Wooden Roller Coasters That Go Upside Down: Yes, They Exist

Since 1984, wooden coasters have inverted. The pioneer: Great American Scream Machine (Six Flags Magic Mountain, CA) – 125 ft drop, 65 mph, three inversions (loop, corkscrew, roll-over).

Notable Inverting Wood Coasters

• Son of Beast (Kings Island, OH) – first with vertical loop (removed 2012).
• The Rattler (Six Flags Fiesta Texas, TX) – later converted to Iron Rattler (hybrid).
• El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure, NJ) – Intamin prefab wood; no inversions but extreme airtime.
• The Joker (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, CA) – RMC hybrid conversion; multiple inversions.
• Outlaw Run (Silver Dollar City, MO) – First wood with double barrel roll, 153° overbank.

How It Works

Modern engineering (steel-reinforced laminated track, precision fabrication) allows wood structures to withstand inversion forces while retaining wood's signature "rattle and shake."

RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction) leads today's hybrid wood-steel revolution.