Do-Dodonpa

The coaster's trains gets launched out of this tunnel.  The track above the launch tunnel is located at the end of the course.  You can see some of the first brakes that trains encounter at the end of the ride.

Three 800-horsepower air compressors are housed near this location.  They compress air and store the high-pressure air in a series of storage tanks located near the launch tunnel.  When the air is released, it rapidly expands and pushes against a series of pistons.  The pistons connect to gears and cables which ultimately propel the trains away from the station.   Dodonpa's 11,000-pound train goes from zero to 180 kilometers per hour (112 miles per hour) within a scant 43 meters (140 feet).  Acceleration forces average 3.5 G's, but briefly hit 4.25 G's during the 1.6 second launch.

©2022 Joel A. Rogers.