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A new roller coaster has been put into operation at Europa-Park in Rust. During a test run before the opening, the “Voltron Nevera” train stopped without any passengers. What happened and how safe are these leisure facilities?
What happened to the new roller coaster: The new season at Europa-Park only started a month ago and has made headlines several times since then. One water ride came to a standstill, and another ride’s carriages rolled back several times. On the new “Voltron Nevera” train, passengers rotate around their own axis and overhang. It is hardly surprising for Europa-Park that incidents occur when it reopens: “When a train stops, it shows that the safety systems are working,” says spokeswoman Leah Borer. What exactly happened is now being clarified.
Legend:
Headfirst thrills on the new Voltron Nevera roller coaster at Europa-Park in Rust in the newly built Croatian themed area.
KEYSTONE / DPA, Philipp von Ditfurth
Sensors ensure safety: If a sensor reports a malfunction, a roller coaster immediately switches to the safest state – and that is standstill, explains Leah Borer. A technician will then clarify what the problem is. “A railway system has several hundred, sometimes up to 1,000 sensors. If only one sensor reacts, the entire roller coaster stops.”
One stop – the greatest thing for fans: The rail disruptions that have recently occurred in Europa-Park are nothing unusual. Fans look forward to moments like this because they happen so rarely, says Leah Borer. In 2022, less than 0.001 percent of trips in Europa-Park had to be evacuated out of over five million departures. The probability is very low.
Strict safety regulations right from the planning stage: Before a roller coaster is built, the Technical Inspection Association (TÜV) accompanies the construction until completion, explains roller coaster expert Frank Lanfer. Amusement parks around the world attach importance to the German TÜV certifying their rides. According to German law, an inspection must be carried out once a year. There is also a daily visual inspection in which technical employees check the route. And then test runs would be carried out again and again.
The TÜV looks closely: During the regular inspections by the TÜV, the focus is primarily on technical availability, explains Joachim Bühler, managing director of the TÜV association: “We look to see whether the brakes or restraint systems work. On roller coasters, trains are also pulled up by ropes. We look closely and sometimes x-ray some ropes to see if there are any breakages.” Nevertheless, 100 percent security is never possible. Systems would have to have redundancy (double protection). “It is very important that we learn from every incident. Security is never a state, but always a process.”
Important human factor: Joachim Bühler from TÜV sees improvements in safety among the staff. It is crucial that the employees who work for the railways know what they have to do if something really happens. Roller coaster expert Frank Lanfer isn’t worried about the technical side either. “Nowadays, all roller coasters are so well constructed and well thought out in terms of design that I’m really not afraid on roller coasters.”