Vantage learns Pinewood Derby is fun, but cable tray not fast

The Interdisciplinary Project Delivery Team (IPDT) for the Sutter Health / California Pacific Medical Center projects at the St. Luke’s and Van Ness & Geary campuses recently held its inaugural Pinewood Derby.  The event, intended to encourage team building and cooperation, consisted of building and then racing a small wooden car on an inclined race track.  Twenty-nine vehicles were entered, resulting in a wide range of cars which included many sleek (and fast) hot-rod designs but also the Batmobile, an entry from the Grammar Police and (this writer’s favorite) a pair of fried eggs.

Vantage’s entry, in homage to the infrastructure that supports the technology and low voltage systems throughout both hospitals, consisted of a cable tray with high-performance copper cabling running in it.  RJ45 connectors and jacks terminated each end of the cables, with red and white LEDs added for safety.  Our cable tray car posted consistent times in each race, but its un-aerodynamic shape and even weight distribution meant that it was slightly slower than many of the more racetrack-ready cars.  Accordingly, we did not progress to the final round.  Even so, a good time was had by all and we look forward to next year where we intend to enter a car based on the next evolution of technology – wireless.

Team credits: Alexis Dirvin, Eric Rochelson and Mike Dannenberg (constructors and mechanics), Rooz Afzal (transportation) and Robert Gannon (driver)