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Cedar Point | Top Thrill 2 | Triple Launch Renovation | 2024

I have a few thoughts here mostly related to the cost impact of the various ideas proposed thus far. The first assumption is that Cedar Point will be paying for all modifications to the ride, including new launch system, new queue line, new theming, new track, and new trains. If this was an unplanned expense (e.g. not a part of CP's 5-year portfolio plan, if such a thing even exists) then I'm thinking CP will want to entertain the cheapest option while still achieving their goals. I'm guessing the goal here is to rebrand the existing TTD experience into something new to help distance the accident (and all associated thoughts of a dangerous ride) from the GP's minds, while also providing a legitimately safer and more reliable experience (which pleases the state and insurance companies). So that brings us to the potential options and their associated costs.

Option 1 ($$$$) - Complete overhaul of ride experience including tower modification, LSM triple launch and spike, new trains, partial/complete re-track, new theme, new queue.

Option 2 ($$$) - Complete overhaul of launch system using LSM's, new launch track, new trains, new theme, new queue.

Option 3 ($$) - Keep existing launch system but replace worn parts, new cable, etc., new paint job, new theme, new queue.

I don't have much to go off of here but my gut still pushes me towards something similar to option 3. I love hydraulic launches and the idea of a new LSM launch still seems so far out to me from both a cost and engineering design perspective. I'm not sure if CP is willing to fork up the cash on such an expensive insurance liability. Curious to see what comes of future announcements.

I understand there are gaps in each of my options and I'm sure I'm missing details but hopefully this conveys the general idea I'm going for.
 
donna from donut stall 1 told me they were going to hire staff to push the train forwards over the spike. All this technology taking people's jobs.
 
😢 Sad news to loose one of my favourite rollercoasters. Sitting in the front row feeling the acceleration and speed was my favourite moment on any rollercoaster, grateful I got to do it but really sad I never will ride it ever again.

While sad to see it go in its old form i hope they do a revamp in some way, something like the concept below (while not as exciting as the original) would be a nice way to have the coaster live on, but the cost of doing something like this would be quite a bit and I hope they could keep it at its impressive height.

 
Hyde said:
To this point - Cedar Point actually has it's own dedicated peaker plant on the grid; when Maverick was built for instance, new high voltage wiring and conduit was installed along the entirety of Perimeter Road to increase power capacity.

Having battery storage as a buffer would make sense, but it could also very well be Cedar Point would just continue increasing power capacity connection. (And yes, definitely not the most efficient solution!)
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That is really good to know, thanks for that!

I just did some professional measuring using Google Maps and might have an interesting perspective here: Red Force (3 car trains, 180 km/h) has a launch track of ~155m. TTD has an overall launch track of 175m (I measured after the transfer track until the track passes over the building with the launch technic.). TTD launched to 193 km/h. So actually, updating TTDs trains to the new ones and using all of that track for an LSM launch, could actually do the trick. No fancy double-LSMs required.
 
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Trax said:
That is really good to know, thanks for that!

I just did some professional measuring using Google Maps and might have an interesting perspective here: Red Force (3 car trains, 180 km/h) has a launch track of ~155m. TTD has an overall launch track of 175m (I measured after the transfer track until the track passes over the building with the launch technic.). TTD launched to 193 km/h. So actually, updating TTDs trains to the new ones and using all of that track for an LSM launch, could actually do the trick. No fancy double-LSMs required.
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Not sure if this actually means something but according to your numbers TTD used to accelerate 1.1 km/h for every meter of track and Red Force accelerates 1.16 km/h for every meter of track. Meaning that Red Force gains more speed per meter of track than what TTD used to do. Although, I do assume the hydraulics on TTD gained that speed faster due to the need for catch car breaking. For those reasons, TTD was considered to have the more intense launch.
 
Trax said:
No fancy double-LSMs required.
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All this talk of changing to a swing launch would require a complete station rebuild I suppose so it's not directly in line with the launch track.

Unless they did something clever to sidestep round the launch track and then use a sliding transfer track to get into the swing launch. That on its own would push up costs I imagine.
 
I think they could just have LSMs all the way down the current launch, and also onto the transition to vertical.

Theoretically if you still needed more juice you could replace some of the vertical track, and have it continue vertically straight (Like storm at Dubai Hills) and then just a compact twist right towards the top.
 
roomraider said:
All this talk of changing to a swing launch would require a complete station rebuild I suppose so it's not directly in line with the launch track.

Unless they did something clever to sidestep round the launch track and then use a sliding transfer track to get into the swing launch. That on its own would push up costs I imagine.
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I mean ultimately, you could use a simple switch track a la Pantheon.

Granted, if LSMs were on the table, TTD could very well have the runway length needed to make the 400 ft. climb. But why not dream big on new element feature? ;P
 
Hyde said:
I mean ultimately, you could use a simple switch track a la Pantheon.

Granted, if LSMs were on the table, TTD could very well have the runway length needed to make the 400 ft. climb. But why not dream big on new element feature? ;P
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My main thought was that the station and the launch track are directly aligned. so in order to have a spike you'd either have to move the station out of that allignment or have an sbend out of the station around any new spike and then some kind of switch track or transfer track to get the train into the launch track. Either way it's a bit of work.

Here's something that will never happen but makes a nice thought experiment.
Is there any reasons apart from having to change our all the brakes and wiring that you couldn't run the ride the other way round?
Train comes out of the station and turns 180 degrees to the right through a switch track into the new swing launch track, then launches up the side with the spiral and drops into brakes where the launch used to be.

Would negate the issue with having to add an sbend or move the station.😂
 
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