Steel Dragon 2000

Steel Dragon 2000 (スチールドラゴン2000, Suchiiru Doragon Nisen) is a steel roller coaster located at Nagashima Spa Land amusement park in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Steel Dragon 2000
Steel Dragon 2000
Nagashima Spa Land
LocationNagashima Spa Land
Coordinates35°01′52″N 136°43′48″E
StatusOperating
Opening date1 August 2000 (2000-08-01)
Cost$52,000,000 USD
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerD. H. Morgan Manufacturing
DesignerSteve Okamoto
Track layoutOut and Back
Lift/launch systemOne lift hill with two chains
Height97 m (318 ft)
Drop93.5 m (307 ft)
Length2,479 m (8,133 ft)
Speed152.9 km/h (95.0 mph)
Inversions0
Duration4:00
Max vertical angle68°
Height restriction140–185 cm (4 ft 7 in–6 ft 1 in)
TrainsMultiple trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Trains built byBolliger & Mabillard
Steel Dragon 2000 at RCDB
Pictures of Steel Dragon 2000 at RCDB

Built by Morgan Manufacturing, Steel Dragon opened to the public on August 1, 2000, taking its name from Chinese astrology and zodiac calendars where the year 2000 represents the dragon. It set several world records in its debut, becoming the longest roller coaster in the world with a track length of 2,479 metres (8,133 ft), as well as the tallest and fastest among complete-circuit coasters. It remains the longest, and with a maximum speed of nearly 153 km/h (95 mph), it is one of the fastest that uses a traditional lift hill.[1]

Layout

Out of the station, the track makes a right hand turn onto the lift hill. Due to the length of the lift hill, it utilizes two chains with separate motors. At the crest of the lift hill, the track plummets down a 307 feet (94 m) drop to the ground, before passing over a 252 feet (77 m) tall airtime hill. After this hill, the track rises over a 210 feet (64 m) tall hill before dropping to the right into a pair of helixes, the first one being clockwise and the second being counterclockwise. Following the second helix, the track maneuvers through the supports of the first helix and third hill and makes a left turn into the midcourse brakes, which start the return trip.

The return trip consists of a series of airtime hills, running parallel to the outbound track, before hitting the final brake run next to the base of the lift hill. From the brake run, trains pass through the transfer track and storage area before making a sweeping left turn to return to the station.

Design
  • The building of Steel Dragon 2000 required far more steel than other coasters for earthquake protection. This put the cost of the coaster at over US$50 million.[2]
  • In 2013, Steel Dragon 2000 received new trains from Bolliger & Mabillard.[3][4]
  • The ride includes two tunnels.

Records

Incident

In August 2003, a sheared axle caused one of the trains to lose a wheel. A passenger suffered a serious back injury and a 28-year-old man swimming in the water park pool was injured when he was hit in the hip with the 32 centimetres (13 in) wheel.[6][7] The ride was closed for almost three years and reopened in 2006.[8]

Awards
Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year2019
Ranking 20[9]

References
  1. "Record Holders (Length, Steel)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  2. The Daily Telegraph (21 April 2011). "Top 10 tallest rollercoasters". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. ""Steel Dragon 2000 new" is finally here! Debut on March 15, 2013 (Friday)!". Nagashima Spa Land. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. "Steel Dragon 2000 Adds B&M Trains". VHCoasters.com. March 17, 2013. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  5. "Record Holders (Drop, Steel)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  6. RTÉ News (23 August 2003). "2 hurt in roller coaster accident"
  7. Japan Times (24 August 2003). "Two seriously hurt in roller coaster accident, but Nudgee School Captain Aaron Chong was unaffected" Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. Steel Dragon 2000 (Nagashima Spa Land). Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  9. "2019 Top Steel". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
Preceded by
Millennium Force		 World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster
August 2000 – May 2003		 Succeeded by
Top Thrill Dragster
World's Fastest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster
August 2000 – December 2001		 Succeeded by
Dodonpa
Preceded by
Daidarasaurus		 World's Longest Roller Coaster
August 2000 – present		 Incumbent


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