The video shows the removal of parts of the track around the loading station. Published: 4:20 PM EDT August 23, 2021. So far, we have not had confirmation of what exactly this reimagining will look like when it is finished but there has been a lot of speculation online from Top Thrill Dragster fans and coaster enthusiasts (see below). Top Thrill Dragster is a steel launched strata roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. Cedar Point closing Top Thrill Dragster ride after it caused a severe injury in 2021 Craig Webb Akron Beacon Journal 0:00 2:10 AKRON, Ohio It was once the tallest roller coaster in the. [22] The piece was later determined to be a flag plate an L-shaped bracket that signals the train's location to sensors positioned along the track. This ride will be torn down. [6] Vertical construction by Martin & Vleminckx[7] began in the fall season, months before the formal announcement. Adding a roll-over inversion built into the hill. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Those upgrades were made and the ride was ruled compliant on May 15. 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. To read the full story about Top Thrill Dragster from start to finish, check out our recently updated featured article,TOP THRILL DRAGSTER: The High Octane Story of Cedar Point's Coaster Wars Icon And Its Post-Pitstop Second Life. Meanwhile, heres what is publicly known and not known about the accident: Clark issued a statement shortly after the accident, which occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. . Top Thrill Dragster is the fourth-fastest roller coaster in the world and takes riders from 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds as they're launched 420 feet in the air. The ride was closed for the following day while the park and Ohio state officials investigated the incident. (Editor's note: A version of this story briefly stated the incorrect size of the object in this incident.) None of the injuries were life threatening. It came, hit the top of one of those things and shot downwards.. 3. I mean I think they should be kind enough and generous enough to help the family out., I feel like it probably should be a little stricter then because something like that shouldnt happen, said Sandusky resident Misty Townsend. The entire ride lasts 17 seconds. The Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point. We all saw it fly off: Video shows chaotic moments after woman hurt at Cedar Point. Top Thrill Dragster is one of Cedar Point's biggest and most popular rides so we originally assumed that Cedar Point would be keen to get the reimagining completed as soon as possible and the ride open again in 2023. The speed record was again broken in 2010 by Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, which reaches a maximum speed of 149.1mph (240.0km/h). This typically happened in cool, wet, or breezy weather, or when the wind was working against it. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WOIO) - Cedar Point is off the hook for a rollercoaster accident last summer that severely injured one person. 0. Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline, read the description of the ride on the theme parks website. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. Press J to jump to the feed. Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com. And did that process fail? Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, announced . Updated: 7:19 PM EDT August 15, 2021 SANDUSKY, Ohio A "female guest" was taken to the hospital on Sunday afternoon after a "small metal object" came off of the Top Thrill Dragster roller . The ride ran another time before park guests could flag down staff at the front of the line to stop the ride, Leppo said, as some people started to scream and run to get out of line. Rachel Hawes is a 44 year old woman from Swartz Creek, Michigan. 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. [5] In August, an informal announcement from Cedar Point confirmed the park was building a new ride for the 2003 season. Top Thrill Dragster At Cedar Point Will Return in 2024, Here Is How It Currently Looks! ), Sandusky Police Chief Jared Oliver said his department did not have an official report of the accident because the incident was handled by Cedar Point. The launch track was equipped with retractable magnetic braking fins, which were raised after each launch to slow the train down in case it did not reach the top of the tower. Man Killed by Cedar Point Roller Coaster After He Jumped Fence to Pick Up His Cell Phone: Police In a statement posted on Facebook last Thursday, Cedar Point announced that the Top Thrill. The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report on Friday, explaining their investigation into Cedar Points popular rollercoaster, the Top Thrill Dragster. 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. The Post has sought comment from her family. But it was later eclipsed by the Kingda Ka ride at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. State inspectors were at Cedar Point immediately following the accident. It doesn't appear that there are plans for an extended layout which was originally speculated. Those upgrades were made and the ride was ruled compliant on May 15. [24] ODA found there was "insufficient evidence to find the action or inactions of Cedar Point violated any of the laws" and concluded its investigation in February 2022. The report said she had an "unknown type of head injury.". AKRON, Ohio 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. [15] A fifth car was added to each by midseason. Write this down, he said during a recent phone interview. The large investment tied it with Millennium Force as being the most expensive in park history. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130m), a maximum speed of 120mph (190km/h), and features a total track length of 2,800 feet (850m). It is the tallest roller coaster with 130 meters in height. Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day. When this happened, a mechanic took the elevator to the top and pushed the train down the hill.[37]. Pinterest. Tony Clark, the director of communications at Cedar Point, tweeted: "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.". Published on August 16, 2021 08:51 PM. Top Thrill Dragster is a hydraulically-launched steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. August 17, 2021. The decision comes a year after the metal flew off the 420-foot tall coaster in Sandusky and seriously injured Rachel Hawes. Cedar Point said the Top Thrill Dragster will still remain closed for the 2022 season. It honestly looked like a giant Jenga block, Leppo said. "We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.". IAAPA, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, tracks injuries on rides in the United States and Canada. This could be seen as a reference to Formula One racing (and, perhaps accidentally, to the worlds fastest roller coaster, Intamins Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi). Top Thrill Dragster is one of the park's most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. There have been recent rumors that Cedar Point could increase the theming of both the rollercoaster itself and the surrounding area. The ride closed in August 2021 after a woman from the Flint area was injured when an. The video was posted to social media on Monday, 20 years to the day of the ride's first . piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement parkguest, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. SANDUSKY, Ohio Its been three days since a horrific accident at one of Cedar Points most popular roller coasters, and there are still more questions than answers about the incident. Martin predicts that the ride will be permanently closed. It is thought that the old track will be re-used with new LSM launches being put on and retro fitted. The ride goesfrom standstill to 120 mph in just3.8 seconds. 2021, 12:15 AM. Intamin, however, could still be the ones to convert Top Thrill Dragster but they have now removed the ride from their website which could give clue that they are distancing themselves from the attraction. [10] To construct the roller coaster, the park used five cranes, two of which were 480-foot (150m) tall. The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report which found that Cedar Point did not violate state laws. Cedar Point:New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, What's everyone talking about? In August 2021, a 44-year-old Michigan woman Rachel Hawes was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. Upon descending, the track twisted 270 degrees before leveling out, allowing the train to be stopped by the magnetic brakes. This ride (Top Thrill Dragster) has not demonstrated that.. Following an incident in 2021 in which a guest was severely injured, the park closed the ride indefinitely, later announcing in September 2022 that Top Thrill Dragster would be retired and replaced with a new ride experience. We are one ofthe worlds largest theme park guide sites, hosting detailed guides to more than 80 theme parks around the globe. 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.. In summary this is what we know, work is clearly going on at the station. [4] The concrete footings were kept hidden behind a fence when the park opened for the 2002 season. 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. Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster is being retired - Axios Columbus Columbus Sep 7, 2022 - News So long, Top Thrill Tyler Buchanan Tyler snapped this picture of Top Thrill Dragster's hill while standing in line two weeks before it closed in August 2021. New in 2024. * What is the inspection process for Top Thrill Dragster? Cedar Point did not acknowledge the incident and stated the closure was for maintenance reasons. Her identity and condition remain unknown. [28][29] Officials did not provide further details other than stating they were working on a "new and reimagined ride experience". I'm not saying that you should look down on #TopThrillDragster, but I AM saying that you should enjoy another aerial shot.#cedarpoint #rollercoaster pic.twitter.com/NlPcnrwSCV. We will continue to follow the development and progress of the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster which is slated to open in 2024 here at Theme Park Tourist. He identified himself as an off-duty sheriffs deputy. Check out the rumors that are currently swirling below of what we may see in the reimagining and we will keep you posted with further updates when they are revealed on our news and Facebook page. How can you protect somebody standing in line?, Dennis Speigel, an industry consultant, said hes confident Cedar Point will figure out what went wrong and will fix it. tragic mishap last August severely injured a park guest, Woman at Cedar Point struck in the head by falling roller coaster piece, Multiple people injured on New Jersey Six Flags roller coaster with derailment history, officials say, New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Updated: 7:10 PM EST February 18, 2022 SANDUSKY, Ohio Cedar Point was cleared of any legal wrongdoing Friday in the accident that led to a woman being seriously injured last summer when a piece. After she was taken away, another man approached the Sandusky police officer to describe what he saw. Dragster Accident At Cedar Point: 1 Woman Injured After Being Hit By Metal Object: Report . 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. 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,". From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. It would be because of a passel of things., In 2009, for example, Kings Island closed and ultimately tore down Son of Beast, a massive wooden roller coaster, only after a series of injuries and problems and attempts to fix them. The report said she had an "unknown type of head injury.". The ODA is not recommending any administrative action against Cedar Point. And in 2016, two guests were injured when a launch cable detached from the coaster. A hole in the ground where the Top Thrill Dragster queue used to stand. Co-founder of the site alongside her amazing Husband Nick who had the vision and inspiration to create Theme Park Tourist from scratch. As of January9, 2023[update], the roller coaster is scheduled to reopen in 2024.[2]. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain . January 10 - Since September 2022 when it was confirmed that this legendary coaster would indeed be reimagined, all eyes have been on Cedar Point and the construction progress of the iconic Top Thrill Dragster. [44], On August 15, 2021, in what was described as a "serious accident",[22] a guest waiting in line was struck by a small metal piece that dislodged from a train as it was nearing the end of its run. Sucks that Dragster will be closed longer. [6] Track pieces identified as Intamin were previously spotted near Mean Streak. [19], During the 2017 season's opening weekend, Cedar Point temporarily renamed the ride "Top Thrill Cubster", referencing a lost wager with Six Flags Great America over the World Series. He added, I can guarantee you this was not the first time something like this has happened. It was just scary, Leppo said. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. It lost both records to Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in May 2005. Ryan Leppo was also standing in line for the roller coaster when he saw the object fly through the air from the ride. After all that, they say they found no evidence to indicate that Cedar Point knew the Top Thrill Dragster ride was unsafe or could cause a hazard to the public. They were treated at the park's first aid station, and two later sought further medical attention. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. [25] However, Cedar Point was required to perform a list of repairs, including repairing damaged track sections and replacing "different or improper grade" bolts before ODA could certify the attraction to reopen. August 6 - Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point has been closed since August 2021 after an incident where a guest waiting in line was struck by a metal object that fell from the roller coaster. Speigel, however, said the permanent closure of Top Thrill Dragster was extremely unlikely. Photo: cedar point. Hawes was waiting in line to board the roller coaster. State investigations say the piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point guest waiting in line for the park's Top Thrill Dragster was about the size of "a man's hand.". Before the mishap, some 18 million guests rode the ride that sent peoplesome 420 feet in the air at a speed of 120 miles per hour in just four seconds. WARNING: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. It was the fourth roller coaster to exceed 100mph (160km/h), preceded by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland. It is one of the most popular. [3] After the 2001 season ended, a Dodgem ride across from Magnum XL-200's entrance was relocated to Michigan's Adventure to clear the way for the new ride. [15] It became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, overtaking the height record from Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land, built three years earlier, and the speed record from Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland, which opened in late 2001. On July 17, 2021, a man climbed to the top of the Supreme Scream tower, prompting the temporary closure of most of the park's attractions and surrounding streets. However, although work appears to be progressing well we now know for certain that Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed for the . Cedar . 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. When it debuted in 2003, Top Thrill Dragster was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, a title it lost in 2005 to a nearly identical ride, Kingda Ka, at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. 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 that has been around since 2003. We are devastated by last weekends accident at Cedar Point," the statement said. [24] The ODA required that Top Thrill Dragster be closed during the investigation and subsequent re-inspections. 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 (120m) in height. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. I couldnt find anything. The park has already announced it will not reopen this year. The woman, who was hit in the head, was transported to Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point) Following the death of 14-year-old, Tyre Sampson who tragically fell from the attraction, Orlando Free . Meanwhile, its unclear when or even if Top Thrill Dragster will operate again. The ride was last inspected by the state in May. [43], In September 2017, a report with photos surfaced that the braking system on the launch side of the track may have been damaged, causing the ride to close indefinitely. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. 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. The womans current condition is not known. Leppo said there was confusion at first in his part of the line about what was happening. 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. You fix it. Screamscape has now reported a rumor that Cedar Point is getting ready to start work on the site of the coaster. Katie Boyer, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, would not give a timeframe for the conclusion of the state investigation. 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. We posted an article, Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like!,which outlined a number of potential ideas which included: Screamscape has posted on their Facebook page a number of photos which were sent in from a reader who had captured photos of parts of the track being removed. Prior to the accident, the Top Thrill Dragster was last inspected by the state on May 14 and no major issues were found. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. September 30 -For anyone who is interested in the current progress of the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, you may be interested to see this video which has been posted to YouTube by Amusement Park Portal showing a view over the top of the construction fencing. Miran said the steel track itself. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts . Please include the title when you click here to report it. Top Thrill Dragster* On July 14, 2004 . Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. David Miran, ODA chief of amusement rides, said Top Thrill Dragster's green train, as seen in this file photo, lost an "L-shaped" bracket on the back of the train car during an Aug. 15, 2021, ride. When theres an accident on a ride, you dont tear it down, he said. 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. Top Thrill Dragster fans have been speculating the possibilities over the the last few months of what this reimagining will include and although nothing is still officially confirmed, what we do know for certain is that the hydraulic launch will be replaced by a LSM launch track. USA TODAY Cedar Point retires Top Thrill Dragster coaster following 2021 accident that injured woman Duration: 00:32 9/7/2022 Like 6 Comments | The roller coaster that dominated the Ohio. Authorities are investigating a harrowing incident at an Ohio amusement park that's a magnet for roller coaster lovers. Cedar Point is charged with making daily inspections of its rides. 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! 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. Thats the easiest way to put it.. She was told to back away. It was next scheduled to be inspected in September. Its going to take them a while to do the forensics, said Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services. 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. 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). Top Thrill Dragster. [19] The ride continued to experience a variety of issues dealing with its hydraulic system and launch cable, which frequently led to downtime early on in its tenure. 419-334-1035. It has also consistently ranked as one of the world's top steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today. If Steel Dragon 2000 can reopen after shearing an axle causing a serious back injury and hit someone with a wheel then Dragster can reopen. A metal object fell from a train on Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster late Sunday, injuring a guest.The Plain Dealer. [29][30] When it closed, Top Thrill Dragster had accommodated 18million riders over 19 seasons. Ken Martin, an amusement park safety expert, suspects a maintenance failure is responsible for the accident. Top Thrill Dragster is one of Cedar Point's biggest and most popular rides so we originally assumed that Cedar Point would be keen to get the reimagining completed as soon as possible and the ride open again in 2023. And in 2016, two guests were injured when a launch cable detached from the coaster. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. 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. Opinion:Theodore Decker: Cedar Point betrays its customers through silence after amusement park injury, Top Thrill Dragster:Body cam footage shows Cedar Point guest screaming in agony. BODY CAM: Watch the chaotic scene at Cedar Point after a woman was hit by a piece of metal that came off the Top Thrill Dragster on Sunday. 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.