At a vertigo-inducing 18-stories high, the world’s tallest vertical loop roller coaster has finally been complete, and is now one step closer to thrilling theme park fans later this year.
The Tormenta Rampaging Run coaster, which will open at Six Flags Over Texas just outside Dallas, breaks several world records, the park shared with Travel + Leisure. In addition to its vertical loop sitting at 179 feet high, it’s also the tallest and longest dive coaster, is the fastest dive coaster reaching speeds of 87 mph, and more.
“The completion of the world’s tallest vertical loop is a once-in-a-generation engineering achievement and a bold sign of what’s ahead when Tormenta Rampaging Run opens later this year,” Mark Boyer, the park manager of Six Flags Over Texas, said in a statement shared with T+L, adding with its completion, “Texas raised the bar for thrill rides around the world.”
Going high and fast isn’t the ride’s only feat: it also boasts the highest 95-degree-beyond vertical loop at 285 feet and has the highest Immelmann inversion at 218 feet.
To give park goers an idea of the scale of the ride, the park noted its vertical loop is taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris by 18 feet and taller than Niagara Falls’ American Falls by about 69 feet. With a 309-foot lift hill, it also outranks AT&T Stadium’s 300-foot roof (where the Dallas Cowboys play) and is four feet taller than New York City’s Statue of Liberty.
Six Flags Over Texas
The engineering marvel was designed by Swiss coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard.
“This milestone marks the moment Tormenta became a true skyline icon,” Boyer added. “We cannot wait for guests to experience the full power of this one-of-a-kind thrill machine.”
In addition to the new coaster, the 212-acre theme park in Arlington, Texas, features more than a dozen other coasters, including options for both thrill seekers and younger fans. The park’s BATMAN The Ride, for example, hurtles riders at 50 mph through five inversions, experiencing 4G force, while the Mini Mine Train offers “pint-sized mining adventure” along an 810-foot-long track. Overall, the park features more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions to explore.
Six Flags is also no stranger to making ride history. Late last year, Saudi Arabia’s Six Flags Qiddiya City opened the world’s longest, tallest, and fastest roller coaster, opened the world’s tallest free-fall ride, and opened the world’s tallest pendulum ride.