Shuttle roller coaster facts for kids

A shuttle roller coaster is a special kind of roller coaster. Unlike most roller coasters that go around a full loop, a shuttle coaster does not. Instead, it travels along its track, then stops, and goes back along the same track in reverse! It's like a train that goes to the end of the line and then returns to the start.

Shuttle Roller Coasters

Shuttle roller coasters are exciting rides that offer a unique experience. They don't complete a full circle or loop of track. Instead, they travel forward, reach a certain point, and then reverse direction. This means you ride the same track twice, once forward and once backward!

How Shuttle Coasters Work

Most roller coasters use a chain lift to pull the train up a big hill. Shuttle coasters often use different ways to get started. Some use a powerful launch system. This system can be a catapult, pushing the train very fast. Other shuttle coasters might use a lift hill, but they don't go all the way around.

Launch Systems

Many shuttle coasters use a launch system to get their speed. This can be a hydraulic launch, which uses strong fluid pressure. It can also be an electromagnetic launch, using magnets to push the train. These launches make the coaster go very fast in a short time. After the launch, the train goes up a hill or through a loop. Then, gravity pulls it back down the same way.

Lift Hill Systems

Some shuttle coasters use a traditional lift hill. The train is pulled up the hill, usually by a chain. But instead of going over the top and down a different track, it reaches a peak. Then, it rolls back down the same hill. It might go through a station or another part of the track.

Types of Shuttle Coasters

There are several famous designs for shuttle roller coasters. Each type offers a different ride experience. Some are known for their loops, while others are known for their speed.

Boomerang Coasters

The Boomerang is one of the most common types of shuttle coasters. It was designed by a company called Vekoma. On a Boomerang, the train is pulled backward up a tall hill. Then, it is released and races forward through three inversions. These inversions are a loop and two corkscrews. After that, it goes up another hill. Finally, it travels backward through the same inversions and back into the station.

Vekoma's Boomerang is one of the most common shuttle coasters

Launched Loop Coasters

Another type is the launched loop coaster. These coasters often use a powerful launch to send the train forward. The train then goes through a single large loop. After the loop, it goes up a spike of track. It then falls backward through the loop again. This type of coaster was very popular in the 1970s and 1980s.

A Schwarzkopf-designed launched roller coaster, Greezed Lightnin' at Kentucky Kingdom

Impulse Coasters

Impulse coasters are a newer type of shuttle coaster. They use a special electromagnetic launch system. This system launches the train forward and backward multiple times. The train goes up two tall, vertical spikes. It goes higher and higher with each launch. This creates a thrilling back-and-forth motion.

Images for kids

• 

  Loop the loop at Rusutsu Resort

• 

  A friendly robot