Cedar Point says Top Thrill Dragster is done, sort of

Since I am from Cleveland I'll occasionally go read stories. Maybe it's a case of running out of free articles, but without the obnoxious banner telling me so.

Not sure if the page has been on their site longer, but the accompanying YouTube video went up today. No real information other than it will reopen in 2024.

https://www.cedarpoint.com/new-in-2024

The kids on PointBuzz are losing their minds.

My favorite part of that video was the way it ended with Ready To Go.

Which means the "one of a kind" new experience means the new queue will be a late 90s dance party.

I’ll wait for more info.

But will it be the "right" version of "Ready To Go?" 😂

As long as it is not the dreadful European version it will be the right version

I have such mixed feelings on the incoming changes to Dragster. I am happy it's sticking around, but that launch was everything. Easily one of my top moments of any coaster. I will really miss that.

Going to LSM will surly be a downgrade in terms of launch intensity as we know. I'm all for the reliability benefits, potentially new trains, etc... But I can't help but think Dragster will go from an epic rush to some level of downgrade in overall ride experience.

Unless, of course, there is more planned then we expect. So I'm not trying to count the chickens before they hatch. Those hydraulic launches are just something else, though. Sucks they were as trouble prone as they were.

Excited to see what comes out of this regardless.

Because going 120 mph can't possibly be fun.

If the wait and likelihood of a breakdown is reduced that increases my interest in the ride quite a bit. The long wait and poor reliability for such a short ride meant I very rarely queued up for it.

Going 120 mph is fun. But agree with SteveWoA: getting there in 4 seconds is more fun.

I have yet to experience an LSM launch at 120 MPH but I don't know that it can match the intensity of a hydraulic launch. I feel the same as djDaemon though. The only time I ever rode it is if I was walking by and it just reopened and could jump in line.

I am still holding out hope for a redesign of the first section to add some new element (swing launch.)

I've ridden Xcellerator at Knotts, and Superman at Magic Mountain. Yes there is a bit of difference, as the magnetic launch takes a couple of seconds to really get going, vs the having your head plastered to the head rest on launch that you get with the hydraulic. As a note, I never got back on Xcellerator after that first time, I had problems walking for bit when I got off. That was the first year it was there.

Y'all talking about LSM vs. hydraulic launch, I still miss the intensity of S&S's pneumatic launch.

Let's talk about the physics. The same amount of energy has to be applied to the train (assuming the same mass) regardless of the launch mechanism. The apparent concern is the acceleration curve. I think the perception is that there's more acceleration at the start of a hydraulic launch. I'm not sure that's the case. With fluid dynamics I would assume that the acceleration is quicker somewhere in the middle. Or with the prevalence of rollbacks in a cold system, maybe it's later. On the other hand, as a hydraulic system drains, the pressure gets lower, so maybe the acceleration is highest at the start. I don't actually know, I'm just speculating.

What I do know is that electric motors produce torque instantaneously. I've been launching electric cars for years, and that feeling never gets old.

But going back to applying energy to the train, the other important factor is that it appears that the length of the launch isn't changing. Even if it did, it wouldn't be more than a train length or two. It could be shorter, I suppose. My point is that I'm skeptical that the acceleration time will be materially different from the old four seconds. Saying you believe the launch will feel different is not based on any data because we don't have any for this ride.

Rip Ride Rockit > Reading through the mess of a thread on Pointbuzz

I checked on that thread right after I posted yesterday.

Jeff:

I've been launching electric cars for years, and that feeling never gets old.

So you know why speed alone isn't everything. The rate of acceleration to get up to that speed plays a big role. That is exactly my point here.

0-60 in 12 seconds isn't nearly as fun as 0-60 in 3 seconds. At the end of the day, the speed is what it is. It's how you get there is the fun part.

No LSM launch in existence up to this point comes close to the intensity of hydraulic/pneumatic launches on a coaster. Whether it be Maverick, Velocicoaster, Blue Fire, Taron, whatever... None of those are anything like Xcelerator, Dragster, Hypersonic, Storm Runner, etc...

That is what I will miss. Not saying it won't be fun, just likely not AS fun as it was if the intensity of launch is reduced.

SteveWoA:

None of those are anything like Xcelerator, Dragster, Hypersonic, Storm Runner, etc...

100%. Storm Runner's launch is absolutely bonkers. I have yet to experience an LSM launch that accelerates at that rate from a standing start.

Jeff:

I don't actually know, I'm just speculating.

Aren't we all?

SteveWoA:

No LSM launch in existence up to this point comes close to the intensity of hydraulic/pneumatic launches on a coaster.

This may be true for coasters (any aviation experts on here could tell us how fast the LSM catapults on an aircraft carrier can launch a fighter jet), but from a physics standpoint there's nothing inherently limiting about one launch method over another. I believe the electromagnetic launch limitation has more to do with the local power grid and the tremendous current draw that a launch requires. But B&M got around this with Thunderbird by utilizing flywheels to store the energy. So in theory you could use flywheels with beefed up motors and inverters to achieve the harder acceleration.