Cedar Point finishes building track for new Top Thrill 2 coaster

SANDUSKY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Cedar Point may be closed for the season, but that doesn't mean activity has slowed down at the Ohio amusement park.

And when the park reopens in 2024, roller coaster fanatics will see the result of all that work as crews continue building Cedar Point's next great ride: Top Thrill 2.

Really more of an upgrade from the ride's previous rendition, the revamped coaster will feature a second track tower that will carry riders backwards on the second of three directional changes that will be featured. It'll be massive upgrade for a coaster that first opened 20 years ago.

In a video posted this weekend, the amusement park showed off the completed tower, which climbs 420 feet into the air. Workers are also in the process of beginning testing on the new trains. Once complete, they'll be colored blue, black, and silver.

"Our maintenance teams are getting familiar with how they operate, how they connect, and the testing of that train will begin very shortly when they move it in short distances on the launch track, the transfer track, just to make sure everything is running properly," said Tony Clark, director of communications at the park.

The coaster will start out moving forward and reaching speeds up to 74 mph. It will only climb so far before rolling back - reaching speeds of 101 mph as it climbs the new tower. It'll offer a vantage of Cedar Point never before seen.

It will also bring a feeling of weightlessness before shifting forward and speeding 120 mph during its third launch. It should carry riders all the way over the tower, through the iconic corkscrew before coming back down.