Metal bracket flies off train of Top Thrill DragsterThe object was an L-shaped bracket roughly the size of a man's hand that had been attached to the back of a train car, state investigators said.
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A new video released by Cedar Point this week teases what's ahead for the amusement park's popular Top Thrill Dragster, three years after it was shut down after a park patron was severely injured by a piece of metal that fell from the ride.
In August 2023, the speculation was confirmed after Cedar Point announced plans to transform Top Thrill Dragster into a triple-launched roller coaster using linear synchronous motors. The modified coaster is scheduled to reopen in 2024 as Top Thrill 2.
The ride was closed following an incident in 2021, in which a guest was severely injured while standing in line, and Zamperla was hired to create a new ride experience. The modified version, which will add two launches and a second tower, will open in 2024 as Top Thrill 2.
“Rachel suffered permanent and life-altering injuries as a result of being struck in the head by a dislodged flag plate while simply standing in line,” said Attorney James Murray, who represents Rachel Hawes, her husband and her father.
The Top Thrill 2 will be the worlds fastest triple-launch strata coaster. It will feature two 420-foot-tall towers and launch riders three times at 74 miles per hour, 101 mph and finally 120 mph. The total track length will be 3,422 feet and take some two minutes from start to finish.
The lawsuit alleges that the metal plate that struck Hawes in the head came off because bolts holding it to the Top Thrill Dragster train had come loose due to improper inspection and maintenance of the ride. Hawes and her family are seeking damages in excess of $13 million.
Cedar Point announces new coaster replacing Dragster, the Top Thrill 2. By Amber Ainsworth. Published August 1, 2023. (Photo: Cedar Point) SANDUSKY, Ohio (FOX 2) - Top Thrill 2, a 420-foot-tall coaster with two towers, will replace the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, the theme park revealed Tuesday.
SANDUSKY, Ohio — Cedar Point on Tuesday unveiled its newest version of a fan-favorite ride — one that is said to be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch “strata coaster.” The Top Thrill 2 will make its debut during the summer season in 2024, replacing the Top Thrill Dragster which closed in August 2021.
Drive an entire season of unlimited adrenaline with the all-new Top Thrill 2 in 2024 with a Gold Pass. Have a need for speed? Get revvved up in 2024 and buckle in as Cedar Point introduces Top Thrill 2, the world's TALLEST and FASTEST triple-launch strata coaster.
Though the top speed (120mph) and maximum height (420') of Top Thrill Dragster will carry over to Top Thrill 2, the addition of the spike will push the total coaster length well over 3,000' (originally 2,800'). The ride experience will last 2:00. Each of the coaster's trains will still carry 20 passengers at one time.