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Narrator: Towering 550 feet high over las vegas,
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This is north America's largest observation wheel,
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The high roller.
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Because of building in vegas,
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It requires you to build the biggest and the best.
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Narrator: Las vegas's most popular attraction must keep turning
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In order to give the thousands of tourists
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Who travel to this city the ride of their lives.
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It's going to be a busy, busy night.
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How did engineers build this mega wheel in the sky?
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And how does it deliver
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One of the most spectacular views in the world?
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We wanted our guests to feel like
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They were floating in space.
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Narrator: We unlock the engineering secrets
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That help the high roller wow the crowds,
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From its one-of-a-kind single rim
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To ingenious spherical cabins
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That stay perfectly level through every rotation,
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To reveal what it takes to build the ultimate observation wheel.
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-- Captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com
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Captions paid for by discovery communications
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Both: Welcome to las vegas!
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♪
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With its bright lights, hotels, and casinos, sin city
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Is one of the most famous travel destinations in the world.
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40 million tourists head to the city
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That never sleeps to gamble, watch spectacular shows,
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And take in the glitz and glamour of the town.
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They spend close to $35 billion each year.
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And the competition between hotel casinos
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Vying for a bigger share of the profits is fierce,
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Building more spectacular attractions
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To draw in larger crowds.
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♪
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To stand out,
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Caesars entertainment decided to build big.
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They constructed this --
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♪
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The las vegas high roller.
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Costing $300 million to build,
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This mega structure now defines the las vegas skyline.
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♪
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It's built to revolutionary design...
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And requires a team of skilled mechanics to keep it moving...
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In an effort to provide adventure seekers
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With unrivaled views of the city.
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The high roller is loaded with innovative technology
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Hidden under the hood to help wow the crowds
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And give them an unforgettable experience.
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♪
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28 temperature-controlled spherical cabins
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Stay perfectly level as the wheel spins.
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Its unique, single-rim design provides unobstructed,
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360-degree views across las vegas.
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And a mighty hydraulic arm comes to the rescue
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If the power goes out.
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All these elements combine to make the high roller
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The ultimate observation wheel.
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General manager eric eberhart led the team
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Tasked with making the high roller a reality.
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Because of building in vegas, it requires you to build
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The biggest and the best and offer something the guests
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Cannot experience anywhere else in the world.
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We really pushed our designers and engineers
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To create a world-class attraction that's unique
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And push the boundaries of observation wheels.
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Narrator: It's spring break.
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An estimated 800,000 people will descend on vegas
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Looking for a good time.
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And this long weekend promises to test this wheel's
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Strength and revolutionary design.
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The wheel must complete 130 rotations,
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Each taking 30 minutes,
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And carry thousands of people over the next four days...
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Stopping for just six hours each night for critical maintenance.
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Breakdowns will damage caesars' reputation
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And potentially drive away visitors eager
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To spend their money at the casino's gambling tables.
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So the pressure is on.
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♪
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Thursday, 8:00 p.M.
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The first night of the long-weekend rush begins.
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High roller's entrance hall fills with tourists eager
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To glimpse the wonder of las vegas at night.
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The first challenge for building a wheel this big
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Is how to keep the 550-foot-tall mega-wheel framework stable.
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The narrow single-rim frame doesn't look tough enough
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To support its 7.3-million-pound
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Steel structure.
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High roller's strength is the result
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Of a ground-breaking innovation built into its dna.
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1893.
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Engineer george ferris unveils the world's first great wheel
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At the chicago world's fair.
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♪
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To keep the wheel strong but lean,
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Ferris pioneers a spoke design
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That becomes the blueprint for almost all later wheels,
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Including the high roller.
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The cables hold up the bottom half of the rim.
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Their tension pulls the rim inwards.
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This allows the top half to support itself,
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Like the arch of a bridge.
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These two forces work together to keep the entire rim strong
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And rigid as the wheel rotates.
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But erecting a structure this tall
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And thin is a unique construction challenge.
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♪
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If engineers build high roller from the bottom up,
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The cables support half the wheel's structure.
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But building the top half unsupported will over-stress
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The rim and trigger a structural collapse.
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♪
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One solution is to support the wheel
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With a scaffold 550 feet tall.
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But scaffolding this narrow is unstable.
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Its footprint needs to cover a huge area
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To stop it from falling over.
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Additionally, framework this massive would encroach
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On neighboring roads and buildings.
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How do you build north america's tallest wheel
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Without building the continent's largest scaffold?
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Project manager randy printz must find the solution.
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Logistically, this was a very challenging project.
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We've got two major hotels that had to remain in operation.
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We had to keep a roadway in operation
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Because it was an emergency fire access
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Throughout this entire project.
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Narrator: Randy's only option is to build high roller vertically,
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But with one critical modification.
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♪
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His team deploys an innovative solution
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To stop the wheel from collapsing under its own weight
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As they build upwards.
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♪
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First, they fix a pair of 223-foot-long metal struts
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To the wheel's central spindle.
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Then they attach the first 53-foot-long section
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Of the rim...
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And the cable spokes.
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Next, powerful hydraulic jacks
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Push the completed segment around by 13 degrees.
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Engineers then repeat the process,
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Joining together more struts, rims, sections, and cables.
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The rotating wheel stays rigid and stable
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As it's assembled segment by segment.
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♪
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Once all 28 rim sections are in place,
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Engineers fit and tension
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The last of the wheel's 112 steel cables.
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They remove the struts one by one...
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Until the wheel supports its own weight on the central spindle.
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When that last strut came out, I think it validated
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For all of us the designers' vision.
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There you had this purely circular form
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Redefining the vegas skyline.
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And we went, "wow."
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♪
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Narrator: Today the high roller is a las vegas landmark,
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Visible from anywhere in the city.
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On the first night of spring break,
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The high roller carries thousands of people
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Visiting sin city for the long weekend.
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But a new day brings new challenges
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The super wheel must face.
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How does this monster machine
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Stand up to damaging desert winds?
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And what is the engineering secret that gives
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The wheel spectacular, near-unobstructed views?
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♪
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♪
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Narrator: It's Friday morning in las vegas,
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The second day of one of the city's busiest weekends --
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Spring break.
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The high roller observation wheel
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Takes over a million tourists a year on rides above the city,
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And passenger numbers are especially high
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During busy holidays.
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Everybody stepping aboard is a potential customer
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For caesars palace hotel and casino.
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So the wheel must deliver the ride of their lives.
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We always wanted to make the high roller
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The biggest and the best in the world.
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We were somewhat limited.
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The major international airport, mccarran,
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Is less than five miles from here,
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So the federal aviation administration limited
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The height that we could go to.
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So we took it right to the limit of 550 feet.
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Narrator: Size is just one objective for high roller's designers.
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The bigger reward is to make engineering history
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By building the first wheel in the world with unobstructed,
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360-degree views from every spherical cabin...
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♪
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At every point of rotation.
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All big observation wheels,
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From ferris' original to the singapore flyer,
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Are actually two wheels bolted together.
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25-foot-wide trusses join the two rims of the london eye.
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This means, for most of the rotation,
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The wheel's physical structure blocks passengers' sight line
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From one side of the capsule.
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Only when a capsule reaches the very top do visitors inside
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Enjoy an uninterrupted view.
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♪
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To accomplish the dream of near-unobstructed views,
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High roller's engineers simply removed one entire rim
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And all the trusses.
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Eberhart: We eliminated most of the visual obtrusions
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To really give you the sensation of floating.
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And it gives you a full 360-degree view.
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Narrator: The effect is a big hit with spring-break vacationers.
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But building the observation wheel with just one rim
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Leaves this giant vulnerable to the forces of nature.
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The traditional two-rim design of wheels like the london eye
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Make their structure stiff.
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It's this stiffness that keeps these wheels
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Rigid in strong winds.
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[ wind blowing ]
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Removing one rim reduces stability.
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In strong winds, there's a big risk
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A single-rim design could flex.
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The bending wheel could hit critical infrastructure...
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And over-stress its cables to the point where they snap
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And risk a catastrophic collapse.
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♪
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Las vegas sits in a valley in the mojave desert.
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This dry, sandy region leaves the city vulnerable
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To strong winds.
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High roller's team monitors the speed of the wind
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From this dedicated control room.
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Good.
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Can you pull up the weather so we can check it
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Real quickly, please?
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Sure.
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Low wind speeds today. That's good.
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The days preceding this weekend, we had quite high wind gusts
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Coming through the las vegas alley.
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Some gusts were as high as 60 miles an hour.
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Narrator: In theory, winds this fast could fracture
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A single-rim wheel...
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And shatter the illusion of floating on air.
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♪
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To eliminate the natural flex in a single-rim design,
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High roller's engineers devise a creative solution.
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They extend the length of the central spindle to 98 feet...
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Nearly 4 times the size of the spindle on the london eye.
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This widens the angle at which the cables pull on the rim
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From either side, just like the guy ropes
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On a guy ropes on a triangular tent.
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The longer central spindle makes the high roller as rigid
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In high winds as traditional double-rim wheel design.
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The wheel may stand firm in undesirable weather,
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But strong wind gusts still have the potential
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To ruin the experience for the thousands of tourists
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Riding high roller this holiday weekend.
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Wind vibrates the tubular legs
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That support modern observation wheels.
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This movement can rock the rim, shake the capsules,
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And make passengers nervous and sick.
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Hidden inside the support legs is high roller's secret
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For beating the unpleasant motion
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To guarantee a smooth ride every time.
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Any sudden movement is gonna detract from this experience
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Of basically serenely floating in the air
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As you go around and look at las vegas.
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We needed to do whatever we could to make
269
00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:46,000
That experience as smooth as possible.
270
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:49,840
Narrator: Engineers fit special devices called tuned mass dampeners
271
00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,770
To combat vibrations.
272
00:16:52,770 --> 00:16:54,410
Each of the 13 dampeners
273
00:16:54,410 --> 00:16:58,780
Consists of a weight of up to 132 pounds
274
00:16:58,780 --> 00:17:05,050
Suspended by cables, attached to tuned springs.
275
00:17:05,050 --> 00:17:08,890
Together, they counteract vibrations caused by wind
276
00:17:08,890 --> 00:17:12,430
And give passengers the sensation of floating on air.
277
00:17:15,660 --> 00:17:18,900
By 2:00 p.M. On Friday, this windproof wheel
278
00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,830
Has spun hundreds of spring-break tourists
279
00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:26,270
High above vegas and the mojave desert.
280
00:17:26,270 --> 00:17:27,310
It's amazing.
281
00:17:27,310 --> 00:17:29,040
I mean, I did get the butterflies
282
00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,510
In the stomach a little bit.
283
00:17:32,510 --> 00:17:34,910
I've gambled and lost a lot of money.
284
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:36,750
When you go out, you enjoy some good food.
285
00:17:36,750 --> 00:17:38,380
But this is totally different than anything
286
00:17:38,390 --> 00:17:40,890
That I've done in vegas.
287
00:17:40,890 --> 00:17:43,420
Narrator: As the sun sets on sin city,
288
00:17:43,430 --> 00:17:49,130
Friday night promises to bring even larger crowds.
289
00:17:49,130 --> 00:17:52,070
How did engineers build this huge structure
290
00:17:52,070 --> 00:17:55,270
To fit in the middle of crowded real estate?
291
00:17:55,270 --> 00:17:57,940
And what is the engineering secret for turning
292
00:17:57,940 --> 00:18:01,210
A 7.3-million-pound mega wheel?
293
00:18:01,210 --> 00:18:06,980
♪
294
00:18:14,590 --> 00:18:20,460
♪
295
00:18:20,460 --> 00:18:25,130
Narrator: 8:00 p.M., Friday night in las vegas.
296
00:18:25,130 --> 00:18:29,570
Tonight high roller must spin close to full capacity,
297
00:18:29,570 --> 00:18:34,070
Carrying over 1,000 passengers every 30-minute rotation.
298
00:18:37,850 --> 00:18:40,710
It must keep turning to draw crowds,
299
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,750
Driving business to caesars' restaurants and casinos
300
00:18:43,750 --> 00:18:47,750
On one of the busiest long weekends of the year.
301
00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:52,860
As darkness descends, las vegas lights up,
302
00:18:52,860 --> 00:18:55,560
And so does this city's big wheel.
303
00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:01,470
♪
304
00:19:01,470 --> 00:19:04,270
The wheel is lit with more than 2,000 l.E.D.S
305
00:19:04,270 --> 00:19:07,240
That create visually stunning displays,
306
00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,680
Turning the wheel into a beacon visible
307
00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,080
From anywhere in the city.
308
00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:15,550
Obviously, las vegas is the city of lights,
309
00:19:15,550 --> 00:19:17,050
And there was no doubt
310
00:19:17,050 --> 00:19:19,520
That we had to put on a very special show
311
00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,650
When we opened up the high roller.
312
00:19:25,660 --> 00:19:28,630
Narrator: At this point in the long weekend,
313
00:19:28,630 --> 00:19:34,000
This 550-foot-tall wheel has completed 72 rotations
314
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,140
And carried thousands of tourists.
315
00:19:36,140 --> 00:19:41,410
♪
316
00:19:41,410 --> 00:19:44,410
A wheel this high must stay perfectly vertical
317
00:19:44,410 --> 00:19:48,050
At all times to run smoothly.
318
00:19:48,050 --> 00:19:51,650
High roller must have a rock-solid foundation,
319
00:19:51,650 --> 00:19:53,950
Or there's a risk the mighty metal ring
320
00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:55,760
Could come crashing down.
321
00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,890
♪
322
00:20:00,900 --> 00:20:03,400
Traditional wheels stand on a-frame structures
323
00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,030
Angled outwards.
324
00:20:07,370 --> 00:20:10,040
The guarantee stability by spreading the wheel's weight
325
00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:11,540
Over a bigger area
326
00:20:11,540 --> 00:20:14,070
And lowering the structure's center of gravity.
327
00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,250
But to build wide legs, you need space,
328
00:20:21,250 --> 00:20:24,520
And space is in short supply in this part of vegas.
329
00:20:27,490 --> 00:20:28,890
High roller's construction site
330
00:20:28,890 --> 00:20:33,190
Is located in the middle of prime real estate.
331
00:20:33,190 --> 00:20:36,060
It sits in an area crammed with obstruction --
332
00:20:38,430 --> 00:20:42,670
A nearly 205,000-square-foot retail development,
333
00:20:42,670 --> 00:20:46,470
The intersection of two busy roads,
334
00:20:46,470 --> 00:20:50,410
And a section of las vegas' raised monorail.
335
00:20:50,410 --> 00:20:52,680
These obstacles restrict high roller's engineers
336
00:20:52,680 --> 00:21:00,250
To a construction footprint of only 213 feet by 72 feet.
337
00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:04,220
The problem is, no matter how they position the high roller,
338
00:21:04,230 --> 00:21:07,160
The giant wheel cannot fit on the site
339
00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:08,960
Without hitting a building
340
00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:10,960
Or standing in the middle of the road.
341
00:21:14,570 --> 00:21:17,570
Borrowing design elements from other famous observation wheels
342
00:21:17,570 --> 00:21:18,800
Is not an option.
343
00:21:18,810 --> 00:21:21,340
21st-century wheels like the london eye
344
00:21:21,340 --> 00:21:26,150
And singapore flyer stand in less cluttered areas,
345
00:21:26,150 --> 00:21:29,120
With space to stretch their legs.
346
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,350
Engineers must come up with a solution
347
00:21:31,350 --> 00:21:34,890
To fit high roller inside its tiny footprint.
348
00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:44,100
They turn the wheel's legs to angle inward
349
00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:45,330
So they touch the ground
350
00:21:45,330 --> 00:21:49,040
Within a narrow 15,400-square-foot area.
351
00:21:51,970 --> 00:21:56,610
The wheel is solid along its north/south axis.
352
00:21:56,610 --> 00:21:59,050
But its narrow stance makes it unstable
353
00:21:59,050 --> 00:22:02,450
Along its east/west access.
354
00:22:02,450 --> 00:22:05,220
Engineers build an ingenious fifth leg
355
00:22:05,220 --> 00:22:09,090
Out from the central spindle to secure the wheel.
356
00:22:09,090 --> 00:22:12,220
It reaches over the neighboring road
357
00:22:12,230 --> 00:22:15,360
And touches down in a nearby parking lot.
358
00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,030
Five points of contact with the ground
359
00:22:18,030 --> 00:22:20,530
Gives high roller perfect balance.
360
00:22:20,540 --> 00:22:28,170
♪
361
00:22:28,180 --> 00:22:32,510
Once workers complete its foundations in mid-2012,
362
00:22:32,510 --> 00:22:34,250
It takes another two years
363
00:22:34,250 --> 00:22:37,780
To finish the wheel's mighty structure.
364
00:22:37,790 --> 00:22:40,420
In order to complete the high roller on time and on budget,
365
00:22:40,420 --> 00:22:43,490
It had to be a very well-choreographed operation.
366
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,300
Printz: We literally had parts and pieces
367
00:22:49,300 --> 00:22:51,330
Coming from all over the world --
368
00:22:51,330 --> 00:22:55,300
Steel from china, glass from the cabins from Italy.
369
00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:58,700
We had to coordinate an enormous amount of material
370
00:22:58,710 --> 00:23:00,410
Coming into this site,
371
00:23:00,410 --> 00:23:04,140
Getting brought in just at the right time.
372
00:23:04,150 --> 00:23:07,780
Narrator: It takes over 25,000 feet of cables,
373
00:23:07,780 --> 00:23:12,690
Over 4 million pounds of steel tubes, 28 capsules,
374
00:23:12,690 --> 00:23:15,860
Each weighing over 59,000 pounds,
375
00:23:15,860 --> 00:23:18,660
And a workforce of 600
376
00:23:18,660 --> 00:23:23,700
To construct the ultimate observation wheel.
377
00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:26,800
Building anything on this scale, it's quite an endeavor
378
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,440
And quite challenging, but it is also extremely rewarding.
379
00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:39,080
♪
380
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,920
Narrator: By the end of Friday night, the super-stable high roller
381
00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,150
Has spun thousands of spring-break vacationers.
382
00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,430
But tomorrow promises to be the busiest day of the long weekend.
383
00:23:56,500 --> 00:23:58,130
What innovation will drive
384
00:23:58,130 --> 00:24:03,300
The 7.3-million-pound wheel nonstop for 16 hours?
385
00:24:06,470 --> 00:24:09,740
And what's the secret to keeping high roller turning
386
00:24:09,740 --> 00:24:12,480
Even when the power goes out?
387
00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,580
♪
388
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:34,400
♪
389
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,270
Narrator: In las vegas, the high roller has spun thousands of people
390
00:24:38,270 --> 00:24:41,070
Over the first 48 hours during one of the most
391
00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:45,440
Popular travel times -- spring break.
392
00:24:45,450 --> 00:24:46,650
During the off-season,
393
00:24:46,650 --> 00:24:49,550
Rider numbers can double over the weekends.
394
00:24:49,550 --> 00:24:52,890
This Saturday evening promises to be even busier.
395
00:24:52,890 --> 00:24:59,530
♪
396
00:24:59,530 --> 00:25:02,660
Operations director carolyn gargiulo's job
397
00:25:02,660 --> 00:25:05,970
Is to ensure the wheel's ready to meet the demand.
398
00:25:05,970 --> 00:25:08,730
Gargiulo: It is a Saturday night, which is typically extremely busy
399
00:25:08,740 --> 00:25:10,070
For the high roller,
400
00:25:10,070 --> 00:25:12,540
And we have a private event on top of that
401
00:25:12,540 --> 00:25:15,740
And then, of course, our general-admission guests.
402
00:25:15,740 --> 00:25:18,640
It's going to be a busy, busy night.
403
00:25:18,650 --> 00:25:23,750
We will be stressed to our max and pushed to our limits.
404
00:25:23,750 --> 00:25:27,590
Narrator: Tonight high roller must spin close to 1,100 people
405
00:25:27,590 --> 00:25:29,760
Every half-hour rotation.
406
00:25:33,430 --> 00:25:36,630
Driving the vertically mounted 7.3-million-pound
407
00:25:36,630 --> 00:25:42,670
Nonstop mega wheel is a huge engineering challenging.
408
00:25:42,670 --> 00:25:46,510
The center of the wheel is the obvious location for a motor,
409
00:25:46,510 --> 00:25:48,970
But rotating high roller from its spindle
410
00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:50,880
Is a recipe for disaster.
411
00:25:54,450 --> 00:25:57,350
The huge torque required to move the mega wheel
412
00:25:57,350 --> 00:26:01,250
Could snap high roller's cables.
413
00:26:01,260 --> 00:26:05,990
The solution is to power the wheel from its rim,
414
00:26:05,990 --> 00:26:08,360
Which reduces the load on the cables
415
00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:09,730
And create an innovative,
416
00:26:09,730 --> 00:26:12,030
State-of-the-art propulsion system.
417
00:26:16,540 --> 00:26:18,800
Unlike other observation wheels,
418
00:26:18,810 --> 00:26:21,810
Engineers deploy a rugged propulsion system
419
00:26:21,810 --> 00:26:25,480
To keep high roller constantly moving.
420
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,320
Eight units fitted with four large truck tires
421
00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,590
Pinch shafts attached to both sides of the rim.
422
00:26:33,590 --> 00:26:37,260
A 127-horsepower motor powers each tire unit
423
00:26:37,260 --> 00:26:39,220
To drive the wheel around.
424
00:26:43,630 --> 00:26:46,200
It's critical the system works flawlessly to cope
425
00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:51,270
With the crowds during this high-demand weekend.
426
00:26:51,270 --> 00:26:54,570
Printz: Reliability is key for this attraction.
427
00:26:54,580 --> 00:26:58,480
One of the critical elements in maintaining this reliability
428
00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,720
Is the maintenance that has to take place every night,
429
00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:07,150
365 days a year.
430
00:27:07,150 --> 00:27:10,690
Narrator: At 2:00 a.M., the wheel closes,
431
00:27:10,690 --> 00:27:15,190
And high roller's dedicated maintenance team gets busy.
432
00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:18,860
Senior mechanic david pinkerton must ensure the tires and motors
433
00:27:18,870 --> 00:27:22,000
For the propulsion system are in perfect condition.
434
00:27:24,610 --> 00:27:27,310
Pinkerton: When we're checking the tires, we're looking for cracks,
435
00:27:27,310 --> 00:27:30,940
We're looking for bubbles, we're looking for low tread,
436
00:27:30,950 --> 00:27:33,610
We're looking for low tire pressure.
437
00:27:33,610 --> 00:27:36,920
Alright, josh, let off a little bit.
438
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:38,520
Looks good there, josh.
439
00:27:40,620 --> 00:27:42,920
Narrator: David and his team must complete all repairs
440
00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:46,090
During this downtime.
441
00:27:46,090 --> 00:27:48,530
Failing tires while the wheel is running
442
00:27:48,530 --> 00:27:50,800
Could force high roller to shut down
443
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,230
And seriously damage its reputation.
444
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:55,830
So, it's all done? All the tires are good?
445
00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,070
Yep. They're clear.
446
00:27:58,070 --> 00:28:00,070
Once the tires are ready to roll,
447
00:28:00,070 --> 00:28:02,140
The team checks the motors.
448
00:28:05,450 --> 00:28:09,620
If any of them fail, the big wheel has built-in redundancy
449
00:28:09,620 --> 00:28:15,090
To keep turning at its normal speed of one foot per second.
450
00:28:15,090 --> 00:28:17,660
We run with all eight drive units at one time.
451
00:28:17,660 --> 00:28:20,360
We could operate with six drive units.
452
00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:23,300
If we lose two more drive units after that,
453
00:28:23,300 --> 00:28:26,930
Then we're in half-speed.
454
00:28:26,930 --> 00:28:29,700
Narrator: In case of a power failure, high roller's engineers
455
00:28:29,700 --> 00:28:33,070
Have built in a backup generator to keep the motors running.
456
00:28:35,210 --> 00:28:37,980
But there's always the risk an unexpected event
457
00:28:37,980 --> 00:28:40,980
Could cut both electric and diesel power
458
00:28:40,980 --> 00:28:43,550
And bring the big wheel to a grinding halt.
459
00:28:43,550 --> 00:28:48,490
♪
460
00:28:48,490 --> 00:28:52,390
In the unlikely event the high roller loses all power,
461
00:28:52,390 --> 00:28:56,660
It can fall back on an ingenious failsafe.
462
00:28:56,660 --> 00:28:59,700
Two independent diesel motors power a pair
463
00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,700
Of 10-foot-long hydraulic arms.
464
00:29:03,700 --> 00:29:08,270
The front arms grip the wheel's rim and push it around.
465
00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:12,040
At the same time, two back arms extend,
466
00:29:12,050 --> 00:29:16,320
Grip the rim, and pull the wheel.
467
00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,690
Repeating the sequence rotates the wheel smoothly.
468
00:29:20,690 --> 00:29:22,820
Using this system, workers can rescue
469
00:29:22,820 --> 00:29:26,360
All of high roller's passengers in just two hours.
470
00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:31,360
♪
471
00:29:31,370 --> 00:29:33,430
David and his team test the system
472
00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:36,340
To ensure it will work in the worst-case scenario.
473
00:29:36,340 --> 00:29:43,510
♪
474
00:29:43,510 --> 00:29:47,610
The hydraulically powered arms spring into action.
475
00:29:47,620 --> 00:29:50,320
They grab the wheel and pull it around.
476
00:29:53,490 --> 00:29:55,850
The system works without a hitch.
477
00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,630
It's Saturday night of the long spring-break weekend,
478
00:30:02,630 --> 00:30:05,060
And the party is in full swing.
479
00:30:05,070 --> 00:30:07,230
Five minutes left, guys! Five minutes!
480
00:30:07,230 --> 00:30:08,900
[ cheers ]
481
00:30:08,900 --> 00:30:11,300
High roller is going strong.
482
00:30:14,810 --> 00:30:18,740
With only 24 hours left until the end of the weekend,
483
00:30:18,750 --> 00:30:21,680
The wheel must deliver a spectacular experience
484
00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,880
Every ride to keep wowing the crowd.
485
00:30:27,250 --> 00:30:30,020
What ingenious technologies help the spherical cabin
486
00:30:30,020 --> 00:30:34,630
Stay perfectly level at every point of high roller's rotation?
487
00:30:46,570 --> 00:30:52,510
♪
488
00:30:52,510 --> 00:30:55,410
Narrator: It's 10:00 a.M., Sunday morning,
489
00:30:55,420 --> 00:30:59,990
The last day of the long spring-break weekend.
490
00:30:59,990 --> 00:31:04,920
Eager tourists line up for las vegas' star attraction --
491
00:31:04,930 --> 00:31:06,560
The high roller.
492
00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:13,570
♪
493
00:31:13,570 --> 00:31:17,540
Over the next 15 hours, it must fly thousands more people
494
00:31:17,540 --> 00:31:20,210
Above the city's world-famous skyline.
495
00:31:20,210 --> 00:31:27,680
♪
496
00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:29,250
Currently, the temperature this morning
497
00:31:29,250 --> 00:31:31,780
Is a pleasant 77 degrees,
498
00:31:31,790 --> 00:31:34,390
But that can change quickly in the desert.
499
00:31:34,390 --> 00:31:36,260
And ensuring this wheel can survive
500
00:31:36,260 --> 00:31:38,360
Las vegas's extreme climate
501
00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:42,690
Is a huge challenge for high roller's engineers.
502
00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:49,030
In spring, the temperature can reach a steamy 95 degrees.
503
00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:52,840
If made from regular glass, temperatures this hot will turn
504
00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,410
The high roller's 28 spherical cabins
505
00:31:55,410 --> 00:31:58,940
Into mini greenhouses, frying their occupants.
506
00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:05,750
So the wheel's designers build in the ultimate
507
00:32:05,750 --> 00:32:08,220
See-through barrier to beat the heat.
508
00:32:11,030 --> 00:32:13,590
A special coating reduces the penetration
509
00:32:13,590 --> 00:32:17,900
Of the sun's energy into the cabins.
510
00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:21,300
Hand-made double-paned glass stops heat radiation
511
00:32:21,300 --> 00:32:23,300
From passing into the interior.
512
00:32:25,540 --> 00:32:28,010
Another challenge facing the wheel's engineers
513
00:32:28,010 --> 00:32:33,250
Is how to create the sensation of floating in the sky.
514
00:32:33,250 --> 00:32:35,880
It's critical the capsule stay perfectly level
515
00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:40,420
At every point in the high roller's rotation.
516
00:32:40,420 --> 00:32:43,320
The cabins on early ferris wheels hang from axles
517
00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,490
Attached to the rim.
518
00:32:46,490 --> 00:32:51,360
These pivots rely on gravity to keep the cabins level.
519
00:32:51,370 --> 00:32:54,830
But this design makes for a rocky ride.
520
00:32:54,840 --> 00:33:00,270
♪
521
00:33:00,270 --> 00:33:03,140
Traditional cabins move freely around the axles
522
00:33:03,140 --> 00:33:06,510
That suspend them from the wheel frame.
523
00:33:06,510 --> 00:33:08,780
This leaves the passengers inside vulnerable
524
00:33:08,780 --> 00:33:13,750
To feeling every bump caused by the wheel's turning mechanism...
525
00:33:13,750 --> 00:33:17,720
And puts the cabins at the mercy of strong winds.
526
00:33:17,730 --> 00:33:21,390
Both factors provide an uncomfortable experience.
527
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,100
And for most of the ride, the structure of the wheel
528
00:33:24,100 --> 00:33:27,370
Itself obstructs the view from the cabins.
529
00:33:27,370 --> 00:33:32,840
♪
530
00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,240
To solve these problems, high roller's designers
531
00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,280
Take gravity out of the equation.
532
00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:42,710
They use support struts called v-legs to fix each cabin
533
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,120
To the outside of the rim.
534
00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:46,590
But doing this has the potential
535
00:33:46,590 --> 00:33:50,620
To jeopardize the passenger experience.
536
00:33:50,620 --> 00:33:52,820
Fixed cabins will turn upside down
537
00:33:52,830 --> 00:33:57,660
As the wheel turns 360 degrees.
538
00:33:57,660 --> 00:34:01,030
To solve the problem, engineers grip each cabin
539
00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,240
With an ingenious gear system.
540
00:34:07,310 --> 00:34:11,710
As the high roller spins in one direction...
541
00:34:11,710 --> 00:34:14,450
The cabins rotate in the opposite direction
542
00:34:14,450 --> 00:34:16,650
To stay level.
543
00:34:16,650 --> 00:34:19,120
To make sure the cabins turn exactly the right amount
544
00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,320
Relative to the big wheel, engineers fit each one
545
00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:26,120
With a toothed, 17-foot-long ring.
546
00:34:28,700 --> 00:34:31,400
An attachment arm connects the ring to a cog.
547
00:34:34,470 --> 00:34:40,240
As the wheel turns, the cog's teeth turn the cabin ring.
548
00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:43,380
This makes sure that every cabin always stays level,
549
00:34:43,380 --> 00:34:45,510
No matter where it is on the wheel.
550
00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:51,850
The system means engineers can mount the cabin
551
00:34:51,850 --> 00:34:53,790
On the wheel's exterior.
552
00:34:53,790 --> 00:34:57,660
This guarantees passengers can experience spectacular,
553
00:34:57,660 --> 00:35:00,630
Uninterrupted views of las vegas.
554
00:35:00,630 --> 00:35:03,200
Eberhart: One of the best ways to find out if you're actually moving
555
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,770
Or turning is to watch the relationship to the v-leg.
556
00:35:06,770 --> 00:35:09,400
Here, the v-leg is holding us by the side.
557
00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:12,600
When we first loaded, it was supporting us from the top.
558
00:35:12,610 --> 00:35:14,540
And when we were at the top of the ride,
559
00:35:14,540 --> 00:35:16,940
We were actually sitting on top of the v-leg.
560
00:35:16,940 --> 00:35:19,410
So, as you're making your trip around,
561
00:35:19,410 --> 00:35:22,810
Not only is the cabin doing a 360-degree turn.
562
00:35:22,820 --> 00:35:26,720
The wheel on the rim itself is doing a 360-degree turn.
563
00:35:28,590 --> 00:35:32,360
Narrator: Every year, high roller spins over a million visitors
564
00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,290
Above sin city inside its perfectly leveled,
565
00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:39,100
Temperature-controlled spherical cabins.
566
00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:43,670
Whoo-hoo!
567
00:35:43,670 --> 00:35:46,300
1:00 p.M., Sunday.
568
00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:49,880
The long spring-break weekend is coming to an end.
569
00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:54,310
Over the past 60 hours, the 7.3-million-pound wheel
570
00:35:54,310 --> 00:35:59,150
Has completed over 100 full rotations.
571
00:35:59,150 --> 00:36:02,350
But with a late passenger surge expected this evening,
572
00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,890
It can't afford to break down now.
573
00:36:07,090 --> 00:36:09,260
What near-frictionless engineering
574
00:36:09,260 --> 00:36:11,860
Keeps this wheel turning?
575
00:36:11,870 --> 00:36:14,400
And what stops damaging desert sand
576
00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,340
From bringing it to a grinding halt?
577
00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:21,340
♪
578
00:36:31,450 --> 00:36:36,290
♪
579
00:36:36,290 --> 00:36:39,460
Narrator: It's Sunday afternoon in las vegas.
580
00:36:39,460 --> 00:36:43,900
The spring-break long weekend is almost over.
581
00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:48,170
In the last 72 hours, the mighty high roller wheel
582
00:36:48,170 --> 00:36:51,140
Has spun thousands of tourists over sin city.
583
00:36:51,140 --> 00:36:56,470
♪
584
00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:00,110
Rotating around its 98-foot-long spindle continuously
585
00:37:00,110 --> 00:37:03,920
For 16 hours is an epic engineering feat
586
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:06,550
For an observation wheel this large.
587
00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:11,220
The rim, capsules, cables, and hub
588
00:37:11,230 --> 00:37:17,400
Weigh 7.3 million pounds, equivalent to 15 blue whales.
589
00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:23,000
♪
590
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,040
This much weight turning on the spindle
591
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,140
Creates massive friction.
592
00:37:28,140 --> 00:37:30,280
Metal grinding on metal risks
593
00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:33,010
Catastrophic mechanical breakdowns.
594
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,090
It's critical the moving metal parts slip past each other
595
00:37:40,090 --> 00:37:42,450
With the least amount of friction possible.
596
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:48,630
In early 2013, engineers installed a pair
597
00:37:48,630 --> 00:37:53,060
Of 7.5-foot-long roller bearings.
598
00:37:53,070 --> 00:37:56,230
Each one locks 60 free-moving roller elements
599
00:37:56,240 --> 00:37:59,640
Within two steel rings.
600
00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:03,010
They sealed the 19,800-pound bearings
601
00:38:03,010 --> 00:38:06,650
Inside the 16-foot-tall steel cable anchors.
602
00:38:06,650 --> 00:38:10,780
A giant crane lifted each one 260 feet off the ground
603
00:38:10,780 --> 00:38:14,120
To their final positions on the support legs.
604
00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:18,520
The installation of the bearings, hub,
605
00:38:18,530 --> 00:38:21,960
And spindle took two months to complete.
606
00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:27,100
♪
607
00:38:27,100 --> 00:38:30,300
The high roller's desert location creates a major problem
608
00:38:30,300 --> 00:38:34,370
For machines with big moving parts.
609
00:38:34,370 --> 00:38:39,640
Strong winds blow sand and dust across las vegas.
610
00:38:39,650 --> 00:38:42,010
If these abrasive particles build up inside
611
00:38:42,020 --> 00:38:44,380
The roller bearings,
612
00:38:44,380 --> 00:38:47,220
They will damage the engineered metal components...
613
00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:52,220
And the wheel could come to a grinding halt.
614
00:38:52,230 --> 00:38:58,360
♪
615
00:38:58,370 --> 00:39:01,230
Mechanic bryan arellanos is responsible
616
00:39:01,230 --> 00:39:03,470
For keeping the mighty bearings clean.
617
00:39:07,110 --> 00:39:09,340
During crucial maintenance shifts,
618
00:39:09,340 --> 00:39:13,810
Brian and a co-worker ascend 270 ladder steps...
619
00:39:16,780 --> 00:39:18,920
Into the very heart of the wheel.
620
00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:25,320
Right now we're actually inside of the hub of the high roller.
621
00:39:25,330 --> 00:39:28,590
This is a static spindle that stays still.
622
00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:32,260
On the other side of this seal is the bearing itself
623
00:39:32,270 --> 00:39:33,830
That's connected to the hub.
624
00:39:33,830 --> 00:39:36,100
And if the wheel were to be moving right now,
625
00:39:36,100 --> 00:39:39,170
We'd be rotating with the hub itself.
626
00:39:39,170 --> 00:39:43,680
Narrator: High roller's secret to beating the grit is grease --
627
00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,280
And lots of it.
628
00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:49,710
Every day, automatic pumps inject 2.2 pounds
629
00:39:49,720 --> 00:39:51,720
Of lubrication grease into the sealed
630
00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:55,090
Housing containing the roller bearings.
631
00:39:55,090 --> 00:39:57,990
This constant flow of grease flushes out any particles
632
00:39:57,990 --> 00:40:00,290
That could grind the metal components.
633
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:06,400
If the oozing grease contains foreign particles,
634
00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:11,670
Bryan knows the roller bearing's seal is broken and needs fixing.
635
00:40:11,670 --> 00:40:15,770
All around us is the bearing, and this system right here
636
00:40:15,780 --> 00:40:18,810
Is where our grease pump pumps the grease into.
637
00:40:18,810 --> 00:40:21,480
And this is where the excess grease gets flushed out.
638
00:40:23,650 --> 00:40:25,850
Narrator: The team regularly sends samples of grease
639
00:40:25,850 --> 00:40:29,420
To a laboratory for inspection.
640
00:40:29,420 --> 00:40:32,760
But bryan is the first line of defense.
641
00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:34,660
We do check it every week,
642
00:40:34,660 --> 00:40:37,060
And if we can see something with our naked eye,
643
00:40:37,060 --> 00:40:38,930
We know there's an issue with the high roller.
644
00:40:38,930 --> 00:40:40,830
We don't see any kind of foreign material in there.
645
00:40:40,830 --> 00:40:42,570
We don't see any air pockets.
646
00:40:42,570 --> 00:40:44,500
And overall it looks pretty good.
647
00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:50,840
♪
648
00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:53,210
Narrator: 5:00 p.M., Sunday.
649
00:40:53,210 --> 00:40:58,620
A rush of last-minute riders board the high roller.
650
00:40:58,620 --> 00:41:04,360
The mighty wheel is on its final leg of this epic long weekend.
651
00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:08,290
We had a very successful weekend thanks to our team.
652
00:41:08,300 --> 00:41:11,730
Because we were fortunate enough to create a las vegas icon,
653
00:41:11,730 --> 00:41:14,630
Now the pressure is on us to make sure we maintain it
654
00:41:14,630 --> 00:41:18,040
And continue to operate for the next 50-plus years.
655
00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:25,210
Narrator: High roller soars higher, works harder,
656
00:41:25,210 --> 00:41:27,610
And carries more passengers
657
00:41:27,610 --> 00:41:31,820
Than any other wheel in north america.
658
00:41:31,820 --> 00:41:36,450
Built into its huge frame are a series of engineering marvels
659
00:41:36,460 --> 00:41:40,760
That make it the pinnacle of observation-wheel design.
660
00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:43,800
Innovative building techniques make construction possible
661
00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:47,730
Within a crowded urban landscape.
662
00:41:47,730 --> 00:41:50,700
The unique support frame anchors the mighty structure
663
00:41:50,700 --> 00:41:52,600
To a tiny footprint.
664
00:41:55,840 --> 00:41:58,410
The one-of-a-kind, single-rim design
665
00:41:58,410 --> 00:42:02,880
Stays rigid in the strong desert winds.
666
00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:06,550
A diesel-powered hydraulic arm keeps the wheel turning
667
00:42:06,550 --> 00:42:09,750
If the electricity fails.
668
00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:13,020
Precisely geared temperature-controlled cabins
669
00:42:13,030 --> 00:42:16,730
Stay perfectly level around every rotation.
670
00:42:18,870 --> 00:42:24,600
The high roller is built to be the ultimate mega wheel.
671
00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:32,580
♪
52956
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