Does repainting coasters make them smoother?

[cjbrandy]

The question says it all.

For example, if the track on Colossus at Thorpe Park (a very rusty coaster) was fully repainted, would it make the ride smoother?

I know that KD's Anaconda and The Bat at KI have been repainted fairly recently so can anyone answer from experience?

 

[BBH]

Yes and no.

In the short term, not really. A coaster that has eight years of wear on the rails isn't going to run noticeably rougher than a freshly painted ride. However, over time, paint does prevent track from rusting and deforming, which will lead to a smoother, more consistent ride. But rusting takes a good while to actually make an effect on the ride experience.

 

[Jarrett]

Bat is at my home park, I've ridden it countless times under all three names. I never noticed a difference. So I'd say it's a no. Shaping and heart lining define the smoothness of a steel coaster, not the texture of the rails.

 

[Hyde]

The purpose of paint, as BBH said, is to prevent corrosion of the track. Paint has no impact on ride smoothness.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

But, corrosion of the track surely affects smoothness? So parks that regularly repaint will have smoother coasters?

With Colossus, I remember reading that the track is physically misshapen from operation with the wrong wheel firmness? Whether or not that is true, its clear from the kind of roughness that something is wrong - it doesn't feel like rattling or vibrating, its shuddery, like a much older coaster (think old vekoma or arrow corkscrew for those who've not ridden it). The trains feel heavy and like the wheels aren't circular or tight to the track. It thunders around the track with a deep echoing rudrudrudrudrud noise. Something seems physically misshapen, and its twisted layout doesn't help.

 

[BBH]

But, corrosion of the track surely affects smoothness? So parks that regularly repaint will have smoother coasters?

With Colossus, I remember reading that the track is physically misshapen from operation with the wrong wheel firmness? Whether or not that is true, its clear from the kind of roughness that something is wrong - it doesn't feel like rattling or vibrating, its shuddery, like a much older coaster (think old vekoma or arrow corkscrew for those who've not ridden it). The trains feel heavy and like the wheels aren't circular or tight to the track. It thunders around the track with a deep echoing rudrudrudrudrud noise. Something seems physically misshapen, and its twisted layout doesn't help.

Again, corrosion takes quite a long time before it actually takes effect. Repainting coasters helps in the long run, yes, but in a matter of 10 or so years it won't make a difference.