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Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Top Thrill Dragster is an Intamin AG launched sit-down strata roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.[1] It opened in 2003 as the first complete circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (121.9 meters) in height. It is one of only two strata coasters in existence, the other being Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Top Thrill Dragster was the second hydraulically-launched roller coaster built by Intamin AG, opening after Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm. The train is launched to 120 miles per hour (193.1 km/h) in 3.8 seconds.
Rollbacks
See Rollback.
Occasionally, if the train did not accelerate to the required speed, it will fail to crest the top hat element and fall back onto the launch track again. This is often a sought after occurrence for the riders because it allows them another launch.[2]
History
Plans for Top Thrill Dragster began in 2000, the same year Millennium Force was built. Footers started to be layed out. In 2002, construction of the tower began. Cedar Point had to use a 480 foot crane, one of the four in the USA. In 2003, the ride was opened to the public, being the fastest and the tallest roller coaster in the world. The title was taken two years later by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.
On July 14, 2004 at around 8:20 PM, 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 launched. The riders were left with abrasions mainly on their arms and one rider had cuts on his face. The injured ones were treated at the park's first aid station, and two of them later sought further medical attention on their own.
| Preceded by | World's Tallest Roller Coaster
May 2003–May 2005 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World's Tallest Complete-Circuit Roller Coaster
May 2003–May 2005 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by
Tower of Terror (tied with Superman: The Escape) |
World's Tallest Roller Coaster Drop
May 2003–May 2005 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World's Fastest Roller Coaster
May 2003–May 2005 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World's Fastest Complete-Circuit Roller Coaster
May 2003–May 2005 |
Succeeded by |
External links
| Cedar Point Roller Coasters | |
| Operating | Blue Streak • Cedar Creek Mine Ride • Corkscrew • GateKeeper • Gemini • Iron Dragon • Magnum XL-200 • Maverick • Millennium Force • Raptor • Rougarou • Steel Vengeance • Top Thrill Dragster • Valravn • Wicked Twister • Wilderness Run • Woodstock Express |
| Former | Broadway Trip • Cyclone • Dip the Dips Scenic Railway • Disaster Transport • High Frolics • Jumbo Jet • Leap the Dips • Mean Streak • Racer • Scamper • Super Coaster • Switchback Railway • Three-Way Figure Eight Roller Toboggan • Wild Mouse • Wild Cat • WildCat |