#techyockingdaka

[techycatartist]

For the next part of “Rollerswitched!”, I wanted to focus on two coasters with identical (or very similar) layouts. Kingda Ka fits that to a T, as his coaster has a “sibling” in Top Thrill Dragster. But there’s something else about this “role-swap” that makes it different from the Phoenix/Twister pair; I don’t have a TTD personification to “swap” with. This is reflected in his design, as it was moreso of changing the theme of the outfit instead of re-formatting a TTD personification’s outfit into Ka’s. While you might think this means I only have one drawing to showcase this “swap”, we all know that TTD isn’t what it once was….stay tuned for the “Top Thril 2-ified” design!

Click under the “Read More” to learn about this guy’s backstory & overall personality!

Just as visitors of Cedar Point were experiencing a first-of-its-kind 300 ft. roller coaster, the park was already talking with Intamin to develop their next record-breaker. As the park that kickstarted the “coaster wars”, Cedar Point wanted to claim their victory. Meanwhile, Intamin had been developing a new technology for their launch coasters, debuting the hydraulic-powered “Xcelerator” at Knott’s Berry Farm two years later. Even as the park opened a hypercoaster-sized shuttle coaster, all eyes were on the center of the peninsula as a yellow-and-red structure grew and grew. By the end of 2002, it became clear that what was being built was unlike anything that had been seen before. On January 9th, the world was officially introduced to Top Thrill Dragster— the first-ever “strata-coaster”, reaching a height of 420 ft. But not only would this be the world’s tallest coaster, it would reach a record-shattering 120 mph in a matter of 3.8 seconds. Fittingly, the coaster would be themed to a Top Fuel Drag racecar. TTD opened on May 4th, 2003 and instantly became an icon not only for Cedar Point, but for roller coasters overall. However, it soon became apparent that TTD was not the most reliable ride— the hydraulic launch, while responsible for the ride’s popularity, was also responsible for most of its technical issues. Despite this, TTD’s status as a guest favorite meant that Cedar Point was dedicated to making it as reliable as possible.

Top Thrill Dragster is the epitome of the “natural-born-leader”, unafraid to take charge whilst knowing how to best approach each situation that presents itself in front of him. Though filled with an exuberance only matched by his’ coaster’s fast acceleration, TTD has fashioned his image to be a person of sophistication and high intelligence. TTD owns his status as Cedar Point’s leader 24/7, even during moments of downtime (which in all fairness, is a frequent experience for him). TTD is dedicated to making the lives of those close to him better-- he’ll drop everything if it means that a weight will be lifted off someone’s shoulders. TTD’s patience and temper can go a long way, but those who break it are in for a world of hurt. As the third-fastest coaster on earth, TTD’s “launch” power takes him to speeds that no human can match. Additionally, TTD has the power to summon a Top Fuel Drag racecar seemingly out of nowhere; pulling the flags off his gloves, the car reveals itself in a spectacular transformation. TTD is close with the other two “world’s first” coasters at Cedar Point, Magnum-XL200 and Millennium Force; he is also close to his twin sibling Kingda Ka and cousin Xcelerator. But with the coaster’s penchant for mechanical issues, TTD sufferers frequent migraines and other health issues. However, TTD always persists through his pain, no matter how great it is.

[techycatartist]

Thinking about Ka and his feelings regarding Top Thrill Dragster’s reimaning…with how dramatic the change is, Ka fears that things won’t be the same between them.

“I knew we weren’t invincible. But it’s something I didn’t want to think about. Then TTD’s coaster was shuttered for the rest of the 2021 season, Cedar Point kept it closed for 2022, and then the announcement…I was suddenly forced to gaze upon death itself. Dragster is fortunate enough that the park wants to refurbish them…but I may not be so lucky when the time comes. Even so…after everything is said and done…will they even remember who I am?”

[techycatartist]

Toro was met with perhaps the most visceral-sounding sobbing he’d ever heard in his life.

“I’m here, Tee. I’ll wait until you're ready to speak”.

T-Express, aka “Tee”, usually let Toro know when they wanted to call, as the differing time zones ensured that there would only be a few hours where both parties were awake.

But as much as T-Express’ cries warned Toro of its catalyst, he had no idea what to expect. Toro knew that their coaster was being actively worked on, so it was unlikely— yet not impossible— that he was going to learn of T-Express’ permanent closure. There was nothing (as far as he knew) to suggest that Everland as a whole was struggling financially; they wouldn’t have initiated T-Express’ refurbishment if they couldn’t afford to.

Coughs emitted from Toro’s phone speaker, followed by the sound of Rolling X-Train’s voice.

“Aniyo…”

“You can call me back later. It’s okay”.

Tee’s voice became more distant as they conversed with Rolling X-Train, leaving Toro to resume speculating.

“Tee’s been close to RXT since the day they opened— and it seems like with every passing year, we have less and less Arrows around”, he thought.

Toro had initially received the call as he was conversing with some of his neighbors, wisely deciding that the privacy of his bedroom was a better place to be.

“Don’t know how ride closures are handled over there, but the people in charge over here aren’t always the best about it…”

Just by the tone of their voice, Toro knew that Rolling X-Train was trying to soothe T-Express.

“Maybe this is about…No. Wouldn’t make sense for Tee to be so distraught. Unless…”

Toro mulled over the possibilities, as it was the only way he could keep himself from getting swept up in the emotions of it all.

“Keep it together, Toro. The last thing Tee needs is to feel like they’re burdening someone…”

Just as the ten-minute mark had passed, Toro heard T-Express pick their phone up.

“Tee?”

Shaky breaths emitted from his phone’s speaker.

“What’s wrong?”

“…RMC is here”.

Toro flung his phone onto his bed, sparing his phone from potentially being crushed beyond repair.

The one possibility he didn’t consider.

The one possibility he didn’t want to consider.

Toro frantically switched on “speaker mode”, feeling an ever-so-familiar tingle in his scalp.

“Here for what?”

“For….for….m-m….me”.

The last part of Tee’s response sounded muffled, like someone had covered their mouth.

Toro sank to the floor, hands clutching at his head.

“What are they doing?”

“What…?”

“What. are. they. DOING. TO. YOU?”

Everland’s initial notice only mentioned a “suspension” of T-Express’ operations, not that it would be closing permanently. “It can’t be I-Box”, Toro thought. “They wouldn’t”.

“They are putting new track on.“

“And it’s steel?”

“…y-yes”.

“What does it look like?

“It is…it is steel. It looks like steel…!”

“You need to be more specific”.

“It is…bare. Unpolished. Dull. They didn’t paint it”.

It clicked in Toro’s head.

“That’s 208 RetraK”.

Toro slowly climbed onto his bed; he had narrowly managed to avoid flying into a state of (literal) burning rage.

“I’m not getting I-Box?”

“No.”

“But…why? Isn’t that what RMC makes?”

“They only use I-Box for full conversions”.

“Ah. So I’m not becoming an RMC”.

Toro bit his tongue, trying to think of a statement that was…less harsh than what he was actually feeling.

“Your…your coaster’s layout is not changing”.

“I will just have new track on my first drop and two hills following. But it will feel the same!”

“NO”, Toro blurted out.

There was a pause.

“…What do you mean? If I am not getting I-Box, nothing will change, like you just said”.

“Steel track doesn’t run like Prefab track, Tee”.

“I figured so. But if it runs the same course, with the same movements…it doesn’t erase what came before”.

Toro was lucky that they couldn’t see his face.

“In that regard, my status remains as an Intamin Prefabricated Wooden Coaster”.

“…”

“…I’m still a Prefab, right?”

“…”

“…Toro?”

“…”

T-Express began to cry once more; “You’re right…how can I call myself a Prefab now? I am a disgrace…!” After a few seconds of sobbing, the call ended.

Toro laid upon his bed, emotionally paralyzed.

“This was never supposed to happen”, he thought. “We were doing “steel coaster” things way before RMC decided to take the easy way out. Prefabs don’t need to become “better”, and the only reason why we’re having issues is because of human laziness”.

“Tee was running just fine with Prefab track, and if there really were any issues, Intamin would’ve fixed their coaster like they did with Colossos and Balder”.

“If Intamin wasn’t interested in making any more prefabs, then why are we still listed on their website?”

“Regardless of where we were built, we became a favorite among park guests…even as the years went on”.

“After all, I’m still the best coaster at this park”.

Toro was interrupted by a rapid burst of knocking; he turned away from the sound.

“Toro, this is Ka. I am concerned about your absence. Have you finished conversing with T-Express?”

“…”

“Going by your silence, I will assume so. If you aren’t going to permit my entrance inside, can you let me know what has happened”?

“T-Express is getting RMC’s 208 RetraK”, Toro answered bitterly.

“…I see”.

There was a pause.

“I may not know them well, but I believe that T-Express wanted Intamin to retrack their coaster as much as you wanted it to happen. Unfortunately, these kinds of decisions are simply out of our hands”.

“So I’m just supposed to be complacent with whatever shitty deal I’m given?”

“I’m not saying you have to agree with what Everland is doing, but-”

“What happens when Great Adventure decides to do the same for my coaster? You know they’re just itchin’ to save some cash…”

“You say this as if it’s an inevitability”.

“Because it is”.

“You don’t know that. Yes, there is a possibility that Great Adventure will elect to apply 208 RetraK on your coaster. But this is the only park that engineers its own Intamin Prefab track— they may not see a reason to look for outside help”.

“They’re only doing it because they thought they had no choice, Ka. Now that it’s been proven that 208 RetraK works on Prefabs, they can just slap some steel on me and call it a day”.

“Isn’t this preferable to T-Express undergoing a full I-Box conversion? From what I understand, a majority of the ride will remain wooden— and 208 RetraK was designed to retain the same ride experience”.

Toro swung open the door, with only the sounds of his hooves allowing Ka to back away.

“Because this is how it STARTS. At first, it’s only on a “high-stress area”, but then people start liking how smooth it is, and then the execs think about how “better” the coaster would be if it were all-steel. Just like that, we now have another RMC Hybrid. It happened to Rattler, it happened to Riverside Cyclone, it happened to Georgia Cyclone, it even happened to Lighting Rod! Hell, Boulder Dash and Predator are getting more Titan Track with each passing season”.

“If Everland was truly interested in converting T-Express, don’t you think they would’ve made that decision already?”.

“Well maybe they should have, instead of pussyfooting around the fact that they don’t value T-Express and just want to chase the newest trends. It’s not like I’d feel any worse than I do now…”

“I think you’re still valuable, Toro. We all do”.

Toro looked away from Ka, sighing deeply.

“You know, out of all the Coasterdroids here— I thought you’d be the most understanding”.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb, Ka. You know Zamperla’s gonna show themselves here sooner than later”.

With just the name of a company, Toro had dealt a blow to Ka’s confidence.

“When they tear out your hydraulics, construct a spike of facsimile track and slap their fancy new “lighting” trains on, will you even be able to consider yourself an Intamin Accelerator?”

“…”

“That’s what I thought. Stop trying to act all high-and-mighty with me; you’re due for a “reimagining” sooner than later. But at least your track will remain all-steel…”

“Would you rather have your coaster demolished, Toro?”

Ka had captured Toro’s full attention, eyes locked on each other.

“Answer me. Would you prefer to die?”

“…What do you think?”

Silence filled the air.

Ka took a deep breath.

“I know you aren’t completely against RMC, Toro”.

“Oh, aren’t I? It’s not like I want to kick the shit out of every human who says I’m “too rough” now, because only someone who merely dislikes RMC would—“

“You wouldn’t have wished for Rolling Thunder to be converted”.

Toro’s eyes widened.

“I couldn’t forget about that”.

“I…I was too overwhelmed with grief. I never wanted RMC to fix his coaster when Thunder was alive”.

“But you still thought about it. You still said it”.

“…”

Toro broke his eye contact.

“TT2 may not be an Intamin Accelerator, but I still care about them— they’re my sibling, first and foremost. I think you should do the same for T-Express”.

“…”

Toro turned around, throwing himself onto his bed.

“I understand if you wish to sleep on this, but I trust that you will make the right decision”.

“Don’t expect me to show up at breakfast tomorrow”.

“Why not?”

JD leapt onto the table, slamming his phone on the surface.

“THAT’S 208 RETRAK, BABY! I WIN, I WIN!”

He threw his head back, cackling.

“THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!”

JD stomped around, hooting and hollering with glee.

“If you have to celebrate, I advise that you do so elsewhere”, Ka insinuated. “I would prefer not to have hoofprints in my breakfast ”.

“Yeah, I could…except you didn’t consider the fact that INTAMIN PREFABS ARE RMC-ABLE!”

Ka groaned in frustration— a sentiment that was echoed by most of those seated with him.

Toro laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling; music from a Spanish radio station played faintly in his ears.

Suddenly, the music was cut off by a familiar ringtone. Toro decided to let the call go through.

“You there?”

“Haven’t left”.

“Is it ok if I come in? Didn’t feel right to show up unannounced”.

“…Sure”.

Nitro was greeted with half-lidded eyes.

“I know what’s happening to T-Express”.

“Let me guess…JD told everyone?”

“Yeah”.

Toro balled his left hand into a fist, pressing it up against his forehead.

“Trust me, we were all annoyed with him”.

“Yeah, I know…but to even think about how he reacted gives me a headache”.

“Well, that might be from the lack of sleep”.

Toro blinked slowly, serving to reinforce Nitro’s point.

“I’m not going to judge you for feeling this way, Toro. I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand how RMC has affected wooden coasters like you”.

“…Thanks”.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?”

“No, No…I already had my talk with Ka”.

“Okay”.

Toro looked down at the floor.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Oh! Well, it’s not going to magically solve this problem, but I think you’ll feel a bit better after you see…” Nitro reveals the gift she’s brought. “This!”

Toro examines the plush, taking it from Nitro. It’s a light-brown brown bull with cream-colored horns and brown hooves, wearing a navy blue bandanna adorned with the NJ Transit logo.

“…Is this Ricardo?”

“Yep!”

Toro gave the plush a light squeeze; “It’s…cute, I guess”.

“Thought it would be funny, y’know…because he’s a bull from New Jersey, and you’re a bull from New Jersey”.

“Pretty sure Ricardo’s not the only bull living in this state, but sure. Consider me amused”.

“That’s what I was hoping for!”

“So what else is inside?”

“Well…”

Nitro fully unzipped the bag.

“I wasn’t the only one who bought you a Ricardo plush”.

Toro looked down at the cluster of plushies, then at her.

“I had no idea until I saw all the boxes from NJ Transit, honestly!”

“Maybe I can keep an extra one for display purposes, but…what do you expect me to do with all of these?”

“There’s always eBay”.

“You think they’ll be enough people out there who want one?”

“I can think of someone who’d appreciate a gift from their cousin…”

Toro turned his gaze back at the plush.

“T-Express At Everland— Updated P.O.V 2024”

Toro highlighted the video’s URL, pasting it into the text-message box. For him, It was the morning of April 5th.

“Saw this being shared by enthusiasts. I wanted to view it so I can better judge what the 208 is doing”.

A speech bubble containing an ellipsis pulsed as Toro awaited Tee’s response.

“What do you think of it?”

“Actually”.

“Don’t answer here. I will call you”.

Toro left his phone on the nightstand, switching to “speaker” mode just before he answered.

“Hello, Tee”.

“Hi”.

There was a pause.

“I never thanked you for the plush, so…thanks! He lives on my desk now.”

“You’re welcome”.

“I wish I could say more, but there is the matter at hand. Toro…What do you think of my coaster?”

“Well…It’s good to see that they’ve kept the original rolling stock. RMC has made 208 Retrak’s universality a selling point”.

“I did wonder if I’d have to say goodbye to my trains…it is good to be wrong”.

“I can still hear the airtime going over the first two hills”.

“It’s a different tune now, like a thunderstorm surrounding the area”.

“So if it’s doing that, it should feel like intense ejector”.

“Oh yes, it does! I gave it a test ride today. No changes on that front. But…you were right about it no longer feeling like a Prefab”.

Toro picked up his phone from the nightstand.

“With only a bit having steel track, I could easily compare the difference. As smooth as RMC’s 208 is, I like the “edge” of wooden prefabricated track. Everything afterwards is just as it was before the closure. It’s nice. It feels like me. Like how it should—“

“I’m sorry”.

“What?”.

“You don’t have to downplay your feelings about the retrack, Tee. I was wrong to push my bias on to you”.

“…I was just so worried…”

“Don’t be. There’s not much value I’d get out of being angry at you”.

“So I can say with confidence that I like the track?

“Of course”.

“Then…I like 208 Retrak! I like RMC as a whole! I am very happy that they are giving Gyeongju World a new coaster; Humans will adore them as much as we will! I am a fan of RMC and Intamin!”

Toro smiled.

“But… I must ask. Do you see me as an Intamin Prefab?”

Toro gave it some thought, wracking his brain to come up with the best response.

“Well…what do you think?”

“Hm?”

“I want to know if you think you’re an Intamin Prefab”.

Toro heard T-Express take a deep breath.

“Yes. I am an Intamin Prefab”.

[techycatartist]

Though the skies were clear, the brisk air made it clear that the end of the season for a large portion of Great Adventure’s attractions was near. Among the rides that would be closed for the remaining month-and-a-half included Superman: Ultimate Flight and Green Lantern. While there was no specific reason as to why these rides had shut their doors so soon, speculation pointed to the soon-to-be non-existence of the Parachute Tower. The two B&Ms were situated right behind it, so it would be unwise to keep that section of the park running as crews came in to meticulously disassemble the aging Intamin flat ride.

But when a coaster’s structure is made of wood, it’s expected that a park would close it early-- and for Toro, this is what he’d come to expect ever since Great Adventure decided to extend their operating schedule via Holiday in The Park.

Perched upon a stone pillar, Toro observed the rhythmic movement of his coaster’s trains; he had been sitting there for a while now.

Out of the corner of his eye, Toro noticed a figure approaching him— though the other Coasterdroid didn’t notice back. Toro decided to make himself known once they were close enough;

“Oye”.

Ka was directed towards his coaster’s entrance portal.

“How unexpected to find you here, Toro”.

“Well, I find it unexpected that they kept our coasters running past Veterans Day”.

“With Superman, Green Lantern, and the entirety of Frontier Adventures closed for the season, perhaps the park needed to keep us open to draw the crowds away from Movietown. Though it seems like my coaster’s done for the day— employees are shuttering the stands in this area”.

“Not surprised. Your coaster was looking a bit sluggish today”.

“Yet, it went without a single rollback— though every cycle looked close to one”.

“Think mine’ll make it to closing? I’ve already lost the “B” train to off-season maintenance, so why shouldn’t everything else throw in the towel?”

“Seeing as it’s approaching us right now, it doesn’t look like the “A” train wants to “throw in the towel”.

Toro continues looking at his coaster— or more specifically, the climb into the break run.

“You’re quite fixated on that spot”.

“I have my reasons, Tigre”.

“Which would be…?”

“None of your business”.

“A” Train climbed into the brake run, ready to exchange its riders.

“…Plaza Del Carnival has closed for the season. We hope you enjoyed your time today at Great Adventure— and remember…Holiday in the Park begins this Thursday! From the 24th until January 1st, Great Adventure will provide wintery thrills…”

Toro walked through the mostly-barren area, passing by colorful LED lights that hung above his head.

At the entrance was Ka, who greeted Toro with a smile.

“Your coaster made it to closing, as I felt it would.“

“So it did— and I should be elated. But I don’t think I can feel anything above “relieved”, Ka”.

“How so?”

“Should I really feel good about my coaster running on a single train? About it crawling through the course?”

Toro hesitated.

“About it being rough?”

He couldn’t leave that unsaid, as much as it hurt.

“Face it, Ka…I ran out of steam”.

“You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Toro. Think about how we celebrated your coaster’s reopening— it warranted a celebration. This season was never going to be perfect— but your coaster persisted”.

“True, and I was grateful for every cycle it completed. Looking back at that first day, all I wanted was to survive. Then, I wanted to survive the next day, and the next, and the next. I kept going day by day, until…I made it here. This is what I was going for, even if I wasn’t thinking about it. But it was for the better, as thinking about my future was…stressful, to say the least”.

“Sometimes, all you need is survival— because one day, you’ll find a way to live”.

“But you can’t run on “survival” forever, right?”

“Yes”.

Toro paused.

“So you need to find that life”.

Toro turned away from Ka, his coaster’s structure now shrouded in darkness.

“I hope I can feel alive sooner than later”.

[techycatartist]

For the first time in over a year, the sound of a hydraulically-powered launch rang out across Knott’s Berry Farm.

Ka pulled Xcelerator in for a tight embrace.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it here earlier, the flight got delayed a few hours…”

“Hey, there’s no need to apologize-- if there’s one thing I won’t fault anyone for, it’s not showing up on time…”

In typical Intamin fashion, “Xcel” missed its initially-scheduled reopening because the coaster needed more time to “wake up”. But once it did…it went down for technical issues shortly after. Regardless, Xcelerator was now operational for the foreseeable future.

“Apparently, I was supposed to re-open like…two-ish months ago. But allegedly something broke when they were testing my coaster and so Knott’s had to place an order for ANOTHER new part. Good thing it didn’t take as long, because it’s clear that I’ve missed A LOT of stuff. I mean…Cedar Fair and Six Flags are MERGING?! Have I woken up in some kind of alternate dimension?”

“No, no…this is our usual reality. It’s just that we’re now faced with the prospect of one company trying to deal with twenty-seven amusement parks. In my eyes, it’s only a matter of time before they start putting some of them up for sale. I can only hope that the parks that do find themselves in this situation can find a new operator…”

Following Xcel, Ka re-acquainted himself with the other Coasterdroids that called Knott’s their home. In Xcel’s absence, GhostRider had shifted their role as the sole “park leader”, though the two had been co-leaders ever since Montezooma passed the (metaphorical) baton to Xcel back in 2002.

Of course, a trip to the birthplace of the Boysenberry couldn’t be complete without indulging in one of the many treats offered by Knott’s that incorporated it into their recipe.

“Call it basic, but this berry was one of the things I missed the most. Well, that and Cordelia’s fried chicken. There’s a reason why we still serve it all these decades later…”

“Given that I was re-acquainted with it a few hours ago, I have to wholeheartedly agree”.

The rest of the afternoon was spent right at their coaster’s station; Xcel talked to their other cousins via video call, Ka occasionally adding to the conversation. It all happened as dozens of humans moved in and out of the vicinity, completely unaware of the pair’s presence.

“…Man, I didn’t expect to see Storm Runner break down like that. Emotionally, I mean”.

“While this may be because of our more frequent contact, I believe that they had missed you the most out of all of us. Given what they’ve been through, it must be a relief that you were just as they had remembered…”

This seemed to shift the mood of the conversation.

“Oh, right. I completely forgot. Wildcat’s Revenge is an entirely different Coasterdroid now”.

“They opened back in June, and yet their parkmates are still keeping Wildcat’s Revenge in the dark about it”.

“I can’t imagine being in their shoes— realizing that you took someone’s place, from someone who was never offering up their spot. But I don’t have to imagine how it feels to lose someone when their coaster’s still around…or at least part of it is”.

A plain, brown construction wall blocked entrance to anyone who wasn’t allowed to be there.

“When I woke up this morning, I noticed that Timberline wasn’t with the others. Turns out they had passed away a few months ago. Back in July, GhostRider woke up one day to find their coaster walled off— and it was completely demolished two weeks later”.

Xcel glanced down at the concrete, misplaced guilt creeping back into their soul.

“I know…I know. We’re not supposed to last forever. Tim’s manufacturer has been defunct for decades now. Their coaster was far from Knott’s star attraction— It was only a matter of time. But if Silver Dollar City can give a season’s notice for Fire In The Hole, what’s stopping other parks from following in their example? Is it because it was a “kiddy” coaster, and therefore didn’t deserve the park’s attention? I couldn’t help but be blindsided due to my situation, but why would you put my family through that?”

“It seems that Fire In The Hole is an exception to the norm, sadly. While some coasters may show their decline plainly, others are caught off-guard by their closure. Timberline may have been approaching an inoperable state, but if it wasn’t impossible to keep them around, they should have at least made it to New Year’s”.

“I can only hope that we’re welcoming someone else into our family next year; It’s the only thing that would make this less painful. But if Kings Island is still waiting for a Vortex successor, maybe I’m giving Cedar Fair— or the amalgamated “Six Flags”— too much credit. Unfortunately, Tim’s not the only one we’re missing around here…”

Montezooma’s loop-less structure stood above the two, seemingly abandoned.

“Monty should’ve been back by now. Everything else had been fixed up for the summer, but it’s almost 2024 and the only thing we have are their spikes. You probably know this already, but rumor has it that Knotts realized that KumbaK was the wrong choice— but by the time they figured it out, something had gone terribly wrong. Not the first time this has happened to Knott’s, though at least Windjammer…operated. Not consistently, mind you, but it was there for three years until Knotts had had enough and sued TOGO…”

Something about Xcel’s recount had struck a chord in Ka, though not in a good way.

“…Though it seems like money is the real issue here, because if they weren’t listening to their wallets, maybe we could’ve had Gerstlaurer handle the refurbishment. Y’know…the company that was FOUNDED by a former Schwarzkopf employee?”

“They had also handled Sooperdooperlooper’s new trains and Psyke Underground, if I recall”.

“Even better! They have prior experience working with Schwarzkopf’s coasters. But I guess KumaK's offer was too good to refuse…”

There was something else that came to Ka’s mind; a rumor that Zamperla had offered a multi-ride “package deal” to Cedar Fair. If true, it was the reason why Carowinds got a set of new flat rides this year. It was the reason why Cedar Point had installed Wild Mouse for their new “Boardwalk” section.

It was the reason why they were in charge of Top Thrill 2, instead of Intamin.

Though, a good price was not the only factor at hand.

Cedar Fair, perhaps more than any supposed discord between park and manufacturer, had become entirely disinterested in dealing with Intamin.

But Ka had hoped that the two would’ve “buried the hatchet” by now.

Instead, the reins were handed over to a manufacturer—while competent in their own right—had never taken on a project of this scale before.

“But even if they sue KumbaK, even if they win…I don’t think they can bring Monty back, Ka. I mean…the loop is gone-- and it was allegedly a complete mistake on the contractor’s part. Worse, they may have also damaged the foundation beyond repair. They may be able to make a new loop, but if they don’t have any strong ground to put it on, why would they even bother…”

“You recognize that these are all rumors, right? It’s not wise to assume all of that is true, or if any of it was in the first place”.

“It’s hard to ignore them when Knott’s has said nothing about it, and if all of that isn’t the reason why their coaster is half-demolished, then what is?”

Xcel’s composure was rapidly degrading.

“If it was going to end up like this, they should’ve just laid Monty to their eternal rest. That way, we would know for sure that they’re gone…!”

At that moment, not providing Xcel with the emotional comfort they needed would be cruel— but Ka’s mind had already latched on to the apparent parallels between Montezooma and TT2.

Frankly, it was odd that Xcel hadn’t noticed it themselves, or even asked Ka about TT2.

So, in that moment, Ka buried his feelings and helped Xcel process their grief.

Realistically, it was likely that the refurbished “MonteZOOMa” would have little memory of their past life, given the drastic changes; this also applied to TT2. Ka was already grappling with the idea that the connection they had with their sibling has been lost to time.

The thing worse than losing his sibling in spirit would be to bear witness to TT2’s failure.

Zamperla had, at the very least, made good on their intention to refurbish it.

But just a little over a month later….

A video had been attached to a text message.

“Their coaster has hit a major milestone. I feel that TT2’s return is imminent…”

On the morning of December 13th, Top Thrill 2 completed its first full-circuit test, accompanied by the sound of their excited parkmates.

To say that Ka was relieved was an understatement.

Given the time difference, Xcel wouldn’t see his message a few hours later— but he knew it would be a great thing to wake up to.

After all, it had only been a couple of days since Knott’s formally announced “Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister”, a Zamperla-made kiddy coaster and intended successor to Timberline Twister.

Ka forwarded the footage to Xcel with his own message;

“Good Morning. Millennium sent me this footage today— it has brought hope that I desperately needed, and I think it will also bring some to you”.

[techycatartist]

We’re back with “Rollerswitched!” As previously mentioned, I created a “Top Thrill 2”-ified Kingda Ka to accompany his “Top Thrill Dragster”-ified design. This was done not only because of the ride’s new-for-2024 identity, but because I didn’t have a TTD personification to swap with my Ka. Given that the ride is still under construction, it’ll be interesting to see what gets changed between the initial renders (which is what I referenced for this design) and the final product.

Click the “read more” to hear about his backstory and personality!

On the morning of September 6th, 2022, Cedar Point confirmed that Top Thrill Dragster would be permanently closed. However, this didn’t mean that the ride would be scrapped— at least, not entirely. Months of speculation followed, with most concluding that the ride’s beloved (yet problematic) hydraulic launch would be swapped out for a LSM launch. While the manufacturer behind the refurb was hotly debated, signs were pointing towards Zamperla as being the ones responsible for a “new formula for thrills”.

Less than a year later, Cedar Point re-introduced the world to “Top Thrill 2”, a now triple-launch LSM coaster. While the ride would keep its height and top speed, the ride required two additional launches to make it up and over the “top hat” element. The first launch guarantees a fan-favorite rollback into the second launch— a backwards “rolling” launch into a spike that stands as tall as the top hat. TT2’s announcement was met with suspicion, especially from roller-coaster enthusiasts; would the ride experience match what it had been (and was Zamperla the right one for the job)? Only time will tell as Cedar Point prepares TT2 for its grand opening in 2024.

After such a drastic change, Top Thrill 2 knew that he could never go back to being the Coasterdroid he once was. That carefully-curated image of a “natural-born-leader” had shattered under the stress that had been bubbling inside of TT2 for years; something he failed to understand until it was confirmed that the coaster “as you knew it” would be no more. Left without a “job” (and leaving his park without a trace), TT2 was left with ample time for introspection. As a result, TT2 was faced with numerous awful truths; how he’d overwork himself to the point of physical pain, how he refused to rest unless he was sleeping, how he’d become such a people-pleaser. However, none of these truths were more awful than the fact that, divorced from his leadership position, TT2 was nothing. A shell. A mindless automaton. Who is TT2?

It’s a question TT2 still has trouble answering. TT2’s exuberance and “can-do” attitude is gone, replaced by withdrawnness and a tendency to avoid tasks he finds overwhelming. TT2’s increased sense of anxiety and paranoia verbalize as sarcastic remarks, to the confusion of his parkmates. A newfound sense of what the old TTD would’ve deemed “unnecessary selfishness” has been welcomed within TT2, finally taking some time for himself. Still, the prospect of returning to his leadership position looms over TT2’s head, and he is not looking forward to the day where he must make that decision. While TT2 retains a similar “launch” power, it now includes the ability to effortlessly travel backwards. TT2 has also swapped his Top Fuel Drag racecar for a Formula One racecar. Although the bonds TT2 had with his parkmates has weakened, he still communicates regularly with Kingda Ka. With the fate of his coaster’s future held in Zamperla’s hands, TT2 can only hope that this “remimaging” was worth it.

[techycatartist]

(NOTE: This story follows-up on some events from “Red-Tagged”. I suggest you head over to my Toyhouse & read that first, as it provides more context).

“…your coaster has a mechanical issue and suddenly everyone assumes it’s headed for the scrapyard! My goodness, these humans are so overreactive…”

For nearly a month, Ka’s coaster had been down. While his coaster was infamous for its unreliability, the issue at hand was more than the usual “technical difficulties”. Fortunately, the park had spares on site for what needed to be fixed; Ka was ready to open in time for the 4th of July weekend, typically a crowd-heavy time for Great Adventure.

Ka decided to hibernate in his charging station during this time— a common practice for Coasterdroids whose coaster is undergoing mechanical repairs or enhancements. In the interm, Nitro served as the park’s sole leader, though her status as co-leader meant that she was used to the responsibilities.

“They sure are reactive— but that just makes it fun to watch them get launched up that top hat, right?”

“It is quite amusing”.

The familiar “whistle” of Ka’s launch sounded off, accompanied by the collective shout of a train full of riders.

“Well, it’s great to have you back, Ka— you and your coaster”.

“I’m grateful as well. I assume your leadership skills were sufficient in keeping everyone well, right?”

“Oh no, it devolved into chaos without you”.

Ka gave Nitro a concerned look.

“Nah, just messing with ya! Though Toro and JD still hate each other, but I don’t think anyone can get those two to get along”.

“Hah, I wouldn’t even assign that task to myself!”

Ka spent some time catching up on what had happened at the park— most notably, the fact that El Toro’s coaster had re-opened.

“Good to see your coaster back in operation, Toro. How long has it been?”

“Almost two weeks”.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. Things haven’t been perfect, but it beats being SBNO. I’m working towards a version of me that I can be proud of, despite how things have changed”.

“I’m similarly relived to find my coaster operating again, though perhaps I can follow your lead on a journey towards self-acceptance…”

As for matters outside of the park, Ka recieved some long-awaited good news; “Hey, check this out”! Nitro turned her phone towards Ka— on screen was an article regarding Knott’s Berry Farm, a park with it’s own Intamin Accelerator. Within a few seconds of glancing at the article, Ka was beaming.

“Xcelerator, set to reopen this summer! This is wonderful! I’ll be sure to arrange a visit to Knotts once I know the day”.

“Took that park long enough to say something, am I right?”

“The humans weren’t the only ones wondering about Xcel, that’s for sure….”

Once the park had closed for the day, Ka decided to retreat to his apartment. In hearing the news about Xcelerator, he decided to converse with another one of his cousins— Storm Runner.

“I saw the post today about your coaster re-opening, how was it?”

“Fashionably late, apparently”.

“Hah, that’s being an Intamin for ya!”

“But I’m not the only one re-opening…Xcelerator is scheduled to re-open sometime in the next few months!”

“Oh my god…Finally! I’ve missed them so much. I thought—“

There was a pause. Storm Runner’s voice cracked.

“I thought I’d never get to see them alive again…”

Another pause.

“I really needed to hear that, Ka. Things have been…tough…around here”.

Ka knew what Storm Runner was referring to, even without them saying a word.

“How have they been?”

“Well, they still don’t know about their past…or more accurately, that their past life was Wildcat’s. They have wondered why their memories are so fuzzy…but we just go along with it. Fill in the blanks for them. Smile and nod when they talk about a false memory”.

“…You know they’re going to figure it out eventually, Storm Runner”.

“Yeah, but…we don’t want to burden Wildcat’s Revenge with that. At least, not now. They’re pretty happy and sure of themselves, even if they don’t understand things like why Wild Mouse won’t look them in the eye”.

“I’m just worried that this “facade-keeping” will backfire. I highly sugest you tell them the truth sooner than later”.

“We will, Ka. We will. Eventually”.

Ka isn’t entirely convinced, but decides not to press further.

“You know, I have something to tell you, Ka”.

“Hm?”

“But it’s about Dragster”.

Ka felt his throat tighten.

“Tell me”.

“A few days ago, a shipment arrived at Cedar Point. A shipment of roller coaster track. Of course, Dragster’s parkmates wanted to investigate. Didn’t take long for them to locate a box with a label on it”.

There’s a pause.

“It’s Zamperla”.

Ka let out a sigh, partially out of relief that he had an answer.

“I had a feeling that would be the case”.

“Like, I get it. Cedar Fair doesn’t like working with Intamin. But to hand our cousin off to a manufacturer who doesn’t have the best reputation, or even that much experience in the world of coasters….”

“I’ll admit…it’s not an ideal scenario. But…”

“But what?”

“Intamin wasn’t always known for building large-scale coasters— and not all of their coasters are looked upon favorably. To discredit Zamperla for a similar reason would be short-sighted”.

“Yeah, but…it just feels wrong, you know?”

“I understand”.

There’s a pause.

“But even if Intamin was responsible for the refurbishment…I’d still be worried”.

Storm Runner listens quietly.

“I just…I wonder if this was the right decision. Was it not possible to keep Dragster as is? Will they remember who I am? Who they were? ”

Ka’s breathing becomes shaky.

“Is this actually going to help them?”

He tries to steady his breaths.

“Ka? You still there?”

Moments pass.

“Ka?”

“I’m still here”.

There’s a pause.

“I can only hope that I’ll get my sibling back”.

“I’m hoping with ya, Ka”.

Even after the call ends (and Storm Runner reassures Ka that they’ll support him through everything), Ka fears that he’s already lost Dragster to the sands of time.