pic: top thrill dragster
 

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I'm going to give a little insight to this ride. 420 feet tall at 120mph. It accelorates you horizontally to top speed in4 secinds where it then goes vertical and you BARLY make it over the top and get a view of the entire park and the entire lake Erie (cedar point is a peninsula) after it stalls on the top, it creeps over the peak to once again reach unbelievable speeds before it reaches a hault and you get off the ride. INCREDIBLE RIDE!! long wait always, but still incredible!

has anyone else been to cedar point? it easily puts all other theme parks to shame, ive been to a lot of them, and there no fun after visiting cedar point (i live about 20 min from it)

Re: pic: top thrill dragster
 

What? That would obviate the need for back rows, now wouldn't it? Do you mean just the back rows; which shouldn't be a problem, given the 5-hour line!

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The wieght in the back makes is fall BACKWARD down the hill, which isnt a safety hazzard because it's fully anticipated sometimes. They try to amke it just about stall on the top. Too much acceloration and you dont stall, too little and you fall back.

Re: pic: top thrill dragster
 

The ride uses hydraulic pressure to spin a drum and cable that launches the coaster train to 120 mph. More information about how it works can be found here.

It is designed to complete its circuit (and thus, go over the top) with plenty of speed to spare. It doesn't stall in any sense except for when environmental variables throw the proverbial wrench into the works. For example, outside temperature and wind will each have an effect on how the ride operates, and so Cedar Point must accomodate those conditions by shifting the trains center of mass to its most advantageous position. Sometimes, that's why they'll only load the first half of the train. Top Thrill Dragster is far from being the only roller coaster that operates this way. In addition to TTD's sister rides, Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA and Storm Runner at Hersheypark in Hershey, PA, most other roller coasters need operational adjustments based on outside conditions. When I rode Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags America on a 33* October morning, they also had to load only the first half of the train so it would complete the circuit, for example.

Re: pic: top thrill dragster
 

Yeah, I lived in Cleveland, OH for 5 years and Cedar Point was a fun place to go to. Our music department here in Ithaca, NY went there this year as part of the music department trip to Cleveland, OH (also went to Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame). The dragster is fast and weightlessness is cool, but it's definitely not the most fun ride there.

Re: pic: top thrill dragster
 

Ya like thats not the funnest ride there, but its awsome. Like when i was there it kept on breakin down, so we would have to wait in line for like 5 hours. It would keep on falling backwards and that would always hold up the lines and stuff. I also like the MIllenium Force too. That one is cool. Doesnt that one go like 314 feet or sumthin.

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I think that this picture, from the Associated Press, says it all:



And this was from before they made the launch more powerful (it now gets to full speed in under 3 seconds).

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I dont know much about roller coasters, but if it can do that to your face, then I think it looks powerful

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I think the best rides there are the rapter and millenuim. mellenium is fun bc it is UBER fast and decent length, rapter is just the best designed coaster ever, hands down.

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Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww........ :D :eek:

MrToast

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That's just plain crazy.

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120 in 3 seconds? Phhhpt...

How about 82 in 1.8 seconds? Now THATS a launch, and it's at my home park of Paramount's Kings Dominion. It's Hypersonic.

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OK, so 45.6 mph/s acceleration is greater than 40 mph/s, but I think it's the ultimate speed that really gives the thrill, and not the initial acceleration, don't you?

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Acceleration is what scares you. The max velocity doesn't really matter because you don't feel constant velocity - you feel acceleration. And that's why the fun comes during the dips, climbs, loops, and corkscrews. The dragster only has a huge hill/dip so it's only attraction is the ability to go weightless. Other coasters with more 'features' entertain me a lot more.