Magnum XL-200

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Magnum XL-200
Magnum XL-200
Data
Location Cedar Point
( Sandusky , Ohio , USA )
Type Steel - seated
model Hyper Coaster
Drive type Chain lift hill
Routing Out and back
Manufacturer Arrow Dynamics
Designer Ron Toomer
costs $ 8 million 
opening May 6, 1989
length 1556 m
height 63 m
Departure 59 m
Max. gradient 60 °
Max. speed 116 km / h
Travel time 2:00 min
capacity 2000 people per hour
Trains 3 trains, 6 cars / train, 3 rows of seats / car, 2 seats / row of seats
elements 3 tunnels
Inversions 0
Theming No

Magnum XL-200 is a steel roller coaster made by Arrow Dynamics in the American amusement park Cedar Point ( Sandusky , Ohio ), which opened on May 6, 1989. On the 1556 meter long, 63 meter high and up to 60 ° steep route, the trains accelerate to a top speed of 116 km / h. At the time of its opening, Magnum XL-200 was the world's highest, fastest and steepest roller coaster with a closed track. It was also the first hyper coaster , as it was the first roller coaster with a closed track to exceed a height of 200 feet (61 meters). In 2009 Magnum XL-200 had over 40 million passengers.

history

background

After Dick Kinzel became the new managing director of Cedar Point in 1986, he saw a television report in 1988 about the roller coaster Bandit in Yomiuriland , Japan , which had high speed and altitude, but no inversions . Kinzel wanted to build a similar ropeway in Cedar Point, with steep descents and negative vertical accelerations instead of inversions. Ten years had passed since the last major investment was made with Gemini in 1978. Cedar Point then asked the roller coaster manufacturers TOGO , Dinn Corporation , Intamin and Arrow Dynamics for a roller coaster without inversions and shoulder straps. The facility should be higher than 200 feet (61 meters) for marketing purposes. "Magnum XL-200" was chosen as the name, because at that time the television series Magnum was very popular and the height of the train should be included in the name.

opening

On August 16, 1988, the Magnum XL-200 was officially announced and construction began shortly afterwards. After the construction work was completed in 1989 and only one test drive, Dick Kinzel was one of the first people to drive the Magnum XL-200 . The track was officially opened on May 6, 1989 and advertised as the highest, fastest and steepest roller coaster in the world. The measurement from the Guinness Book of Records took place on June 2, 1989. In 1989, Cedar Point saw a record attendance.

journey

The lift hill

After the train has left the station, after a 90 ° right-hand bend, it arrives at the lift hill , the chain of which transports it to an initial height of 63 meters. Once at the top, the train is accelerated to its top speed of 116 km / h on the 59 meter high and 60 degree steep First Drop . The train then climbs a 48-meter-high hill and, after a left turn, enters the first of the three tunnels, whereupon it drives over the 24-meter-high third hill. After a Pretzel turn , in which the train first drives in a 270 ° left-hand bend perpendicular to the coast of Lake Erie and then continues its journey in a further 270 ° left-hand bend in the opposite direction, it goes through the second tunnel. This is followed by several small bunny hops and another tunnel before the train is deprived of most of its kinetic energy by a brake. At a greatly reduced speed it drives through a slightly inclined left-right curve combination, is decelerated again and then drives back into the station.

A ride takes about two minutes.

technology

rail

A train drives back to the station at low speed

The 1556-meter-long three-belt track of the Magnum XL-200 made of steel reaches a height of 63 meters at its highest point, the top of the lift hill. On the 59 meter high First Drop, the rail has an incline of 60 degrees. Originally the rail was painted red and the supports were silver. In 2005, the rail was repainted in orange, but the supports kept their silver color. The 157 supports together weigh 568 tons.

Trains

Three pulls painted in black and white are used on the Magnum XL-200 . Each train consists of six cars, each of which has space for six people in three rows, so that one train can hold 36 passengers. The theoretical capacity is 2000 people per hour. The visitors are held in their seats by lap bars. Arrow Dynamics used its Hyper-Coaster trains for the first time on the Magnum XL-200 , which was then used on numerous other tracks from the manufacturer.

At the time of its opening, instead of the usual up-stop wheels under the train, “plates” were used on the Magnum XL-200 , which had already been used on the Gemini to prevent the train from falling off the rails in the event of negative vertical acceleration. takes off ". After the first season, these plates were replaced by the classic up-stop wheels.

Web links

Commons : Magnum XL-200  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Duane Marden: Magnum XL-200. rcdb.com, accessed October 29, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Magnum Xl-200. ultimaterollercoasters.com, accessed April 6, 2014 .
  3. ↑ a b A Blast From The Past - Our Magnum Finale. Newsplusnotes, November 12, 2009, accessed April 6, 2014 .
  4. ↑ Scott Holmes, Carol Holmes: 20 Years of Magnum . In: American Coaster Enthusiasts (Ed.): RollerCoaster! Magazines . No. 30 , 2009, ISSN  0896-7261 , p. 4-11 .
  5. ↑ A Blast From The Past - Magnum XL200 At Cedar Point. Newsplusnotes, October 29, 2009, accessed April 6, 2014 .
  6. ^ Ohio Roller Coaster to be Fastest Ride. Associated Press, August 17, 1988, accessed April 6, 2014 .
  7. ↑ John Chavez: Kinzel reflects on wild ride. Toledo Blde, December 25, 2011, accessed April 6, 2014 .
  8. ↑ Cedar Point Timeline. Point Buzz, accessed April 7, 2014 .
  9. ↑ Andrew Hyde: Magnum XL-200. Experience The Point, accessed April 7, 2014 .
  10. ↑ Cedar Point: Official Magnum XL-200 POV. Video on YouTube, November 3, 2011, accessed April 7, 2014 .
  11. ^ Magnum Gets Painted. The Point Online March 30, 2005, archived from the original on May 5, 2006 ; accessed on April 7, 2014 (English).
  12. ↑ A Blast From The Past - Magnum XL 200 Part Deux. Newsplusnotes, November 5, 2009, accessed April 7, 2014 .
  13. ↑ Arrow Dynamics Hypercoasters. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013 ; accessed on April 7, 2014 (English).
  14. ^ Adam Sandy: Roller Coaster History - Late 1980s. ultimaterollercoasters.com, accessed April 7, 2014 .

Coordinates: 41 ° 29 ′ 16 ″  N , 82 ° 41 ′ 8 ″  W.