Vertical Velocity (roller coaster)


Vertical Velocity is an inverted steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.
Manufactured by Intamin under the trade name "Twisted Impulse Coaster", this launched shuttle-style coaster, located in the Yankee Harbor section of the park, has been operating since May 18, 2001.
The coaster's single seven-car train runs along a 200 m U-shaped track, incorporating two vertical towers. The forward tower incorporates a twisted spiral and the rearward towering provides a straight freefall. The 20 m train, propelled by linear induction motors, is accelerated in less than four seconds to toward the forward tower before dropping back down through the station house and up the rearward tower. A holding brake is incorporated on the rear straight tower and was able to suspend the train momentarily before dropping it back down to the station house. However, the holding brake has not been used since September 2008 due to maintenance issues. The train passes, at speed, through the station four times per ride and is smoothly braked by eddy-current braking before being brought into final position at the station by the LIMs. Vertical Velocity is similar to Steel Venom at Valleyfair and also similar to Possessed at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom.

Timeline