Top Thrill Dragster design sound, maker says

Sunday, 01 August 2004

Top Thrill Dragster's manufacturer, who developed the hydraulic system, is not discouraged by the rides mechanical problems over its first two seasons, the Sandusky Register reported. Nor is he willing to say the concept for the world's tallest and fastest coaster was ill-conceived.

"If you do something new and revolutionary with cutting-edge technology and have less than two years to design it - for it to work perfectly well would be unlikely," Intamin president Sandor Kernacs told the Register.

"Technology is always developing based on experience," Kernacs said. "That's the way you can improve it and make it better."

Cedar Point spokeswoman Janice Witherow told the Register that Top Thrill Dragster has been working consistently this season and that proves the new technology is good enough for the coaster.

"Anytime you introduce such advanced technology, it comes with growing pains," she said.

Knott's Berry Farm's Xcelerator, a 205-foot hydraulic launch coaster that opened in 2002, was grounded on occasion for a couple of days because of growing pains.  The ride has since operated consistently. 

Witherow told the Register that Top Thrill Dragster had been planned for three years before it opened and it was Cedar Point's plan from the start to go bigger than Xcelerator.