On August 1, 2023, an estimated dozen people were forced to evacuate the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, due to mechanical issues.
Two days after the incident, the ride was still closed, following a large group of roller coaster malfunctions this summer.
A park spokesperson told Fox News Digital that it was a “standard ride stoppage” started by a “check engine light” situation. The roller coaster wasn’t able to get restarted immediately, due to the “standard ride stoppage,” causing the riders to get stuck.
Photos posted by parkgoers on social media depicted the staff guiding people off the roller coaster. They all appeared uninjured.
When the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster was first built, in 1989, it was the world’s tallest roller coaster, above 200 feet in height. Since that time, the Cedar Point amusement park has built two new and taller roller coasters, including the 420 feet Top Thrill Dragster, which got closed down after several issues. The most severe incident was when a metal object flew off the ride and hit a woman in the head.
In a video shared by the amusement park, a clear view of Lake Erie can be seen from the first drop of the Magnum XL-200. “If it’s a clear day, you might be able to see the coast of Canada on the horizon,” Cedar Point claims on its website.
The roller coaster has a series of hills, tunnels, twists and turns, and finally a “pretzel turnaround,” which is described as the park’s signature engineering achievement.
There have been two other recent roller coaster incidents this summer, including the oscillating Fireball at a Wisconsin festival and a 325 feet tall roller coaster in North Carolina. On the Fireball, people were stuck upside down for a few hours before they got evacuated. The NC roller coaster was closed down after structural issues were reported.
Another ride in Cedar Point, the Wild Mouse, stopped twice during a preview in May. No passengers were injured.
Link to article: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/04/1192116484/cedar-point-roller-coaster-stops-rescue
Two days after the incident, the ride was still closed, following a large group of roller coaster malfunctions this summer.
A park spokesperson told Fox News Digital that it was a “standard ride stoppage” started by a “check engine light” situation. The roller coaster wasn’t able to get restarted immediately, due to the “standard ride stoppage,” causing the riders to get stuck.
Photos posted by parkgoers on social media depicted the staff guiding people off the roller coaster. They all appeared uninjured.
When the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster was first built, in 1989, it was the world’s tallest roller coaster, above 200 feet in height. Since that time, the Cedar Point amusement park has built two new and taller roller coasters, including the 420 feet Top Thrill Dragster, which got closed down after several issues. The most severe incident was when a metal object flew off the ride and hit a woman in the head.
In a video shared by the amusement park, a clear view of Lake Erie can be seen from the first drop of the Magnum XL-200. “If it’s a clear day, you might be able to see the coast of Canada on the horizon,” Cedar Point claims on its website.
The roller coaster has a series of hills, tunnels, twists and turns, and finally a “pretzel turnaround,” which is described as the park’s signature engineering achievement.
There have been two other recent roller coaster incidents this summer, including the oscillating Fireball at a Wisconsin festival and a 325 feet tall roller coaster in North Carolina. On the Fireball, people were stuck upside down for a few hours before they got evacuated. The NC roller coaster was closed down after structural issues were reported.
Another ride in Cedar Point, the Wild Mouse, stopped twice during a preview in May. No passengers were injured.
Link to article: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/04/1192116484/cedar-point-roller-coaster-stops-rescue