Top Thrill Dragster
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| Top Thrill Dragster | |
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| Top Thrill Dragster | |
| Location | Cedar Point |
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| Coordinates | 41°29′2.25″N 82°41′10.38″W / 41.4839583°N 82.6862167°WCoordinates: 41°29′2.25″N 82°41′10.38″W / 41.4839583°N 82.6862167°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 4, 2003 |
| Cost | US$ 25,000,000 |
| Type | Steel - Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Stratacoaster |
| Track layout | Square-boxed structure painted red and white with yellow supports |
| Lift/launch system | Hydraulic Launch |
| Height | 420 ft (130 m) |
| Drop | 400 ft (120 m) |
| Length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Max speed | 120 mph (190 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 0:17 |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Capacity | 1000 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 120 mph (0 to 193 km/h) in 3.8 seconds |
| Height restriction | 4 ft 4 in (132 cm) |
| Top Thrill Dragster at RCDB | |
| Pictures of Top Thrill Dragster at RCDB | |
 Amusement Parks Portal |
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Top Thrill Dragster is a steel, Hydraulic-launched roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It was the first "Strata Coaster", loosely defined as a complete circuit coaster that is over 400 feet (120 m) tall. It was built by Intamin and debuted to the public on May 4, 2003. It is one of only two stratacoasters in existence, the other being Kingda Ka (2005) at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The 'Dragster is the second tallest roller coaster in the world, only behind Kingda Ka.
It was the second hydraulically-launched roller coaster built by Intamin, following Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm. The tagline for Top Thrill Dragster is "Race for the Sky".
Due to aviation safety regulations and for the purpose of warning air traffic, the tower is equipped with four dual strobes: three midway up and one on the highest point on the coaster.
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[edit] Records
When Top Thrill Dragster first debuted, it set four new records:
- Tallest coaster
- Fastest top speed of any coaster
- Steepest drop on a roller coaster (tied with other coasters)
- First complete circuit coaster to top 400 feet (120 m)
It was the fourth roller coaster to break the 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) speed barrier. It was preceded in this feat by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Australia, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California and Dodonpa (located at Fuji-Q Highland).
The previous record holder for overall height was Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California 415 feet (126 m). Top Thrill Dragster broke this record at 420 feet (130 m). Its record was broken in 2005 when Kingda Ka opened at Six Flags Great Adventure, in New Jersey, USA, standing 456 feet (139 m) tall.
The previous record holder for speed was Dodonpa, at 107 miles per hour (172 km/h). This record was broken by Top Thrill Dragster, which reaches speeds up to 120 miles per hour (190 km/h) (depending on wind and other conditions), which was later broken by Kingda Ka which reached a top speed of 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) and, in November 2010, by Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with a top speed of 240 kilometres per hour (149 mph).
In 2007, it reached its goal of a million riders in one year. The following years proved its ability to entertain riders. Since 2007, it has reached at least 1 million riders in a year and continues to be one of the most popular rides at Cedar Point.
[edit] The ride
Top Thrill Dragster is easily seen from nearly anywhere in the park.
In the station, two trains are loaded simultaneously before both are dispatched to a separate track to wait for the launch. Each one is launched individually while two more enter the station to receive more passengers. While there, the ride's theme song, "Ready to Go" by Republica, is played.
To the left of the track is a "Christmas tree" light, similar to those employed at the starting line of a drag strip. A brief message is played to the riders to; "keep arms down, head back, and hold on." Once the train is prepared to launch, a motor revving sound effect is played and its magnetic braking fins are lowered from the launch track. It then launches, accelerating to a speed of 120 mph (190 km/h) in 3.8 seconds.[1]
Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity, the train begins its ascent up a 90-degree incline, twisting 90 degrees counter-clockwise before climbing over the 420-foot (130 m) hill. Upon descending, the track twists 270 degrees before leveling out, allowing the train to be stopped by the magnetic brakes.
[edit] Theme
The roller coaster is based on the Top Fuel Drag Racing motor sport. A real Top Fuel dragster weighs approximately one ton, while each train on the coaster weighs 5.3 tons. Its dragster themed trains once had decorative spoilers and engines, but these were removed soon after opening, allowing an extra row of seats to be added to each one. Also, when the ride opened, it had only four cars on each train, including the decals. By the middle of the 2003 season, the fifth cars were added to all trains, making them the five cars long that they are now. The fifth cars were added on shortly before the decals were removed.[2]
[edit] Rollbacks
A computer regulates the speed of the launch in order to minimize forces as the train crests the hill. Occasionally, one is not launched with enough speed to clear the crest. This typically happens in cool, wet, or breezy weather, or when the wind is working against it. In these conditions, the launch often does not provide it with enough speed to climb over the hill, which causes it to stop short of the apex, and roll back down the hill in reverse, hence the term "rollback". The launch track is equipped with retractable magnetic braking fins which are raised after the train is launched in order to slow one that did not crest the hill.
Intamin's term for this occurrence is "short shot" rather than "rollback", but the term "rollback" is used almost exclusively in the parks that operate Accelerator Coasters, as well as in the coaster enthusiast community.
On very rare occasions a combination of the weight distribution of the train, the force of the launch, and the wind can stall a train on the top of the tower. This has happened on June 24, 2005,[3] October 25, 2008, and May 25, 2009.
[edit] Accidents
On Wednesday, July 14, 2004, four people were struck by flying debris while riding the coaster. Reports indicated that its metal cable frayed as the train was being launched. Shards of metal sheared off of it and struck the riders as the train reached speeds of up to 120 miles per hour (190 km/h). Some riders were left with cuts and minor injuries while others complained of minor burns caused by an oily substance. The injured ones were treated at the park's first aid station, and two of them sought further medical attention at a hospital.[4]
[edit] Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Best Steel Coaster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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[edit] Records
| Preceded by Steel Dragon 2000 |
World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster May 2003 – May 2005 |
Succeeded by Kingda Ka |
| Preceded by Tower of Terror II and Superman: The Escape |
World's Tallest Roller Coaster May 2003 – May 2005 |
Succeeded by Kingda Ka |
| Preceded by Superman: The Escape |
World's Tallest Roller Coaster Drop May 2003 – May 2005 |
Succeeded by Kingda Ka |
| Preceded by Dodonpa |
World's Fastest Roller Coaster May 2003 – May 2005 |
Succeeded by Kingda Ka |
[edit] References
- ^ "Top Thrill Dragster". Roller Coaster Database. http://www.rcdb.com/id1896.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- ^ http://www.rcdb.com/1896.htm
- ^ "Top Thrill Dragster Stuck at Top". Xtreme Coastin. 2005-06-24. http://www.xtremecoastin.com/videos/misc_videos/ttdstuck_2005.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- ^ "Cedar Point Roller Coaster Riders Upset After Incident". WLKY. http://www.wlky.com/travelgetaways/3528643/detail.html. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ Amusement Today 2011 Park and Ride Winners
[edit] External links
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