Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has announced that they are closing Top Thrill Dragster. The roller coaster is the second tallest in the world, with a height of 420 feet.
On Tuesday, the park tweeted:
“After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders who have experienced the world’s first tiered roller coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is retiring.”
— Cedarpunt (@cedarpunt) Sep 6 202
The move comes just over a year after a Michigan woman was hit in the head by a piece of metal that fell from the roller coaster. Rachel Hawes was queuing for the ride when an L-shaped bracket at the back of the car came loose from the roller coaster. She survived the accident, but was left with serious brain injuries.
After the accident, the state released a 620-page report that found no evidence that the park was doing anything illegal or that Top Thrill Dragster was unsafe. But the ride has remained closed since the accident.
A legendary history
Top Thrill Dragster opened in 2004 as the tallest roller coaster in the world. Cedar Point called it a “strata coaster” because of its extreme height. The coaster reached speeds of up to 120 mph, making it also the fastest roller coaster of the time.
But the record was shattered in 2005 when the Kingda Ka opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. King Kanda climbs to 456 feet and reaches speeds of 128 mph.