View source for Steel Dragon 2000

{{Infobox roller coaster
|video        = 5WrRDN6gGvM <!-- Youtube video ID -->
|image        = File:Steel Dragon 2000 (Nagashima Spa Land) 2009 01.jpg
|caption      = 
|name         = Steel Dragon 2000
|park         = [[Nagashima Spa Land]]
|location     = Nagashima, Kuwana, Mie, Japan
|country      = Japan
|area         = Mie
|status       = operating
|opened       = 1 August 2000
|closed       = 
|cost         = $52,000,000 USD
|restriction  = Min: 140 cm (55 inches)<br/>Max: 185 cm (73 inches)
|units        = metric
|manufacturer = [[Morgan]]
|builder      = 
|designer     = [[Steve Okamoto]]
|construction = 
|category1    = Steel
|category2    = Giga
|category3    = Out and Back
|category4    = 
|model        = 
|dimension1   = 2495
|dimension2   = 690
|riders/train = 28
|train_manufacturer=[[Bolliger & Mabillard]] (2013−present) <br /> Morgan (2000−2012)
|riders/hour  = 
|lift/launch  = [[Chain lift]] hill
|height       = 97
|drop         = 93.5
|speed        = 152.9
|length       = 2479
|duration     = 4:00
|inversions   = 0
|angle        = 68
|g-force      = 
|other        = <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060813130618/http://chancemorgan.com:80/graphics/chanpics/Spec_300_Hypercoaster.pdf 300' Steel Hypercoaster - Chance Morgan] (Wayback archive)</ref>
}}
'''Steel Dragon 2000''' is a [[steel]] [[giga]] [[Out and back roller coaster|out and back]] [[roller coaster]] located at [[Nagashima Spa Land]] in Nagashima, Kuwana, Mie, Japan. Opened on 1 August 2000 it became the tallest and fastest full-circuit roller coaster in the world, surpassing [[Millennium Force]] at [[Cedar Point]] which opened three months earlier. It also surpassed [[Daidarasaurus]] at [[Expoland]] as the longest roller coaster. The records for tallest and fastest roller full-circuit roller coaster were subsequently lost to [[Top Thrill Dragster]] at [[Cedar Point]] and [[Do-Dodonpa|Dodonpa]] at [[Fuji-Q Highland]] respectively, but Steel Dragon 2000 remains the longest. It is the largest roller coaster built by [[Morgan]].

==History==
Steel Dragon 2000 was officially announced in November 1999.

On 28 July 2000 an exclusive opening ceremony was held. Park president Mr. Otani received certificates from the CEO of Guinness World Records for four records broken by Steel Dragon 2000. Subsequently, over 2000 competition winners rode Steel Dragon 2000 before opening day on 1 August.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010904072855/http://www.chancemorgan.com/sdragon.html Steel Dragon - Chance Morgan] (Wayback Archive)</ref>

==Design==
{{Elementbox|
*{{foot|318.3}} tall [[chain lift]] hill with a {{foot|306.8}} drop
*{{foot|252}} tall [[hill]]
*{{foot|210}} tall [[hill]]
*[[Block brake]]
*[[Tunnel]]
*[[Tunnel]]
}}
After the [[chain lift]] hill is an initial drop of {{foot|306.8}} and a {{foot|252}} camelback hill. The train subsequently rises up and into the figure-eight shaped [[Helix (element)|helix]]. The train then passes through a [[block brakes|mid-course brake run]] and over six more camelback hills, passing through two [[tunnel]]s along the way before reaching the final brakes.

Steel Dragon 2000 was the tallest roller coaster to use a traditional lift hill before the opening of [[Fury 325]] at [[Carowinds]] in 2015. Because of its length, two chains are used. In the middle of the lift hill, the ride switches chains.

The ride has thick and sturdy supports to stay safe from earthquakes.
===Trains===
[[File:Steel Dragon 2000 seats.jpg|thumb|left|The new seating.]]
[[File:Steel Dragon 2000 car old.jpg|thumb|The old trains.]]
{{trains
|type=train
|no/trains=
|no/cars=7
|across=2
|rows=2
}}

When Steel Dragon 2000 opened, it used Morgan trains with six cars, each seating six riders in three rows of two.

For the 2013 season, the ride received new trains from [[Bolliger & Mabillard]]. The new trains are similar to those used on B&M's own hyper roller coasters, however, they only seat two riders per row. The ride opened with its new rolling stock on 15 March 2013.

==Incident==
In August 2003, a partial derailment of the front car caused the train to come to a sudden stop and debris to fall from the ride. A 20-year-old woman who was sitting in the front car sustained a back injury and a 28-year-old man was injured when he was hit by a falling wheel while in the water park. The ride was [[standing but not operating]] for over three years. It reopened on 3 September 2006.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20131102114434/http://info.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20030824a3.html Two seriously hurt in roller coaster accident - The Japan Times] (Wayback Archive)</ref>

==Etymology==
In the Far East, the year 2000 was the "Year of the Dragon".<ref>[http://japanese.about.com/od/japanesecultur1/a/100498.htm Japanese Zodiac - The Twelve Zodiac Signs - About.com]</ref> Thus, this is the Japanese equivalent of [[Millennium Force]].

==Photo Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Steel Dragon 2000 entrance.jpg|The entrance
File:Steel Dragon 2000 drop.jpg
File:Steel Dragon 2000 train on drop.jpg|A train on the first drop
File:Steel Dragon 2000 lift hill.jpg
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{RCDB|link=https://rcdb.com/1173.htm}}

{{Record holder
|before   = [[Millennium Force]]
|record   = tallest-complete-circuit
|duration = August 2000 - May 2003
|after    = [[Top Thrill Dragster]]
}}
{{Record holder
|before   = [[Millennium Force]]
|record   = fastest-complete-circuit
|duration = August 2000 - December 2001
|after    = [[Do-Dodonpa|Dodonpa]]
}}
{{Record holder
|before   = [[Daidarasaurus]]
|record   = longest
|duration = August 2000 - present
|after    = none
}}

{{Nagashima Spaland}}
[[Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Morgan]]
[[Category:Roller coasters opened in 2000]]
[[Category:Out and Back roller coasters]]
[[Category:Coasters with Bolliger & Mabillard trains]]