Mean Streak

History

The ride was announced in late 1990 and was officially named "Mean Streak" on October 24, 1990. Construction on Mean Streak continued throughout the winter and spring. Mean Streak opened to the public on May 11, 1991, in the Frontiertown section of the park behind the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad station. Its media day press conference was held on May 22, 1991.

In 1994, trim brakes were installed on the first drop. In September 2010, a small 5-foot (1.5 m) section caught fire, which was contained by firefighters to that particular section.

Over the years, Mean Streak had been retracked several times. Some retracking was completed by Martin & Vleminckx. Prior to the 2012 operating season, many sections of track after the first drop were replaced. This was the most significant work done on the ride since it opened. 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 also used for storage during the offseason and summer.

Closure

On August 1, 2016, Cedar Point announced that Mean Streak would offer its last rides to the public on September 16, 2016. Park officials, however, declined to confirm that the ride was being torn down. Following its closure, unconfirmed rumors emerged that the roller coaster is being refurbished by Rocky Mountain Construction. The company is well known for the refurbishment of other wooden roller coasters with the application of their patented I-Box and Topper track technology.

Ride experience

After leaving the station, the train passed through the storage tracks and made 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 dropped 155 feet (47 m) at a 52-degree-angle, reaching a top speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). While dropping, riders went through a set of trim brakes on the first drop. Riders then went through a 123-foot-tall (37 m) twisted turnaround followed by a small airtime hill, and then another twisted turnaround. The train maneuvered over the lift hill and dipped down to the right. After that, the train traveled through the ride's structure and down another hill, turning to the left into the mid-course brake run. The train then dipped down to the left into another airtime hill. Riders then went through several small airtime hills and turned through the ride's structure followed by the final brake run. One cycle of the ride lasted 3 minutes and 13 seconds, making it the former longest duration of any roller coaster at Cedar Point.

Manufacturer

Mean Streak was one of 12 roller coasters manufactured by Ohio-based Dinn Corporation before the company closed in 1992. It was a Twister model designed by Curtis D. Summers at a cost of $7,500,000. Mean Streak joined Blue Streak as the second of only two wooden roller coasters in the park before its closure.

Track

The wooden track was approximately 5,427 feet (1,654 m) in length and the height of the lift was approximately 161 feet (49 m). It was constructed from 1.7 million board feet (4,000 m³) of treated southern yellow pine. 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.

Trains

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

Records

When Mean Streak opened in 1991, it was the tallest wooden roller coaster in the world and featured the longest drop. Upon closure in 2016, Mean Streak had the seventh tallest lift, the tenth fastest speed, the fourth longest track-length and the seventh longest drop.

Reception

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

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