Top Thrill 2 Opens and Shatters Records Zamperla Lightning Triple Launch Coaster Excites at Cedar Point
Press Release from Antonio Zamperla SpA:
April 25, 2024: After two years of work and anticipation Top Thrill 2 opened at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, U.S.A. The ride represents the first use of Zamperla’s Lightning roller coaster trains and a huge step forward in roller coaster technology.
“Top Thrill 2 is a next-level roller coaster experience for Cedar Point, Zamperla and the entire attractions industry,” said Antonio Zamperla. “This project means the world to our 450 employees, who are thrilled to have brought innovation and the next generation of roller coaster design technology to the market. We are proud to showcase a record-breaking experience like Top Thrill 2 and know it will be everyone’s favorite experience at the park,” he noted.
Top Thrill 2 is the world’s fastest triple launch roller coaster. It features three exciting launches with airtime in between each, as well as the world’s fastest backwards launch:
Launch 1 (forward): 119 km/h (74 mph)
Launch 2 (backwards): 163 km/h (101 mph)
Launch 3 (forwards: 193 km/h (120 mph)
In addition to the launches Cedar Point has a new feature on its skyline. The 128-meter (420-foot) vertical spike stands just as tall as the famous Top Hat, offering riders one of the longest weightless moments on a roller coaster.
“Top Thrill 2’s presence at Cedar Point is iconic and the team at Zamperla rose to the challenge of keeping it true to form while bringing a new generation of thrill ride to life,” said Carrie Boldman, Vice President & General Manager of Cedar Point. “The innovation, design, talent and extreme engineering that went into the creation of Top Thrill 2 will soon be realized by our millions of thrill-seeking guests. This is something truly special and we’ve been proud to have Zamperla along for the ride.”
“The project was an absolute partnership between Zamperla’s Roller Coaster Business Unit and Cedar Point,” said Alberto Ferri, Roller Coaster Division Director. “It took a true collaboration to re-imagine this ride. From erecting a 128-meter tower in the middle of a lagoon to creating a new experience that incorporated parts of the old ride, there was a lot of amazing engineering happening on both Cedar Point and our side,” he noted.
Top Thrill 2 represents a new pinnacle of roller coaster technology for Zamperla. Several features set this coaster apart from anything else on the market:
Aluminum-Milled Chassis: The billeted aluminum chassis was cnc-machined and lowers the cost of ownership because it features no welds.
Huge Wheels: Because of the high speeds and the need to dissipate energy Top Thrill 2 uses mammoth 530 mm (20.86 in) wheels. These are almost twice as large as the standard steel coaster wheel.
Carbon Fiber: Zamperla partnered with the company responsible for the most carbon fiber projects found in high performance racing around the world. These not only make the train lighter- they allow us to have the aerodynamic design of a race car on a roller coaster.
All of this technology coming together at once is why Top Thrill 2 was possible. Adam Sandy, Zamperla’s Roller Coaster Sales & Marketing Director, said, “This was an extremely unique project where we pushed the engineering envelope. Breaking world records means facing new challenges, and we are thrilled that the Zamperla Roller Coaster Business Unit rose to the challenge to design Top Thrill 2.”
Ride Stats.
Total Track Length: 1043 meters (3422 feet)
Maximum height: 128 meters (420 feet)
Number of Trains: 3
Vehicles per-Train: 5
Passengers per-Train: 20
Height Restriction: 132 cm (52 in) minimum
Ride time: approximately 2 minutes