Shuttle Loop

The first installation of a Shuttle Loop dates back to 1977 when King Kobra opened at Kings Dominion.^[2][3] Two other rides were also installed that year: White Lightnin' at Carowinds and Tidal Wave at Marriott's Great America (California).^[4][5] Tidal Wave at Marriott's Great America (Illinois) opened in 1978 and was the last to feature the weight drop launch system.^[6][7] Also that year, Knott's Berry Farm opened Montezooma's Revenge and Six Flags AstroWorld opened Greezed Lightnin' as the first installations to feature the flywheel launch system.^[7][8][9] A number of installations followed across the world.

Twenty-two theme parks have operated Shuttle Loops, with half of the twelve original installations being relocated at some time. As of September 2013^[update], only five installations are operating, with another one in storage.^{[8][10][11][12][13]} The remaining Shuttle Loops were either demolished or used for replacement parts on other installations.^{[14][15][16][17][18]}

• The original King Kobra from Kings Dominion is the most traveled shuttle loop, having operated at Kings Dominion, Jolly Roger Amusement Park, Alton Towers and Hopi Hari.^[11]
• Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's Berry Farm is the longest running shuttle loop that is still in its original location. All of the shuttle loops that were installed before it have either been moved or destroyed. Following the closure of Kentucky Kingdom's Greezed Lightnin' in 2009, "Zooma" became the only operating shuttle loop in the United States until Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World's Shuttle Loop.^[19] The ride was closed in 2022 for a major refurbishment to open in 2023.^[20] As of February 2024, the project has halted due to unknown construction issues and the ride is SBNO.
• Shuttle Loop at Nagashima Spa Land is the only remaining Shuttle Loop operating in Asia.^[19]
• The first European Shuttle Loop, Sirocco, was installed in 1982 at Walibi Wavre in Belgium. In 1999, the ride was partially enclosed to reduce noise and was renamed Turbine. Turbine closed in 2008 and reopened in 2013 with a new train from Gerstlauer and a new name, Psyké Underground. The ride is now completely enclosed making it the first indoor shuttle loop. In late 2024 or early 2025 the ride will be closed and will be reopened late 2025 with the new theming with the log flume and the new coaster speed boats. They already have changed the train and are working on the new zone Dock World. The new name will be renamed after an old one Turbine and it will stay completely enclosed.
• The shuttle loop, Greezed Lightnin', that operated at Kentucky Kingdom from 2003 to 2009 was composed of the two Tidal Wave Shuttle Loops from the Marriott's Great America parks in California and Illinois.^[14]
• The final new installation was Shuttle Loop at Oyama Yuenchi in 1990.^[15]
• Kennywood in Pittsburgh, PA included Laser Loop, a shuttle loop coaster opened in 1980 before being closed and relocated in 1990.

The train is launched out of the station at a speed of between 53 and 60 miles per hour (85 and 97 km/h) before passing through a vertical loop and up a 138-foot-tall spike (42 m). Once the momentum of the train runs out on the 70° spike, the train begins to traverse the track backwards, returning through the loop. The train then passes back through the station and goes up another 70° steep spike, which stands at 105 feet (32 m), until it stalls again and rolls forward back into the brake run and station.^[21][22]

Anton Schwarzkopf designed the Shuttle Loop in the late 1970s. He filed a patent for the concept in 1978 which was approved the following year.^[23] The patent describes two launch systems, both of which were implemented in various roller coasters:^[21][22][23]

• Weight drop – a number of the early installations in 1977 and 1978 featured a weight drop launch system.^[7] This system involved a catch car attaching itself to the train, which was attached to the weight via a cable. When the launch was triggered, the 40-tonne (39-long-ton; 44-short-ton) weight was dropped down a shaft pulling the cable and catch car which in turn pushed the train down the launch track.^[24][25]
• Flywheel - from 1978, all of the new installations featured a flywheel launch system.^[7] This system consists of a 6-tonne (5.9-long-ton; 6.6-short-ton) flywheel which is spun at over 1000 revolutions per minute. This flywheel engages a drive system, through a system of multiple clutches, that is attached to a cable that in-turn propels the train forward.^[25]

Gerstlauer completed an upgrade of Walibi Belgium's installation for the 2013 season. As part of the upgrade Gerstlauer replaced the existing flywheel launch system with a new linear induction motor (LIM) launch system. The company also added a new train. The ride was then completely enclosed and relaunched as Psyké Underground. The flywheel launch system is now displayed in the queue of the ride.^[26][27][28]

On August 27, 1997, the Sirocco at Walibi Wavre failed to launch at the correct speed. The train went to the loop very slowly and up the spike, to roll backwards. During the backwards passage of the loop, the train halted at the uppermost point, causing the train to get stuck hanging upside-down. The passengers were hanging heads-down for one hour and twenty minutes, only held in place with lap bar restraints. The train was pulled back further down the track with help of the local fire station brigade.^[39][40]

A 20-year-old woman died on September 1, 2001, one day after riding Montezooma's Revenge, the Shuttle Loop at Knott's Berry Farm. She suffered a ruptured middle cerebral artery, and an autopsy revealed a pre-existing condition. The ride was closed for several days while an investigation was conducted. Though state investigators concluded that the ride did not contribute to her death, a wrongful death lawsuit was later filed by her family in 2002.^[41] The lawsuit was dismissed in 2006.^[42]

• US 4165695  Amusement ride with vertical track loop
• Shuttle Loop at the Roller Coaster DataBase