Editing Shuttle roller coaster

{{Short description|Type of roller coaster}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2013}}
[[Image:Vekomaboomerang.jpg|220px|right|thumb| [[Vekoma|Vekoma's]] [[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang]] is one of the most common shuttle coasters]]
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 (roller coaster)|Boomerang]] coaster model.

== Early history ==

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 [[United States|America]]. The next shuttle roller coaster to be built was [[Backety-Back Scenic Railway]], built in 1909.

== First launched shuttle coasters ==
[[File:Greezed Lightnin' (Kentucky Kingdom).JPG|right|thumb|A Schwarzkopf-designed launched roller coaster, [[Greezed Lightnin' (Bluegrass Boardwalk)|Greezed Lightnin']] at Kentucky Kingdom]]
The first two [[Launched roller coaster|launched]] shuttle coaster designs were introduced in 1977 by competitors [[Arrow Dynamics|Arrow Development]] and [[Anton Schwarzkopf]].  Arrow built and opened three that year including Black Widow (now defunct) at [[Six Flags New England|Riverside Park]], [[Screamin' Demon (Kings Island)|Screamin' Demon]] (also defunct) at [[Kings Island]], and [[Afterburner (Fun Spot)|Zoomerang]] at Circus World (now located to Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo).<ref name=RC100>{{cite magazine | last1 = Scheinin | first1 = Lisa | year = 2007 | title = 100 Moments in Roller Coaster History: The First Launched Coasters — 1977 | journal = RollerCoaster! Magazine | volume = 28 | issue = 2 | pages = 20–21 | issn = 0896-7261}}</ref> 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 [[Katapul|King Kobra]] at [[Kings Dominion]] (now located at Hopi Hari in Brazil), [[Gold Reef City#Rides and attractions|White Lightnin']] at [[Carowinds]] (now located at Gold Reef City in South Africa), and Tidal Wave at [[California's Great America]].<ref name=RC100/>

Schwarzkopf later upgraded its launch mechanism to a flywheel design.<ref name=RC98>{{cite magazine | last = Rutherford | first = Scott | year = 2006 | title = A Century of Steel Roller Coasters: Schwarzkopf| journal = RollerCoaster! Magazine | volume = 27 | issue = 4 | pages = 9 | issn = 0896-7261}}</ref> 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' (Cliff's)|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 [[Walibi Belgium#Former rides|Sirocco]] at [[Walibi Belgium|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.<ref>[https://rcdb.com/6574.htm Bullet-Selva Mágica] - RCDB</ref>

==Japanese shuttle coasters ==
[[File:Looptheloop 210925.jpg|right|thumb|Loop the loop at [[Rusutsu Resort]]]]
In 1979, [[Sanoyas Hishino Meisho|Meisho Amusement Machines]] debuted "Loop Coaster" at Tojoko Land.<ref>{{cite news |title=国産初の往復「ザ・ループ」東条湖ランドに明昌特殊産業が|trans-title=Meisho Amusement Machines launches first domestic shuttle roller coaster "The Loop" at Tojoko Land|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19790815p.pdf |access-date=2021-09-04|agency=Game Machine|date=August 15, 1979 |language=ja}}</ref> Afterwards, Meisho debuted an improved model named "Loop the Loop." It was installed at a few amusement parks in Japan, along with a variation on the model, [[Moonsault Scramble]]. Meisho's model used a catch car lift, which pulled the train to the top of a spike before dropping it backward through the station into a single vertical loop. The train would then travel up another spike, fall back down, traverse the loop again (this time facing forwards), and enter the station.

In 1980, [[Senyo Kogyo]] debuted "Atomic Coaster" at [[Greenland (amusement park)|Mitsui Greenland]],<ref>{{cite news |title=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|trans-title="Atomic" start operation Senyo's first loop coaster at Mitsui, The third loop coaster company in Japan|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19800315p.pdf |access-date=2021-09-04|agency=Game Machine|date=1980-03-15|language=ja}}</ref> and this model was also installed at other amusement parks in Japan. Senyo's model used a chain lift, pulling the train onto a plateau and dropping it back downwards, similar to the Shuttle Loops built by Arrow. The train went through the station, into a loop, and up a spike, before traversing the layout forwards and entering the station.

== Vekoma's Boomerang ==

In 1984, Vekoma debuted its ''[[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang]]'' shuttle coaster, which features a lift hill rather than a launched train. In addition to the original Boomerang, Vekoma also designed the ''[[Invertigo (roller coaster)|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 ==

In 1996, [[Premier Rides]] debuted the first coasters ever to use [[Linear motor|linear induction motors]], and in 1997 opened [[Batman & 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 (Australian theme park)|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, was discontinued in 2019.
 
In 1998, [[Intamin]] introduced its first '''[[impulse roller coaster|impulse coaster]]''', [[Linear Gale (roller coaster)|Linear Gale]] at [[Tokyo Dome City Attractions|Korakuen Amusement Park]] in Japan, which featured [[Inverted roller coaster|inverted]] trains traversing two vertical towers. In 2000, Intamin introduced [[Steel Venom (Geauga Lake)|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.

== Modern shuttle coasters ==
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. 

Vekoma introduced their '''Super Boomerang''' model in 2023, which utilizes a vertical lift and rotating platform to drop riders through four inversions and ten airtime moments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=World’s first Vekoma Super Boomerang multi-launches at Xuzhou Fantawild Wonderland |url=https://www.inparkmagazine.com/worlds-first-vekoma-super-boomerang-multi-launches-at-xuzhou-fantawild-wonderland/ |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=InPark Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Shuttle Loop]] — shuttle coasters manufactured by Schwarzkopf
*[[Launched roller coaster]] — shuttle and non-shuttle coasters by various manufacturers

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Shuttle roller coasters}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.rcdb.com/ir.htm?category=115 |title=Listing of shuttle roller coasters |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411191629/http://www.rcdb.com/ir.htm?category=115 |archivedate=2009-04-11 |website=[[Roller Coaster DataBase|RCDB]]}}
* [http://transstudioworld.net/video-yamaha-racing-coaster-trans-studio-bandung/ Yamaha Racing Coaster] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015020750/http://transstudioworld.net/video-yamaha-racing-coaster-trans-studio-bandung/ |date=2012-10-15 }}

{{Rollercoaster tracks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shuttle Roller Coaster}}
[[Category:Shuttle roller coasters| ]]
[[Category:Types of roller coaster]]