Maverick is a steel LSM launch coaster located at Cedar Point in Ohio, USA.
The ride is manufactured by Intamin and features two separate launches.
The first acts like a lift hill, propelling riders up towards the first drop,
while the second is a traditional launch.
Maverick opened on the 26th of May 2007 at the cost of $21 million U.S.
Notably, it was the 500th roller coaster to be designed by the well-known coaster designer...
It can be found within the Frontier Town section of the park
and therefore has a wild west theme.
Various sections of rockwork form canyons around the track
while water fountains can be found in the small lakes within the ride area.
The station and tunnel are also themed towards the western style
through the use of a wooden board aesthetic.
Riders of Maverick begin their experience by rolling out of the station.
They then encounter the first LSM launch,
causing the trains to quickly accelerate of the 32 m (105 ft) high lift hill.
As they crest the hill, they encounter the first 30.5 m (100 ft) drop
which descends at a maximum vertical angle of 95 degrees,
making Maverick the steepest ride at the park.
Due to the quick speed at which riders crest the hill, most will experience ejector airtime.
After entering the drop, the track quickly banks to the right
and enters a tight beyond 180-degree turn.
This quickly transitions into a left-hand turn followed by another right-hand turn into an airtime hill.
As riders continue to navigate the layout, they experience a unique element - a twisted horseshoe roll.
Maverick was the first roller coaster to feature this inversion
which consists of two corkscrews separated by a 180-degree turn.
The trains then enter a 122 meter (400 ft) long tunnel and quickly decelerate.
After only a few seconds, riders encounter the second launch
which propels them to the top speed of 113 km/h (70 mph).
They quickly bank left and climb a third hill.
Unlike most of the ride, the trains then go through a relatively straight section of track.
This segment, shortly after the second launch, used to consist of a heartline roll.
Throughout the testing stages of the ride, it was found that the heartline roll inversion caused large amounts of stress on the train.
As a result, it was removed and replaced with an S-curve,
delaying the opening of the attraction by several weeks.
Overall, Maverick's layout is fast-paced, chaotic, and compact
leading to an extreme ride experience.
As riders navigate the layout, they undergo two inversions, as well as many highly banked elements.
The track itself measures 1,356 m (4,450 ft) long,
leading to a ride time of approximately 75 seconds.
This is measured from the moment the train engages with the first launch
to when it hits the final brake run.
Each train is made up of 3 cars with riders arranged in 2 rows of two,
leading to a total of 12 riders per train.
A maximum of 6 trains can operate on the ride at once, resulting in the throughput of...
To increase the capacity, two trains can be unloaded and loaded simultaneously.
Both trains are dispatched at the same time, meaning the second train waits outside of the station.
Once the first train passes the second launch, the second train can ascend the lift hill.
Each one of the 6 trains has a different color.
These include gold, silver, copper,
gunmetal, iron, and brass.
To complement the color, each train also has its own name
including Bart, Ben, and Sam, for example.
The restraints of the trains were originally Intamin's hard over-the-shoulder restraints.
These were changed to the soft vest light restraints as found on Intimidator 305 for the 2016 season.
Upon its debut year, Maverick was given the title of the best new attraction of 2007
by the Golden Ticket Awards and the NAPHA.
Ultimately, the coaster was a huge success, leading to a multitude of positive reviews from riders.
Because of its intensity and fast pace, some state it's the best roller coaster at Cedar Point
while others prefer Millennium Force.
What's your opinion?