Mean Streak

For other uses, see Mean Streak (disambiguation).

Mean Streak

Mean Streak after its first turn
Cedar Point
Park section Frontiertown
Coordinates 41°29′10.50″N 82°41′35.75″W / 41.4862500°N 82.6932639°W / 41.4862500; -82.6932639Coordinates: 41°29′10.50″N 82°41′35.75″W / 41.4862500°N 82.6932639°W / 41.4862500; -82.6932639
Status Operating
Opening date May 11, 1991
Cost $7,500,000 USD
General statistics
Type Wood
Manufacturer Dinn Corporation
Designer Curtis D. Summers
Track layout Twister
Lift/launch system Chain lift
Height 161 ft (49 m)
Drop 155 ft (47 m)
Length 5,427 ft (1,654 m)
Speed 65 mph (105 km/h)
Inversions 0
Duration 3:13
Max vertical angle 52°
Capacity 1,600 riders per hour
Height restriction 48 in (122 cm)
Trains 3 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Mean Streak at RCDB
Pictures of Mean Streak at RCDB

Mean Streak is a wooden roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Built by Dinn Corporation, it opened to the public on May 11, 1991, breaking world records for tallest lift and the longest drop on a wooden roller coaster.[1] Although the height record was only held for one season, it is still one of the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden coasters in the world.[2][3][4][5] It is located in the Frontiertown section of the park behind the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad station.[6]

With a duration of 3 minutes and 13 seconds, Mean Streak had the longest ride time of any roller coaster in the park until 2000.[7] It is also one of only two wooden roller coasters operating at Cedar Point; the other is the Blue Streak.[8]

History

Mean Streak entrance
Mean Streak with Maverick in the foreground

The ride was announced in late 1990 and was officially named "Mean Streak" on October 24, 1990.[9] Construction on Mean Streak continued throughout the winter and spring.[10][11] Mean Streak opened to the public on May 11, 1991[12] and media day was held on May 22.[13] In 1994, trim brakes were installed on the first drop, slowing the ride down.[13] In September 2010, a small 5-foot (1.5 m) section caught fire. The fire was contained to that section and no other damage was reported. The ride was originally set to shut down for the remainder of the season for maintenance anyway.[14]

Over the years, Mean Streak has been retracked several times. Some retracking has been completed by Martin & Vleminckx.[15] Prior to the 2012 operating season, many sections of track after the first drop were replaced. This was the most major work done on the ride since it opened.[16] Also, in 2012, a portion of the queue was removed to make room for a new building. The building is located in the infield of Mean Streak and is used for the HalloWeekends haunted house, Eden Musee. It is used for storage during the offseason and summer.[17]

Ride experience

After leaving the station, the train passes through the storage tracks and makes a U-turn to the right, before ascending the 161-foot-tall (49 m) lift hill. After cresting the top of the hill, the train drops 155 feet (47 m) at a 52-degree-angle, reaching a top speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). While dropping, riders go through a set of trim brakes on the first drop. Riders then go through a 123-foot-tall (37 m) twisted turnaround followed a small airtime hill then another twisted turnaround. The train then travels over the lift hill and dips down to the right. After that, the train travels through the rides structure and goes down another hill, turning to the left into the mid-course brake run. The train then dips down to the left into another airtime hill. Riders then go through several small airtime hills and turns in the ride's structure followed by the final brake run.[18] One cycle of the ride lasts 3 minutes and 13 seconds.[12]

Characteristics

Manufacturer

Mean Streak was only one of 12 roller coasters manufactured by Ohio-based Dinn Corporation before dismantling in 1992.[19] It is a Twister model.[20] It was manufactured at a cost of $7,500,000.[1] The ride was designed by Curtis D. Summers.[12]

Track

Mean Streak's first turnaround

The wooden track is approximately 5,427 feet (1,654 m) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 161 feet (49 m).[12] It was constructed from 1.7 million board feet (4,000 m³) of treated southern yellow pine.[1] A trim brake was installed in 1994 on Mean Streak's first drop to reduce its overall speed, therefore, reducing track wear and increasing ride comfort.[13]

Trains

Mean Streak operates with three Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters trains, colored red, gold and green.[20][21] Each train has seven cars with riders arranged two across, in two rows, for a total of 28 riders per train. Riders must be 48 inches (120 cm) tall to ride and are secured by an individual ratcheting lap bar and seat belt.[12] During the 2011–2012 offseason, all three trains were sent to the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters headquarters where they were refurbished and received maintenance.[21]

Records

When Mean Streak opened, it broke three records among wooden roller coasters. It was the wooden roller coaster with the world's tallest lift and the longest drop.[22] As of 2015, Mean Streak has the sixth tallest lift, the eighth fastest speed, the fourth longest track-length and the fifth longest drop.[2][3][4][5]

Reception

Writers from The Pantagraph stated that the ride is "the best kept-secret at Cedar Point" as it is located at the very back of the park.[23] The ride was also featured on the Today show in 1992 in connection with the 100th anniversary of roller coasters.[24]

Mean Streak has been ranked as one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in the world. It has been ranked nine times in the top 50, since the Golden Ticket Awards were introduced in 1998. The ride has not been ranked in the other seven seasons.

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year1998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Ranking 21[25]18[26]16[27]34 (tie)[28]40[29]49[30]–[31]33 (tie)[32]–[33]39[34]–[35]–[36]–[37]–[38]45[39]–[40]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Cedar Point Park develops Mean Streak". The Vindicator. May 6, 1991. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Record Holders  (Statistic: Height, Type: Wood)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Record Holders  (Statistic: Speed, Type: Wood)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Record Holders  (Statistic: Length, Type: Woodl)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Record Holders  (Statistic: Drop, Type: Wood)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ Urbanowicz, Steve (2004). The Cheapskate's Guide to Them. New York, New York: Kensington Publishing. p. 85. ISBN 0806523654.
  7. ↑ "Cedar Point considers plan to shorten lines for popular rides". Toledo Blade. May 27, 2000. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  8. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Cedar Point". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  9. ↑ "'Mean Streak' named". Portsmouth Daily Times. October 24, 1990. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Cedar Point adds waterfront restaurant and pool complex". The Daily Sentinel. December 7, 1990. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Stacked Wood". The Vindicator. April 4, 1991. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Marden, Duane. "Mean Streak  (Cedar Point)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 "Cedar Point Timeline". PointBuzz. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Mean Streak catches fire at Cedar Point". WTOL. September 24, 2010. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Retracking". Martin & Vleminckx. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Mean Streak isn't so mean". Cedar Point. May 23, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2012. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  17. ↑ Stoddart, S.L. (October 12, 2012). "Inside Cedar Point’s Newest Haunted House ‘Eden Musee’". CBS Detroit (CBS Corporation). Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  18. ↑ Cedar Point (May 23, 2012). "Official Mean Streak POV". YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  19. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Dinn Corporation". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  20. 1 2 "Mean Streak". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  21. 1 2 "Services — Projects Around the Shop — Mean Streak". Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Cedar Point park develops Mean Streak". The Vindicator (Vindicator Printing Company). May 6, 1991. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Cedar Point rolls out scream after scream". The Pantagraph. June 30, 1996.
  24. ↑ "'Today' at Cedar Point". Toledo Blade. June 25, 1992. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  35. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  37. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  38. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  39. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  40. ↑ "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.

External links

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