Intimidator

During my "behind the scenes tour" of Intimidator, I got to spend some time underneath the ride's loading platform.  These "drive wheels" sit above the rails and support almost all of the train's weight.  The top wheels appeared brand new, but the bottom ones showed a good deal of wear despite the fact that the coaster had only been open for four months.  It is common for wheels to be replaced once or twice each operating season.

Replacing wheels is very common on a roller coaster such as this one.  With three trains, the total number of wheels being used at one time on Intimidator is 324!  In fact, the maintenance supervisor told me that it is common for work to start on the ride four or five hours before it opens to the public.

©2020 Joel Rogers.