Amusement Odyssey
Tilted Terror: Vekoma's Tilt Coaster- A rebirth and how it works
The train crests the lift hill, pausing at the precipice where earth and sky seem to meet. In that suspended moment, the rider’s heart pounds with a mix of exhilaration and dread, acutely aware of the dizzying height before plunging into freefall. Although these few seconds stretch into what feels like an eternity, they are the essence of thrill—an art perfected by modern coaster design.
But what if we could stretch that psychological moment of terror just a bit longer? What if the train could be held, teasingly suspended over the void, intensifying every ounce of anticipation? Vekoma answered that question with their innovative Tilt Coaster concept—a design that not only defies gravity but also defies convention.
A Brief History- Gravity Max
Vekoma unveiled the tilt track concept in the early 2000s. At the time, B&M had already built some of their Dive Coasters, which utilized a second chain drive to hold vehicles above a vertical drop section. While popular, the Dive Coaster lacked one element: actually holding the entire train vertically above the drop. Instead, the first couple of cars began to crest the hill at a very slow crawl before being released over the drop.
Vekoma's technology, known by them as the "see-saw" element, holds the entire train above the drop section before releasing it. Another psychological element of the tilt track is that it actually "breaks" the ride circuit and dangles riders over a section of voided track. Even riders who have no fear of heights or ride accidents may feel a little queasy about the concept of the ride.
In 2002, Vekoma opened what would be their first, and only, Tilt Track coaster for over 20 years. Gravity Max debuted at Discovery World in Taichung, Taiwan, quickly becoming one of the most intriguing coasters in the whole industry. Several YouTube videos have amassed millions of views, as viewers are often shocked by the coaster and disbelieve it could be real.
Safety is one of the biggest concerns for many with the coaster, yet the ride has operated for over 20 years without a major issue. Unfortunately, the ride model did not catch on until recently. The "see-saw" track requires some major structural design, large drive components, and mechanical devices to make it work properly. This drove up the cost for the model, making it unfeasible to build a large sprawling layout. In fact, Gravity Max only has a length of 1,863 feet, making it much shorter than many of the typical Dive Coasters.
Vekoma also used their typical track design of the time for Gravity Max, where the train's wheels run on the inside of the track. From pictures I have seen, I believe that Vekoma made an attempt to not only lighten the trains to put less stress on the hook element of the tilt track, but they also seemed to have cammed or spring-loaded the guide wheel pivots to ensure that the wheels always stayed in contact with the track.
Nonetheless, in modern-day design, companies have moved towards placing the guide wheels on the outside of the track rails for ease of maintenance, as well as being able to keep the train at tighter side-to-side alignment. In my mind, a customer likely may have thought that they could purchase a different model, say a B&M Dive Coaster or Gerstlauer Eurofighter that offered a vertical drop, longer layout, and smoother ride experience for much cheaper than Vekoma's product.
Credit: Jeremy Thompson
How the Tilt Track Works
"Oh my god, how doesn't it slide off the track?"
"That's so unsafe, I would never ride it!"
"What happens if the brakes fail?"
If you visit nearly any video, social media post, etc. that features this technology, I can almost guarantee that you will see one of the above comments. However, Gravity Max is quite a complex ride, and no different than other rides, there are redundancies and failsafes in place to ensure that the risk of an accident is minimized to safe levels. This is no different than any "traditional" coaster that runs multiple trains at a time. Block systems and redundant measures remove high risks of trains colliding, as they have to monitor several factors at once, and if there is any disagreement in the ride logic, it will automatically shut down.
After the train disengages from the chain, a set of drive tires assist the train into the proper home position for the tilt. Two sets of brakes park the train here. Contrary to what some may believe, these brakes aren't the only thing holding the train. In fact, I doubt even at high pressure that only two sets of brakes would be able to hold the entire train from sliding through. These brakes are simply a homing device, coupled with the drive tires to par the train properly every time.
A set of two mechanical items are the actual holding device, and safety for keeping the train in the proper position. At the rear of the train, a large hook or claw raises to clamp onto the back of the train. In fact, the linkage on the train is very similar to those found on Vekoma Boomerangs for the catch car to hook up. A pneumatic cylinder raises the hook into place, and a set of proximity sensors verify that it is properly latched. If the sensors disagree, the track will not even begin to tilt.
The hook seems to work cleverly on a mechanical advantage. Once raised into position, it does not retract to drop the train. It stays in place and something internally releases to achieve this effect. Without having better views or proper schematics, it is hard to say what exactly releases the hook, but it must have quite the amount of power behind it as the weight of the train is trying to bind the whole assembly when hanging off of it.
If for any reason the hook assembly were to fail, which I do not think has ever happened, there is a safety block at the front of the train that prevents it from falling off the track. Also powered by a pneumatic cylinder, this block is shaped to "catch" the brake fin of the first car and prevent the train from rolling forwards. This is a final failsafe, and I would assume that in the event it is ever used, it would bend or damage the brake fin. This entire assembly rests on a sled that has springs and dampeners that would absorb some of the impact if the entire train were to come into contact with the safety block.
In order to lift the tilt track into place, a series of hydraulic rams lifts the "see-saw" on a pivot point that contains some very large bearings. Hydraulics offer force multiplication, so they are beneficial in lifting operations such as this tilt track. I would assume that there is also some form of evacuation procedure in the event that the tilt track is stuck in the vertical position when a fault occurs or in the event there is a loss of power. I would assume that there is some sort of backup generator, or a manual release for the track to return it to its home position. Another possibility is that there is a pressurized hydraulic accumulator that may provide enough return pressure to pull the tilt track past its tipping point so it could slowly return to horizontal.
Before the ride will release the hook assembly and safety block, it must monitor that the track rails are perfectly aligned and locked into place. The tilt track likely utilizes an encoder system to detect the angle of tilt. This also provides feedback to the ram valving to begin slowing down the fluid flow once the track is close to a home position. Once in place, sets of locking pins or clamps are inserted from the tilt track to the normal track, monitored by proximity sensors. Each clamp helps stiffen the track to track connection, and ensures that nothing will move while the train is riding over the track joints. Again, any deviation in the agreemant of any proximity sensor or other detection device will shut the ride down and prevent the train from moving until rectified.
Upgrades from Gen 1 to Gen 2
Vekoma has made some changes from the original Gravity Max to the current design. First and foremost, Vekoma has stated that they have now made the tilt track a "modular component," meaning that they can implement it on several designs, and likely much cheaper than before.
Since the ride's inception, components have likely been refined, made cheaper or more efficient, etc. Instead of the trains leading right into the tilt track area from the lift hill, now there is more space in between. This is likely helpful in the event of an evacuation, as the train can be backed off the tilt track if needed, as the train will not run into the chain lift. I would have to guess that this may help with maintenance or troubleshooting as well, as the track could be cycled without a train before going back into operation.
In terms of tracking and rider experience, Vekoma is using their latest generation of trains for the new tilt coasters. With the wheel assemblies now riding on the outside of the track, trains are able to be kept much tighter in-line, and offer a much smoother ride experience. Among Vekoma's newest coasters, such as Lech Coaster in Poland, the reviews and guest satisfaction have been spectacular.
As of the writing of this article, three tilt coasters are currently under construction:
- Siren's Curse at Cedar Point
- Circuit Breaker at COTAland
- Iron Rattler at Six Flags Qiddiya City
Vekoma’s Tilt Coaster is more than just an innovative ride—it’s a culmination of decades of engineering ingenuity and psychological insight. By harnessing the interplay of advanced hydraulics, precision sensors, and redundant safety measures, the tilt track delivers an unforgettable moment of suspended thrill that both teases and delights. As the roller coaster industry continues to evolve, innovations like these remind us that the quest for the perfect blend of fear, fun, and safety is as much an art as it is a science.
External Links
A POV of Gravity Max, showing forward and reverse views of some of the tilt track technology
A technical video explaining the tilt track more in-depth
