GateKeeper (roller coaster)

A train in the exit of the keyhole element

Gatekeeper (English for gatekeepers ) in the American amusement park Cedar Point ( Sandusky, Ohio) is a steel roller coaster from the model Wing Coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, opened on May 11, 2013. The 1269 meter long and 25 million U.S. dollar range reaches a height of 52 meters, from which the trains are accelerated to a maximum speed of 108 km / h and has along with five other inversions a 52 meter high dive drop, the highest inversion a roller coaster world, and a eponymous keyhole element ( " keyhole" element) that performs two steel - concrete constructs directly above the for the railway redesigned park entrance and a sense of impending collision will cause to passengers.

Construction began in September 2012 and lasted about eight months. Gatekeeper was built on the original site of Disaster Transport and Space Spiral, both of which were demolished in the summer of 2012. The roller coaster broke several records in its opening: it included both the fastest, longest and highest Wing Coaster as well as to the one with the most inversions. With Gatekeeper, the number of roller coasters at Cedar Point was again increased to 16. It was the first new roller coaster in the park since the opening of Maverick in 2007, and the third roller coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard by Raptor (1994) and Mantis ( 1996).

• 3.1 rail
• 3.2 trains

History

Planning and marketing

The two-year plans for Gatekeeper began under the leadership of the former CEO Dick Kinzel, who entrusted his successor Matt Oumit the project. According to Rob Decker, Vice President of Planning & Design of Cedar Fair, the concept was created for the plant within the industry show of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions 2011. On April 24, 2012 Ouimet said at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of Lake Erie, that for the 2013 expenditure of 25 million U.S. dollars were planned. He gave evidence that the new attraction would be created along the beach. On 30 May 2012, the Sandusky Register reported on a text message that Ouimet had written on 15 February 2012 to the Board of Directors of Cedar Fair group. You demonstrates that in 2013 a Wing Coaster codenamed " Old CP. Winged " would be established, which would put new records in terms of height, speed and length. The notification was given in addition, that the roller coaster will dominate the main entrance. The train will fly over the heads of the visitors to roll over and fly back - highly visible for guests who enter the park. The route will pass through the main entrance and partly through the parking lot. The plant will be 52 meters high and its construction would have to Disaster Transport and Space Spiral be demolished.

On July 13 2012 Cedar Point announced the closure of Disaster Transport and Space Spiral. Disaster Transport was closed on July 29, 2012. With the demolition began on August 6 at the rear of the building. On 12 September 2012 Space Spiral was demolished by the lower part of the tower was blown up.

As part of the marketing strategy for gatekeeper published several Cedar Point Teaser on the OnPoint blog. In the environment of the park and on the website placards with slogans were like " How do you get out of this disaster out of this? ", " Wildcat does not fit this creature " and " Not even a jumbo jet soars so high," published. Each of these posters had as an allusion to the logo of the roller coaster a black background with five blue wings. Later, the park spokeswoman Annie Zelm confessed that some of the instructions on the website should lead the reader only astray. August 3, 2012 Cedar Point started on his Facebook page a countdown until the official announcement of the car. Was on the side: "We can not keep secret any longer ... Meet us on August 13 at 15.30 clock at the main entrance where we betray everything we have so far kept secret! " On August 13, 2012 Gatekeeper was officially announced as a 52 -meter-high Wing Coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard. While the announcement of a creepy disguise employee of the park from the roof of the main entrance to the visitors spoke. On the day an application for trademark protection for the name of the gatekeeper has been submitted. Rob Decker said that " gatekeeper is truly an innovation thrills. Each twist and turn and every near-miss element is designed exclusively for Cedar Point. "

Construction, testing and opening

With the construction of gatekeeper in mid-September was started. The first of 200 each 1.8 meter long piles for the foundations were driven on 2 October in the ground. On 23 October, the first rail parts were delivered in the order in which they would be installed later. The rails and supporting the station area were built from November 5. On November 30, the lift hill was completed. An interim report on the progress of construction on January 7, 2013 According to were about 40 % of the way completed at this time - including the Dive drop, the Immelmann and Camelback. On 23 January, the first components for the keyhole elements were delivered. The first of the two elements was completed on January 29. On February 27, 2013 at about 14.00 clock gatekeeper rail circuit celebrated - two weeks ahead of schedule.

The construction took eight months and more than 100 workers from five construction companies were involved in the project. The Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown, Cedar Point praised for the decision to hire local companies. A. A. Boos & Sons carried out the earthworks. Tony Ravagnani Architects designed, developed and built the two keyhole elements. For the Electrical Fire Country Electric was responsible. The station building with the gift shop was built by Bert Witte Contractors, SA Comunal installed the plumbing and HVAC and Lew 's Construction was responsible for the new entrance area. A total of 5400 tonnes of concrete were used on.

On 4 April 2013, the trains completed for the first time the entire route. The Park introduced prior to the release by the regular operating hundreds of tests. On April 10, Cedar Point launched an auction, in which the first 64 seats of the maiden journey on May 11, 2013 in favor of the Children's Hospital at the Cleveland Clinic and the United Way organization of Lake Erie were auctioned off to the highest bidder. The auction ended on May 6. On May 9, a press conference was held on May 11 and opened gatekeeper to the public.

On July 17 2013 Cedar Point registered its millionth passenger train. He got a voucher for $ 500 paid to a VIP tour of the park and exclusive access to the gatekeeper for the rest of the season 2013 Park spokesman Bryan Edwards said. " We transport 1600 people per hour. It was a huge success for the park with security. Our visitors love gatekeeper. "

Ride

The place with the entrance to the gatekeeper is located along the beach near the tower of the Wicked Twister roller coaster. In the square there is a plastic with the logo of gatekeeper. The waiting area runs parallel to the beach, under the lift hill through to the station building. In the station, passengers can decide on which side of the train they want to go. In the train of the Cedar Fair group Fast Lane Plus system applies: Visitors can buy a bracelet that allows them to be put to a separate queue and to shorten the waiting time.

As gatekeeper is a Wing Coaster, the peculiarity of the trip is that the seats are arranged in contrast to classical orbits beside the tracks. The passenger therefore feels eponymous, as if he would ride on the wings ( Wings ).

After the train has left the station and passes the 40 ° steep lift hill, he goes through a Dive first drop and then an Immelmann. This is followed by a 30 meter high Camelback and an elongated corkscrew. The highlight of the track is followed by a zero- g roll, which leads through a keyhole element in the form of two concrete segments directly above the entrance of the park. For this element to the name of the railway derives, whose name is translated to German porter. When turning to eventually return direction station, the train passes through an Inclined Dive Loop, followed by an in-line twist follows. After the train has then reached the first block brake, still follows a left- inclined helix before the train enters the final brakes. The entire complex covers an area of 1.42 hectares.

Technology

Rail

Made from steel rail Gatekeeper is about 1269 meters long and reaches to the highest point, the apex of the lift Hills, a height of 52 meters. The rail is held in shades light and dark blue; the supports are white. Each of the 102 rail pieces weighs about 3.4 tons. In contrast to the rail of Raptor and Mantis gatekeeper is filled with sand, in order to achieve a noise reduction. B & M had the Schienenenteile and props from Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia Southwest Ohio produce.

Clermont also has four steel beams delivered that were built into the keyhole elements. Each of the two is 30 meters high. The respective first seven meters of each element are made of concrete, the remaining 23 meters are made of steel. Each of the two elements weighs over 29 tons.

When Gatekeeper three made ​​of fiberglass and steel trains are used. Each of them has eight cars with four seats per row, two of which are ever left and right are the rail. A train thus holds 32 passengers. The capacity amounts to 1710 people per hour. The passengers must have a body height of 1.30 meters and 2 meters. As restraint system flexible shoulder restraints are used. In addition, passengers are still held by a seat belt in the seats. The seats in the fourth row each train ride also allow more people by special seats. Since the seating side of the track are, they are also supported by a cantilever beam. The park is the color of the trains at a Sunset Gold with Zenith, Meteor and Orion Gold. The front of the train is the head of a griffin. In the eyes of the mythical creature and the outer seats of each row are for the first time at Cedar Point as a special effect LEDs whose battery is recharged when the vehicle stops in the station building.

Records

Gatekeeper broke several world records. He was in his opening of the longest, fastest and highest Wing Coaster, and with the most inversions. In addition, the facility and its Dive Drop the highest inversion of a roller coaster worldwide and thus relegated Volcano, The Blast Coaster in also part of the Cedar Fair group Kings Dominion in second place.

It is the third plant of the manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard at Cedar Point. The other two tracks are the inverted coaster Raptor and the stand-up coaster Mantis. Gatekeeper is the fifth -built Wing Coaster world and the third in the United States - the other tracks on U.S. soil are X -Flight at Six Flags Great America and Wild Eagle at Dollywood.

Reception

Gatekeeper was largely positively received by the media and the passengers. There has been criticism that the shoulder strap for tall people sometimes are too closely. Some passengers praise the keyhole elements. A woman said enthusiastically: " It feels as if one knee and the head would be chopped off. " Many passengers also praise the smooth running of the railway and the responsive redesign of the entrance area. On the opening weekend Cedar Point recorded the most visitors of an opening weekend in the company's history.