Shock Wave (Six Flags Over Texas)

Infobox roller coaster
name = Shock Wave


caption = Vertical loop on the Shock Wave coaster at Six Flags over Texas
location = Six Flags Over Texas
type = Steel
manufacturer = Anton Schwarzkopf
designer = Werner Stengel
model = custom looping
track =
lift = Chain lift hill
status = Open
opened = 1978
height = 116
drop = 105
length = 3600
speed = 60
duration = 2:00
angle = 46
inversions = 2
capacity = 1100
cost =
acceleration =
gforce = 5.9
restriction = 42
rcdb_number= 28

Shock Wave is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. This was the first roller coaster featuring double vertical loops. Built right at the edge of the park, the Shock Wave is easily seen by passers-by on Interstate Highway 30. The ride is built on Johnson Creek real estate, and had to temporarily close in the 2004 season because of a flood. It is similar to the Laser roller coaster at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania.

History

When it opened in 1978, Shock Wave was the tallest roller coaster in the world. It lost this title within weeks upon the opening of the The Loch Ness Monster at . While not the fastest, scariest, or most technically advanced ride today, it still is ideal for younger riders looking to go on their first "upside down" roller coaster as well as nostalgics and coaster enthusiasts.

Shockwave was temporarily closed in early 2008 for an extensive remodeling. [ [http://www.screamscape.com/html/six_flags_over_texas.htm www.screamscape.com] page on Six Flags over Texas]

Ride Experience

The ride starts with the lift-hill going up 116 feet. A U-turn with a slight dip immediately follows, then the coaster goes down its first drop and into the back-to-back loops, with peak forces of 5.9 G [ [http://schwarzkopf.coaster.net/ESshockwaveGF.htm Shock Wave Article] on [http://schwarzkopf.coaster.net schwarzkopf.coaster.net] , a fan page by Michael Pantenburg (German/English)] . The train then travels back up a hill into a mid-course brake run. At this point the ride turns right and dives down then back up, turns left and dives down. The last element is a final hill with a left turn that goes into a 270° helix to the right, then the train returns to the station.

Colors

Throughout the years, Shock Wave has undergone several re-paintings and different color schemes. When it first opened, the attraction's track and supports were all-white. Since then, the ride has been repainted dark blue, light blue, silver, white track with yellow supports, and dark blue with red supports. The ride's current color scheme (pictured) is green track with blue supports.

References