Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

Intamin just released an animated layout of a vertical launch coaster concept. Could be coincidental timing with the vertical track on Top Thrill still in place, but curious to see the technology being advertised.

I’d consider that a vertical climb over “launch” but I suppose that’s what we call things when LIM/LSMs do the work.

This one may clarify that this is in fact a launch capability!

Isn't IAAPA Expo in Orlando next month? I would imagine this announcement is timed to coincide with that.

It is next month, so it is setting up the stage for Intamin to share more information in November. It will be curious to see what work, if any, starts to occur on any of the top hat track after the season ends this weekend. If Intamin is not involved in the redesign, I would be curious to know if they did pitch this as the main option to redesign Dragster. Of course we will never know what went into the negotiations on what will ultimately become the new Dragster, but the timing of all of it will be interesting to look back on when the details are finally known.

I mean, if they were going to work on vertical/top hat track, they would have likely continued to remove track instead of stopping a couple weeks back. Instead they removed the existing launch and brake sections, then stopped, so...

Also, if CF/CP were willing to be guinea pigs for fitting a 400' tower with vertical launch tech I would seriously question their sanity.

It is probably another Sea World/Busch Gardens project. I think Intamin released the launched flume concept at the same time of the official announcement for Catapult Falls.

To be fair, if they were/are going to do some work on the tower I would imagine that would commence after the park was closed for the season given the room required for equipment of that size.

It would fit with the outer space theme if they did some type of rocket ship takeoff with this vertical launch. I would imagine if they did something like this they would have to expand the layout.

I'd put the likelihood of them expanding the layout somewhere between 0 and.. uh, 0.

BleauxJays:

To be fair, if they were/are going to do some work on the tower I would imagine that would commence after the park was closed for the season given the room required for equipment of that size.

True, but much of the remaining track isn't very high, and was easily accessible with the crane they had on site. So yes, if they had continued to remove track until they could no longer reach it with that crane, I would agree. But they left in place 10-20 sections that could have been reached with the crane they had.

in regards to TTD, I’d much rather launch and then climb the tower instead of launching up the tower itself.

that being said, it’s nice to know that the technology exists to get the train over the top hat if the original launch section isn’t long enough to do so.

That's a good point. May help solve the issue of the run up not being long enough (If that was even an issue any longer)

BleauxJays:

I would imagine that would commence after the park was closed for the season given the room required for equipment of that size.

That's what she said.

As Brandon mentioned above, the main thing that gives one pause is the idea that TTD 2.0 would be the prototype. From Intamin. Nothing about that makes sense.

The second thing that gives one pause is that TTD's track twists on the way up. It's not a vertical trip up the hill.

There's probably a third.

It’s 90° vertical all the way up just, to your point, twists (rotates) 90°. Yeah, no stators in the twist.

third: is one cancels out two.

Yea, I suppose you just stop the launch before the twist. But still...one.

If they are going with a space theme, maybe they can purchase one of the remaining space shuttles and put it in front of the top hat.

They have actually built a vertical LSM “launch” in Dubai that opened earlier this year. Obviously still very new technology and on an original build rather than a retrofit. I was not able to find any details on the reliability of The Storm. I think this is still a long shot, but it is an interesting option that I am anxious to see built somewhere in the US soon!

I'm very skeptical that there's any meaningful vertical acceleration, in part because you have to back off if it very quickly at the top.