Top Thrill 2 train, up close

Impossible until a 1.21 gigawatt bolt of lightning strikes the tower and supercharges the magnets!

If the spike was 1000 ft tall (with the same launch dynamics), presumably no one would ask about a stopper (height would be double the max height the trains reach). From clips I have seen of testing, trains do not appear to reach the last 2 sections of the spike. As noted, the spike does not need to be 420 ft with successively faster/higher triple launches. If the spike was lower/trains got closer to the top, expect there may be a stopper. Park preferred to have twin 420' towers.

Also not sure if there are other mechanical/physical way of slowing trains above the intended launch height other than a large stopper at the top?

All true, my fear isn't necessarily rational. But perhaps the question is, can the LSM infrastructure physically launch a train fast enough to RCT it off the end?

Here's a stopper that I got to see up close for Wicked Twister.

I think that is exactly the question, and I'm betting the answer is no--otherwise, no sane and qualified engineer would build the thing without a mechanical failsafe.

I mean, one company built boats that can't drain water and flip over, and a ride with cables that can break at high speed and cut off your leg. Fortunately that company isn't Zamperla, but it still weirds me out.

You really want angry emails from Sandor... don't you? :-D

I share your weirded-outness, as it happens. I'm hoping that the answer is "physically impossible" which is better than "it will (probably) be fine."

I would hope so as well, but the LSMs can launch a train over the 420 foot top hat (albeit on a third pass), and the LSMs can launch a train backwards, so, at least in theory, a train could fail to clear the top hat, roll back and be launched backward up the spike with at least enough velocity to clear 420 feet. Obviously the ride would not be programmed to purposely do this, but unless I'm missing something (which is almost certainly the case) there's nothing physically preventing that from happening.

Ultimately, Wicked Twister was built without the additional braces. But they were added later. Could be the case that a stopper is added to Top Thrill 2. Could be because one is needed/advisable (from engineering standpoint) or because of perceptions. We shall see.

We don't know what safety systems are in place, do we?

"If it needed a stopper, they would have already built one."

Or something.

I imagine it would be extremely difficult to haul an assembly like in Jeff's above pic that high and do a retrofit. Are we sure there aren't some other types of stoppers up there? Magnets? Old school friction brakes? I don't think I've seen pics up close, maybe someone else has.

Flying off of the rear spike on TT2 > RRR

Tommytheduck:

I imagine it would be extremely difficult to haul an assembly like in Jeff's above pic that high and do a retrofit.

Why would it be any harder than putting the top pieces up in the first place?

Because the cranes are no longer on site.

Does anyone have a good picture of the top of the spike? Curious if it’s just there but hard to see.

Pics from WCO.

Yeah, that looks to be about as RCT Shuttle Coaster 1 as it gets. I can honestly say I don't love it.

Tommytheduck:

Because the cranes are no longer on site.

If only cranes were on wheels and could be moved to a location when they're needed! Dang it!

Face your Fear 14 is going to be fun.

I actually really dig this, because what I see is some good old-fashioned roller-coaster designer fun going on.

There's a certain trickiness with helping someone with a fear of roller-coasters because often times the designers have gone out of their way to present the rider with a false sense of danger, when really everything is fine. Head-choppers (who doesn't love that obviously purposeful one at the end of Steel Vengeance?) are the easiest example. I think this is where I would categorize this, agreeing with what Brian said above.

Roller coaster safety 101 is redundancy. Just because you can't see it (like in every type of restraint system) doesn't mean it's not there, but not being able to see it (like in restraints) sure does make it more interesting.

And of course it's in our heads, because us nerds all set the launch speed too high in RCT just to see what would happen. And to see people explode.

Think about it for a second. Anyone posting here has a track record and knowledge of coasters that far exceeds the average Joe. And yet, this is getting inside your head.

How awesome is that?

Can't be anywhere near as scary as going up the lift hill on the Conneaut Blue Streak and looking at the condition of the lumber.