The coaster has also been plagued by a series of different incidents where guests were injured either on the ride or in the queue. In 2014, four riders sustained minor injuries when they were struck by a stray shard. A couple of years later in 2016, two riders were struck by a cable that had come detached. The ride closed for a short time after these incidents but did reopen.
Another incident occurred in 2005. In the incident fortunately no one was hurt, but a train got stuck at the top of the hill and a mechanic had to physically push the train forward. The most severe incident, however, occurred in August 2021 when a woman waiting in the queue for Top Thrill Dragster was stuck by a bracket that had come loose from one of the trains. The woman was severely injured. This incident could have been the beginning of the end for Top Thrill Dragster.
Following the 2021 incident, Cedar Point closed Top Thrill Dragster and the ride remained closed throughout the 2021 season. Earlier this year, Cedar Point announced that Top Thrill Dragster would remain closed throughout the 2022 season as well.
Following an investigation into the incident, the Department of Agriculture cited in a 620-page report that Cedar Point did not violate any laws or rules. However, there was also an extensive list of repairs that must be completed on Top Thrill Dragster before it can reopen. The list includes replacing loose bolts, repairing the track that was damaged in the incident, replacing the missing bracket, and other repairs.
Could this extensive list mean the end for Top Thrill Dragster? Well,initially many Top Thrill Dragster fans may have felt that it was all over. However, recent news of markings appearing around the attraction have now given us all some hope that we may see this iconic coaster reopening at Cedar Point sometime in the future.
We know that the repairs will be costly, and it is still possible that Cedar Point could decide to simply retire the problematic coaster. Additionally, the park also needs to put some safety measures in place to restore faith from guests that an incident like this will not happen again.
Possible changes could include netting/screening around the coaster to prevent debris from hitting guests, similar to what is seen at actual racetracks. Perhaps an enclosed (and air-conditioned) queue building could be built that would protect guests waiting to ride. The other option is to move the queue line from its current position between the launch and return track.
Will the costs prove worth it for Cedar Point to keep this iconic coaster? We will keep you updated on the status of the original strata coaster. We can only hope that Top Thrill Dragster will safely launch riders toward the sky again and maybe in time for its 20th anniversary.
Comments
It's been dependable since around 2017. Just because it was down day when you were there doesn't make it not dependable. I've been there when Raptor or Gatekeeper or every other ride has been down the whole day.
I would go 20-30 times a year from when TTD came out until the early 2020s. It became as reliable as the rest after 2-3 years of working out what issues it had and then fixing them.
Please don't talk about things which you don't fully know. And if you don't, go to the sources.