Top Thrill 2 is a launched roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States.

[1] The ride consistently ranked as one of the world's top steel coasters in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards publication.

After only a week of operation, an issue with the trains was identified, resulting in the closure of Top Thrill 2 while modifications and further testing are being performed.

[2] According to Rob Decker, Vice President of Planning and Design, the park began working on a new project shortly after the debut of Millennium Force in 2000.

[8] Officials for the park stated the goal was to build "the tallest and fastest roller coaster on earth", reaching 420 feet (130 m) in height and accelerating up to 120 mph (190 km/h) in 4 seconds.

[19] The ride continued to experience a variety of issues dealing with its hydraulic system and launch cable, which frequently led to downtime early on in its tenure.

[19] During the 2017 season's opening weekend, Cedar Point temporarily renamed the ride "Top Thrill Cubster", referencing a lost wager with Six Flags Great America over the World Series.

[21][22] On August 15, 2021, a guest waiting in line to ride Top Thrill Dragster was struck in the head by a small metal piece that dislodged from a train,[23] resulting in a severe injury that was described as a "serious accident".

[32] In August 2023, the speculation was confirmed after Cedar Point announced plans to transform Top Thrill Dragster into a triple-launched roller coaster using linear synchronous motors.

[33][34] Zamperla, hired to redesign the ride, reused the existing 420-foot (130 m) "top hat" and added an equally-sized vertical spike at the opposite end of the track.

[37] Following the completion of construction and testing, Cedar Point held a soft opening media day event on April 25, 2024.

[40][41] A short time later on May 12, Cedar Point announced that there would be an "extended closure" of Top Thrill 2 while the ride's trains were modified.

To the left of the launch area was a "Christmas tree" light, similar to those employed at the starting line of a drag strip.

Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity, the catch car disengaged, and the train began its ascent up a 90-degree incline, twisting 90 degrees clockwise before climbing over the 420-foot (130 m) top hat.

Rolling forward onto the launch track once again, the station roof creates a headchopper effect and the train is accelerated to 120 mph (190 km/h) to crest the top hat.

[49] For safety, riders can not bring loose items onto the ride, and metal detectors are installed at the beginning of the queue.

It was the fourth roller coaster to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h), preceded by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland.

[61][62] On August 15, 2021, in what was described as a "serious accident",[24] a guest waiting in line was struck in the head by a small metal L-shaped bracket, called a flag plate,[63] that dislodged from a train as it was nearing the end of its run.

[24] An investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) was completed in February 2022 and found that half of the bolts securing the flag plate had dislodged.

[63] The report confirmed that the ride underwent regular maintenance, including an inspection the night before the accident, which determined the metal plate to be in "normal, working condition".

[64][65] ODA did not find evidence that Cedar Point violated state laws or that the park had any reason to believe the ride was in "unsafe condition".

[64][65] In order to reopen the ride, Cedar Point would be required to perform a list of repairs including the replacement of "different or improper grade" bolts and damaged track sections.