Zamperla, a leading ride manufacturer, is celebrating the opening of the record-breaking Top Thrill 2 Lightning Triple Launch Coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, US. The coaster was a two-year project and is the first time that Zamperla’s Lightning roller coaster trains have been used.
“Top Thrill 2 is a next-level roller coaster experience for Cedar Point, Zamperla and the entire attractions industry,” says 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.”
Top Thrill 2 is the world’s fastest triple-launch roller coaster. It features three exciting launches with airtime in between each and the world’s fastest backward launch. The first launch reaches 119 km/h (74 mph), while the backward second launch reaches 163 km/h (101 mph), and the third launch hits 193 km/h (120 mph).
An iconic coaster
In addition to the launches, a new feature has been added to Cedar Point’s skyline. Similar in height to the well-known Top Hat, the 128-meter (420-foot) vertical spike provides riders with one of the longest periods of weightlessness 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,” says Carrie Boldman, vice president and 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.”
Alberto Ferri, roller coaster division director, adds: “The project was an absolute partnership between Zamperla’s Roller Coaster Business Unit and Cedar Point. “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.”
New technologies
This coaster differs from others on the market in a few ways. Firstly, the aluminium milled chassis. With no welds, the billeted aluminium chassis is CNC machined and offers a lower total cost of ownership. The huge wheels also set the ride apart. Top Thrill 2 uses 530 mm (20.86 in) wheels due to its high speeds and requirement to release energy. Compared to a typical steel coaster wheel, these are nearly twice as big.
In addition, Zamperla collaborated with the company responsible for the majority of carbon fibre projects used in international high-performance racing. This enabled the team to bring the aerodynamic design of a race car to the roller coaster and make the train lighter. The convergence of all these technologies made Top Thrill 2 feasible.
Adam Sandy, Zamperla’s roller coaster sales and marketing director, says: “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.”
Zamperla also recently partnered with Aztlán Parque Urbano, a brand new attraction in Mexico City which opened to the public on 21 March 2024.
