ZDT's Announces Record Breaking Feature for Switchback Coaster

© ZDT's Amusement Park

Steady progress has been made on the Switchback, a new wooden shuttle coaster at ZDT's Amusement Park in Texas, with only one major element left to go up.  The above photo shows the entire layout of the coaster, from lift hill on the right to the far (extremely banked) turnaround on the left.

That final element is a giant spike that the train will head up, eventually losing momentum and then falling down backward - sending riders through the course backwards.  Today's announcement was all about that spike and its now record breaking proportions.

© ZDT's Amusement Park

This is the base of the spike as it currently stands, and when complete the park has announced that the train will hit an impressive 87 degrees on it, just three degrees away from fully vertical.  That steepness beats out the current record holder, Goliath at Six Flags Great America, which plunges downward at 85 degrees.

Switchback's "grand spike" will extend to a full 90 degrees, however trains are not expected to make it that far up the element before gravity stops them.  The exact degree that the trains reach will be determined in the coming weeks when the spike is complete and testing can begin.  We can't wait!