Riders secure themselves before the launch out of the station.

The cars accelerate at nearly 60 fps up a 150-ft, 30[degrees] incline and reach 40 mph in less than 2 sec, with a top speed of 55 mph. The launch is followed by a 0-g loop that leaves riders weightless. Cars then run through a series of seven different full-tilt inversions before coming back to rest in the launch area.

As the train ascends the lift slowly, riders anticipate its launch, which starts just 20 feet ahead.

The launch process was critical to the success of the ride. The design team chose an Allen-Bradley 50-hp pinch-wheel drive for launching, where motors sit across from each other in two rows. There are a whopping 110 motors in each row. Separate drive modules located in the main control room run each motor individually. The drives constantly adjust the motors each time the train takes on riders, making sure the same amount of energy gets released with every launch. Three motor generator units supply power to the motors. Tires mount on the motors to squeeze the train with 1,500 lb of force and 440 lb-ft of torque for the launch up the incline. The motors go through a duty cycle every minute as they ramp up, releasing trains that carry up to 32 passengers.

A view of Hulk's first inversion, the Zero-g-Roll, coming straight out of the first launch tunnel.

Universal picked 25-hp Reliance RPM ac motors to handle the launch process. The Reliance motors were modified to meet application specifications. The feet on the motors were reinforced to accommodate the significant amount of pinch force, and their shafts were strengthened because of the extreme side loading.

Also, larger bearings were in order to handle the increased loads. The modifications came out of dose cooperation between Reliance and engineers at Universal, says Greg Self, Universal supervisor of technical services. "It is the motors that make the Hulk, the Hulk," he says. "They muscle the train up with brute force. That is just what the character of the Hulk is all about. It fits the whole theme of the ride," he adds.

After the Zero-g-roll, the train finally dives down its first main drop, to gain speed for upcoming twists and turns. From Machine Design, Copyright 2003

The Reliance motors have also proven to be extremely reliable and easy to maintain. "The motors have consistently been one of the lowest maintenance items on the ride," says Self. "And in fact, there have been no motor failures from manufacturing defects since the ride opened three years ago."

The Incredible Hulk has found the success its engineers and design team hoped for. In 2002, it was ranked the number one steel coaster in the world by Discovery Channel viewers.