigo is the certified copy of the Boomerang , but the rails are this time at the top of the head of the passengers, who then have the feet in the vacuum.

Giant Inverted Boomerang

Five years later, in 2001, the Dutch company revises again its concept of Boomerang . There still one keeps the principle of the two directions of walk, but as the name of the standard indicates it, the Giant Inverted Boomerang is inverted , i.e., such Invertigo, the rails are with the top of the travellers, and giant since this layout, which proposes a burst of speed to 105 km/h, nevertheless makes its 60 meters height and comprises two intense completely vertical slopes the length of which is tractor drawn then released the train.

The specimen of Six Flags Magic Mountain of this standard is called Déjà considering, quite simply because he strongly points out the Boomerang and its voyage in to and from gives the impression indeed to have already seen the course.

Corkscrew

It is about a model of Russian mountains with double inversion whose two reversed elements precisely name Corscrew (corkscrew) since they point out the spiral of a corkscrew. Although it is still here about a model “turn-key”, certain elements can be substituted on this model.

Suspended Loop Coaster (SLC)

Russian mountains with suspended vehicle. The train is suspended under the rail and the passengers make the course the feet in the vacuum. Vekoma developed five models of SLC what offers personalized courses:

the Prototype 662m
the 689m Standard
the 787m Extended
the 765m Extended with Helix
the 689m Custom.

Flying Dutchman

Flying Russian mountains… In station, the seats of the passengers are tilted in horizontal position: the passengers are in position lying. Then, the train is tractor drawn with the top of the first slope and follows the rail which is reversed on the first descent. The train having swivelled on him even, results from it that the passengers flat find belly on their harnesses, the eyes pointing the ground, the rail in their back, as a position of “Superman”, giving the impression to the passengers to fly.

Vekoma is the first manufacturer to create Russian mountains of this type. Thereafter, Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) took up the idea and conceptualized its flying Russian mountains directly inspired of the Flying Dutchman of Vekoma . The major difference is that, at B&M, the rail is reversed in station. The passengers settle upright, then the coaches incline and join the rail. One thus begins the horse-gear flat belly.

At Vekoma , the rail is not reversed in station, with the result that the passengers settle upright, then the coaches lie down against the rail. One begins the laid down horse-gear, one goes up the first slope lying and only after, the rail is reversed, allowing the passengers to see the ground.

This small detail seems to create some bad criticisms Indeed for B&M., when a train is a long time on standby to be discharged because the second train is still in station, some find painful to be in suspension, flat belly against the harness all this time.

Tilt Coaster

The Tilt Coaster (Russian Mountains with rocker) is presented in the form of normal Russian mountains in sitting position. However, after the increase with the chain, instead of descending a first slope, the train is immobilized and stalled on a completely horizontal section which rocks on itself until the driving position. In this position, the section is connected with the remainder of the course, slackens the train which goes down to 90 degrees and continues its race.

There exists only a Tilt Coaster in operation, Gravity max in Discovery World, Taiwan.

Video of Gravity max

Ten Loop Coaster

The last product of Vekoma is Ten Loop Coaster, which is as its name indicates it Rollercoaster has ten inversions. No specimen was built to date.

Criticisms

Certain enthusiastic of the Russian mountains reproached Vekoma for producing poor horse-gears, partly because their products are regarded as mass production or clones. One reproaches the company for not building a single horse-gear personalized according to the requests of the customer, which is false. Vekoma offers many services of design personalized for the owners of amusement parks, but they are not recognized by all on this point.

To give an example, the famous Space Mountain of Disneyland Brings out Paris, and the Rock “Roller Coaster builds in the Parc Walt Disney Studios are both conceived by Vekoma . The French version of Space Mountain is of a single design, while the Rock “Roller Coaster exists in several specimens.

Moreover, the horse-gears Vekoma have the reputation, among the enthusiastic ones, to be “hard”, painful and abrupt in comparison with other companies of designers like Intamin AG or Bolliger & Mabillard. Some regard this last point as a disadvantage, others believe rather than that contributes to amplify the experiment of the passenger.

External bonds

the official site
List of the specimens of the model Boomerang (RollerCoaster DataBase)
List of the specimens of the model Invertigo (RollerCoaster DataBase)
List of the specimens of the model Giant Inverted Boomerang (RollerCoaster DataBase)

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