The outlaws are back in FrontierTown, and they've brought the ultimate thrill ride with them: Mean Streak returns as Steel Vengeance.
The outlaws are back in FrontierTown, and they've brought the ultimate thrill ride with them: Mean Streak returns as Steel Vengeance.
| Theme Park | Cedar Point |
|---|---|
| Park Area | FrontierTown |
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 5 May 2018 |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Model | I-Box Track |
| Height | 205 ft |
| Length | 5740 ft |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Max Speed | 74 mph |
| Designer | Alan Schilke |
| Capacity | 1200 riders per hour |
| Duration | 2½ minutes |
| Extras | Fast Lane Plus On-Ride Photos |
Steel Vengeance's ride sign
In September 2016, Mean Streak closed at Cedar Point after 25 years of operation. When it opened, it was the tallest wooden rollercoaster in the world. Upon closing, park officials refused to confirm that the ride would be torn down, and rumours began to spread. Sure enough, in August 2017 it was officially confirmed that Mean Streak was being refurbished by Rocky Mountain Construction and would reopen for the 2018 season as Steel Vengeance.
A Rocky Mountain "refurbishment" is never a simple case of re-tracking and adding new trains. Instead, the original 161 foot tall lift hill has been raised to 205 feet, the track lengthened by 313 feet to 5740 feet long, and four inversions have been added. Approximately 60% of the original Mean Streak has been reused in the new rollercoaster. With the additional height, it is the first hybrid rollercoaster over 200 feet tall, pushing it into the Hyper coaster category.
Steel Vengeance begins with a 200ft tall first drop which sends the train plummeting to the ground at a 90 degree angle. Following some airtime hills is a zero-G roll, and overbanked turn and then a zero-G stall. After the mid-course block brakes are further airtime hills, before the train enters the ride structure, disorienting riders who experience two further zero-G rolls. Steel Vengeance's finale consists of a series of airtime filled bunny hops, before the train hits the final brake run and returns to the station.
The ride is superbly smooth, fast and intense. It is an airtime machine, with Cedar Point claiming it provides nearly 30 seconds of airtime throughout its 2:30 duration. RMC's three trains (named Digger, Blackjack and Chess) are very comfortable, as are the lapbar restraints. It's a rollercoaster which has all the components to be one of the best in the world, and it is certainly up there. I'm not sure it's right at the top, but it's a damn fine ride and one of my favourites at Cedar Point.
With the opening of Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point has claimed a whole series of World Records:
Steel Vengeance from Lake Erie
These are an impressive set of records, even if there are a couple of cheeky "marketing" ones in there. You can be sure that rival parks such as Six Flags Magic Mountain will be looking carefully to see what they can do to claim some of them from Cedar Point.
The background story of Steel Vengeance is told through a series of signs in the queueline. The ride's trains are named after three of the characters: Digger, Chess and Backjack.
Maverick
Digger
Wild One
Blackjack
What's Mine is Mine
Steel Vengeance's lift hill, first drop and first large airtime hill
Steel Vengeance seen from offshore
Lift hill and first drop
First drop seen through the trees
Steel Vengeance station
A train returns to the station
Rider reactions
Close up of the front of the train
Lift hill at dusk
The ride structure at dusk
A train descends the first drop
I-Box track
Night time first drop
Wooden ride structure
Looking up through the ride structure
Station at night
Steel Vengeance after dark
Model maker Matt Schmotzer's 3D printed model of Steel Vengeance
1/40 scale model of Steel Vengeance
