Music Express

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A Music Express in operation at Six Flags Great Adventure

A Music Express is an amusement park and carnival ride designed by Moser Rides of Germany. Several near-identical ride designs are also produced by other companies; Musik Express by American companies Bertazzon and Majestic Rides, Himalaya by American company Wisdom Rides and French company Reverchon, and Silver Streak by Wisdom Rides.

1 Design and operation
2 Variations
3 Appearances
4 References

[edit] Design and operation

The ride features twenty 3-passenger cars connected in a circle. These cars rotate on a track with alternating sloped and flat sections. Rotation is possible in both a backwards and forwards direction, as the ride is manually operated. The ride is powered by 5 DC motors, and can reach a maximum speed of 12 rotations per minute.

The riders in each car are restrained by a single solid lap bar that is locked across the body of the car; making the ride unsuitable for young children or people of short stature. The bar must be manually locked or unlocked, and only locks in one position. Lights and music are also controlled by the operator, which (as the name suggests) contribute heavily to the ride experience.

Some Music Expresses are built with a backdrop dividing the rear third of the ride from the front two-thirds. This backdrop, normally covered in artwork and lights, and providing a mild headchopper-like effect as the riders enter and exit the rear section. As this blocks lines of sight, additional staff are required to safely supervise this ride in operation.

[edit] Variations

Bertazzon Musik Express: No major variations from Moser Rides version.
Majestic Rides Musik Express: 14 cars, hydraulic locking system, increased top RPM. ^[1]
Wisdom Rides Himalaya: 22 cars. ^[2]
Reverchon Himalaya: Larger, slower.^{[citation needed]}
Wisdom Rides Silver Streak: 16 cars, smaller height difference, multiple lapbar positions. ^[3]