Cedar Point: Day of TTD rollbacks 7/26/03

Associated parks:
None

I went 2 Cedar Point yesterday and had a great day! It was a family event and Dragster was open, finally!

Last year when I went 2 Cedar Point for holloweekends, TTD was getting built and no one new what it was going 2 be. I asked a ride ops by Wicked Twister last yr. what that ride was going to be and he said it was gonna be around 425ft. and go 136mph. He was almost right.

Anyway we arrived at the park at 12:00pm and got in line for Raptor. The line was about 1hr. and 30min. We rode the front seat. Raptor was running extremely fast and smooth. I don't know if they weren't running any trims but it was sure fast. Would I ride it again?
In a heartbeat! 10/10

Next was TTD. Me and my lil brother went over 2 it and it was lauching. After hearing so many people like it, I was so ready to ride the world's tallest roller coaster. After the first launch, we were so pumped for this ride. I love how people look on the ride and how they react to the launch. We waited in line for about a 1hr. in a half and got in the red train. As we approached the starting postion, everyone was watching. We launched and kept going faster and faster.

I swear it felt like more than 120mph. We went up the hill and then suddenly, we stopped and rolled back. I yelled like I never had b4. It was totally awesome. Everyone in line and i the grandstand was in total shock. One lady had her hands over her mouth like it was a freak accident! In the line, it says that Dragster can rollback sometimes, so don't be concerned. All I did was laugh of how people's reaction was. Anyway, as we rollerback into the station, a ride ops asked people in our train, if we wanna ride again. Me and my lil brother said "Hell yeah!"

So after we got in the station, they let us out and we got back in the line for our seat. They tested it twice and it rolled back both those times. One man said they need to use some of that air that they using for Power tower for TTD and everyone in th station was laughing. After those 2 rollbacks, they told us to get in the train, and everyone started cheering and yelling. We went back into the launched position. My brother took an empty front seat and I was in the one behind him. I wanted 2 ride the front but it was 2 long. We launched and like b4, it was etremely intense. The best lanched coaster or ride I've ever been on! The spiral coming down was awesone. Just me, but TTD is way better than MF. It's now tied with Phantom's Revenge. Nitro is still my number 1 steel coaster. TTD has the best drop for a coaster. My only complain is how the ride ops push the restrainst down on u. U get airtime, but not that much. The best part of the ride is that we got a two for one deal.
Would I ride it again? in a heartbeat! 10/10

Next was Mean Streak.
The line was about an 1hr. and 15min. I know some people say how could u wait in line for that, but I love it. Even though it doesn't have alot of airtime, it's still a good coaster. We rode in the back, and it was the best. I love how u go around the ride and it feels like your gonna fall out. Only problem was on one point of the ride, my back was hurting. After I got off though, my back didn't hurt anymore. Would I ride again? Yes I would, as long as the ride is not like 2 hours long. 8/10

Power tower was our next ride. We waited about45min. for the red side. I like power tower bout I still like Pitt fall cause of how u drop down.

Magnum XL: 200 was our next coaster. We waited about an hour for it. While waiting in line, TTD rolledback like 4 times and when it happen, everyone was like "aw man" if it came back down and was clappig when it finally went over. Some people were saying come one when it almost went over. It was like watching a game or something. Magnum is one hell of an airtime machine. The hill into the first tunnel was madly insanse and in the pretzel turnaround it felt like we were going 2 fall out, but in a good way. Would I ride Magnum again? In a heartbeat! 10/10

Last ride of the day went 2 Millennium Force. This was an awesome coaster. I never rode it at night, but yesterday night was like a new coaster was built. We waited about 2hr. for it.
We rode the second 2 the last seat and it was truly amazing. My lap bar wasn't pulled all the way down and going down the first drop, I was lifted out of my seat for like 3 seconds. I loved that part! We screamed and yelled so much that I lost my voice now and I'm a singer.

After MF, he headed out the park and was I glad MF was our last ride. Through out the day, TTD had rollbacks at least 30 times in one day. I don't know how many it was usual but it was alot. I'm just so happy that I got a two for one deal on TTD. The park was clean and extrmely crowded thanx to us going on a sat. instead of a weekday. If u haven't been 2 cedar point lately, I suggest u go now. Thanx for your time reading this report.
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I'm the youngest of the group of Summore, Holla at ya boy!
*** This post was edited by Anonymous16 7/27/2003 6:32:46 PM ***

:-( I wanna rollback darnit!!!! Maybe I will get my chance soon.

-Tina

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

Also, can someone please tell me why TTD rollsbacks so much? That's all I wanna know.

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I'm the youngest of the group of Summore, Holla at ya boy!

Well... (to the best of my knowledge)

The radius of the top hat is very small on TTD. Most coasters have more of a hill shape, where TTD is more like a mountain. The point of going up to going down is very narrow. For this reason, the G forces are more extreme under different speeds. Full circuit coasters are designed to be going a certain speed over the hill, and have a pretty large spread of what is considered safe. TTD does not have this spread of numbers.

The launch is designed to push the car at a certain speed. It (i would assume) cannot be simply adjusted on the spot as necessary. It is designed so that if there is no minor problem (that on a full circuit coaster you would probably never notice) the ride will go over the apex with X amout of g-forces for Y amount of seconds, keeping the ride safe and not too extreme. To keep the -vert g's from getting too high, the designers don't want to launch the train any faster than necessary.

This is where the rollbacks come in.

Simple things like: not having enough grease on the wheels; the wheels being "cold" (the warmer, the less friction); or increases in wind can all make or break the train getting over the top.

*edit*
Btw, correct me if I'm wrong on any of these things. :)
*** This post was edited by Kaldaim 7/27/2003 7:39:53 PM ***

Thanks, I appreicate it!
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I'm the youngest of thr group of Summore, Holla at ya boy!

I would think the weight of the train at launch would also have some bearing...in other words...a certain amount of momentum (speed) during launch would be required to get a given weight over the top. I wonder if they weigh the train somehow before launch. Any engineers out there like to comment on this?

micrip said:
I would think the weight of the train at launch would also have some bearing

Yeah. the trains only weigh around 11,000lbs. add another 3000+ lbs for the passengers and it makes quite a difference.

micrip said:
I wonder if they weigh the train somehow before launch.

I was thinking the same exact thing as I was reading your post.

Good TR. You were *very* fortunate compared to me and my TTD rollback experience. After about 3 - 3 1/2hrs of waiting in line, the train went up about 200ft and they slowly let it come back after making it stop completely. After the train got back, the shut the gates and made the announcement that TTD was closed and that it would be a lengthy delay. But not only does it turn out to be a lengthy delay, it closes for several weeks until 4th of July weekend. How's that for a rollback?

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1. Millennium Force
2. HypersonicXLC
3. Alpengeist

And now for Playa Letterman's Top 5 things Anonymous 16 would do in a heartbeat:

5) Ride Magnum

4) Climb aboard Raptor

3) Enjoy a chiropractic adjustment on MS

2) Experience a TTD rollback

and number one...timpani please...

Relax and let the blood course through his veins like everyone else does during a heartbeat!

Thank you, thank you--I'm here all week. Enjoy the buffet, don't forget to tip your waiter.

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

Back to the rollbacks: I'm not surprised that it was red that rolled back. All year, that's been the train that when empty on test runs has barely cleared the hill. I've yet to see a rollback in person, but this train has come the closest. There is a momentum issue there. When there are people in the train, it takes a lot more gravity force pulling on the train to slow its speed just because there's a lot more tendancy for it to continue in its current line of travel. You can even see that when they test-run (especially red) it barely clears the hill if it all compared to when there's people in and it makes it just fine (usually).

Also, did you (or anyone else there recently) notice the radar gun at the end of the launch? If its working, I remember seeing "118" flash up there for red the one time it launched (and it made it - but just barely) and I saw numbers from 120 - 126 for the other trains, all making it easily. I think that there is something wrong with the red train's wheel assembly somehow that is causing extra friction and causing rollbacks.

Annon., do you remember if it was red that rolled back the most?

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Formerly PittDesigner (graduating soon!)
Lifelong fan of all Impulses!
--Brett

I'm very impressed that Cedar Point has a page devoted to the present day's status of TTD.

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"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." e.e.cummings

I was at CP that day and I do recall the red train rolling back numerous times. While waiting in line for 3 1/2 hours though every train rolled back more than once. It seemed like every time I was walking through the park and I happened to look at it, a train would rollback. Even as I was leaving and began to get in line for Wicked Twister (which also had mechanical problems) it rolled back a couple times. I thought rollbacks were pretty common but not that many. Oh and if anyone else was there that day can you tell me why Mantis was down pretty much the whole day?

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B Rad

The trains are barely hitting 122 for a fraction of a second anymore. Haven't seen a 124 since the 4th of July. Also it is not just the red train rolling back, they are all getting in on the fun lately.

*** This post was edited by tambo 7/28/2003 2:24:50 PM ***

How many topics have been discussed about this so far? How was just curious.

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YOUNGSTOWN 2010

I saw a couple '124's on Tuesday, July 15th. Ironically, at the end of the night, right at 11pm, the red train rolled-back (but it only made it about 250 feet up the tower). I missed the rollback by 2 trains -darn!

I was impressed with CP for keeping us in line for 45 minutes after the park closed and then re-opening the ride. Thank you CP!!!

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Fever

I really enjoy the Simpsons. It's just a shame that I am starting to LOOK like Homer.

Annon., do you remember if it was red that rolled back the most?

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Formerly PittDesigner (graduating soon!)
Lifelong fan of all Impulses!
--Brett

The Redar was on when I went there and I didn't really pay attention to it while it was our turn, but we might have went about 119 mph.

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I'm the youngest of the group of Summore, Holla at ya boy!

1) The launch can be adjusted on the spot, both by the computer and by a technician.

2) The speed displayed by the radar gone isn't always a good indicator of whether a train will clear the hill or not. Other factors, such as wind, play a large role as well.

3) Each train is as tempermental as the next. They have each had their own issues as well as their own bad days.

4) Blame the downtime of Mantis on the need to perform routine work on the track.

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James Draeger
CP Ride Maintenance 2003

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