This week at IAAPA (an amusement industry trade show) Great Coasters International unveiled a surprising new model. Back Track is a wooden shuttle roller coaster meant to be a family attraction. It has a footprint a bit smaller than a football field. Here’s more from GCI:
It’s 35 feet tall. It’s got 10 cars and it goes backwards and forwards just like a normal little shuttle coaster. It’s tamed down just a little bit for smaller children.
- Chris Gray of Great Coasters International (Theme Park Review Interview)
While I wouldn’t call the concept revolutionary I do think that it’s pretty unexpected. I figured we’d see a launched woodie first, but that might be because I’ve never even considered the concept of a shuttle woodie. I’m really loving all of the innovation that’s going on in the industry; especially the things that we’re seeing with wooden roller coasters. In the TPR interview, GCI even shares that the Millennium Flyers, GCI’s trains, are capable of performing a heartline roll!
You can watch the interview here. The GCI part is the first 13 minutes or so. While Back Track is only covered for a bit, it’s worth a watch for the other reasons as well. There’s mention of a top secret meeting room right there on the floor of IAAPA, and Gray shares the most interesting things they’ve unearthed during construction.
Here’s a promotional video of GCI’s Back Track Shuttle Wooden Coaster:
It’ll be fun to see where one of these wooden shuttle coasters show up first. Do you have any guesses? What do you think of this concept? Leave a comment below.
November 16, 2012 at 00:58
I think this has potential. A small park like Lake Compounce would do well with this design seeing as they live for wood coasters.
November 16, 2012 at 07:58
I think this is a great idea, a family ride that is so much less vanilla than the standard boomerang formula vekoma has marketed so successfully. I'd definitely grab a ride on one given the chance. Also, there's a lot of potential here for a more thrilling version but still with a compact layout.
November 16, 2012 at 14:26
I think it's a great concept, especially when considering budgetary or space limitations. I'd definitely check one out!. I believe it would be a great addition to any park's lineup simply because it's unique.
November 16, 2012 at 15:40
This is the first woodie youve put on this site that Im actually not jealous of, if the Uk were to finally get a new woodie and this were it I would be more than a little disappointed.
November 16, 2012 at 16:17
I'm a huge fan of GCI, but I'm not impressed by this coaster…
November 16, 2012 at 20:00
Any plans to have Mr. Freeze style transfer track?
November 16, 2012 at 23:10
It may be a kiddie ride but I love this! What a great idea!
December 6, 2012 at 22:13
I'd take my kid on it. I've been coveting Vekoma's non-inverting Family Boomerang, because I showed my daughter a POV video of the one at Drayton Manor (which I think is the only one that actually exists) and she thought it looked like fun.
January 13, 2013 at 23:54
Nice ride! This one looks really promising and I think this is great for a fun family ride. I'd love to take a ride at this one.