Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

It would make sense to not have the unload station to be able to run with less staffing, but I still think they'd load two at a time - more like a Maverick setup.

To the staffing point, I wonder if, since they're overhauling the controls system and the station, it would be feasible to have a flexible load/unload configuration. When they're not as busy and/or cannot find enough staff, they could run as mentioned above with loading and unloading occurring at the same location, such as with Maverick. When they're busy and/or can staff adequately, they could shift unload over where it has been, giving a small boost to capacity.

The real estate already exists, it would just take some extra controls infrastructure. Of course, after (presumably) finally being able to free themselves from Intamin's messy, overengineered complexity, maybe they want to keep things as simple as possible.

Loading station setup like Maverick’s?

Maverick clone in the infield confirmed.

Jeff:

I doubt that resistance is anything more than negligible on properly gauged cables, even over a few hundred feet.

Yes, you can increase the gauge of your conductors to combat voltage drop, but at a certain point skin effect comes into play and you need to add conductors, or use special conductors such as litz wire. And I don't know the frequency of LSM technology, but the higher the frequency the greater the loss due to skin effect.

And even if the loss is "only" 1%, if you plan of pumping a massive amount of power through these conductors over a couple decades (a necessity to launch several thousand pounds to ~120MPH many, many thousands of times), that 1% of loss adds up, meaning it may make financial sense to spend a few bucks to minimize cable length.

I suspect there will be capacitor banks or transformers along the length of the launch track. I would guess that the launch could pull 1000+ amps. There would be a significant amount of loss in a cable 500' long carrying 1000 + amps. In addition, my gut tells me that the cable would need some sort of active cooling.

Didn't Superman the Escape, the original 100 MPH LSM launch, have issues with the skin effect? I have some recollection of reading that somewhere, but in a 30 second google search, I can't find any reputable sources noting that.

The four-station setup was Intamin's solution to being able to launch a train every 45 seconds (which they never really could do because the system didn't reset fast enough), and that in turn was a solution to the problem of running really short trains. The idea is that 18 riders every 45 seconds is the same capacity as 36 riders every 90 seconds. That also doubles the available dwell time in the station because instead of dispatching every 45 seconds, you can dispatch two trains every 90 seconds. So for the purposes of unloading and loading, the two pair of trains are treated as a single unit, then split apart on the two staging blocks downtrack of the station.

Now that the ride has been running for a while, the park has a better idea of what a realistic dispatch interval is. Furthermore, if we assume the new trains will look something like the ones we've been ogling based on the strong hints coming from Italy, it's likely that they will have no seat belts (only a safety strap on the lap bar) and perhaps a more accommodating design resulting in faster loading and unloading. Could it be that the system can operate fast enough to allow for flush loading, thus eliminating the need for an unload station on about a 60-second interval?

Or, another possibility, perhaps the new trains can't fit into the space provided by the unload curve? That might require redesigning the platform to achieve the necessary clearance between the track and the platform. It wouldn't be a problem in the loading station because the track there is straight; on the unload track it's a curve, which would require a wider space to accommodate the train. Personally, I think this is less likely the case than the idea of reconfiguring the load/unload setup just because of the existence of concrete saws...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

RideMan:

it's likely that they will have no seat belts (only a safety strap on the lap bar)

That would be a welcome change, even though the safety strap is totally unnecessary.

No seat belt? I didn't think it was a realistic possibility that Cedar Point, the company that added seat belts to Cedar Creak Mine Ride and Corkscrew after 30+ years incident-free operation, would build a high-thrill ride without seat belts. Ever.

I think he meant something akin to Maverick's restraints. With a "seatbelt" that connects restraint to the base rather than one that goes across the waist.

Exactly.

The aforementioned sample car has the kind of lap bars that Maverick *should* have (and that Shoot The Rapids II *did* have). Note that none of the Cedar Point rides with overhead restraints (except possibly Power Tower?) has seat belts, though most do have a safety strap that attaches to the restraint. Done right, those straps are easier to operate than traditional seat belts, and a *lot* easier for attendants to check. Given that this is Cedar Point, I fully expect that the new Dragster seats (assuming they use the overhead lap bars) will have straps on the restraint, but will probably forego the sort of seat belts the old trains had.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

When I said "seat belt", I was including both the tradition seat belt like Magnum, Millennium, Steel Vengeance; as well as what you are referring a strap that attaches to the restraint. In my previous post, I was referring to the fact that Cedar Point has the redundant belt-style restraint regardless of it being recommended or required by the manufacturer. Meanwhile, Universal is operating Velocicoaster without the extra restraint.

Yeah, those Orlando parks are like the wild west. No seatbelts, letting riders check their own restraints. I feel much safer at CF parks (rolls eyes).

Disney does a good job of covering up all the cases of lost children that have flown out of their coasters. Every month a few new "dolls" get added to It's a Small World.

^^Well there was a park in Orlando that did have a restraint/rider/operator situation that turned tragic so....

Yes that's true and my light hearted comment certainly wasn't trying to poke fun at that situation at all. By Orlando parks I was referring to the big 3 operators in the area and not the local carnivals.

RideMan:

Or, another possibility, perhaps the new trains can't fit into the space provided by the unload curve? That might require redesigning the platform to achieve the necessary clearance between the track and the platform. It wouldn't be a problem in the loading station because the track there is straight; on the unload track it's a curve, which would require a wider space to accommodate the train. Personally, I think this is less likely the case than the idea of reconfiguring the load/unload setup just because of the existence of concrete saws...

Are you talking a set-up similar to Millennium Force possibly? That set-up is perfect in my opinion.

Great new video from ElToroRyan, video states when it's from his source vs. his personal speculation:

• Further confirmation on Zamperla
• 2024
• No layout changes
• 4 lightning train operations
• New paint scheme being tested on supports
• Possible new theme to the whole midway

We gotta have a laugh react here. Gotta love "great new video" from YouTube sources! Oooh...it even includes paid promotions! 🤣🤣🤣

I agree YouTube content varies greatly but I do not think your comments accurately depict his channel.

These claims are heavy aligned to what a lot in this thread already think is going to happen with TTD.

Just looking to spark some discussion.

Nah...I would say there are 100 videos just like this. And it does align with what the discussion has been saying. Because of sources? Nope. Because of common sense.