Top Thrill Dragster and wind!

Do you think that Top Thrill Dragster will be closed if there is high winds? The reason i am asking is because, wouldnt the coaster be dangerous if it was rocking around in the wind?

And what about rain? Wouldnt that hurt like hell going at 120 mph gettinf hit in the face with little pellets of rain?!?!?!?!
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Procrastinators UNITE!!!....tomorrow.

As you can see, Top Thrill Dragster's entire vertical column is completely supported, unlike its sister ride at Knott's. I doubt moderate to slightly high winds should cause for it to close down. As for riding in the rain, Superman The Escape and Dodonpa have similar stories. Ask for those.

The only problem I can see with wind and TTD is that if the wind is blowing too strong in the wrong direction, is there a potential that a train may not make it over the top because of the high air resistance?

STE does not run in the rain, but that is another story. Sure the rain will hurt and the wind will have some effect on the ride's operation, but I don't think it will be bad.

Twister: Rollbacks will happen. Many will happen, it can't be avoided with this kind of coaster. But, truth is they are planned for and no big deal :)

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

There are so many things that are questionable about this ride. It is so tall and so fast none of us know what to think. We are just going to have to wait and see!

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practice makes perfect , but nobodys perfect so why the hell practice.

I would pray for a rollback, not only would you get to go BACKWARDS down a 400 foot drop, but you get another launch without having to wait!
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If you haven't rode Raging Bull in the back row you haven't lived. The feeling on that first drop cannot be explained in words!

Many rollercoasters can shut down for high winds. TTD will be no exception.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

If the train indeed rolls back, will they simply relaunch it with passengers still onboard or will they evacuate the train then launch it?

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This ain't no book you can close, when the big light hits your eyes. Cropduster-Riot Act-Pearl Jam

Joey Stewart -

The train is unloaded, and the passengers of the cycle that "short-shot" are to wait on the exit ramp while they send off for a few test runs before letting them on again. That's what they do with Xcelerator. The electromagnetic LIM/LSM rides don't follow the same path as these Hydraulic coasters. They need to investigate what was the cause of the short-shot.

If cedar point is running six trains wont they collide on the rollback?

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practice makes perfect , but nobodys perfect so why the hell practice.

That is is what blocks are there for. If it doesn't clear that area of block the next train doesnt advance.

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Waiting for 2003.
Visit History of PKI!
*** This post was edited by PKIEMPSOB 3/2/2003 8:48:55 AM ***

Top Thrill Dragster will NOT run in any kind of rain. On Cedar Point's web site, it explains what kind of conditions would shut down TTD, and precipitation was one of them.

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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.

Of course it wont operate in the rain no roller coaster at Cedar Point runs in any rain. This is because Lake Erie tends to turn the smallest rain storm into a thunderstorm with no warning on a regular basis. As with the high winds (moderate wind should hopefully not be a problem), this park is located in Ohio high wind does not usually occur without a storm so I dont see it being too much of a problem.

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I don't care what anyone says, Magnum is better then Millenium Force.

That is not true, coasters at CP do run in the rain. Rain rides on Millennium Force are the best!

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2025- "I can't believe Cedar Point has a 750 ft. tall coaster, won't it sink?"

Its not a big deal to close a coaster in the rain. Coasters close because of rain in many parks, and people just seek out shelter and wait until they re-open.

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MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, roller coasters (Homer Style)

Wind, unless gusting over 40 mph or so, wouldn't increase wind resistance very much I suppose. In Physics, they told us that Wind Resistance is just the mass of the object falling creating friction with the still air as it falls, so I wouldn't think that wind would change that, but I may be wrong.

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"Enjoy your record-breaking ride on Millennium Force"

The trains wont collide if it rolls back. They have brakes on the launch strip which close when the train passes, and doesnt open till the next train is dispatched. That way the brakes will stop it on the launch strip. Wind is just added friction if you think about it.

High wind could make a difference, look at Windjammer, although I guess that was a bad design though.
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So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

Touchdown said:
Of course it wont operate in the rain no roller coaster at Cedar Point runs in any rain.

Hmm... I wonder what all that wet stuff was that was hitting us in the face at Millennium "Rainia" 2001 if they never run in the rain?

Seriously, if lightning is not present, they will run many rides there. Raptor didn't because of rust falling from the rails, but that may have changed since it's been painted.

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Without the chaindog, you'd never get up the lifthill...

Rides in the rain on Magnum are great. Your face feels a little abused after a few runs, but it's worth it!

I'm pretty sure that height isn't the only factor in ride closing for high winds. One of the ride ops once told me that Raptor is one of the most highly effected rides when it comes to wind.

We will just have to wait and see and hope everything runs smoothly this season with such a monumental new ride. CP is really good at working out bugs.

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...Agghh, gimme a break will ya?