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Magnum XL-200

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Magnum XL-200
Riders cresting a hill on Magnum XL-200
Cedar Point
LocationCedar Point
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 6, 1989
CostUS$ 8,000,000
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerArrow Dynamics
DesignerRon Toomer
ModelHyper coaster
Track layout Out and Back
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Inversions0
Duration2:02
Max vertical angle60°
Capacity2000 riders per hour
Magnum XL-200 at RCDB

Magnum XL-200 is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Built in 1989 by Arrow Dynamics, it was the first complete circuit roller coaster to break the 200 foot barrier. It is considered to have started the roller coaster wars, in which amusement parks competed to build the highest and fastest roller coasters.

Details

Magnum XL-200 is classified a hypercoaster as well as an out and back roller coaster: the first three hills take riders out (away from the station). After a high-speed pretzel turn, the train then races back through a series of tunnels and small airtime hills.

When Magnum XL-200 opened, it did not have up-stop wheels. Instead, it used pads, like Gemini (in fact, Gemini still uses the up-stop pads to this day). Shortly after its debut, however, regular, more-traditional up-stop wheels were added to the trains.[1] Cedar Fair, LP CEO Dick Kinzel has been quoted as saying he was one of the few to ride Magnum XL-200's first train, boarding the train after only one test cycle. Over its entire history, Magnum has only been repainted once. The original color was scarlet red. Painting to moly orange started in 2005 and was completed in 2006; for a period of time, Magnum operated with two different colors.[2] The name Magnum stems from the Latin root for large.[3]

Magnum XL-200 has been the target of false rumors claiming that the structure was sinking due to unstable ground and that plans were to disassemble the ride and sell it to either a Japanese theme park, or a Six Flags park. This rumor supposedly started as an April Fools Day joke in an Ohio newspaper, but quickly spread via the Internet. Cedar Point has denounced such rumors.[4]

Accident

On May 26, 2007 one of the coaster's trains collided with another at less than 10 miles per hour (16 km/h), causing minor damage to both trains and minor injuries to at least three passengers. Two people were taken to a First Aid Station, and a third person was taken to a local hospital because of an asthma attack. No one was seriously injured. Fifty-nine people were aboard the two trains. The ride reopened the next day, on May 27, and park spokesman Robin Innes said the accident was caused by rain: "We think it was just caused by excessive moisture on the tracks due to the heavy rain storms we had in the morning".[5]

Awards and rankings

Magnum XL-200 is an ACE Coaster Landmark.[6]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top Steel Roller Coasters[7][8][9]
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Ranking
1
1
1
3
3
4
3
3
3
5
7
Mitch Hawker's Internet Poll: Best Steel-Tracked Roller Coaster
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Ranking
11
n/a[10]
13
19
24
33
44
65
46
NAPHA Survey: Favorite Steel Roller Coaster[11]
Year 2005 2006 2007
Ranking
2
2
3

References

  1. ^ Sandy, Adam (2006). "Roller Coaster History - Late Eighties". Ultimate RollerCoaster. Retrieved 2007-12-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Magnum XL-200 Being Re-Painted!". The Point Online. 2005-03-29. Retrieved 2007-12-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Latin: large, big, great". Word Info. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  4. ^ "Is Magnum XL-200 sinking?". CedarPoint.com. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  5. ^ Alcorn, Chauncey (2007-05-28). "Rain blamed for Magnum malfunction". Sandusky Register. Retrieved 2007-12-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ ACE Coaster Landmark Awards
  7. ^ rec.roller-coaster FAQ - Amusement Today Top Coasters Poll (1999)
  8. ^ Golden Ticket Awards - Top 25 Steel/Wooden Roller Coasters
  9. ^ Amusement Today
  10. ^ There was no steel poll for 2000.
  11. ^ Survey - National Amusement Park Historical Association
Preceded by World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster
May 1989–May 1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World's Fastest Roller Coaster
May 1989–May 1991 		Succeeded by
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