The Top Thrill Dragster coaster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. A range of photos were leaked online before Christmas of the current Top Thrill Dragster site. A hospital spokesman said she was then transferred to another facility. Cedar Point is charged with making daily inspections of its rides. Top Thrill Dragster . #TopThrillDragtser's station has been just about completely emptied at #cedarpoint. We all saw it fly off. Her identity and condition remain unknown. Screamscape has now reported a rumor that Cedar Point is getting ready to start work on the site of the coaster. Cedar Point officials said the Top Thrill Dragster will be closed for the remainder of the season after a piece of metal struck a woman in the head last week. [8] The structure was built by Intamin's subcontractor Stakotra. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Updates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster. He added, I can guarantee you this was not the first time something like this has happened. Miran said the steel track itself shows signs of damage where the bracket made contact as the coaster train made its way down the hill. Miran said prior to Monday afternoon's press briefing he contacted the woman's family to update them on the status of the investigation into what went wrong with the coaster that has been around since 2003. The ODA said the purpose of their investigation was not to determine the cause of the accident, just to make sure the amusement park followed all the laws in place to ensure the rollercoasters safety. [16][17] Intamin designed both Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster, and the two share a similar design and layout that differs primarily by theme and an additional hill featured on Kingda Ka. Updated: 7:19 PM EDT August 15, 2021 SANDUSKY, Ohio A "female guest" was taken to the hospital on Sunday afternoon after a "small metal object" came off of the Top Thrill Dragster roller . [31] Prior to the end of Cedar Point's operating season, parts of the roller coaster's track near the station were dismantled. About the Cedar Point Dragster Accident: The photos also show that the returning/ brake track run is also being removed from the station to just past the "Finish" line. [19] The ride continued to experience a variety of issues dealing with its hydraulic system and launch cable, which frequently led to downtime early on in its tenure. Park officials did not say if the accident influenced their decision to permanently close the coaster, which has operated for 19 years and drawn 18 million riders. ), State investigations say the piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point guest waiting in line for the park's Top Thrill Dragster was about the size of "a man's hand.". tragic mishap last August severely injured a park guest, Woman at Cedar Point struck in the head by falling roller coaster piece, Multiple people injured on New Jersey Six Flags roller coaster with derailment history, officials say, New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. [15][34][35], Occasionally, a train was launched without sufficient speed to reach the top of the tower and rolled back onto the launch track, hence the term "rollback". Cedar Point closing Top Thrill Dragster ride after it caused a severe injury in 2021 Craig Webb Akron Beacon Journal 0:00 2:10 AKRON, Ohio It was once the tallest roller coaster in the. 419-334-1035. Cedar Point:New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, What's everyone talking about? Those changesincluded hydraulic upgrades, a hydraulic propulsion system upgrade and repairs to black cherry car No. It was just scary, Leppo said. From the tweet below fromUpdates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, we can see that work is progressing fast and all that now remains of where the queue line stood is a hole in the ground. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WOIO) - Cedar Point announced today that the Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed for the 2021 season following an incident where a guest was injured by an object that fell. The ride is inspected regularly -- by Cedar Point staff, the parks insurance company and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which oversees ride safety in the state. TOP THRILL DRAGSTER: The High Octane Story of Cedar Point's Coaster Wars Icon And Its Post-Pitstop Second Life. Those upgrades were made and the ride was ruled compliant on May 15. Even now, he said, while the investigation is ongoing, park officials should be more forthcoming,. Click link to read full story. Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Updates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragsterhas recently posted a tweet showing that the station has been pretty much completely emptied. Her family said in a statement at the time: "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like! I mean I seen, like, a picture of what that metal was and that was a pretty thick piece of metal to just snap off like that., They sent us a statement that reads in part, Cedar Point has cooperated fully with ODA throughout its investigation into the incident and we will closely review the substance of ODAs report.. [20] In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, timed boarding passes called "Access Passes" were used temporarily to comply with social distancing guidelines. This typically happened in cool, wet, or breezy weather, or when the wind was working against it. Top Thrill Dragster also broke the height record, standing at 420 feet (130m), which was previously held by Superman: Escape from Krypton at 415 feet (126m). WARNING: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. Increasing the height by either taking the top section off and re-engineering it or lowering the bottom ends of the track at the base of the tower into a below-grade trench. How can you protect somebody standing in line?, Dennis Speigel, an industry consultant, said hes confident Cedar Point will figure out what went wrong and will fix it. WhatsApp. I think its a shock that something would happen like that. Thats what theyre going to do., He added, If they tear it down, it wont be because of this one incident. "This is a very complicated ride," he said. As you can see from the video which is embedded below, the only words which appear are "A NEW FORMULA FOR THRILLS" "COMING 2024". Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity, the catch car disengaged, and the train began its ascent up a 90-degree incline, twisting 90 degrees clockwise before climbing over the 420-foot (130m) top hat. [25] However, Cedar Point was required to perform a list of repairs, including repairing damaged track sections and replacing "different or improper grade" bolts before ODA could certify the attraction to reopen. Just like the waterslide in Kansas.. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130 . THE world's second tallest rollercoaster has been closed forever after a woman waiting in line was hit on the head by a metal bracket. Its records were surpassed in 2005 by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. In summary this is what we know, work is clearly going on at the station. Imagine moving from a standstill to a breakneck 120mph (193 kph) in just 3.9 seconds. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. Tony Clark, the director of communications at Cedar Point, tweeted: "After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders experiencing the worlds first strata coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired.". Hawes was seriously injured by a piece of metal that fell from the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park. USA TODAY Cedar Point retires Top Thrill Dragster coaster following 2021 accident that injured woman Duration: 00:32 9/7/2022 Like 6 Comments | The roller coaster that dominated the Ohio. SANDUSKY, Ohio Its been three days since a horrific accident at one of Cedar Points most popular roller coasters, and there are still more questions than answers about the incident. Copyright 2021 WTVG. He identified himself as an off-duty sheriffs deputy. Reports indicated that a metal cable frayed during launch, shearing off shards of metal that struck the riders. Top Thrill Dragster fans have been speculating the possibilities over the the last few months of what this reimagining will include and although nothing is still officially confirmed, what we do know for certain is that the hydraulic launch will be replaced by a LSM launch track. If all their paperwork was in order and it was a freak accident, I dont think anything should happen to them, said Yohe. If this was possible and the height could be increased above 418ft then Top Thrill Dragster would take back the record from Kingda Ka of being the tallest stratocoaster in North America. Meanwhile, heres what is publicly known and not known about the accident: Clark issued a statement shortly after the accident, which occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. October 18 - We are closely following the progress of the eagerly awaited Top Thrill Dragster reimagining which was first announced back in September. World's tallest complete circuit roller coaster, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:10. We dont know what it was. Its going to take them a while to do the forensics, said Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services. She was told to back away. The ride that dominates the Sandusky. At the time it opened in 2003, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. Top Thrill Dragster is a hydraulically-launched steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. David Miran, the Ohio Department of Agriculture's chief ofamusementrides, announced Monday thepiece that became dislodged is an "L-shaped" bracket attached to the back of the train car designed to look like dragster. 3. October 3 - In an update posted today by Screamscapewhich includes a number of photos, we can see work continues at an impressive rate on the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster At Cedar Point. Check out the rumors that are currently swirling below of what we may see in the reimagining and we will keep you posted with further updates when they are revealed on our news and Facebook page. User account menu. The report said she had an "unknown type of head injury.". There was a ton of people around her so I dont know if someone picked something up.. [24] An ODA investigation later determined that half of the bolts securing the plate dislodged. Top Thrill Dragster is a steel launched strata roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. Top Thrill Dragster is themed to Top Fuel drag racing, with the starting launch designed to resemble a dragstrip. The ride's speed, height and hydraulic launch system make it a constant maintenance project. We are devastated by last weekends accident at Cedar Point," the statement said. Authorities are investigating a harrowing incident at an Ohio amusement park that's a magnet for roller coaster lovers. Leppo said there was confusion at first in his part of the line about what was happening. William Yohe, a resident in Sandusky said; Katie Boyer, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, would not give a timeframe for the conclusion of the state investigation. When Top Thrill Dragster debuted, it set four new records: It became the fastest roller coaster in the world with a maximum speed of 120mph (190km/h). The 45-year-old, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was left with serious brain injuriesafter being hit while waiting to board the ride. Photo: Tyler Buchanan/Axios The ODA is not recommending any administrative action against Cedar Point. [4] The concrete footings were kept hidden behind a fence when the park opened for the 2002 season. The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) - YouTube 0:00 / 11:54 The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) Dark History 248K subscribers. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph in four seconds, effectively sling-shooting them over the hill. Are you excited to ride the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph. The state on Monday released the one-page initialincident report, which identified the victim as Hawes ofSwartz Creek, Michigan, near Flint. [21], In August 2021, Top Thrill Dragster experienced a "serious accident"[22] in which a guest waiting in line was seriously injured after a small metal piece was dislodged from a train. "Due to the changes in ride inspections. [43], In September 2017, a report with photos surfaced that the braking system on the launch side of the track may have been damaged, causing the ride to close indefinitely. It honestly looked like a giant Jenga block, Leppo said. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. It would be great to see Top Thrill Dragster fitted with new lightning trains which were unveiled at IAPPA in November 2022. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new coaster coming to The Roller Coaster Capital of the World . "Rachel is fighting for her life, and we would ask for privacy in this difficult time. Her current condition is unknown. [15][34] Each dragster-themed train was also decorated with a spoiler, a set of tires, and an engine at the rear of each train, but these were removed after the fifth car was added to allow an extra row of seats to take their place. The statement said that a small metal object fell off a Top Thrill Dragster train as it was ending its run and hit a female guest who was standing in the ride queue. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130m), a maximum speed of 120mph (190km/h), and features a total track length of 2,800 feet (850m). Tony Clark, a Cedar Point spokesperson didnt respond to another request for an update on the investigation into the ride Tuesday. When it debuted in 2003, Top Thrill Dragster was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, a title it lost in 2005 to a nearly identical ride, Kingda Ka, at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The speed record was again broken in 2010 by Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, which reaches a maximum speed of 149.1mph (240.0km/h). The original metal fences have gone from the queue line so it highly likely they are moving the queue which has been assumed from the start. An actual Top Fuel dragster weighs approximately one ton, while each train on the coaster weighed 15 tons. We will keep you updated on the progress with Top Thrill Dragster on our news and Facebook page. [19], On August 7, 2016, two people were treated for minor injuries when the launch cable detached from the ride. It said more details about its plans would be disclosed in the future. 2021, 12:15 AM. Brake run supports remain whilst the rest have been removed and the track for the legendary Top hat track also remains. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Meanwhile, its unclear when or even if Top Thrill Dragster will operate again. Log In Sign Up. And some 19 years and a troubled past later, Cedar Point is retiring the famed Top Thrill Dragster. There was something like this big that came off, he said while holding his hands in a round shape that was about the size of a football. The 420-foot high roller coaster, which reached speeds of 120 mph, has been closed since Aug. 15, 2021 when Rachel Hawes, 45, of Swartz Creek, Mich., sustained severe brain injuries caused by a. [29][30] When it closed, Top Thrill Dragster had accommodated 18million riders over 19 seasons. But the companys failure to communicate is causing widespread speculation on social media. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. Cedar Point, which has its own police department, has not released the report. He was referring to a ride at the now-closed Schlitterbahn Kansas City, where a 10-year-old boy was killed in 2016. I mean I think they should be kind enough and generous enough to help the family out., I feel like it probably should be a little stricter then because something like that shouldnt happen, said Sandusky resident Misty Townsend. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. Female waiting in line injured after metal object falls from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point August 16, 2021, 3:49 AM A female guest was transported to a nearby hospital Sunday. We've received your submission. Copyright 2009-2020 Theme Park Tourist, website by Siruss, Whats Next For Rock 'n' Roller Coaster? Man Killed by Cedar Point Roller Coaster After He Jumped Fence to Pick Up His Cell Phone: Police In a statement posted on Facebook last Thursday, Cedar Point announced that the Top Thrill. We can also see from an aerial image (October 7) that a lot of track has been removed so far and work appears to be progressing at a good pace. piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement parkguest, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Top Thrill Dragster* On July 14, 2004 . [1] It was designed by Intamin, who subcontracted manufacturing to Stakotra Manufacturing. Miran said prior to Monday afternoon's press briefing he contacted the woman's family to update them on the status of the investigation into what went wrong with the coaster. Natalie has always been amazed by theme parks and thinks nothing beats walking around a Disney Park soaking up the sights, sounds and magical atmosphere hand in hand with the ones she loves. Would You Want QUEEN To Replace Aerosmith On Rock 'n' Rollercoaster At Disney's Hollywood Studios? Last August, a 44-year-old Michigan woman was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. 0. Theme Park Tourist is one of thewebs leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond. The large crane which was previously on site has now been reported to have gone.
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