Cedar Point | Top Thrill 2 | Triple Launch Renovation | 2024

[Hyde]

At least at opening & hopefully beyond just the first season, absolutely yes. Put the best crew on this ride, with at least 4 operators on the platform, and let them cook. These trains should be very easy to load, which will help.

That said, perfect, zero-stacking-ever operations are pretty much unattainable anywhere. So I expect that while Train 1 is on the swing launch and once Train 2 is loaded, it will be dispatched to that holding block, waiting for the train to clear the top hat. It should be capable of this, but the inevitable "operational hiccup" (large rider, backpack/loose article in line, etc.) will always throw a wrench in operations.

Agreed - ride time looks to be roughly 1:40 from stand still on launch to back on the brakes/entering the station. That's a very reasonable time target for being able to load one train. It will be curious if they try to pre-stage a train just outside the station/ahead of speed transfer, which would increase throughput efficiency further, or only dispatch the train directly from station to launch track with no planned stoppage on the transfer track section.

For train design, switching to OTSR will make for simpler loading technique versus the old Intamin T-bars (and lord willing, no additional seatbelt restraint), which should also be a nice bump.

 

[Hixee]

It puts Dodonpa & Do-Dodonpa together too yet Thorpes Flying Fish (among countless others) have a separate entry just for being moved a little. RCDB is an invaluable website but I think we all have our own thoughts on some details.

I do wonder if sometimes people forget RCDB is principally authored by one person with no more or less of a say than you or I.

Not to remotely disparage Duane's (& associates) work, but their 'gospel' isn't worth any more than anyone else's belief system. Ultimately, mine is correct and anyone else's is heresy...

 

[Christian]

At least at opening & hopefully beyond just the first season, absolutely yes. Put the best crew on this ride, with at least 4 operators on the platform, and let them cook. These trains should be very easy to load, which will help.

That said, perfect, zero-stacking-ever operations are pretty much unattainable anywhere. So I expect that while Train 1 is on the swing launch and once Train 2 is loaded, it will be dispatched to that holding block, waiting for the train to clear the top hat. It should be capable of this, but the inevitable "operational hiccup" (large rider, backpack/loose article in line, etc.) will always throw a wrench in operations.

Great answer! That's exactly what I wanted to write.

Considering just how tight the new station is, it wouldn't surprise me if riders are already pre sequenced and cleared of loose articles before even reaching the boarding platform. Combine that with lap bars and loading/unloading should be really quick.

Agreed - ride time looks to be roughly 1:40 from stand still on launch to back on the brakes/entering the station. That's a very reasonable time target for being able to load one train. It will be curious if they try to pre-stage a train just outside the station/ahead of speed transfer, which would increase throughput efficiency further, or only dispatch the train directly from station to launch track with no planned stoppage on the transfer track section.

I doubt CP will want to have an unprotected train waiting exactly next to the launch track. It's an unnecessary safety risk. If they go for a pre switch track holding solution I am guessing that the waiting train will be held at the front of the station. The station looks long enough to hold two trains. If I designed the ride, I wouldn't hesitate to even out a preshow there, but doubt CP will theme this in any major way.

 

[I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden]

I doubt CP will want to have an unprotected train waiting exactly next to the launch track. It's an unnecessary safety risk.

Personally, I don't see CP being too bothered about this. If they were that worried about people being near trains moving at high speeds then they probably would have moved the ride's queueline. They could still add a wall or a themed tunnel or something to shield the unprotected train as an extra precaution of there was any uncertainty about rider safety.

 

[Hyde]

Good news! You can now see 5 more square feet of construction site on the webcams!

Personally, I don't see CP being too bothered about this. If they were that worried about people being near trains moving at high speeds then they probably would have moved the ride's queueline. They could still add a wall or a themed tunnel or something to shield the unprotected train as an extra precaution of there was any uncertainty about rider safety.

^ Agreed on this. Overall I'd caution folks of inferring too much recency bias from the track shrapnel incident and creating a somehow new threat of ride safety. The ride will be, just like every other amusement attraction, required to meet certain safety requirements and ride cycle before certified opening, and the happening of one incident does not somehow create a new concern of "ride parts falling off at extremely high speeds." TL;DR rides are held to a quite high safety standard, regardless of prior accident or incident.

This is all to say based on renderings: a full separation wall looks to be erected between the station and launch track. Queue still appears to be in the old infield design as well. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd stage a train on the switch track on rationale of once a train is cleared for departure, the train is deemed safe to enter the circuit, but also wouldn't be surprised if they just look to do simple dispatch straight from the station to the launch section. To be morbidly frank - if something were to be coming off of the launched train (like a cell phone, car keys, etc.), it's coming at a perfectly straight vector - a train sitting in station is just as at risk of being struck as a train sitting on the transfer track.

 

[Bowser]

Wasn't sure if this deserved it's own thread or not but this seemed a somewhat relevant place to post that Magnum XL 200 at Cedar just got stuck at the top (video in second link):

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/04/1192116484/cedar-point-roller-coaster-stops-rescue

BANNED from Cedar Point Uncensored | Glad I wasn’t those folks | Facebook

Glad I wasn’t those folks!

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[Hyde]

Wasn't sure if this deserved it's own thread or not but this seemed a somewhat relevant place to post that Magnum XL 200 at Cedar just got stuck at the top (video in second link):

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/04/1192116484/cedar-point-roller-coaster-stops-rescue

BANNED from Cedar Point Uncensored | Glad I wasn’t those folks | Facebook

Glad I wasn’t those folks!

www.facebook.com

THE FURY 325 SUPPORT CRACK WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING - WHO KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF CEDAR FAIR DECEIT!!!???

Man, it must really be a slow news day to report another regular lift hill walkdown.

 

[Changa]

It puts Dodonpa & Do-Dodonpa together too yet Thorpes Flying Fish (among countless others) have a separate entry just for being moved a little. RCDB is an invaluable website but I think we all have our own thoughts on some details.

To be fair, I'd take every opportunity that I could to talk about the Flying Fish, so I understand why it has multiple entries.

 

[Bowser]

Sorry for two tangents in the same day but i was looking at videos of the original Dragster where it got stuck at the top and wondered what happens with Stealth at Thorpe Park in that situation as there doesn't seem to be any maintenance access? Or is that not possible (and no rollbacks either)?

 

[JoshC.]

Sorry for two tangents in the same day but i was looking at videos of the original Dragster where it got stuck at the top and wondered what happens with Stealth at Thorpe Park in that situation as there doesn't seem to be any maintenance access? Or is that not possible (and no rollbacks either)?

They get a large crane / cherry picker (technical term escapes me) with a couple of people and get them to push it backwards.

Hasn't happened with people on. Has happened twice before though. See below for the video of the first time it happened (15 years ago!). The stall happened during morning testing before the park opened, with the train pushed back after the park had opened:

 

[Howie]

I can't say I've ever noticed a 200+ft cherry picker just lying around at Thorpe Park on standby, just in case Stealth ever gets stuck at the top, so presumably if that were to happen they'd have to hire one in from somewhere, right?
What if all the 200ft cherry pickers are hired out for that day?
"Oooh no, sorry mate, they're all out at the moment. Got a 150 footer, if that's any good? Otherwise it's gonna be a week on Tuesday".
What then? Drones? Send a few up to try and nudge it loose, maybe?
If it did ever stall with people on it, couldn't the riders just tip it one way or the other by rocking backwards and forwards in unison? It must be very finely balanced at that point and surely wouldn't take much of a shift in weight to set it free. I'm sure that happened on Dragster once. Or was it KK?

I'm not expecting anyone to answer these questions btw, just thinking aloud....

 

[I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden]

I can't say I've ever noticed a 200+ft cherry picker just lying around at Thorpe Park on standby, just in case Stealth ever gets stuck at the top, so presumably if that were to happen they'd have to hire one in from somewhere, right?
What if all the 200ft cherry pickers are hired out for that day?

It probably would have made sense for a drive tire to be fitted at the top (like Do-Dodonpa's loop or RTH's tophat) that could be activated should the train ever get stuck.

Given that it's only happened twice in 17 years probably means that it isn't a huge issue to worry about though.

 

[Crazycoaster]

I can't say I've ever noticed a 200+ft cherry picker just lying around at Thorpe Park on standby, just in case Stealth ever gets stuck at the top, so presumably if that were to happen they'd have to hire one in from somewhere, right?
What if all the 200ft cherry pickers are hired out for that day?
"Oooh no, sorry mate, they're all out at the moment. Got a 150 footer, if that's any good? Otherwise it's gonna be a week on Tuesday".
What then? Drones? Send a few up to try and nudge it loose, maybe?
If it did ever stall with people on it, couldn't the riders just tip it one way or the other by rocking backwards and forwards in unison? It must be very finely balanced at that point and surely wouldn't take much of a shift in weight to set it free. I'm sure that happened on Dragster once. Or was it KK?

I'm not expecting anyone to answer these questions btw, just thinking aloud....

I think they can harness a person and lift them up to the catwalk using the wires that hang down to the floor. Take a look at a picture of Stealth and you’ll see the wires. The person can then push the train when they reach the top.

 

[I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden]

I think they can harness a person and lift them up to the catwalk using the wires that hang down to the floor. Take a look at a picture of Stealth and you’ll see the wires. The person can then push the train when they reach the top.

You just beat me to it! I did some digging and you're right, that's what the cable is used for.

Apparently the cable used to be stored in a bag at the top of the top hat. This bag could be remotely opened allowing the cable to fall down should it need to be used.

The thing is, the first time the train stalled, the bag release mechanism failed which was why the 200ft cherry picker crane had to be brought in!

Since then, the cable has been permanently kept down to eliminate any risk of the remote bag release possibly failing again.

(Edit: It's actually two cables, not just one.)

 

[rob666]

Could Mr Pedantic here just point out that the video shows a crane with a cage, not a cherry picker at all.

 

[Bowser]

You just beat me to it! I did some digging and you're right, that's what the cable is used for.

Apparently the cable used to be stored in a bag at the top of the top hat. This bag could be remotely opened allowing the cable to fall down should it need to be used.

The thing is, the first time the train stalled, the bag release mechanism failed which was why the 200ft cherry picker had to be brought in!

Since then, the cable has been permanently kept down to eliminate any risk of the remote bag release possibly failing again.

Very informative, thanks both!

 

[ava1enzue1a]

Top Thrill Dragster spiked to Top Thrill 2. Win-win.

 

[Efan]

I think they can harness a person and lift them up to the catwalk using the wires that hang down to the floor. Take a look at a picture of Stealth and you’ll see the wires. The person can then push the train when they reach the top.View attachment 26065

Never was a believer in the Mandela effect until this post. There was always a cable to the top hat? We must have switched dimensions.

 

[I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden]

Never was a believer in the Mandela effect until this post. There was always a cable to the top hat? We must have switched dimensions.

Looking at the dated photos on RCDB, it wasn't there upon opening but was by 2008.

 

[bratcurry]

Cedair Point has started a kind of construction-documentary if you wanna call it that. The first 2-minute episode is out now: