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

[Hyde]

He makes it sound like a new credit. Will you guys count it as a new credit?

Hey, you're 8 months ahead of schedule on our discussion agenda!

Inb4 folks start busting out the measuring sticks to qualify how much proportional new track has been added versus old, remaining track: yes, it'll be a new credit. The ride experience will be fundamentally changed, moreso than other, comparable retrofits (e.g. Phantom's Revenge), and we'll most likely end up with a larger percentage of new track than not.

 

[JackFish]

Hey, you're 8 months ahead of schedule on our discussion agenda!

Inb4 folks start busting out the measuring sticks to qualify how much proportional new track has been added versus old, remaining track: yes, it'll be a new credit. The ride experience will be fundamentally changed, moreso than other, comparable retrofits (e.g. Phantom's Revenge), and we'll most likely end up with a larger percentage of new track than not.

That does make sense, but if they just add a spike, then will it be a full retrofit? Personally I agree with you, but I can see how some people could think that its not a new credit;

 

[Inverting_Thrills]

I'll have to wait and see what they end up doing but I'm inclined to not call it a new credit.

 

[JackFish]

I'll have to wait and see what they end up doing but I'm inclined to not call it a new credit.

Can I ask why you'll say that? Just want to see both sides.

 

[The_bullgod]

He makes it sound like a new credit. Will you guys count it as a new credit?

Yes, it is a new credit, because the layout will be different

 

[Inverting_Thrills]

Can I ask why you'll say that? Just want to see both sides.

It doesn't entirely fit my criteria for a new cred. For something to be a new credit, It must be a completely new track to me, as to include clones, and in it's own location, as to not count relocations and general retracks. While this does fit some of the new criteria, it's missing that completely new track, the top hat, and it's still in the same location. At the end of the day it doesn't really matter for me as I've yet to ride TTD anyway as it was closed on my vist to Cedar Point.

 

[JackFish]

It doesn't entirely fit my criteria for a new cred. For something to be a new credit, It must be a completely new track to me, as to include clones, and in it's own location, as to not count relocations and general retracks. While this does fit some of the new criteria, it's missing that completely new track, the top hat, and it's still in the same location. At the end of the day it doesn't really matter for me as I've yet to ride TTD anyway as it was closed on my vist to Cedar Point.

That makes a lot of sense. Since the top hat is the same, it's not all new track. As for me, the general ride experience just has to change, so it will be a new cred for me.

 

[lom.lom.lom]

I'm looking forward to this becoming my 4839275th new credit

 

[ViperGTS500]

From seeing the footers in person today...it's interesting that it looks like the 2 back footers aren't too far away from each other which makes me question (if it's a spike) how tall the it would be (maybe 200 feet)..? The footers themselves are huge though so idk if that can help with the tallness of the structure...

 

[MLDesigns]

^Generally, big footers = big columns. Would not be surprised if these columns are 40+" diameter. Aka, really big.

Trying to make these footers work with reasonable supports, this is what I've come up with:

 

[Hyde]

^Generally, big footers = big columns. Would not be surprised if these columns are 40+" diameter. Aka, really big.

Trying to make these footers work with reasonable supports, this is what I've come up with:
View attachment 24739

Also bear in mind - the station could be moved if needed (it is only sitting on simple cement footers that be removed/relayed elsewhere. But this is a great mockup, and definitely matches what feels the angle of attack for a back spike!

 

[Swat]

Hopefully they can add a switch track for the station if they're adding a swing launch, the size of this launch without the ability to load another train before the last clears the tower will be horrendous for capacity

 

[Christian]

I also find it quite unsafe to have trains traversing the station at this speed. It has to be moved.

 

[Peet]

More importantly, if the swing launch went through the station, how would the trains even get back to the station!?

 

[Fluorineer]

More importantly, if the swing launch went through the station, how would the trains even get back to the station!?

Ain't a problem that Zamperla can't fix. Just go back over the top hat with the help of... POWER.

 

[Hyde]

I also find it quite unsafe to have trains traversing the station at this speed. It has to be moved.

I mean to be fair, Intamin Impulses have been doing it for years.

I realized I didn't complete my previous thought - having the station transfer onto a launch track would make a lot of sense (back to the capacity conversation) and allow active loading while the prior train is running the course. You could even still operate two train loading, dispatching two trains at a time, and having the second train sit in waiting on the transfer, a la Maverick.

 

[JackFish]

I mean to be fair, Intamin Impulses have been doing it for years.

But have they been doing it at quite this speed? With a LSM launch, the train will have to be going faster through the station than the impulses, so that the LSM launch doesn't have to work as hard on the last stretch of launch.

Also, for capacity, the launch track could be adjacent to the station and have a switch track, for coming out of the station. See crappy diagram to see what I'm talking about.

 

[Inverting_Thrills]

Also, for capacity, the launch track could be adjacent to the station and have a switch track, for coming out of the station. See crappy diagram to see what I'm talking about.

I think having the launch track adjacent to the station makes the most sense. Perhaps they do something similar to Maverick where they dispatch two trains, one waits on a waiting block while the other goes through a switch track and progresses through the layout?

 

[MLDesigns]

@JackFish - right thinking, wrong placement. The spike has to be, and is already being constructed, directly behind the station inline with the launch track, like so:


(The station & switch diagram here is my guess, but i would expect something close to this)

 

[JackFish]

@JackFish - right thinking, wrong placement. The spike has to be, and is already being constructed, directly behind the station inline with the launch track, like so:

View attachment 24754
(The station & switch diagram here is my guess, but i would expect something close to this)

Thanks for pointing that out. But since the station is only on concrete footers, couldn't it be possible to move the whole station also?