A shuttle roller coaster is any roller coaster that ultimately does not make a complete circuit, but rather reverses at some point throughout its course and traverses the same track backwards. These are sometimes referred to as boomerang roller coasters, due to the ubiquity of Vekoma's Boomerang coaster model.
The first shuttle coasters were in fact the first roller coasters ever built. Inspired by the so-called "Russian Mountains," these wheeled cars built on tracks found popularity in the early 19th century in Paris.
In 1884, Switchback Railway opened at Coney Island, and consisted of a car that traveled on two tracks between two towers. It was the first roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America. The next shuttle roller coaster to be built was Backety-Back Scenic Railway, built in 1909.
First launched shuttle coasters
A Schwarzkopf-designed launched roller coaster, Greezed Lightnin' at Kentucky Kingdom
The first two launched shuttle coaster designs were introduced in 1977 by competitors Arrow Development and Anton Schwarzkopf. Arrow built and opened three that year including Black Widow (now defunct) at Riverside Park, Screamin' Demon (also defunct) at Kings Island, and Zoomerang at Circus World (now located to Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo).[1] Arrow's models used an electric motor to launch the train. Anton Schwarzkopf went with a different design using a dropped weight as a launch mechanism. This design was known as the Shuttle Loop. The first three built by that company were King Kobra at Kings Dominion (now located at Hopi Hari in Brazil), White Lightnin' at Carowinds (now located at Gold Reef City in South Africa), and Tidal Wave at California's Great America.[1]
In 1982, Schwarzkopf debuted variant model "Wiener loop" at Wiener Prater. Wiener loop use tire propelled launch , pulls to the top and dropping forward through the station, turn right and pass the vertical loop that cross the station, and turn left traveled up opposite side hill, through the curve and loop, into the station.[3]
In 1979 Meisho Amusement Machines debuted The loop coaster at Tojoko land.[4] After debuted improved type model built named loop the loop built at few amusement park in Japan , and variant model:Moonsault Scramble. Meisho's model used catch car lift , pulls to the top and dropping backward through the station into the single vertical loop and traveled up opposite side hill, through the loop, and into the station.
In 1980 Senyo Kogyo debuted Atomic coaster at Mitsui green land.[5] Senyo model used chain lift , pulls to the flat top and dropping backward through the station and second downhill , through the low single vertical loop.
Vekoma's Boomerang
In 1984 Vekoma debuted its Boomerang shuttle coaster, which features a lift hill rather than a launched train. In addition to the original Boomerang, Vekoma also designed the Invertigo and the Giant Inverted Boomerang. As of 2018, 55 Boomerangs and its variants are currently in operation around the world.
Intamin introduced its reverse freefall coaster in 1997. In these models, the train is accelerated out of the station along a long, level track using linear synchronous motors, rises straight up a vertical tower, then free falls back down to return to the station. Only two reverse freefall coasters were built: Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, and Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain, both of which first broke the 300 foot and 400 foot barriers. Tower of Terror II, however, discontinued in 2019.
In 1998, Intamin introduced its first impulse coaster, Linear Gale at Korakuen Amusement Park in Japan, which featured inverted trains traversing two vertical towers. In 2000, Intamin introduced Superman Ultimate Escape with a spiral tower and one vertical tower. Intamin introduced Wicked Twister in 2002, a variation with two spiral towers. With each pass through the station the train accelerates faster and travels further up the towers.
The first modern wooden shuttle coaster, Switchback, opened at ZDT's Amusement Park in 2015. Manufactured by The Gravity Group, the ride utilizes a traditional lift hill like most wooden coasters but ends on a tower before traversing the course backwards and returning to the station via a switch track.
See also
Shuttle Loop — shuttle coasters manufactured by Schwarzkopf
^"国産初の往復「ザ・ループ」東条湖ランドに明昌特殊産業が" [Meisho Amusement Machines launches first domestic shuttle roller coaster "The Loop" at Tojoko Land] (PDF) (in Japanese). Game Machine. August 15, 1979. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
^"アトミック運転開始 泉陽初の宙返りコースター、三井で 国内では三番手" ["Atomic" start operation Senyo's first loop coaster at Mitsui, The third loop coaster company in Japan] (PDF) (in Japanese). Game Machine. 1980-03-15. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
External links
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shuttle, roller, coaster, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, j. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Shuttle roller coaster news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message A shuttle roller coaster is any roller coaster that ultimately does not make a complete circuit but rather reverses at some point throughout its course and traverses the same track backwards These are sometimes referred to as boomerang roller coasters due to the ubiquity of Vekoma s Boomerang coaster model Vekoma s Boomerang is one of the most common shuttle coasters Contents 1 Early history 2 First launched shuttle coasters 3 Japanese shuttle coasters 4 Vekoma s Boomerang 5 Linear motor launched shuttle coasters 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly history EditThe first shuttle coasters were in fact the first roller coasters ever built Inspired by the so called Russian Mountains these wheeled cars built on tracks found popularity in the early 19th century in Paris In 1884 Switchback Railway opened at Coney Island and consisted of a car that traveled on two tracks between two towers It was the first roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America The next shuttle roller coaster to be built was Backety Back Scenic Railway built in 1909 First launched shuttle coasters Edit A Schwarzkopf designed launched roller coaster Greezed Lightnin at Kentucky Kingdom The first two launched shuttle coaster designs were introduced in 1977 by competitors Arrow Development and Anton Schwarzkopf Arrow built and opened three that year including Black Widow now defunct at Riverside Park Screamin Demon also defunct at Kings Island and Zoomerang at Circus World now located to Fun Spot Amusement Park amp Zoo 1 Arrow s models used an electric motor to launch the train Anton Schwarzkopf went with a different design using a dropped weight as a launch mechanism This design was known as the Shuttle Loop The first three built by that company were King Kobra at Kings Dominion now located at Hopi Hari in Brazil White Lightnin at Carowinds now located at Gold Reef City in South Africa and Tidal Wave at California s Great America 1 Schwarzkopf later upgraded its launch mechanism to a flywheel design 2 The first two roller coasters based on this new design were both released in 1978 Montezooma s Revenge at Knott s Berry Farm and Greezed Lightnin at Six Flags AstroWorld currently in storage in Plainview Texas for Cliff s Amusement Park in New Mexico The first flywheel launched roller coaster that opened in Europe was Turbine at Walibi Wavre in 1982 In 1982 Schwarzkopf debuted variant model Wiener loop at Wiener Prater Wiener loop use tire propelled launch pulls to the top and dropping forward through the station turn right and pass the vertical loop that cross the station and turn left traveled up opposite side hill through the curve and loop into the station 3 Japanese shuttle coasters Edit Loop the loop at Rusutsu Resort In 1979 Meisho Amusement Machines debuted The loop coaster at Tojoko land 4 After debuted improved type model built named loop the loop built at few amusement park in Japan and variant model Moonsault Scramble Meisho s model used catch car lift pulls to the top and dropping backward through the station into the single vertical loop and traveled up opposite side hill through the loop and into the station In 1980 Senyo Kogyo debuted Atomic coaster at Mitsui green land 5 Senyo model used chain lift pulls to the flat top and dropping backward through the station and second downhill through the low single vertical loop Vekoma s Boomerang EditIn 1984 Vekoma debuted its Boomerang shuttle coaster which features a lift hill rather than a launched train In addition to the original Boomerang Vekoma also designed the Invertigo and the Giant Inverted Boomerang As of 2018 55 Boomerangs and its variants are currently in operation around the world Linear motor launched shuttle coasters EditIn 1996 Premier Rides debuted the first coasters ever to use linear induction motors and in 1997 opened Batman amp Robin The Chiller at Six Flags Great Adventure a pair of dueling launched shuttle coasters Intamin introduced its reverse freefall coaster in 1997 In these models the train is accelerated out of the station along a long level track using linear synchronous motors rises straight up a vertical tower then free falls back down to return to the station Only two reverse freefall coasters were built Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld and Superman Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain both of which first broke the 300 foot and 400 foot barriers Tower of Terror II however discontinued in 2019 In 1998 Intamin introduced its first impulse coaster Linear Gale at Korakuen Amusement Park in Japan which featured inverted trains traversing two vertical towers In 2000 Intamin introduced Superman Ultimate Escape with a spiral tower and one vertical tower Intamin introduced Wicked Twister in 2002 a variation with two spiral towers With each pass through the station the train accelerates faster and travels further up the towers The first modern wooden shuttle coaster Switchback opened at ZDT s Amusement Park in 2015 Manufactured by The Gravity Group the ride utilizes a traditional lift hill like most wooden coasters but ends on a tower before traversing the course backwards and returning to the station via a switch track See also EditShuttle Loop shuttle coasters manufactured by Schwarzkopf Launched roller coaster shuttle and non shuttle coasters by various manufacturersReferences Edit a b Scheinin Lisa 2007 100 Moments in Roller Coaster History The First Launched Coasters 1977 RollerCoaster Magazine Vol 28 no 2 pp 20 21 ISSN 0896 7261 Rutherford Scott 2006 A Century of Steel Roller Coasters Schwarzkopf RollerCoaster Magazine Vol 27 no 4 p 9 ISSN 0896 7261 Bullet Selva Magica RCDB 国産初の往復 ザ ループ 東条湖ランドに明昌特殊産業が Meisho Amusement Machines launches first domestic shuttle roller coaster The Loop at Tojoko Land PDF in Japanese Game Machine August 15 1979 Retrieved 2021 09 04 アトミック運転開始 泉陽初の宙返りコースター 三井で 国内では三番手 Atomic start operation Senyo s first loop coaster at Mitsui The third loop coaster company in Japan PDF in Japanese Game Machine 1980 03 15 Retrieved 2021 09 04 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shuttle roller coasters Listing of shuttle roller coasters at RCDB Yamaha Racing Coaster Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shuttle roller coaster amp oldid 1112739380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
