Nagashima Spa Land, Kuwana, Japan

Nagashima Spa Land, Kuwana, Japan

Nagashima Spa Land is a major amusement park in Kuwana right on the border with Aichi Prefecture. Along with Nabana no Sato, it is part of the Nagashima Onsen entertainment and leisure area.

Opened in 1966, it is arguably the 2nd biggest amusement park in all of Japan behind Fuji-Q Highlands. There are about 45 total rides with 10 roller coasters. The water park currently holds a record for highest density of water slides in a given area.

Amusement Park — The amusement park is full of coasters, twisty rides, viking rides, kiddy rides, and most of what you'd expect from a major amusement park

Steel Dragon 2000 — A serious roller coaster that could give the world's best a run for their money. At the time of its opening in 2000, it held the world record for speed, height, and track length (the so-called "triple crown"). In two fields it has been superseded, however the world's longest roller coaster record (2479m - 8133ft) still holds a decade later which is a true testament to the quality of this ride. The name comes from the fact that 2000 was a "Year of the Dragon" in the Chinese Zodiac. 

Has a huge hill (97m - 318ft) that can compete with the world's best with quite a few more hills following after it. The top hill can easily be seen from far and wide in much of northern Mie and the Nagoya area on a clear day. You get an amazing view of northern Mie from the top hill right before you take the plunge! The ride clocks in at over three minutes long. 

In 2013, the ride was renovated and reopened featuring new open-air carriages with deep bucket seat that leave your legs dangling. The new harness system uses an over-lap locking system designed for people with "normal" sized thighs. Bigger people, beware. 

White Cyclone — The other major roller coaster in Nagashima is a massive wooden ride that opened in 1995. Wooden roller coasters are extremely rare in Japan (only 5) due to strict rules on the construction of wooden buildings/structures set in place by the Japanese government. 

This tribute to deforestation starts with the standard big hill and then zigs and zags around in an out-and-back fashion all over the place. Riders with high tolerance for bumpy and rattly rides and/or have strong neck muscles will enjoy riding this multiple times. 

Other roller coasters — There is a cork screw-style one, a mine ride one, a standing one, an interesting one that twirls you while you move straight, and a few other ones. 

Giant Frisbee — Gig circular structure that twirls and spins while arcing back and forth. Liable to make you very sick if you aren't used to that kind of thing. 

Space Shuttle — Shaped like a NASA spacecraft, it is like a viking ride except that it will do a full upside-down rotation. 

Giant Splash — Like a log ride. One giant raft ascends a big hill then descends and hits the water hard which creates an humongous wave. There is a bridge placed so that the wave will totally drench anybody standing on it if they are there when the raft hits the water. Fun to watch (from a distance). 

Space Shot — Shoots you straight up and then you free fall most of the way back to the ground. 

Ferris Wheel — At 83m (272ft), it is one of the largest ferris wheels in Japan. 

Nagashima Spa Land is a major amusement park in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. It features several roller coasters, thrill rides, and kid rides, a giant Ferris wheel, and a water park.

Ladakh - India's great mountain kingdom

Ladakh. Just the name gets the traveller high. Once a great Buddhist kingdom, it is today a strategic military outpost for India, sharing borders with China and Pakistan. Over the last few years, more and more tourists have been choosing Ladakh as a destination for its awe-inspiring scenery, demanding treks and rafting adventures, as well as culture. Enjoy these fascinating images from India's highest, and largest, district.

The mountains of Ladakh are seen shrouded in clouds near Leh, Ladakh, India. Ladakh, nestled between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, was once an ancient Buddhist Kingdom and for over half a century now, a strategic military outpost for India. Ladakh, sharing borders with both China and Pakistan, has seen an increase in tourism over the last few years, an alternative to Nepali Himalayan treks.

 A Buddhist monk travels by horse with his companions near the village of Rumbak.

 Mountains rise over the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, India.

 Mountains rise over the Pangong Lake.

 Signs displaying pro Indian slogans and the altitude are seen at the Chang La pass on the road to Pangong Lake.

 A Buddhist monk departs from morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery in Ladakh. The Thikse monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Yellow Hat (Gelugpa) sect, located on top of a hill, approximately 20 kilometres east of Leh. It is noted for its semblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and is the largest monastery in central Ladakh.

   

  Young Buddhist monks pray during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery.

 A young Buddhist monk carries tea for elder monks during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery

 Young Tibetan Buddhist monks scramble for pencils being handed out by an elder monk at the Thikse Monastery.

 Buddhist monks pray during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery.

 A young Buddhist monk prays during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery.

  Trekkers make the route between Jingchen to Chilling with views of the Zanskar range in Ladakh, India.

 Buddhist Stupas are seen the village of Sku on the trek between Jingchen to Chilling with views of the Zanskar range.

 A Buddhist devotee prays at the base of a 25m (75 ft) statue of Buddha at the Likir monastery.

 At Basgo Monastery, a World Heritage Site in Ladakh, India.

 The Zanskar river, a tributary of the Indus, stretches out near to the village of Chilling with views of the Zanskar range.

 A Ladakhi porter travels with his horses en route to Rumbak.

 A yak is seen on the mountainside on the route between Jingchen to Chilling.

  The horns of a Bharal or Blue Sheep, believed by Ladakhis to ward of evil and bring good luck, is seen on a trail near the village of Urutse.

 Seagulls sit on the Pangong Lake.

Large rocks sit in marshes on the road leading to the Pangong Lake and the border to China.

   

The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C - WORLD'S LARGEST DIESEL ENGINE

Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm

Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm

The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine is the most powerful and most efficient prime-mover in the world today. The Aioi Works of Japan 's Diesel United, Ltd built the first engines and is where some of these pictures were taken. It is available in 6 through 14 cylinder versions, all are inline engines. These engines were designed primarily for very large container ships. Ship owners like a single engine/single propeller design and the new generation of larger container ships needed a bigger engine to propel them. The cylinder bore is just under 38" and the stroke is just over 98". Each cylinder displaces 111,143 cubic inches (1820 liters) and produces 7780 horsepower. Total displacement comes out to 1,556,002 cubic inches (25,480 liters) for the fourteen cylinder version. 

Some facts on the 14 cylinder version:

   

Total engine weight: 2300 tons (The crankshaft alone weighs 300 tons.)

Length: 89 feet

Height: 44 feet

Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm

Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm

Fuel consumption at maximum power is 0.278 lbs per hp per hour (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption). Fuel consumption at maximum economy is 0.260 lbs/hp/hour. At maximum economy the engine exceeds 50% thermal efficiency. That is, more than 50% of the energy in the fuel in converted to motion.

For comparison, most automotive and small aircraft engines have BSFC figures in the 0.40-0.60 lbs/hp/hr range and 25-30% thermal efficiency range.

Even at its most efficient power setting, the big 14 consumes 1,660 gallons of heavy fuel oil per hour.

A cross section of the RTA96C:

The internals of this engine are a bit different than most automotive engines.

The top of the connecting rod is not attached directly to the piston. The top of the connecting rod attaches to a "crosshead" which rides in guide channels. A long piston rod then connects the crosshead to the piston.

I assume this is done so the the sideways forces produced by the connecting rod are absorbed by the crosshead and not by the piston. Those sideways forces are what makes the cylinders in an auto engine get oval-shaped over time.

Installing the "thin-shell" bearings. Crank & rod journals are 38" in diameter and 16" wide:

The crank sitting in the block (also known as a "gondola-style" bedplate). This is a 10 cylinder version. Note the steps by each crank throw that lead down into the crankcase:

A piston & piston rod assembly. The piston is at the top. The large square plate at the bottom is where the whole assembly attaches to the crosshead:

Some pistons:

And some piston rods:

The "spikes" on the piston rods are hollow tubes that go into the holes you can see on the bottom of the pistons (left picture) and inject oil into the inside of the piston which keeps the top of the piston from overheating. Some high-performance auto engines have a similar feature where an oil squirter nozzle squirts oil onto the bottom of the piston.

The cylinder deck (10 cylinder version). Cylinder liners are die-cast ductile cast iron. Look at the size of those head studs!

The first completed 12 cylinder engine: