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. A six-month-long investigation found that the amusement park is not responsible for the Top Thrill Dragster mishap that left a Michigan woman with brain damage. Yesterday, Cedar Point announced through a simple video posted to their official twitter page that the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster will return in 2024. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. This ride will be torn down. Those changesincluded hydraulic upgrades, a hydraulic propulsion system upgrade and repairs to black cherry car No. The womans current condition is not known. 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. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. [11] An official announcement revealing details on the new ride was made the following month on January 9, 2003. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 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. [8] By October, the roller coaster had reached 200 feet (61m) in height,[9] and the highest peak was topped off in December. There is a unconfirmed rumor that the building where you would get Top Thrill Dragster photos from is to be torn down and will be part of the replaced long and thin queue line. Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Target of 130-135mph could maybe be feasible. Found the internet! 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. UPDATE February 13 -The ongoing story of Top Thrill Dragster's reimagining is indeed an exciting one and we are pleased to be closely following its progress. They were treated at the park's first aid station, and two later sought further medical attention. 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. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. New in 2024. I'm sure Cedar Point will figure something out with Intamin to get Dragster operational for 2023. But the ride has remained closed since the August 15, 2021 accident. Top Thrill Dragster is a hydraulically-launched steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States.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 (120 m) in height. I have no idea. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. Top Thrill is well known among coaster fans for being temperamental and maintenance-heavy, with long periods out of commission. Brake run supports remain whilst the rest have been removed and the track for the legendary Top hat track also remains. The news came eight days after the horrifying incident at the Sandusky amusement park that sent people in linescrambling for safety and Hawes seriously injured on Aug. 15. The investigation has found that half of the bolts thatsecured the bracket to the train body had also dislodged. There have been recent rumors that Cedar Point could increase the theming of both the rollercoaster itself and the surrounding area. At the time, only four such cranes in the United States were tall enough to handle construction of the 420-foot tower section. Craig Webb can be reached at [email protected]. From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. Those changesincluded hydraulic upgrades, a hydraulic propulsion system upgrade and repairs to black cherry car No. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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, Cedar Point spokesperson Tony Clark tweeted on Tuesday. Why arent they telling us what went wrong and what theyre going to do to fix it and to keep it from happening again?. However, although work appears to be progressing well we now know for certain that Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed for the entire of the 2023 season and will be ready to thrill guests once again at some point in 2024. "We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.". Cedar Point officials have declined to answer questions about the accident in the days since it occurred. It was once the tallest roller coaster in the world. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. And some 19 years and a troubled past later, Cedar Point is retiring the famed Top Thrill Dragster. Based on my knowledge and experience, if something comes off a roller coaster, that suggests to me a maintenance issue, said Martin, with KRM Consulting in Virginia. 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). From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. Top Thrill Dragster At Cedar Point Will Return in 2024, Here Is How It Currently Looks! The bracket, which was attached by bolts, is supposed to hover just over the trackand a series of sensors that keeps tabs on the coaster as it makes its way at breakneck speed up and over a 420-foot-tall hill in 17 seconds. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. We dont know what it was. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. An actual Top Fuel dragster weighs approximately one ton, while each train on the coaster weighed 15 tons. It happened around 4:30 p.m. Sunday as the woman was standing in line for the Top Thrill Dragster, when the piece came loose from a train on the coaster as it was ending its run, Cedar Point. Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. SANDUSKY A female standing in line to ride Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was taken to a hospital after she was struck by a small metal . Copyright 2021 WTVG. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The ride is 17 seconds long. Screamscape has posted photos on Facebook . Cedar Point did not acknowledge the incident and stated the closure was for maintenance reasons. [6] Vertical construction by Martin & Vleminckx[7] began in the fall season, months before the formal announcement. The Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has shut down the Top Thrill Dragster, the second tallest roller coaster in the world, a year after a woman was seriously injured when a metal bracket fell off the ride and hit her in the back of the head. He could not speculate how fast the train was moving when the piece became dislodged but added it was likely at the ride's "maximum" velocity. Follow Craig Webb on Twitter: @CraigWebb68. Cedar Point's legacy of roller coaster innovation continues with a one-of-a-kind addition to the park's world-renowned ride lineup, coming in 2024. 4 Dining Experiences We Wish Would Come To Walt Disney World, Lagoon: The Historic Theme Park That Was Nearly Destroyed. State inspectors were at the park investigating the Top Thrill Dragster on Monday, which was inspected in May and was set to be checked again in September. But the companys failure to communicate is causing widespread speculation on social media. There is a continued debate whether Intamin is involved in the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Cedar Point is charged with making daily inspections of its rides. Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster Media Story", "Cedar Point To Build Major New Thrill Ride For 2003 Season", "Top Thrill Dragster: Race for the Sky | Cedar Point", "Cedar Point makes good on its bet with 'Top Thrill Cubster' in honor of Chicago Cubs' World Series win over Indians (Video)", "Cedar Point opening day preview: Face masks, social distancing, HalloWeekends and more", "Cedar Point says Top Thrill Dragster, involved in serious accident, will remain closed for 2021", "ODA provides update on Top Thrill Dragster incident", "No laws broken in Cedar Point Top Thrill Dragster mishap that severely injured woman", "Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, involved in August accident, will remain closed in 2022", "One of Cedar Point's most popular rides will be shut down for the 2022 season", "Cedar Point to retire Top Thrill Dragster", "Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point being retired, officials say", "Cedar Point permanently closing Top Thrill Dragster, world's second-tallest roller coaster", "Cedar Point's newest coaster starting to take shape along the Lake Erie shoreline", "Record Holders (Statistic: Height, Type: Steel)", "Record Holders (Statistic: Speed, Type: Steel)", "Record Holders (Statistic: Drop, Type: Steel)", "Hydraulic launched roller coasters at RCDB", "Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster still closed, undergoing maintenance", "Top Thrill Dragster closed for 2022 season", "Cedar Point is shutting down Top Thrill Dragster for good", "Top Thrill Dragster to be retired from Cedar Point", Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Top_Thrill_Dragster&oldid=1142142857, Articles with dead YouTube links from February 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from January 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. But the 420-foot-tall (128 meters) Cedar Point ride hasnt moved since a devastating accident left a woman with severe brain injuries.So in this video, I am analyzing the incidents that ended the Top Thrill Dragster.Subscribe for more fascinating disaster documentaries: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClb6yg8d7eoZF6vnL4e8mog?sub_confirmation=1Tragic history playlist:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWtCh3_Fxp9FtVfTqXA06J3jhoxIFjpaFSuggest a topic for my next video: https://bit.ly/DarkHistoryTopicsWe reveal the world's darkest and greatest disasters all based on true stories.This disaster documentary is inspired by the fantastic \"Fascinating Horror\".Footage from:Theme Park Predictions \u0026 More! A brief message was played to the riders before the launch: "Keep arms down, head back, and hold on." Imagine moving from a standstill to a breakneck 120mph (193 kph) in just 3.9 seconds. Copyright 2009-2020 Theme Park Tourist, website by Siruss, Whats Next For Rock 'n' Roller Coaster? At some point in its descent, Miran said, the bracket came in contact with the coaster's track and ripped off from the "green" coaster train and struck the woman in the head while she was waiting in line. He stood atop the structure for an hour before safely . The ride was last inspected by the state in May. 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. 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. Top Thrill Dragster* On July 14, 2004 . piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point guest, Theodore Decker: Cedar Point betrays its customers through silence after amusement park injury, Body cam footage shows Cedar Point guest screaming in agony, Cedar Points top roller coasters, attractions over the years, Five days later: Cedar Point offers no updates on injured woman, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The video shows the removal of parts of the track around the loading station. Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day. The accident has left a44-year-old Michigan woman identified asRachel Hawesin intensive care with a brain injury, according to a family statementreleased to a Cleveland TV station. "Due to the changes in ride inspections. [2] The ride opened on May 4, 2003 as the first complete circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet in height. Park Info. 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. [26][27], On September 6, 2022, Cedar Point officials released an update on social media stating, "Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired." They added: "Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience.. A new law, passed in 2019, requires the state to inspect roller coasters twice per year, up from once. There may be reasons for the silence, including medical and ethical privacy concerns. We are very excited to see what Cedar Point has in store for the legendary Top Thrill Dragster in this extensive reimagining. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The piece of metal was about the size of an adult male's hand. October 18 - We are closely following the progress of the eagerly awaited Top Thrill Dragster reimagining which was first announced back in September. [31] Prior to the end of Cedar Point's operating season, parts of the roller coaster's track near the station were dismantled. 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. The transfer tracks that sat between the launch track and the inner queue have also been removed. You know its a shame, but you know wild things happen, said William Yohe. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts . The post goes on to say that track is also being removed from the load/unload station which does suggest that major work is being done which could mean the Top Thrill Dragster is getting a "switch-track and dedicated multi-launch track segment,". [24] An ODA investigation later determined that half of the bolts securing the plate dislodged. And in 2016, two guests were injured when a launch cable detached from the coaster. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. 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 flying L-shaped piece of metal about the size of a human hand that dislodged from one of the trains. In 2004, four riders sustained minor injuries after they were hit by small pieces of metal during the launch; in 2016, two riders were treated for minor injuries after a cable became detached, according to news reports. Her family said in a statement at the time: "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. 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. As you can see from the video which is embedded below, the only words which appear are "A NEW FORMULA FOR THRILLS" "COMING 2024". 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. 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.. That is now considered the worlds tallest with a 456-foot elevation. At some point in its descent, Miran said, the bracket came in contact with the coaster's track and ripped off from the "green" coaster train and struck the woman in the head while she was waiting in line. Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like! WhatsApp. Leppo said there was confusion at first in his part of the line about what was happening. Rachel Hawes is a 44 year old woman from Swartz Creek, Michigan. [45] Despite this, the ride never reopened, and its retirement was announced on September 6, 2022.[46][27][47][48]. 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.
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