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Buggy Goes Live!

Spring Carnival Celebration Set for April 20-22

Team members (aptly named "pushers") push the buggies up Tech Street and shove them at the top of the hill, near the intersection with Frew St. The buggies then roll freely down Schenley Drive and turn onto Frew St., where more pushers await to propel them toward the finish line.

For decades, Carnegie Mellon alumni have flocked to campus during Spring Carnival and jammed Tech and Frew streets to cheer at the annual Buggy races. But now, with an ever-expanding international alumni base, not everyone can make the trip back to Pittsburgh. So this year, the university's television and radio stations have joined forces with the School of Computer Science to make sure that no alums will miss the excitement of Buggy, whether they live in Akron or Australia.

cmuTV, the student-run television station, and WRCT (88.3 FM) have collaborated with the End System Multicast (ESM) project to provide the most far-reaching, exhaustive live coverage in the history of the spring tradition. And this isn't just any live coverage. cmuTV will provide full-scale video event coverage, including a NASCAR-style video production featuring more than 10 cameras and special effect shots. WRCT's experts will supply audio coverage of the Buggy action, including interviews and play-by-play commentary. ESM will stream the broadcast live on the Web from 8 a.m. to noon, Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22. (Check out http://www.cmutv.org/ for information on getting the ESM software.)

As pervasive as Buggy is on the Carnegie Mellon campus, some former students may have made it to commencement without ever seeing a race. (The races are early, after all, and some people like to sleep). For those few uninitiated alumni, this year's live coverage might be just the way to discover the popular, one-of-a-kind event.

Once four-wheeled miniature racecars, today the term "buggy" is really a misnomer. Each year, student teams (who are highly secretive about their methods and plans) build, test, and race aerodynamic versions of the soapbox racer. Built from various compositions that may include fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar and epoxy, these three-wheeled aerodynamic, missile-like vessels, navigated by petite drivers strapped prone inside, reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. They're not self-propelled, though: team members (aptly named "pushers") push the buggies up Tech Street and shove them at the top of the hill, near the intersection with Frew St. The buggies then roll freely down Schenley Drive and turn onto Frew St., where more pushers await to propel the buggies toward the finish line. In the end, the team with the best overall time wins.

Teams spend the entire year (summers, too) researching, fine-tuning buggies and training for race day. Practices start before daybreak most weekend mornings during the school year and drivers go through rigorous training to find the perfect balance between safety and speed. Competition is fierce and rivalries are strong between the top competitors. While the fraternity teams often dominate, independent organizations make strong showings each year. The intense practices, competition and rivalry culminate in a boisterous, energized dash to the finish on race days.

Lucky alumni who can make it back to Pittsburgh for Carnival will find more than Buggy to keep them busy. They'll be transported to "Another Time and Place," the theme of this year's celebration. The Midway in the Morewood parking lot will teem with the food, rides and student-designed booths that make Spring Carnival at Carnegie Mellon so memorable. The weekend festivities will also feature entertainment, including student musicians, fire breathers, improv troupes, comedians and musical groups. Carnival will go out with a bang Saturday night with fireworks in Gesling Stadium.

The Midway will be open from 3 to 11 p.m., Thursday, April 20; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, April 21; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 22. For a complete list of all the ways to celebrate Spring Carnival, visit http://www.springcarnival.org. And don't forget that no matter where you are, you can catch the action at http://www.cmutv.org/.

Susie Cribbs
Jenni King
April 20, 2006



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