Here it is, as promised! The brand new Top Thrill 2 ride vehicle has been unveiled.
And here she is! A beautiful work of high-speed art.Learn more in our latest #TopThrill2 Pit Stop! pic.twitter.com/kWqBmQFa03
— Tony Clark (@TonyClarkCP) November 14, 2023
We had very high hopes and we have not been disappointed. The new Zamperla Lightning train looks sleek, comfortable and and a technological work of art. You can get a closer look in the latest Top Thrill 2 Pit Stop episode which has just been posted to YouTube and is embedded below.
The blue Lighting train with the red and white stripes has been inspired by high performance racing and the aluminum mill chassis reduces weight and has been described as being next level technology from an aesthetic and engineering standpoint. It’s aerodynamic nose cone is sleek and will ensure for the best guest experience when traveling at the high speeds of Top Thrill 2.
The Lightning Train wheels are tall, standing at just over 20″ and are that size in order to ensure they do not overheat as a result of the three high speed launches.
The lap bar restraint should be extremely comfortable and the open air nature of the trains will give riders an exhilarating experience.
Let us know your thoughts on the new Lightning train for Top Thrill 2 by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
It was back on August 1 that Cedar Point officially announced Top Thrill 2, the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch coaster. Below is the press release from Cedar Point outlining all the details for Top Thrill 2 from August 1.
“SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 1, 2023) – Cedar Point, The Roller Coaster Capital of the World®, will once again redefine roller coaster innovation in 2024 with the debut of Top Thrill 2, the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster. The strata coaster, known as any roller coaster eclipsing a height of 400 feet, was first pioneered by Cedar Point in 2003. The park will build on that legacy with not one, but two, 420-foot-tall track towers, putting riders in the driver’s seat for one of the greatest races of all time.
A New Formula for Thrills Riders will immerse themselves as they join the CP Racing Team and climb into one of three, sleek high-performance racing vehicles. Each of Top Thrill 2’s trains will feature open-air seating, providing heart-pounding views on the world’s first and only dual-tower vertical speedway.
On the start, using an all-new linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system, riders will peel out down the straightaway reaching speeds of 74 mph, racing toward the sky on Top Thrill 2’s original 420-foot-tall “top hat” tower. After experiencing weightlessness during the “rollback” – the coveted fan-favorite moment when the train’s momentum isn’t great enough to make it up and over the tower – the train shifts into reverse and into its second launch, reaching speeds of 101 mph.
Riders will then see Cedar Point unlike ever before as they speed into a backward climb at a 90-degree angle on a new, 420-foot-tall track tower. After a second moment of weightlessness, the train shifts into drive and races forward into its third launch, clocking in at the ride’s top speed of 120 mph.
Crossing over the top hat tower, the train decelerates momentarily before diving into a 270-degree spiral and crossing the finish line.
“Top Thrill 2 will be the boldest and most advanced roller coaster Cedar Point has ever introduced. It’s another one-of-a-kind that could only be built at Cedar Point,” said Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “Our stamp on the industry is in roller coaster innovation, and today, that’s solidified as we redefine the strata coaster into a mega-thrill that our guests will come from far and wide to experience.”
Delivering High-Tech Racing Performance Partnering with Cedar Point and utilizing the ride’s original and iconic top hat tower, Zamperla Rides and its Roller Coaster Business Unit engineered and designed a completely new experience. Top Thrill 2 is one of the first roller coasters in the world to utilize Zamperla’s “Lightning” trains, capable of high-speed aerodynamics, performance and rider comfort. The ride’s new high-tech LSM launch system delivers smooth and quiet acceleration while giving riders the chance to feel the rush of motorsport racing.
“My sincere congratulations to Cedar Point on the announcement of this incredible project. Today, with pride and excitement, we embark on this collaborative journey together,” added Antonio Zamperla, president and CEO of Zamperla. “It is an honor for Zamperla to add our signature on The Roller Coaster Capital of the World®. I cannot wait until next year when we see this record-breaking scream machine come to life.”
The newly released video which is embedded below shows what we can expect from Top Thrill 2 when it opens at Cedar Point in 2024.
On July 18, Cedar Point tweeted the date 08.01.23 which was assumed to be when Cedar Point would finally reveal all the details for the Top Thrill Dragster reimagining. For many this comes slightly earlier than expected, with National Roller Coaster Day on August 16, seemingly being the most logical time for this huge announcement.
#CedarPoint #CP24PHP pic.twitter.com/xnPGTpAvia
— Cedar Point (@cedarpoint) July 18, 2023
We are expecting the reason for this decision is either so Cedar Point has its own specific date to reveal this highly anticipated information away from the announcements of other theme parks or and this we think is the more likely one is because work is going to ramp up at Cedar Point in the first couple of weeks of August.
Then on July 23, Cedar Point released another photo and tweet to build excitement even further for today’s announcement The post simply read, A New Formula For Thrills. The pieces come together in 1 week. U ready?
A New Formula For Thrills.The pieces come together in 1 week.U ready?08.01.23#CedarPoint #CP24PHP pic.twitter.com/ZAn3H8rPhu
— Cedar Point (@cedarpoint) July 25, 2023
We were certainly hoping that all our questions regarding the ride layout, rear spike, height, speed, queue line and manufacturer would be confirmed once and for all. However, yesterday Zamperla somewhat stole Cedar Point’s thunder by releasing the details on their website and then quickly taking them down again. Take a look at our news story posted July 31, New Details Confirmed For Top Thrill Dragster, Sadly It Won’t Be The Tallest Or Fastest!
We now know that Top Thrill 2 will be the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch coaster. Top Thrill 2 won’t be the tallest or fastest won’t be the tallest or fastest roller coaster but it will be the tallest and the fastest triple-launch coaster which is where the “smoke the competition” and “reach for the skies” teasers came from.
Cedar Point has been building hype for today’s announcement on their official twitter page over the last few months which can be seen on July 11, where they show off the recently added track laid on the return side of the Top Thrill Dragster infield.
Finished? Nah, fam. We’re just getting started. #CedarPoint #CP24PHP pic.twitter.com/bO16WCqZ58
— Cedar Point (@cedarpoint) July 11, 2023
If you look closely at the tweet we get to see #CP24PHP once again. It has been puzzling to understand the meaning of PHP and now according to a video posted to YouTube and which is embedded below by ElToroRyan, it appears that the letters stand for “Project High Point”. Now, this has not been officially confirmed by Cedar Point. It seemed to imply that Top Thrill Dragster will reach for a height record we thought most likely in the form of the rumored rear spike. With the ride layout details confirmed we now know that the height record currently held by Kingda Ka will not be broken by the 420ft rear spike.
The video goes on to also reference the letter “NR” which were teased in Cedar Point’s Christmas video which were speculated as meaning “New Record” but was interesting to see that they had been omitted from the recent tweet. Whether Cedar Point did plan to break the current height record held by Kingda Ka with a rear spike but this then became unreachable, we had assumed that the spike would be higher than the 420ft top hat.
Over the last couple of months as construction work ramped up, we discovered a lot of new information including that the new color scheme for Top Thrill Dragster will be white and dark gray in contrast with the original red and yellow. The track is currently being painted white whilst the track supports and structure for the top hat is being painted dark gray.
It was also confirmed recently that Zamperla rather than Intamin is taking on this mammoth and high profiled reimagining which has led to mixed responses amongst Top Thrill Dragster fans.
With so many rumors being floated surrounding the new layout, we unfortunately still don’t have any confirmed answers. What we have been promised is that we will see something that has never been done before. Some took this to mean a 500ft rear spike, others the addition of another top hat, the extending of the original top hat. The list goes on. Or it could mean that Zamperla, a manufacturer previously known for amusement rides is branching out into the world of top thrill roller coasters. Today we should get more answers!
Cedar Point had deliberately been quiet about their plans we assume to build hype surrounding this huge project which definitely worked but we should come out of today with all the details we want to know confirmed.
Excitement is sure to build even further over the coming weeks and months prior to the reopening in 2024 as work continues on site. We will continue to update you on the construction progress of Top Thrill Dragster in our updated news article and are interested in what you hope to see happen to Top Thrill Dragster during this transformation. Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
