Pulsar - Walibi Belgium (Mack Powersplash)

[Thekingin64]

Opening next year, a shuttle water coaster is being built at Walibi Belgium.






Pictures by ParkFan


Picture by Fan Club de Walibi Belgium

Concept video:

[OblivionX]

I like the concept of Pulsar, still not sure how it will work in practise but it's nice to see Mack Rides are pushing more boundaries, and maybe even re-defining the water coaster industry.

[Thekingin64]

Possibly, the major problem I can see happening is the motors and pumps required to pump the water in and out the through quickly and easily breaking, meaning theis will have a lot of downtime.

[OblivionX]

I see where you are coming from, and as this is a world first, it undoubtly probably would suffer from these teething issues. I would imagine Mack must be pretty confident in the design of that water pumping system to actually create a design which impliments it.

[Thekingin64]

True enough, hopefully it will only be teething issues as you say. Shall have to wait and see.

[Simba]

Now this does look amazing, I can see where you are both coming from with it, but in the principles should in theory should just be like a river lock which have the technical name of "Pound Locks", so as the technology has existed for centuries.
Here is an example for reference

[Thekingin64]

Again, true enough. My concern isn't about if it'll work or not, just that if it will be able to fill/empty quick enough as locks aren't exactly the quickest things in the world.

Plus, locks work by water flowing in from the top (to fill) and flowing out the bottom (to empty). As far as I know, there won't be a large water tank to use to fill Pulsar's through here and it being situated at the water level of the surrounding lake will mean it won't empty using lock methods.

[Thekingin64]

Timelapse video of construction has been released:

[Simba]

I love the concept of this coaster and have just finally worked out how it will run two boats, one on the shuttle circuit and the other in the station, it will have a turntable system in the station which means in practise should allow for a nice smooth capacity for this coaster.

This had been bugging me since I first saw the concept for it, but it is the only logical way it can work. Plus it explains how in the video the car in the station and the one on the track are facing in the opposite directions to each other.

A more higher quality concept video has been released from the park.

[Thekingin64]

Now that does look good! Also, shows how they'll get around if the trough doesn't fill up again quick enough with reapplying that holding brake.

It has also been confirmed that the music in that video is also the soundtrack for the ride.