Those upgrades were made and the ride was ruled compliant on May 15. Her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2002, but it was dismissed in 2006. . There was a ton of people around her so I dont know if someone picked something up.. Thats what theyre going to do., He added, If they tear it down, it wont be because of this one incident. 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. All rights reserved. * Who is the victim and what is her condition? ), 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.". 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. About the Cedar Point Dragster Accident: Published: Sep. 6, 2022 at 12:38 PM PDT. This ride will be torn down. 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. [2], After leaving the station, the train entered the launch area. [1] It was designed by Intamin, who subcontracted manufacturing to Stakotra Manufacturing. While first responders are treating her, a woman who claims to be a nurse urges them to get the woman a c-spine collar to support her neck. Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like! From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. After she was taken away, another man approached the Sandusky police officer to describe what he saw. Rachel is fighting for her life, and we would ask for privacy in this difficult time.". Speigel, however, said the permanent closure of Top Thrill Dragster was extremely unlikely. 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. "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. 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. The Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. 4 Dining Experiences We Wish Would Come To Walt Disney World, Lagoon: The Historic Theme Park That Was Nearly Destroyed. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WTVG) - Sandusky Police bodycam video from Cedar Point shows some of the chaotic moments after a woman was hit by a metal object that flew off the roller coaster she was in line to. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WTVG) - Sandusky Police bodycam video from Cedar Point shows some of the chaotic moments after a woman was hit by a metal object that flew off the roller coaster she was in line to ride. There may be reasons for the silence, including medical and ethical privacy concerns. And some 19 years and a troubled past later, Cedar Point is retiring the famed Top Thrill Dragster. Top Thrill Dragster is a steel launched strata roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. 2023 www.beaconjournal.com. 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. It then launched, accelerating to a speed of 120mph (190km/h) in 3.8 seconds. We will continue to update you on the progress as it happens on our news and Facebook page. Adding a Multi-launch system which could then include a roll-back. No one knows, he responded. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. It was just scary, Leppo said. A metal object fell from a train on Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster late Sunday, injuring a guest.The Plain Dealer. He was referring to a ride at the now-closed Schlitterbahn Kansas City, where a 10-year-old boy was killed in 2016. "We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.". She, too, was hit by a flying metal object that came off a ride but it took years for the park to admit its role, he said. Twitter. A hole in the ground where the Top Thrill Dragster queue used to stand. [16][17] Intamin designed both Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster, and the two share a similar design and layout that differs primarily by theme and an additional hill featured on Kingda Ka. 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. In February, state investigators determined the amusement park in Sandusky was not responsible for what was determined to be an accident. We all know that the launch will be the biggest change and it is clear from the photos that all track linked to the launch and brake system has been removed in preparation for new LSM launch track. Screamscape has now reported a rumor that Cedar Point is getting ready to start work on the site of the coaster. [6] Track pieces identified as Intamin were previously spotted near Mean Streak. Sucks that Dragster will be closed longer. 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). There have been recent rumors that Cedar Point could increase the theming of both the rollercoaster itself and the surrounding area. This is where the Formula One aspect could potentially come in. Posted by 8 days ago. 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. We've received your submission. [8] Originally, the design called for five cars on each train, but when the ride first opened, there were only four. The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report on Friday, explaining their investigation into Cedar Points popular rollercoaster, the Top Thrill Dragster. [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. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch Alive about Eric LeMarque's survival in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, and the rest of MagellanTVs history collection: https://www.magellantv.com/watch/alive?type=e\u0026episode=mammoth-mountain-miracle-manThe in-depth story of Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021. Sandusky firefighters are seen in the video preparing to take her from the park to a hospital. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph. Witnesses called 911 from Cedar Point amusement park after officials said a. At around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, a female guest was waiting in line to ride the Top Thrill Dragster when a small metal object became dislodged from a train at the top of the 420-foot-tall ride, park . Ripley Steam Engine. [2] The ride opened on May 4, 2003 as the first complete circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet in height. 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Last August, a 44-year-old Michigan woman was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. Last August, a 44-year-old Michigan woman was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. It said more details about its plans would be disclosed in the future. 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,". Northwest Ohio snow emergencies by county, Thousands without power as winter weather rolls in, FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY Ending Tonight, March 4th (Friday night update), Parents, students arrested in fight at Toledo elementary school, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14, Trifecta, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14. The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) - YouTube 0:00 / 11:54 The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) Dark History 248K subscribers. They were treated at the park's first aid station, and two later sought further medical attention. #TopThrillDragtser's station has been just about completely emptied at #cedarpoint. Top Thrill Dragster has been closed since the incident occurred on Aug. "Mechanics: Work; Energy and Power Study Guide Prahle The Top. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain injury, according to a family statementreleased to a Cleveland TV station. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Although Intamin has not worked with Cedar Fair since 2010 due to a number of issues with its installed rides at the parks, it would seem sensible with all the developments in reliability that Intamin has made in the last decade that Cedar Point would want their input for this extensive project because surely who best to do the job but the original creators of the attraction. Hawes was seriously injured by a piece of metal that fell from the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park. 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. 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. The state on Monday released the one-page initialincident report, which identified the victim as Hawes ofSwartz Creek, Michigan. 2 The Top Thrill Dragster has been permanently closed Credit: AP 2 It was next scheduled to be inspected in September. He added, I can guarantee you this was not the first time something like this has happened. "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. But the ride has remained closed since the August 15, 2021 accident. Our focus continues to be on the guest and her family, Clark said. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. Well this led to theme park fans speculating as to what Cedar Point has got planned. A woman visiting Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio was injured on Sunday after . 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. Top Thrill Dragster featured a 420-foot-high hill and cars that reached a top speed of 120 mph. [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. 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). People who live in Sandusky still cant believe it happened. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. The 420-foot (128-meter) tall Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster will remain closed as officials from the park in Sandusky, ride experts and state authorities investigate, Cedar Point said in. Could we also see a more highly themed area surrounding Top Thrill Dragster? Hawes was waiting in line to board the roller coaster. [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. The Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point. [15] A fifth car was added to each by midseason. You fix it. It would be great to see Top Thrill Dragster fitted with new lightning trains which were unveiled at IAPPA in November 2022. 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. Leppo said there was confusion at first in his part of the line about what was happening. The park has already announced it will not reopen this year. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain . Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, stands 420 feet tall and goes from zero to 120 mph within 3.8 seconds. With 87% of people who voted in our recent poll saying they want to see Top Thrill Dragster reopening we are guessing many of our readers will be following the progress of this closely. The woman, who was hit in the head, was transported to Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. It had been the tallest in the world until 2003 when it was replaced by Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Cedar Point:New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, What's everyone talking about? It seems as if the launch cable and retractable brake-fins on the launch track are being removed which isn't going to be a surprise to most now we know that the coaster is being reimagined, likely with a magnetic launch system. 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. Close. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Death / Obituaries. take a deeper dive into this in the video below. 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. Her family said in a statement at the time: "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. IAAPA, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, tracks injuries on rides in the United States and Canada. [15][34] Each dragster-themed train was also decorated with a spoiler, a set of tires, and an engine at the rear of each train, but these were removed after the fifth car was added to allow an extra row of seats to take their place. Cedar Point said the Top Thrill Dragster will still remain closed for the 2022 season. The Top Thrill Dragster coaster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. [24] Although ODA finished its investigation in February 2022, exonerating Cedar Point from any wrongdoing,[25] park officials announced that Top Thrill Dragster would remain closed for the 2022 season. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. Click link to read full story. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new coaster coming to The Roller Coaster Capital of the World . The ride closed in August 2021 after a woman from the Flint area was injured when an. Pinterest. (See the video below. The last time 19 News spoke with Rachel Hawes family, they told us she had a serious brain injury. That is now considered the worlds tallest with a 456-foot elevation. The injuries were mainly arm abrasions, with one passenger experiencing cuts to the face. 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. 32 . ), 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. 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. [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. The investigation has found that half of the bolts thatsecured the bracket to the train body had also dislodged. [38][39][40] Top Thrill Dragster was the second hydraulically-launched roller coaster from Intamin following Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm,[41] and along with Kingda Ka, it is one of two strata coasters ever built. Our theme park guides contain reviews and ratings of rides, restaurants and hotels at more than 80 theme parks worldwide. Reports indicated that a metal cable frayed during launch, shearing off shards of metal that struck the riders. 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. (Editor's note: A version of this story briefly stated the incorrect size of the object in this incident. [23] Cedar Point announced that the coaster would be closed for the remainder of the season. Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. Its going to take them a while to do the forensics, said Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services. It is one of the most popular. It came, hit the top of one of those things and shot downwards.. Yesterday, Cedar Point announced through a simple video posted to their official twitter page that the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster will return in 2024. If all their paperwork was in order and it was a freak accident, I dont think anything should happen to them, said Yohe. Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. Theme Park Tourist is one of thewebs leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond. 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.". Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, announced . [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. 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 . In its announcement online Tuesday, Cedar Point says the ride "as you know it is being retired. 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.. The ride was last inspected by the state in May. All rights reserved (About Us). In summary this is what we know, work is clearly going on at the station. Copyright 2009-2020 Theme Park Tourist, website by Siruss, Whats Next For Rock 'n' Roller Coaster? Ryan Leppo was also standing in line for the roller coaster when he saw the object fly through the air from the ride. 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. Katie Boyer, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, would not give a timeframe for the conclusion of the state investigation. We are devastated by last weekends accident at Cedar Point," the statement said. The statement said that a small metal object fell off a Top Thrill Dragster train as it was ending its run and hit a female guest who was standing in the ride queue. The piece of metal was about the size of an adult male's hand. It honestly looked like a giant Jenga block, Leppo said. [16], In the last operational year of the Top Thrill Dragster in 2021, the roller coaster had the second tallest height, the third fastest speed, and the second-highest drop among steel roller coasters in the world. We all saw it fly off. October 18 - We are closely following the progress of the eagerly awaited Top Thrill Dragster reimagining which was first announced back in September. Prior to the accident, the Top Thrill Dragster was last inspected by the state on May 14 and no major issues were found. Upon descending, the track twisted 270 degrees before leveling out, allowing the train to be stopped by the magnetic brakes. Top Thrill Dragster is a hydraulically-launched steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. I walked the whole thing. The video shows the removal of parts of the track around the loading station. [8] The structure was built by Intamin's subcontractor Stakotra. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. Ken Martin, an amusement park safety expert, suspects a maintenance failure is responsible for the accident. Cedar Point found not responsible for Top Thrill Dragster accident last year that injured patron, Ohio Gov. [36], On very rare occasions, a combination of the weight distribution of the train, the force of the launch, and the wind could stall a train on top of the tower. It lost both records to Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in May 2005. ", More: Multiple people injured on New Jersey Six Flags roller coaster with derailment history, officials say. Read more >> https://bit.ly/3yQzzC9. Even now, he said, while the investigation is ongoing, park officials should be more forthcoming,. Press J to jump to the feed. [42] Its marketing tagline was "Race for the Sky". The report said she had an "unknown type of head injury.". 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. [11] An official announcement revealing details on the new ride was made the following month on January 9, 2003. Updates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragsterhas recently posted a tweet showing that the station has been pretty much completely emptied. Cedar Fair Means Business With Announced $200 Million Annual Capital Spend, Track Completed For New Wild Mouse Roller Coaster Coming To Cedar Point 2023, Brand New Intamin Vertical Launch Coaster Could Revolutionize Guest Experience. August 16, 2021 8:25 AM A woman was injured Sunday when a metal object detached from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point and struck her in the face. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. 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 transfer tracks that sat between the launch track and the inner queue have also been removed. All rights reserved. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. People who live in Sandusky still couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that such an accident happened. Top Thrill Dragster At Cedar Point Will Return in 2024, Here Is How It Currently Looks! 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. The 45-year-old, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was left with serious brain injuriesafter being hit while waiting to board the ride. I have no idea. Eyewitness describes Cedar Point coaster accident: It looked like a metal disc flying through the air, Cedar Point guest injured after being hit by falling roller coaster part. Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkhistory. Exactly what from the ride train hit her has not been revealed. Miran said the steel track itself. 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. [19], On August 7, 2016, two people were treated for minor injuries when the launch cable detached from the ride. 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. 0. The entire ride lasts 17 seconds. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. We arent kidding when we say that this high-octane sprint to the checkered flag knows a thing or twenty about horsepower.. 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. AKRON, Ohio The piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement parkguest waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was about the size of "a man's hand," according to state investigations. 4 min read. The ride's speed, height and hydraulic launch system make it a constant maintenance project. 3. Cedar Point officials have declined to answer questions about the accident in the days since it occurred. The ODA is not recommending any administrative action against Cedar Point. What Other Night-Time Events Could Avengers: Power the Night Inspire at Disneyland Paris? According to the ODA, the last inspection of the Top Thrill Dragster was completed on May 14, 2021, by four ODA inspectors, WJW Fox8 News reported. 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. This typically happened in cool, wet, or breezy weather, or when the wind was working against it. If this was possible and the height could be increased above 418ft then Top Thrill Dragster would take back the record from Kingda Ka of being the tallest stratocoaster in North America. 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. - https://www.youtube.com/c/ThemeParkPredictionsElToroRyan - https://www.youtube.com/c/ElToroRyanCoaster Thrills - https://www.youtube.com/c/CoasterThrillsFrank H. - New Entertainment Pictures - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxYSNV4S6W1loUHaL00Biw East Coasters - https://www.youtube.com/c/EastCoasters [5] In August, an informal announcement from Cedar Point confirmed the park was building a new ride for the 2003 season. Adding a roll-over inversion built into the hill. The ride was closed for the following day while the park and Ohio state officials investigated the incident. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130 . The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. Imagine moving from a standstill to a breakneck 120mph (193 kph) in just 3.9 seconds.

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