Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

That's a good comparison to bridges, given the big heavy things rolling over them. Certainly any of the RMC retrofits are case studies in using existing structures, and if I could generalize for a moment, most of them in most of their runs follow roughly the same layout. Where they do deviate, they require a fair amount of additional structure to accommodate those changes in load. Even on Steel Mean Vengeance Streak, the amount of additional structure to accommodate some of the sections with inversions, because of the change in load vector, are built-up quite a bit. And that's on a structure that's already dense in, uh, structure. The Dragster tower has none of that. What would you have to do to it to handle an outward radial turn halfway up?

You might be right about MF, especially looking at the giant B&M's, or even I-305 at Dominion when comparing support structures. But if Intamin had not "figured out" what was necessary, that's not super confidence inspiring.

Sidebar: Ever notice the track shimmy between the motor building and the tower caused by the wave of energy created presumably by the braking of the catch car? That never seemed right to me.

If we had to place bets - where is everyone leaning at the moment?

Put me in the LSM launch, new theme, no changes to layout camp.

Or what was the abbreviation back in 2002 on here? L TH TW B? :)

While I would love for additional elements to be added after the Top Hat, at a minimum an airtime hill but ideally a significant extension to the ride... I think the most likely outcome is solely a new launch system and cars, with a relocated queue.

My current bet: New LSM Launch, new trains, new paint/theme/name. No layout change, maybe line rerouted.

Hope: Vertical Spike a la Pantheon to get the train up to speed.

I would agree - LSM launch, revamped controls, new paint and new theme. Which isn't really minor if you think about it, considering it took, what, two years/seasons to repaint the tower?

I know this was probably discussed early on, but haven't seen much mention of it since the "retiring" announcement, but I feel like even with changes to controls and launch systems (i.e. no more flag plates), that the queue still needs to be relocated. I won't say it has to be given the changes that may be made, but it just seems like the smart thing to do given the accident happened there.

Rumors are that the currently fenced-off area will be the home of the new queue line. Which would be an improvement in itself, in my opinion. Obviously for the perceived safety reasons, but also just from the standpoint of being able to see how long the queue line is from the midway. And just to give my $0.02, I think I'm aligned to what the others have said. New launch mechanism, new trains, new name/theme. Some friends and I have talked about making something space-themed, and they could have that entire area (CFKATTD, Magnum, Gemini) themed to outer space.

I don't know who those friends are, but they sound smart, and definitely like cool people.

What would be the ideal color palette??

Regolith gray, white, and SLS orange.

Dvo:

Some friends and I have talked about making something space-themed, and they could have that entire area (CFKATTD, Magnum, Gemini) themed to outer space.

DISASTER TRANSPORT 2.0

And banishing "queue line" from the vocabulary of all

remaining humans.

You can vote at the nearest "ATM Machine" using your

"PIN Number".

That would be the most significant improvement from

what I am able to see here.

Dvo:

Rumors are that the currently fenced-off area will be the home of the new queue line. Which would be an improvement in itself, in my opinion.

What safety benefit does that yield? You moved guests from next to the 120 mph brake run to the 120 mph launch. Unless I misunderstand the specific section within the fenced area?

A space theme would be so good. Can't wait for it to be generic name with generic theme #217 instead.

^^Rumors are just that...rumors. There is no basis for what he is saying. Full stop. It should've been worded as

Dvo:

Speculation is that the currently fenced-off area will be the home of the new queue...

^Many apologies. Sure, agreed. I guess I'd need to look at what area is fenced off again, but I believe it was the area adjacent to the station. Which, while it is close to the ride, it potentially wouldn't be along the majority of the length of the launch/return sections. But again... speculation. :)

Unless they moved it since I was there, the fence runs from the north side of the lockers to the bleachers/coke stand. Then from the other end of the stand to behind the ride photo building. There's a gate at the north end of the station.

From what I see, they are blocking off areas to protect the public. The fence is around the work area while the park is open. It will not be needed after Halloweekends are over. It isn't to "hide" anything.

Right. That's why when they built the thing they put up portable queue rails and plastic snow fencing to keep the onlookers separated from the parked cranes.

I suppose by next week they'll have the phrase, "NOTHING TO SEE HERE" stenciled on the fence.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I wasn't sure whether to put this here, or in the "hypothetical ride refurbishments" thread...

Last week I was doing some reimagination of my own, and thinking about what kind of an alternative theme would actually work for TCFKATTD. Of course, "space flight" is an obvious option. After all, the tower is taller than either Aretemis I or even the Saturn V. The problem, though, is that the flight plan is clearly sub-orbital. It never even gets to space, so what's the point of that? Simulating a failed space launch? That's certainly sub-optimal!

Wait a minute. Sub-orbital? Why does that remind me of something? What goes up, then immediately comes back down? And is intended to do so?

I'VE GOT IT!!!

First we fix the perceived safety issue by building a climate-controlled (well, air conditioned, anyway) queue house right in the middle of the ride, where the queue is now. Enclose both stations and provide enough entry and exit tunnel to keep the outside...outside. The tricky bit is that the queue house has to be tall enough that it obscures the view of the brake run from the launch track, and vice-versa. More about that in a moment. In any case, that's really all the modification needed to the ride; the rest is decoration, inside and out, and it addresses the show-stopping issues with the ride. Maybe updates to the launch system as well, but really, that wouldn't be necessary to create the reimagined experience.

So what about the story?

Everyone's favorite sub-orbital service is back in business and at it again. Their engineers have been hard at work developing the next generation of unbelievably fast transportation, all centered around the development of a new propellant. RBB-22, providing a bigger bang than ever before. You thought it was great when we could get 10 of you to Alaska in less than five minutes? Come along as we carry 20 of you there in 40 seconds! Departures every couple of minutes from our new state-of-the-art terminal in Sandusky for a sub-orbital space flight you'll never forget!
Remember, at Dispatch Master Express, we get you there in less than a minute, or we don't get you there at all!

To complete the package, the midway side of the queue house is decorated with a life-size mural of Iron Dragon. So you launch out of the tunnel, along the Cedar Point midway, and take to the sky. The lagoon side of the queue house gets decked out to look like a glacier, with a curtain or wall between the fence and the lagoon to match on the other side. So as a result, it actually looks like you went somewhere. The drag rail at the exit can be replaced with the coldest water fountain in the park, and maybe a Sno-Cone stand.

The result is a complete re-theme, eliminates the hazard that closed the ride in the first place, no changes needed to the ride system itself, and even hits that nostalgia thing that seems to be so important to the park these days. Most people I have pitched this to seem to think it's either the stupidest thing they've ever heard, or it's brilliant. Or maybe both. Personally, I think it's a theme that fits the ride much better than the Dragster theme ever did. If a dragster points nose-up, it means something has gone terribly wrong, and dragsters do not ever turn around and come back. A dragster theme would make more sense on David Hamburger's out-but-not-back fitness coaster. Even better, it's also a better fit than the bobsled coaster ever was for the original Dispatch Master Transport concept because it matches the published flight plan by leaving out all the twisty bits.

If they do this, remember you heard it from me first. And somebody let me know if DAVE disappears from the GateKeeper gift shop!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.