Steel Dragon 2000, why exactly is it SBNO?

I'm sorry, I just was wondering why it has been idle since 2003 according to the rcdb. anyone help on this?

It lost a wheel while in motion, causing deaths, I believe.

Yup. What joe said.

Apparently the japanese are really suspicious about these things so the ride hasn't operated since then.

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Apparently the japanese are really suspicious about these things so the ride hasn't operated since then.

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Actually they are superstitous. Not suspicious. From what I heard the ride may open within the next year or so. Don't quote me on that one though.

Katie

There were no deaths caused by the incident.

A wheel assembly broke causing a wheel to fly off and strike a maintenance worker. I believe he suffered some serious injuries, but was not killed.

The train grinded to a halt after the wheel assembly broke, causing some minor injuries to the riders. (whiplash, back problems etc.)

And as Ride of Steel said, the Japanese are apparently very superstitious about things like this and do not want to open it up anytime soon. Who knows if it will ever be open again.

That's what I meant to say, sorry, i really need some sleep..

Yeah, it dosn't sound like its opening any time soon, I got a chance to ride it in 2000 and all I can say is Whoa, as the first coaster to beat the 300 foot mark (its taller then MF!!! although all the sites say MF was the tallest in 2000) its the best Morgan Hyper ever. I hope it opens back up soon because I might be moving back to Japan this summer. It is a must ride if you are in the area and if it IS open (most likely not though, or even ever).

It was the 2nd coaster to beat 300ft... MF opened before it, a month or two prior to the debute of SD2000.

True, but it was still the tallest coaster in the world in 2000. It beat MF by about 6 feet.

Millennium Force was operating 4 months prior to Steel Dragons opening. Millennium stood as the largest coaster from its topping off, until Steel Dragon was topped off the day after Millennium Force opened to the public.

Exactly...wheel fell off causing injury, no death.

Still closed because of superstition.

It's a VERY good coaster. Not in my top 10, but I enjoyed it.

CB news story for it http://www.coasterbuzz.com/2003-237-707207.htm

Actually, it was the 4th coaster to reach heights over 300'...

;)

Quite an expensive coaster to close just because of superstition!

Or not sell to an unsuperstitious park in, say, California? ;)

That coaster is wat to expensive, even for Six Flags. Last I heard it was around $54,000,000! You can almost buy 2 KK's for that!

Yeah, but there might have been other things involved in the cost of the ride. I'm sure a lot had to do with the immensity of the structure- was it designed that way because Japan is subjected to earthquakes?

Yeah, it was the earthquake structure. Regarding the accident...does anyone know why it happened and how we know there are not problems with all Morgans?

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MrX said: A wheel assembly broke causing a wheel to fly off and strike a maintenance worker.

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All the stories indicated the person who got hit was in a nearby pool. Was that a maintenance worker in the pool? This is the first time I've anyone mention the injured person was a maintenance worker.

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RavenTTD said: Regarding the accident...does anyone know why it happened and how we know there are not problems with all Morgans?

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Steel dragon is the only Morgan I know of that has the guide wheels on the outside of the track rather than on the inside (like most Arrows). With such a different design I doubt the cause would indicate a problem with other Morgan trains. I have not yet seen any report that mentions what the actual cause was. Seeing as the coaster is in Japan, we may never know.