Any truth to the rumor?

The word around the park today was that TTD was struck by lightning last night (Monday) causing it to be closed today. Much of Sandusky looked like a war zone today.

Tree branches and entire trees were down everywhere. In fact, a 30 foot pine tree next to the Iron Dragon platform had to be removed today causing a delay in ID opening on time.

The pamphlets handed out at the beginning of the day stated TTD would be open today, Shortly after they tried to bring it up they closed it for the day.

------------------
Stop Still Dragster 3...2...1... No !! ;)

I seen TTD get hit 3 times when i was there, It doesnt do anything to the ride. All coasters are grounded and protected from lightning. Besides, why would they need a crane near the hydraulics building today. Doesnt sound like lightning to me.

------------------
- Dennis
When I die, They'll read this And say a genius wrote it.

Seriously, if it was hit only once yesterday I'd be surprised. Tall steel stuff gets hit by lightning. That's what happens. It is made to deal with it.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

Yea, I think most people realize that the rides are protected. However, I think TTD has been up at least part of each day since the 4th and was running pretty consistent late Monday night. To close it early in the day after announcing it would be open is probably what fueled the speculation.

------------------
Stop Still Dragster 3...2...1... No !! ;)
*** This post was edited by maverick 7/8/2003 11:13:45 PM ***

But also remember that lightning hit the nite before media day and screwed a bit with the electronics, so its always a possibility... but I dont think that was *THE* cause of it being down today, *IF* it effected it at all.

Who knows if lightning was an issue. Of course the ride is protected. That is very important to protect people which may be near or on the ride if it gets struck. But, it could still fry some of the electronics. There is probably some pretty sensitive stuff on the ride that could be damaged by even a small voltage surge.

------------------
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

Draken, Dragster was down for part of Media Day due to the crappy weather that day. I have the tape to prove it ;)

------------------
Tommy Penner - YoYoBaybeeMan
--Your Advertisement Here--

Dragster was down for a couple extra hours on Monday evening after a rollback.

I had also heard that it was the night before there was a lightning strike. Anyone else hear this?

seeing as how TTD is a 420 foot giant steel tower that towers above everything else in the entire area, I'd be more amazed if it WASEN'T hit by lightning whenever a major storm comes in. I mean honestly, The thing taller than the radio antennas for clearchannel in Cleveland, and they get hit almost every time a storm comes in town, I know because they are visiable from my apartment. The likelyhood of it being hit in a major thunderstorm is practically 100%

------------------
Arms down.....Arms down.....Arms down.......Arms down.....Arms down....Arms down...(you think they would get it the first time?!)

Draken_LC said:
But also remember that lightning hit the nite before media day and screwed a bit with the electronics, so its always a possibility...

That was an unsubstantiated rumor.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

Jeff any truth to the rumor that the people you ban from these boards get to be lightning rods on TTD? ;)

As long as the ground rods are going into the ground and not the concrete footers I will be happy. Oh everyone can stop complaining now, TTD status is operational for today.

------------------
"This second hill is my favorite part of the ride. It is so Cool!"
TTD Status: "Contaminates in the system" S.K.

Although they design for lightning, it doesn't always hit where it's supposed to hit. I was there two years ago after a night of storms that struck MF with lightning. It was closed the whole next day unitl 11:15. THen I rode it twic and it was great.

------------------
If life is full of ups and down, you better make sure your safety restraint is locked and ENJOY the ride.

They use it as a lightning rod, it is 100% safe, and I live in South-Central Michigan, and we got some really bad thunderstorms also (80 mph wind and hail 2 inches in diameter)

------------------
LaUnCh...420 feet, 120 mph, 4 seconds....brakes...breathe

TTD has been open a lot recently, and i'm really happy for cedar point, as they have worked very hard. i hope it continues to stay in operation, bc it would be bad if cedar point paid $25 million for a lightning rod.

------------------
Top Thrill Dragster: 2
Millenium Force: 17
Magnum: 71

I know that the ride is grounded.....

But what about the dopplar radar ball that sits way

up on top of the elevator?

First time post, but reading for a long time.

What about the radar ball?
------------------
2002/2003
KPTM

Speaking of debris and rides, I went into work the next day to find a massive tree that had fallen onto the Thunder Canyon storage deck, with much of the top in the storage pond. The crews that came in were very fast in their wrok, and we went up with only a 30 minute delay. There wasn't any damage done to the ride itself thankfully.

------------------
...and the most anticipated event of summer 2003 is...

The Matrix: Reloaded!

Not a radar ball. You're talking about a big brass ball with a vertical spike through it on the top of the tower, right?

That's a lightning target. Lightning rods don't prevent lightning from striking, they provide lightning with a 'safe' place to hit. Charge builds in the point of the lightning rod, and with the fairly large charge built up on a single point, the odds of lightning striking that particular point are increased. I don't know what the ball is about, but my guess is that it is similar to the dome on the top of a Van de Graaff generator, an effort to collect an even larger charge on the lightning rod.

Just a guess. Do we have any high energy physicists here? :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.