Iron Shark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iron Shark |
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| Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier | |
| Location | Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier |
| Coordinates | 29°17′09″N 94°47′22″W / 29.285839°N 94.789523°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | June 1, 2012 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer |
| Model | Euro-Fighter (Iron Shark) |
| Lift/launch system | Vertical chain lift hill |
| Height | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Length | 1,246 ft (380 m) |
| Speed | 52 mph (84 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:00 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train. |
| Iron Shark at RCDB | |
Iron Shark is an exciting roller coaster made of steel. You can find it at the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier in Texas. This special type of roller coaster is called a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter. It first opened to the public on June 1, 2012.
Iron Shark was the very first Euro-Fighter style roller coaster ever built in Texas. A company called Ride Entertainment Group helped set up the ride. They work with the German company Gerstlauer, which makes these awesome coasters.
What Makes Iron Shark Special?
Iron Shark is a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter model, built by the German company Gerstlauer. This roller coaster stands about 100 feet (30 meters) tall above the pier. Some parts of the ride even go out over the Gulf of Mexico! The ride has four "inversions," which means it turns you upside down four times.
How the Ride Works
The adventure begins when your train leaves the station and makes a small turn to the left. Next, you'll start climbing straight up a 100-foot (30-meter) tall lift hill. This lift hill is almost completely vertical, like climbing a ladder straight up!
The Thrilling Drops and Loops
Once you reach the top of the lift hill, prepare for a huge drop! The ride plunges down at a super steep 95-degree angle. This is even steeper than straight down! After the drop, you'll go through an Immelmann loop. This loop flips you upside down and then turns you right side up in a smooth motion.
Right after that, you'll experience a dive loop. This move also turns you upside down, but in a different way. Then, the train speeds through some quick "S" shaped turns. These turns lead into a cutback, which is a sharp turn that flips you around. Finally, you'll go through an inclined loop. This loop is tilted to the side as you go through it.
As the train finishes the inclined loop, it slows down on the brake run. Then, it makes one last 180-degree turn to bring you safely back to the station.
