The entire ride lasts 17 seconds. Once the train was prepared to launch, a motor revving sound effect was played and its magnetic braking fins were lowered from the launch track. The piece of metal was about the size of an adult male's hand. "Due to the changes in ride inspections. 0. Top Thrill is well known among coaster fans for being temperamental and maintenance-heavy, with long periods out of commission. He also described the quick response time by Cedar Point EMTs. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph. 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 accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain injury, according to a family statementreleased to a Cleveland TV station. [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. Top Thrill Dragster . [16], In the last operational year of the Top Thrill Dragster in 2021, the roller coaster had the second tallest height, the third fastest speed, and the second-highest drop among steel roller coasters in the world. AKRON, Ohio The piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement park guest waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was about the size of "a man's hand," according to state investigations. Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, announced . She was standing in line to purchase something to eat, he said. The news came eight days after the horrifying incident at the Ohio amusement park that sent people in linescrambling for safety and Hawes seriously injured Aug. 15. Miran said the steel track itself. "We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.". Both Cedar Point EMS and Sandusky EMS responded to the incident. The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report on Friday, explaining their investigation into Cedar Points popular rollercoaster, the Top Thrill Dragster. Please include the title when you click here to report it. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. They were here within seconds, he said. 4 Potential Options For The Disney's Hollywood Studios Attraction, TOP THRILL DRAGSTER: The High Octane Life of Cedar Point's Coaster Wars Icon And Its Race to Relaunch. It is great to see that Cedar Point is wasting no time at all in pushing forward with this much needed reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster. [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. Ripley Steam Engine. It came, hit the top of one of those things and shot downwards.. On Wednesday afternoon, he said the incident is still under investigation. The ride goesfrom standstill to 120 mph in just3.8 seconds. Eyewitness describes Cedar Point coaster accident: It looked like a metal disc flying through the air, Cedar Point guest injured after being hit by falling roller coaster part. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the parks most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. I think its a shock that something would happen like that. The ride is 17 seconds long. The large investment tied it with Millennium Force as being the most expensive in park history. The visitant was clinging tight in line for the Top Thrill Dragster thrilling ride around 4:30 in the early evening when she was harmed, a Cedar Point representative affirmed. Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. September 26 - We heard at the beginning of September that the legendary Top Thrill Dragster "as we know it" at Cedar Point is to be retired and reimagined. It was once the tallest roller coaster in the world. [8] Originally, the design called for five cars on each train, but when the ride first opened, there were only four. Close. [33][15], The roller coaster was themed to Top Fuel drag racing, a category of motor racing that involved the world's fastest accelerating cars. We dont know what it was. Let us know what you would like to see from the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page. [19], On August 7, 2016, two people were treated for minor injuries when the launch cable detached from the ride. ), Sandusky Police Chief Jared Oliver said his department did not have an official report of the accident because the incident was handled by Cedar Point. Our entire team is hard at work, creating a new formula for thrills. The ride that dominates the Sandusky. Cedar Fair Means Business With Announced $200 Million Annual Capital Spend, Track Completed For New Wild Mouse Roller Coaster Coming To Cedar Point 2023, Brand New Intamin Vertical Launch Coaster Could Revolutionize Guest Experience. New in 2024. Theme Park Predictions & More! We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.. [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. World's tallest complete circuit roller coaster, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:10. It said more details about its plans would be disclosed in the future. In August 2021, a 44-year-old Michigan woman Rachel Hawes was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. It was the fourth roller coaster to exceed 100mph (160km/h), preceded by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland. The Top Thrill Dragster gained fame for reaching speeds of 120 mph in just 3.8 seconds. There is a continued debate whether Intamin is involved in the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster? 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. Hawes was seriously injured by a piece of metal that fell from the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park. There is a strong possibility that Zamperla and involved in the reimagining as they are currently retrofitting another Intamin accelerator coaster with LSM track. Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point) Following the death of 14-year-old, Tyre Sampson who tragically fell from the attraction, Orlando Free . Exactly what from the ride train hit her has not been revealed. She was rushed to a hospital in Toledo for treatment. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. The Top Thrill Dragster coaster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. SANDUSKY, Ohio (Gray News) - One of the world's most famous roller coasters is closing. In February, state investigators determined the amusement park in Sandusky was not responsible for what was determined to be an accident. January 10 - Since September 2022 when it was confirmed that this legendary coaster would indeed be reimagined, all eyes have been on Cedar Point and the construction progress of the iconic Top Thrill Dragster. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. They will do a thorough inspection, looking over every square inch of the ride to find out how and why it occurred.. They can be seen in the video embedded below along with a commentary from America's Coaster Network with their thoughts on further changes. A woman visiting Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio was injured on Sunday after . The park has already announced it will not reopen this year. Top Thrill Dragster is the fourth-fastest roller coaster in the world and takes riders from 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds as they're launched 420 feet in the air. Manufactured by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel, it opened in 2003 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, as well as the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120m) in height. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. September 30 -For anyone who is interested in the current progress of the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, you may be interested to see this video which has been posted to YouTube by Amusement Park Portal showing a view over the top of the construction fencing. If all their paperwork was in order and it was a freak accident, I dont think anything should happen to them, said Yohe. A large crane is on site and more launch track has now been removed. In a statement announcing the closure, the park noted it legacy of ride innovation continues". Read more >> https://bit.ly/3yQzzC9. Photo: cedar point. Her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2002, but it was dismissed in 2006. . The ODA said their investigation included a post-accident inspection of the ride, interviews with Cedar Point staff, a review of thousands of pages of maintenance records, witness interviews, and lab reports. We posted an article, Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like!,which outlined a number of potential ideas which included: Screamscape has posted on their Facebook page a number of photos which were sent in from a reader who had captured photos of parts of the track being removed. The last time 19 News spoke. When this happened, a mechanic took the elevator to the top and pushed the train down the hill.[37]. My creation stands one meter tall (126 studs), and a has a two meter (288 stud) run out. On July 17, 2021, a man climbed to the top of the Supreme Scream tower, prompting the temporary closure of most of the park's attractions and surrounding streets. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. [38][39][40] Top Thrill Dragster was the second hydraulically-launched roller coaster from Intamin following Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm,[41] and along with Kingda Ka, it is one of two strata coasters ever built. According to the ODA, the last inspection of the Top Thrill Dragster was completed on May 14, 2021, by four ODA inspectors, WJW Fox8 News reported. [10] To construct the roller coaster, the park used five cranes, two of which were 480-foot (150m) tall. None of the injuries were life threatening. Follow Craig Webb on Twitter: @CraigWebb68. 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. The state on Monday released the one-page initialincident report, which identified the victim as Hawes ofSwartz Creek, Michigan. ), 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.". Brake run supports remain whilst the rest have been removed and the track for the legendary Top hat track also remains. Cedar . The report said she had an "unknown type of head injury.". 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. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. It had been the tallest in the world until 2003 when it was replaced by Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, 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). August 16, 2021 8:25 AM A woman was injured Sunday when a metal object detached from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point and struck her in the face. Rides & Experiences. [31] Prior to the end of Cedar Point's operating season, parts of the roller coaster's track near the station were dismantled. Its the first time something has happened and a person was struck., Martin recently worked with a woman who was injured at an amusement park in California while waiting in line. [23] Cedar Point announced that the coaster would be closed for the remainder of the season. Published on August 16, 2021 08:51 PM. [13], Top Thrill Dragster's media day was held on May 1, 2003,[14] and it officially opened to the public three days later. A metal object fell from a train on Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster late Sunday, injuring a guest.The Plain Dealer. Published: Sep. 6, 2022 at 12:38 PM PDT. The ODA is not recommending any administrative action against Cedar Point. 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). [2] The ride opened on May 4, 2003 as the first complete circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet in height. (Editor's note: A version of this story briefly stated the incorrect size of the object in this incident.) 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. It just was a problematic ride, one thing after another, said Speigel, a former Kings Island executive. The deputy said he ran toward the commotion to see how he could help. It has also consistently ranked as one of the world's top steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today. A description of the ride reads: "Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline. Please help me, she screamed as she was wheeled out of the ride area. The ride goesfrom standstill to 120 mph in just3.8 seconds. 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. Well this led to theme park fans speculating as to what Cedar Point has got planned. [3] After the 2001 season ended, a Dodgem ride across from Magnum XL-200's entrance was relocated to Michigan's Adventure to clear the way for the new ride. Hawes survived, though there have been no updated reports on her condition. The investigation has found that half of the bolts thatsecured the bracket to the train body had also dislodged. Those upgrades were made and the ride was ruled compliant on May 15. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the park's most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. Dodonpa held the record previously with a top speed of 107mph (172km/h). The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report which found that Cedar Point did not violate state laws. The park says an announcement will be made later detailinga new and "reimagined" ride experience. A range of photos were leaked online before Christmas of the current Top Thrill Dragster site. Thebrake bracket area of the track, which slows the cars at the end of the ride, showed signs of impact and were bent along withseveral horizontal track beams within about 25 feet of the damaged brake bracket. This typically happened in cool, wet, or breezy weather, or when the wind was working against it. 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. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new coaster coming to The Roller Coaster Capital of the World . Although Intamin has not worked with Cedar Fair since 2010 due to a number of issues with its installed rides at the parks, it would seem sensible with all the developments in reliability that Intamin has made in the last decade that Cedar Point would want their input for this extensive project because surely who best to do the job but the original creators of the attraction. Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline, read the description of the ride on the theme parks website. (Cedar Point) Just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sandusky police officials received a radio call for an injured female at Cedar. (See the video below. 4 min read. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph in four seconds, effectively sling-shooting them over the hill.