Blue Streak (Cedar Point)

Blue Streak
Initial drop on Blue Streak
Cedar Point
Coordinates	41°28′47.50″N 82°40′57.50″W / 41.4798611°N 82.6826389°WCoordinates: 41°28′47.50″N 82°40′57.50″W / 41.4798611°N 82.6826389°W
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 23, 1964
Cost	$200,000
General statistics
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
Designer	Frank F. Hoover & John C. Allen
Track layout	Out and Back roller coaster
Lift/launch system	Chain
Height	78 ft (24 m)
Drop	72 ft (22 m)
Length	2,558 ft (780 m)
Speed	40 mph (64 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:45
Max vertical angle	45°
Capacity	1,400 riders per hour
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	2 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Blue Streak at RCDB Pictures of Blue Streak at RCDB

Blue Streak is a wooden roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Built by Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Blue Streak opened to the public on May 23, 1964, and is the park's oldest roller coaster. In 2013, it achieved its highest ranking of 27 among the world's top wooden roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication by Amusement Today.

History

Blue Streak logo on station

Blue Streak turnaround from the parking lot.

Cedar Point went without a roller coaster for more than a decade following its removal of Cyclone in 1951.^[1] Blue Streak was the only roller coaster at Cedar Point when it opened on May 23, 1964. The attraction's success led to a rebirth of roller coasters at Cedar Point, including the installation of Cedar Creek Mine Ride (1969), Corkscrew (1976), Gemini (1978) and Jr. Gemini (1979).^[1]

Blue Streak features a traditional "out-and-back" layout design from Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The roller coaster was named after the local Sandusky High School athletic nickname "The Blue Streaks".^[2] Cedar Point invested US$200,000 (equivalent to $1,528,541 in 2015) to construct the wooden roller coaster, and it remains a favorite at the park and within annual roller coaster polls.^[3] In Amusement Today's 2013 Golden Ticket Awards, Blue Streak was ranked 27th among wooden roller coasters worldwide – its highest ranking to date.^[4]

Ride experience

After a 78-foot climb (24 m) up its lift hill, the train descends 72 feet (22 m) at a 45-degree angle reaching a top speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). Riders then enter a series of two short hills which provide the ride's maximum airtime followed by a larger, third hill that slows the train slightly. After the next drop, the train climbs into a 180-degree turn that sends riders over a short hill followed by three medium-sized hills on its way back. The ride ends on the track's final brake run before returning to the station.^[5]

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Ranking	48[6]	34[7]	35[8]	42[9]	38[10]	38[11]	48[12]	41[13]	47[14]	47[15]	49[16]	38[17]	27[18]	35[19]	35[20]

References

1. Samuelson, Dale; Yegoiants, Wendy (2001). The American Amusement Park. St. Paul, MN: MBI Publishing Company. p. 130. ISBN 978-0760309810.
2. "Blue Streak — Point Place". Retrieved July 1, 2012.
3. Cedar Point to hear band of 3,500 The Toledo Blade, May 19, 1964
4. Baldwin, Tim (2013). "Amusement Today — Golden Ticket Winners 2013" (PDF). Amusement Today. Retrieved April 29, 2014.,
5. "Blue Streak On-Ride POV". Cedar Point. October 16, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
6. "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
7. "Top 25 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
8. "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
9. "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
10. "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
11. "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
12. "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 24, 2015.
13. "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 24, 2015.
14. "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 24, 2015.
15. "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 24, 2015.
16. "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 24, 2015.
17. "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 24, 2015.
18. "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 24, 2015.
19. "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
20. "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.

External links

• Cedarpoint.com – Official Blue Streak page
• Official POV of Blue Streak
• Blue Streak Photo Gallery at The Point Online