Making Coaster Dreams a Reality

I think it is quite commonplace for fans of our industry to have at times created an extensive collection of scribbles and sketches of rides we've dreamed up. Some of us, however, are talented enough to take those scribbles a step further and create a real design for a ride - and a really good one at that!

Take for instance project "Soar," designed by Travis Rothbloom, an engineer and aspiring coaster designer:

Looks like fun, right?  Travis is a fan of Great Coasters International, as many of you might have guessed after studying that layout.  His design utilizes many of GCI's common design elements, wrapped together in a way that is uniquely his own.

The project was created near the end of Travis' education in engineering, making the design contain more real components than any doodle I've ever dreamed of. 

The amount of work that has gone into the project is remarkable, and a very thorough report on project Soar, as it is named, is available on Travis' website.  It makes for a very interesting read, almost an intro to basic coaster design but on a level that most can understand. (sans the spreadsheets and charts for me!)

With any luck one day we will be able to take a spin on one of Mr. Rothbloom's creations, but as for now I have to thank him for sharing his dream with us.