TTD Speedometer in 2003?

I was looking at pictures of Top Thrill Dragster from 2003 and came across this picture:http://www.gallery.pointpixels.com/details.php?image_id=2331
2003 was the one year that I didn't go to Cedar Point, so I never noticed that there wasn't a speedometer. Out of curiosity, when did they add this and why?

EDIT: Also, what is that red and blue thing in the middle of the picture on the right where Witches Wheel is? Is it some type of truck or something?

That's odd. I went there in mid-July 2003 and it was there.

I know. I always figured that it had been there since it first opened, but I guess I'm wrong!

They added it because it's fun to see how fast the trains go. Everytime they don't go 120mph. I've seen it upwards of 127, it's just for fun.

Are you sure the building is not just blocking it? I always remember it there.

^..Yeah i really dont think it is becuase I know for a fact its on the left as i ride TTD everytime im at CP and look at the speeds of the ride as the train zipz on by.

The speedometer was not there in early 2003. This feature, along with a few others, were added within weeks after the ride opened. If you went on media day or opening day, you may recall that the countdown lights were not even finished then.

That picture was taken on Media Day.

three7five said:
The speedometer was not there in early 2003. This feature, along with a few others, were added within weeks after the ride opened. If you went on media day or opening day, you may recall that the countdown lights were not even finished then.

Yeah there was only like one countdown light up and it took time for them to all get up there...and back then in 03 there was a spoiler on the trains also...but they soon took that off later in the 2003 season because of too much weight being distributed on the car at once on every ride

See, I didn't go in 2003 so my first ride and seeing Top Thrill Dragster was later then most of you. It's a shame that I never got to experience TTD while it was BRAND new. I blame my mother....Hehe

Maverick_Millennium_Cp 4 lyfe said:

...and back then in 03 there was a spoiler on the trains also...but they soon took that off later in the 2003 season because of too much weight being distributed on the car at once on every ride

What was the spoiler?

He means like a tail fin on the back of the train (kind of like a dragster car's). The trains also had the giant wheels on the back, but one of them flew off during a test cycle.

EDIT: http://www.rcdb.com/ig1896.htm?picture=38 there is a good picture of the old trains

Oh, I knew about that! What a shame though with the tires and fin. That's why CP is an amusement park not a theme park....

EDIT: Nice Picture!

ashleygCP95 said:
It's a shame that I never got to experience TTD while it was BRAND new. I blame my mother.

Don't blame your mother. A lot of people didn't get to experience TTD while it was brand new.
Thankfully, those days seem to be behind us, and the ride is running pretty well now.

Yeah we went as a family in 2003, waited over an hour in line while the ride never really got going, and then went to ride other things. I never got to ride it until Opening Day 2007 after that.

JuggaLotus said:

Don't blame your mother. A lot of people didn't get to experience TTD while it was brand new.
Thankfully, those days seem to be behind us, and the ride is running pretty well now.

Your right! I shouldn't blame her, she is the woman that gave me life, but she is also the woman that prohibited me from Cedar Point in 2003!

The trains also had the giant wheels on the back, but one of them flew off during a test cycle.

It flew off with riders on it. The park was closed but there were still alot of people in line. I was just about to get into the station when it happened. You should have seen the look on the ride ops faces when it came in without a wheel. If I remember correctly it was down for about an hour, they took that train off, but they still allowed everyone in line to ride. My first ride!

I still can't figure out why those wheels weren't securely welded to the ride frame. There should have been zero chance for one to come off.

Had it been the left wheel or during operating hours some people would have been injured for sure. I do remember the wheels would rotate freely as it came down the hill that was a mistake.

It had a very cool look, and like someone else has said, I'm not sure why they weren't securely welded on. The spoilers, too, looked pretty cool.