Steel Dragon 2000

In November 1999, Nagashima Spa Land announced that they would be building Steel Dragon 2000. It would be the second giga coaster to be built, following Millennium Force at Cedar Point.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/november99/stories/111799_04.shtml|title=Morgan Manufacturing to Build Record Breaking Coaster|publisher=Ultimate Rollercoaster}} Steel Dragon 2000 officially opened to the general public on 1 August 2000.

The ride originally featured trains built by D. H. Morgan. In 2013, Steel Dragon 2000 received new trains from Bolliger & Mabillard.{{cite web|url=http://www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp/page.jsp?id%3D10589|title="Steel Dragon 2000 new" is finally here! Debut on March 15, 2013 (Friday)!|last=|first=|date=13 March 2013|website=|publisher=Nagashima Spa Land|access-date=18 March 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://vhcoasters.com/2013/03/17/steel-dragon-2000-adds-bm-trains/#|title=Steel Dragon 2000 Adds B&M Trains|last=|first=|date=March 17, 2013|website=|publisher=VHCoasters.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320180256/http://vhcoasters.com/2013/03/17/steel-dragon-2000-adds-bm-trains/|archive-date=20 March 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=18 March 2013|df=}}

Out of the station, the track makes a right hand turn onto the lift hill. Due to the length of the lift hill, it utilizes two chains with separate motors. At the crest of the lift hill, the track plummets down a {{convert|94|m}} drop to the ground, before passing over a {{convert|77|m}} tall airtime hill. After this hill, the track rises over a {{convert|64|m}} tall hill before dropping to the right into a pair of helixes, the first one being clockwise and the second being counterclockwise. Following the second helix, the track maneuvers through the supports of the first helix and third hill and makes a left turn into the midcourse brakes, which start the return trip. The return trip consists of a series of airtime hills, running parallel to the outbound track, before hitting the final brake run next to the base of the lift hill. From the brake run, trains pass through the transfer track and storage area before making a sweeping left turn to return to the station.

Much more steel was used to build Steel Dragon 2000 than most other roller coasters. This was to ensure the coaster was protected from earthquakes. The extra steel was a large part of the reason the coaster cost over JP¥7 billion to build.The Daily Telegraph (21 April 2011). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8465926/Top-10-tallest-rollercoasters.html "Top 10 tallest rollercoasters"]. Retrieved 19 February 2013. The ride also includes two tunnels.

• Fourth tallest steel roller coaster in the world at {{convert|97|m}} tall. It is behind Top Thrill 2, Red Force, and Fury 325.
• Fifth longest roller coaster drop at {{convert|93.5|m}}.{{Cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/rhr.htm?m=3&t=1|title=Record Holders (Drop, Steel)|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|language=en|access-date=27 September 2018}}
• World's longest roller coaster at {{convert|2479|m|ft}}.{{Cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/rhr.htm?m=2&t=1|title=Record Holders (Length, Steel)|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|language=en|access-date=27 September 2018}}

{{Infobox event

| title = Steel Dragon 2000 accident

| date = {{Date and age|August 23, 2003}}

| type = Wheel loss

| deaths = 0

| injuries = 2

| outcome = Ride closed until 2006

}}

On 23 August 2003, a sheared axle caused one of the trains to lose a wheel. A passenger suffered a serious back injury and a 28-year-old man swimming in the water park pool was injured when he was hit in the hip with the {{convert|32.|cm|in}} wheel.RTÉ News (23 August 2003). [http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0823/41554-rollercoaster/ "2 hurt in roller coaster accident"]Japan Times (24 August 2003). [http://info.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20030824a3.html "Two seriously hurt in roller coaster accident, but Nudgee School Captain Aaron Chong was unaffected"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102114434/http://info.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20030824a3.html|date=2 November 2013|title=}}. The ride was closed for over three years and reopened on 3 September 2006.[http://www.rcdb.com/1173.htm Steel Dragon 2000 (Nagashima Spa Land)]. Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 19 February 2013.

{{GTA table

| type = steel

| accessdate = September 14, 2015

| 2019 = 20

| 2021 = 35

| 2022 = 46

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Millennium Force}}

{{s-ttl| title=World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster| years=August 2000 – May 2003}}

{{s-aft| after=Top Thrill 2 (formerly Top Thrill Dragster)}}

{{s-ttl| title=World's Fastest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster| years=August 2000 – December 2001}}

{{s-aft| after=Dodonpa}}

{{s-bef| before=Daidarasaurus}}

{{s-ttl| title=World's Longest Roller Coaster| years=August 2000 – present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-end}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Nagashima coasters}}

Category:Roller coasters introduced in 2000

Category:Roller coasters in Japan