65,000-pound steel beam makes cross-state trip to Cedar Point for new coaster

SANDUSKY, Ohio - After a seven-hour trip across the state, a 75-foot steel beam for Cedar Point’s new roller coaster arrived on Wednesday.

GateKeeper will be the park’s first winged roller coaster and is on track to be ready for opening day on May 11.

[PHOTOS: Construction on GateKeeper http://bit.ly/YoFYRu ]

Cedar Point said the beam is one of four that will be part of the keyhole towers, which will stand 100 feet high. The beam started out at the Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia at 8 a.m. and reached Sandusky at 3 p.m. Its transportation required a special permit.

“GateKeeper will narrowly slot through the openings in these towers, adding to the suspense of a ride that already boasts the longest track, longest drop and most inversions of any wing coaster on the planet,” Cedar Point said.

Each steel beam weighs about 65,000 pounds.