Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

I remember (and miss) the original lift hill lighting on Magnum. Bullets of light would streak up and down the hill, like a comet flying by. Very cool.

Any videos of that? It sounds really cool.

Here's a thread where Dave explains them really well, and also why there probably isn't a video of them. If there is, I have never seen it.

https://forums.pointbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/magnum-lighting-original

They sure seem to be cataloging and storing this track in more of an "it'll be back" situation. I don't know. This truly is confusing and weird time.

Being prepared for shipment to a steel fabrication facility for modification?

or... as one commenter said, "being shipped off to Intamin for a refund."

I wouldn't have thought this, but it doesn't seem outside the realm of reasonable possibility that:

-The track segments would need some modifications to accommodate LSMs and/or alternative braking, and

-that it might somehow be more feasible to do the rework of each segment offsite, and

-it might be more cost effective to do this than fabricate new track, even factoring in the cost of removal and replacement of track sections.

I guess that photo answers a question I had. Are they carefully removing the track pieces by disassembling them, or are they just cutting the track pieces out? If they are being cut out, like Wicked Twister, then there's going to be new track. If they are carefully removing them, as it appears they are doing, then they may be taking them out to modify them off site. Before seeing that picture, I would say that I was pessimistic on them reopening it next year. Now that I see they are carefully removing the track, I guess I'm slightly less pessimistic.

Does anyone know where this is at?

An Amazon returns center.

They're looking to see if they kept the original packaging.

It's their "Amazement Shop" on Cleveland rd across from the CP entrance. I can tell because I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. (like the one in the background of the pic)

Edit: Magnum's tunnel still had sounds and lights for the last train tonight.

While the careful handling of the track sure seems to indicate it's being reused, this doesn't change my expectation that this won't open next year. As mentioned before, merely repainting the ride took two years.

We're still assuming a lot, but let's assume the track is being modified for whatever reason.

Is there any precedent for Company B to use track that was manufactured by Company A (on a ride originally created by Company A) and use it on their own new/reimagined ride?

Phantom's Revenge

Powder Keg

^Did they use the same actual track for those? Or just the support structures?

LMGTFY

[Steel Phantom] was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics but was later modified and renovated by D.H. Morgan Manufacturing for the 2001 season, when it reopened as Phantom's Revenge. The drop and track length were both increased, and its four inversions were removed enabling the ride to remove its unpopular over-the-shoulder restraints.

...and...

To save on construction costs, elements of the former Buzzsaw Falls Water Coaster, which was manufactured by Premier Rides and was replaced by Powder Keg, were used for the new ride; namely the lift hill structure. Other tributes to the former ride can be found in the thematic elements surrounding the queue line, such as an old Buzzsaw Falls car stuck in the roof of the first queue building, and a piece of old Buzzsaw track sticking out of the queue building's roof.

Have we talked about the RMC Reddit post yet? They clearly have a hidden message in it. Random capital letters that spell out "RMC Giga coming". I'm not trying correlate that with Dragster. Just conversation while we speculate what is happening here.

With respect to repainting Dragster and it taking more than one season to complete - the ride just got a fresh repaint a few years ago, correct? Just throwing it out there, but a retheme could only incorporate a repaint of the track, leaving the yellow tower as-is.

Be that as it may, the TTD tower is in need of another repaint as it’s quite faded.

Phantom’s Revenge was (in part) re-tracked with Morgan track. Morgan is the son of one of the founders of Arrow and so it was likely same track gauge/width/etc.

Phantom was basically completely retracked after they ended up replacing the first drop up to the crest of the second hill. Only the final brake run to top of the lift remains the original Arrow track.

When it comes to replacing track and matching the gauge, it can be done but really any firm. Take a look at Python at Efteling which was completely retracked by CSM which designed track to the same gauge as Arrow / Vekoma track.

vwhoward... "giga"... but not "strata"?

Tower being lowered, or a completely different project.

I'm thinking "different project".

Yes, I saw "not trying correlate that with Dragster".