Switchback Roller Coaster at ZDT`s Amusement Park

Just announced! "Switchback" wooden shuttle coaster from The Gravity Group going to ZDT's amusement park in Texas!

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ZDT's The Gravity Group shuttle woodie will feature a locomotive themed Timberliner train!

Any ideas on how the layout will be? And is this considered a family thrill ride?

^

Better than your Vekoma Boomerang!!

Attendance for ZDT will sky rocket next year!! AWESOME!!

Yessh, now I have a reason to stop on my way to SFFT. This looks so unique.

This one looks...interesting. I'm guessing that the long straight bit will have brakes on it?

^My guess is that section will be braked, and then a switch track will allow the train to reenter the station.

^That would also be my guess (which could allow two trains to operate)

Very exciting concept! It's nice to see a new coaster concept be built first at a park that's lesser known. I'll definitely have to check this out when I visit San Antonio!

^My guess is that section will be braked, and then a switch track will allow the train to reenter the station.

THIS!

The brakes (not shown in the video) on the straight portion will likely engage as the train passes backwards though them (similar to how they to on vekoma boomerangs) and then the track will switch, brakes release and the train re-enters the station, blocks reset, Ready to go!

I love this ride concept for a wood coaster. Hope it gets built somewhere nearby.

*Plans Texas trip*

Cool looking train.

I believe that this concept was shown at the last IAPPA with several switchbacks throughout the ride. My memory is a little hazy on the details though. Looks like a great addition for a small park and an interesting experiment for bigger rides in the future.

Kind of reminds me of how Silver Dollar City got a custom RMC before anyone else. When small parks get new tech early, it gives us new rides, puts new ideas into practice, advances the overall industry, and gives me an excuse to go to smaller parks that I couldn't justify before

ZDT's has a small amount of rides. I wouldn't even say its a small park but more of an FEC. This ride will definitely put them on the map.

Here are some stats.

Two trains

Never heard of this park.

I think this sort of looks gimmicky. I mean, the only thing that looks great to me is the switchback and the over bank turn. Maybe when it comes out and I can actually see it from a non NL1 viewpoint, I might have a different opinion.

I really love the look of this! It's much longer than most shuttle coasters, and has an overbank, but still manages to be very family friendly looking. I hope this catches on and puts the Vekoma Boomerang out of the market!

Definitely an odd little attraction in a weird area, but I love it when an attraction like this throws down a wooden coaster. There's a small waterpark/FEC in Florida that has a classic out-and-back, plus Boomer's old Dania Beach Hurricane, and of course Fun Spot is the ultimate example of how to take an FEC to the next level.

I think the switchback was implemented here more due to space concerns more than as a gimmick. They could have done a straight circuit, but the ride would have felt shorter and been even more awkward.

And yeah, TGG is totally taking over GCII's techniques. Happens a lot in this industry, but it's always kinda unfortunate to watch as an enthusiast.

^Other than the fact that it's a wooden shuttle coaster, there is really nothing in common with this ride and GCI's proposed shuttle coaster. GCI's has two lift hills and no switch track, while this one has a lift hill, a vertical spike, and a switch track to get riders back to the station. Not to mention the elements are completely different.

And yeah, TGG is totally taking over GCII's techniques. Happens a lot in this industry, but it's always kinda unfortunate to watch as an enthusiast.

It's been hard to watch GCI slowly neuter a historic landmark (Coney/Luna Cyclone; I'm speaking to the track re-profile, not the smoothness of the track). I'm glad GG is coming through with this one, their rides are so much better.

^I love GCI coasters, but I have to agree that Switchback looks a lot better than GCI's wooden shuttle concept.

It seems like the amusement industry gets bigger and bigger each year. Sure, giant parks aren't being built really anymore, but we've entered an era where small parks are starting to get bigger and bigger. I mean, Holiday World is getting a $22 million dollar wing coaster and now a FEC that nobody has ever heard of before is getting the world's first wooden shuttle coaster.

^Agreed. I've never heard of ZDT's amusement park until today. But now that this coaster is going up, whenever I make it out to Texas in the future I'll make sure to stop by and ride this.

Notice I was careful to say that TGG was taking over GCII's techniques, I wasn't implying that this a copy of their concept.

^^After watching the industry over the last 10 years, I'd actually say this development helps point to a broader industry re-bound. I became an enthusiast just in time to see something like a dozen parks around the U.S. fold, including a lot of classic small parks. I'm hoping projects like these are part of a new wave that will bring small ride-based attractions (ie, not necessarily traditional small parks) back to smaller communities.

Actually, ZDT came to The Gravity Group with the shuttle coaster idea, so there was no stealing really going on. This really is completely different than any other shuttle coaster out there and quite simple as well. Now what's telling is the fact that GCI has announced/advertised these concepts, yet the park went to the another design firm to buy one.