Top Thrill Dragster Incident

[DoomPlague]

Some have argued that there's just enough room, without a spike, for an LSM launch (at least with LSMs on part of the incline). Even if that's not true, the spike wouldn't have to be that tall to give the train some decent initial speed to be boosted enough to make it over. Pretty sure the spike is more about breaking a record and garnering attention.

[FoF96"]

Cedar Point has made the announcement of the announcement 8/1/23

[Orion742]

26 minutes ago, FoF96" said:

Cedar Point has made the announcement of the announcement 8/1/23

Did Tony tweet about it?

[jsus]

27 minutes ago, FoF96" said:

Cedar Point has made the announcement of the announcement 8/1/23

  

Just now, Orion742 said:

Did Tony tweet about it?

Him, too.

 

[Orion742]

7 minutes ago, jsus said:

  

Him, too.

 

I wonder if other CF parks are planning to announce their 2024 additions on the 1st as well. 

[disco2000]

I find it interesting that they are keeping a racing theme.  I would have thought they would have tried to distance the ride from that.

What if it ends up being a racing coaster and two trains race up the top hat (but obviously don't go over LOL).

[SonofBaconator]

43 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

I find it interesting that they are keeping a racing theme.  I would have thought they would have tried to distance the ride from that.

I thought so too. It’s similar to how Top Gun became Flight Deck. I think they’re assuming that people will still call it Dragster and they’re just trying to keep a familiar theme. 
 

Personally I would have went total rebrand and left out anything tying into high speed cars- but then again, maybe this won’t be themed to cars.

[DJSkyFoxx]

Maybe it will be a dragster motorcycle theme  

[FoF96"]

Worlds tallest boat racing water ride 420ft splashdown. 

[Shaggy]

I can already sense the potential for possible disappointment by all the CP fans when this announcement is made.  I think those that have their hopes up for this to have a 500', 600', 700' (etc etc etc) spike, or a drastic change to the layout are going to be upset.  All the speculation over this ride has really run the gamut - there's like a million Youtube videos on it.  LOL!

In my opinion, its pretty clear as to what they are doing... and they probably don't need a spike any taller than the tophat in order to accomplish it.

Also, the name is pretty synonymous with CP... so it may be a simple update like "Dragster 2.0" or such.

It will be interesting to see reactions online following the announcement.  I am glad CP is reinvesting in their signature attraction, but frankly, I simply want it to work - consistently and safely.  It doesn't need to break any records, it doesn't need to have a total re-theme, it just needs to function properly - the way it should have from the start.  Can you imagine if they go through all of this only to face another bevvy of issues that force extreme downtime all over again?

Oy - Lets hope not.  I have my fingers crossed for them.

 

[jsus]

18 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

I simply want it to work - consistently and safely.  It doesn't need to break any records, it doesn't need to have a total re-theme, it just needs to function properly - the way it should have from the start. 

Preliminary evidence indicates that's likely the whole reason behind this project.  New control and mechanical systems, new solid state launch technology, new trains.  Safer, more reliable, more efficient, higher realized capacity.  Keep that in mind and you won't be disappointed with what they have to announce.  Imagine Wicked Twister grafted onto Top Thrill Dragster, but safer and more reliable than both of those.  It most assuredly won't compare with TTD 1.0 on acceleration.  Details TBA.

[DJSkyFoxx]

I think we all have a pretty good inclination of what's to come. If we are all thrown off by some crazy surprise I know I certainly won't be upset, but I will say this....I am just thankful they didn't tear the ride down all together. Because lets be real here, they easily could have done just that. They could have just washed their hands of it completely. Let it sit for a few years and tear it down ( like what happened with SoB ) or just took it down almost immediately. Instead they have decided to breathe a new life into it in hopes of still hanging onto their unique status of having one of only two strata coasters in the world. I am remaining optimistic and will definitely be giving the new Dragster a go. I will miss the hydraulic launch like crazy but I know that it will be a different kind of thrill when it opens.  

[IBEW_Sparky]

Im happy they didnt kill the ride, but a queue relocation and replacement of the hydraulic launch with LSMs would have been fine with me, and honestly much more satisfactory than the Dragster/Wicked Twister drunken one night stand Love child this is going to be.

[Tr0y]

So Tony from CP killed the rumor of Zamperla being apart of the project. Maybe Intamin is in on the project. Only makes sense considering the worlds fastest multi launch coaster with a spike is an Intamin. (Pantheon at BGW)

Info credit: Pointbuzz

 

[WoodVengeance]

1 minute ago, Tr0y said:

So Tony from CP killed the rumor of Zamperla being apart of the project. Maybe Intamin is in on the project. Only makes sense considering the worlds fastest multi launch coaster with a spike is an Intamin. (Pantheon at BGW)

Info credit: Pointbuzz

 

He didn't deconfirm Zamperla entirely, just the shipping labels that have been spotted around the site. We still don't know where the new track came from.

[Tr0y]

It looks like the same track and supports Pantheon (Intanim) uses. Also I’ve seen a photo but cannot find it, but one of the CP FB pages has a photo of the old dragster trains arriving back on site they’re sitting next to Blue Streak.

I’m leaning towards Intamin being the sole manufacture of the project. I just hope they can produce a quality, safe ride with less downtime. Hopefully they can get back in the good graces with CF.
 

Pantheon construction photos: https://www.coaster101.com/2020/01/24/behind-the-scenes-of-pantheon-construction/

[Coastercrush]

1 minute ago, Tr0y said:

It looks like the same track and supports Pantheon (Intanim) uses. Also I’ve seen a photo but cannot find it, but one of the CP FB pages has a photo of the old dragster trains arriving back on sight they’re sitting next to Blue Streak.

I’m leaning towards Intamin being apart of the project. I just hope they can produce a quality, safe ride with less downtime. Hopefully they can get back in the good graces with CF.
 

Pantheon construction photos: https://www.coaster101.com/2020/01/24/behind-the-scenes-of-pantheon-construction/

Have you missed all that zamperla track with labels behind breakers express?

[jsus]

38 minutes ago, Tr0y said:

So Tony from CP killed the rumor of Zamperla being apart of the project.

No, all he said was "this proves nothing".

The staging lot next to Cedar Point's Express Hotel, formerly Breakers Express, has been used for a long time.  My first awareness of the existence of the lot was when Maverick's steel started to show up over there.  Surely it was used for Wild Mouse as well.  What is essentially crates were spotted in that lot, with tags/shipped labels indicating they came from Zamperla.  They were also dated last year, when Zamperla would've been producing/shipping Wild Mouse components.

Also in that lot are various other things such as benches from outside the station and the flags from atop the station roof.

Now, everything so far being shipped through Italy is interesting.  Also interesting is what appears to be white (AKA TTD 2.0 color) double-spine INTAMIN track at the Stakotra factory as of last month.  Unfortunately, RCDB doesn't have much info on 2024's INTAMIN projects to eliminate it as being for another ride.

https://goo.gl/maps/ikPJsRArqyyUKehS6

[Tr0y]

Dragsters trains back at CP, gated off next to Bluestreak.

photo cred: CP uncensored FB group.

[jsus]

11 minutes ago, Tr0y said:

Dragsters trains back at CP, gated off next to Bluestreak.

photo cred: CP uncensored FB group.

You're not suggesting they will reuse the same trains, are you?  Seems incredibly unlikely.

[PKIDelirium]

The white track could be part of Intamin's Falcon's Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya, it's currently under construction.

[SonofBaconator]

3 minutes ago, jsus said:

You're not suggesting they will reuse the same trains, are you?  Seems incredibly unlikely.

More than likely they’re out to make room in the maintenance building, to stir up conversations amongst fans, getting ready for shipment to Knott’s, or they’re going to be used as props of some sort?

[jsus]

11 minutes ago, PKIDelirium said:

The white track could be part of Intamin's Falcon's Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya, it's currently under construction.

Ah right.  Forgot about that one, the fact that supposedly they're actually building it, and that it was an INTAMIN project.  And RCDB has not listed it. 

Definitely doesn't look like the track I'd expect to see for TTD 2.0, though they could always surprise us.

[PKIDelirium]

They're just sitting on their wheels, not even in the usual frames. They had previously been back by a maintenance shop during Winter Chill Out, I HIGHLY doubt those are getting used again. Maybe they had to be brought out for inspection as part of the lawsuit.

[jsus]

3 minutes ago, PKIDelirium said:

They're just sitting on their wheels, not even in the usual frames. They had previously been back by a maintenance shop during Winter Chill Out, I HIGHLY doubt those are getting used again. Maybe they had to be brought out for inspection as part of the lawsuit.

Also interesting that only one of the visible cars is tarped over...

[PKIDelirium]

5 minutes ago, jsus said:

Ah right.  Forgot about that one, the fact that supposedly they're actually building it, and that it was an INTAMIN project.  And RCDB has not listed it. 

Definitely doesn't look like the track I'd expect to see for TTD 2.0, though they could always surprise us.

RCDB hasn't listed it yet but there are photos of construction underway, with white Intamin track.

https://www.themeparx.com/six-flags-qiddiya-saudi-arabia/

[jsus]

5 minutes ago, PKIDelirium said:

RCDB hasn't listed it yet but there are photos of construction underway, with white Intamin track.

https://www.themeparx.com/six-flags-qiddiya-saudi-arabia/

Just forgot all about it as it seemed like more vaporware from Saudi Arabia until they started construction, that's all.

[PKIDelirium]

Yeah, it seemed like a sketchy concept for a while, 500' lift up on top of the cliff? Second hill higher than Kingda Ka? But now they're actually installing track based on ground level and lifting equipment up onto the cliff.

But, regarding Dragster, I think Tony is just doing Tony things. The track that was taken off Dragster was sent to the Port of Genoa in Italy, and has now returned from there after modifications and painting, in addition to a bunch of new steel. It's obviously not proof that Intamin isn't involved, but considering CF's relations with Intamin ever since the i305 problems and the flume ride at CP being a total failure, I still think we're looking at a Zamperla project.

[jsus]

31 minutes ago, PKIDelirium said:

But, regarding Dragster, I think Tony is just doing Tony things. The track that was taken off Dragster was sent to the Port of Genoa in Italy, and has now returned from there after modifications and painting, in addition to a bunch of new steel. It's obviously not proof that Intamin isn't involved, but considering CF's relations with Intamin ever since the i305 problems and the flume ride at CP being a total failure, I still think we're looking at a Zamperla project.

Yeah.  Tony knows what he's doing.  He'll tease and troll and mess with us a lot but won't let anything slip until he's good and ready.  Nonetheless, many like to eat it up and look for hidden messages that are almost never there.  Unlike some other parks' communications departments that don't seem to know what to do...  

There are hints toward Zamperla involvement in TTD 2.0 but the tags on the crates at the staging lot are not them.  The recent ride installations and the shipping containers passing through ports in Italy, those are a couple examples of circumstantial evidence pointing toward Zamperla.

What's interesting is that this is an INTAMIN ride apparently being modified to include an element/launch style that INTAMIN seems particularly fond of lately, but may well not have any INTAMIN involvement.

But alas, all will (hopefully) be unveiled soon enough.

[Tr0y]

4 hours ago, jsus said:

You're not suggesting they will reuse the same trains, are you?  Seems incredibly unlikely.

Why not? Trains are expensive, and there isn’t anything wrong with the ones they currently have?