Blue Streak logo on stationBlue Streak turnaround from the parking lot
Following the removal of Cyclone in 1951, more than a decade passed before Cedar Point decided to add another major roller coaster to its list of attractions. Several smaller coasters were added during this time, but only two remained by 1963.[1] For the 1964 season, Philadelphia Toboggan Company was hired to build a new roller coaster under the direction of Frank F. Hoover and John C. Allen. Blue Streak opened to the public on May 23, 1964. It was one of only three roller coasters operating at the time within the park. 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) (now known as Wilderness Run).[1]
Blue Streak features a traditional "out-and-back" layout design. 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 $1,964,807 in 2023) to construct the wooden roller coaster, and it remains a favorite at the park, consistently getting 30 minute to hour waits, 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]
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.[6]
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