Vekoma

Infobox Company
name = Vekoma Rides Manufacturing

type = Private company
foundation = The Netherlands
founder = Hendrik op het Veld
location_city = Vlodrop
location_country = The Netherlands
area_served = Worldwide
key_people =
products = Roller coasters
Amusement rides
services =
owner =
num_employees =
homepage = [http://www.Vekoma.com Vekoma.com]

Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" (Veld Koning machine factory) and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment. In 1967 Vekoma started manufacture of amusement rides with a Ferris wheel and has, since mid-1970s, specialized in manufacturing rides ranging from massive steel roller coasters to water rides to family-friendly attractions. The only Wild Mouse roller coaster Vekoma has ever built is now at Idlewild Park.

Examples of their designs includes suspended looping coasters and boomerang coasters, which are found throughout the world.

Roller coaster types made by Vekoma

*Hammerhead Stall - Also known as the "Big Air", this shuttle type ride is designed to replicate the feeling of flying in a plane. No known "Hammerhead Stalls" have been built yet.
*Boomerang - A three inversion shuttle coaster. Invented over 20 years ago, it continues to be a successful product. In 1996, Vekoma introduced an inverted upgrade to this ride called an Invertigo. Five years later, in 2001, Vekoma introduced the Giant Inverted Boomerang, which has completely vertical spikes and provides a taller and faster ride. There are 45 operating Boomerangs around the world, including Sea Serpent at Morey's Piers in Wildwood New Jersey, this is also the first boomerang coaster in the United States.
*Flying Dutchman - A flying roller coaster. Riders are reclined back into a lay-down position and turn around on the first drop of the ride into a prone 'flying' position. There are two models of the Flying Dutchman, the 843m Prototype, and the 1018m. There are three operating "Flying Dutchman"s around the world, including Nighthawk at Carowinds.
*Junior Coaster (also known as a "Roller Skater") - A small family sized roller coaster
*Looping coaster - Vekoma provides several models of looping coasters, including custom layouts
*Mine Train(785m) - A mine train roller coaster. Four Mine Trains exist around the world, including Flight of the Phoenix at Happy Valley.
*Motorbike Coaster - A coaster that uses motorbike trains. There are two models of Motorbike Coasters, the 600m and the Custom. three Motorbike Coasters operate around the world, including the Motorbike Coaster at Chimelong Paradise.
*Suspended Family Coaster There are seven operating Suspended Family Coasters operating in the world, including the Bat at Lagoon Amusement Park and the Rugrats Runaway Reptar at Carowinds, Dreamworld and Kings Island.
*Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC) - An inverted roller coaster. The standard model has a roll over immediately after the initial drop, followed by a sidewinder, and finally ends with a double inline twist. There are a few variations, including a longer model with an extra helix at the end of the ride. Vekoma also offers custom SLC models. There are five models of SLCs, the 662m Prototype, the 689m Standard, the 787m Extended, the 765m Extended w/ Helix, and the Custom. There are 37 operating SLCs around the world. The SLC coaster model has earned a reputation among critics for being uncomfortable.
*Swinging Turns - roller coaster with vehicles below the track and allowed to swing freely. Vekoma also provided replacement trains for the Arrow Dynamics designed Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures. There are three operating Swinging Turns around the world, including the Hanging Coaster at Dream World.
*Tilt Coaster - A standard coaster with a vertical drop at the start. Trains enter the vertical drop via an unusual tilt section. After leaving the chain lift, instead of going down a first drop, the rider is held on a horizontal section of track, which then tilts forwards, to become a vertical section. This leads into the drop, then into the rest of the coaster layout. There is one operating Tilt Coaster in the world, the Gravity Max at Discovery World in Taiwan.
*Wooden Coaster - A coaster that is made of wood. There are three operating Vekoma wooden coasters around the world, including the Thundercoaster at TusenFryd.

Some other coaster models by Vekoma include "", "Hurricane", "Illusion", "LSM Coaster" , and powered coasters.

ee also

External links

* [http://www.vekoma.com Vekoma website (official)]
* [http://www.rcdb.com/cd7.htm Vekoma] at RCDB