Top Thrill Dragster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Top Thrill Dragster |
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Top Thrill Dragster launching
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| Cedar Point | |
| Location | Cedar Point |
| Coordinates | 41°29′2.25″N 82°41′10.38″W / 41.4839583°N 82.6862167°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | May 1, 2003 |
| Opening date | May 4, 2003 |
| Cost | US$25,000,000 |
| Replaced | Chaos, Troika |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Accelerator Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Hydraulic Launch |
| Height | 420 ft (130 m) |
| Drop | 400 ft (120 m) |
| Length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Speed | 120 mph (190 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Capacity | 1,000 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 120 mph (0 to 193 km/h) in 4 seconds |
| Height restriction | 52–78 in (132–198 cm) |
| Trains | 6 trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. |
| Restraint | Lap bar |
 Fast Lane Plus only available |
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| Top Thrill Dragster at RCDB | |
Top Thrill Dragster is a super-fast steel roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. It was built by a company called Intamin. When it opened in 2003, it was the tallest roller coaster in the world. It stood over 400 feet (122 meters) high! It was the first coaster to reach such an amazing height. Later, another coaster called Kingda Ka became even taller in 2005. Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka are special types of coasters known as "strata coasters." This means they are incredibly tall and fast.
Riding Top Thrill Dragster
When you get on the ride, your train moves into the launch area. On your left, you'll see a special "Christmas tree" light. It looks like the lights used at car races. A voice tells riders, "Keep arms down, head back, and hold on."
Once the train is ready, you'll hear a motor revving sound. The brakes under the track move down. Then, the train launches forward super fast! It goes from 0 to 120 miles per hour (193 km/h) in just 3.8 seconds.
After the launch, the train shoots straight up a 420-foot (128-meter) hill. This hill is shaped like a "top hat." Once it reaches the top, it twists 270 degrees as it comes back down. The ride then levels out and stops using magnetic brakes.
Common Ride Situations
Sometimes, the train might not go fast enough to get over the 420-foot hill. This is called a "rollback." It often happens when the weather is cool, wet, or windy. If the wind blows against the train, it might not get enough speed. When a rollback happens, the train stops before the top and rolls backward down the hill.
Very rarely, a train might stop right at the top of the hill. If this happens, a mechanic goes up an elevator to the top. They then gently push the train forward to get it moving again. This has only happened three times with people on board. These dates were June 24, 2005, October 25, 2008, and May 25, 2009.
Images for kids
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Side view of Top Thrill Dragster
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Train on the brake run
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See also
In Spanish: Top Thrill Dragster para niños
