Shock Wave opened on April 22, 1978, at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by engineer Werner Stengel. Standing 116 feet tall, it briefly claimed the title of the world’s tallest complete-circuit roller coaster before being surpassed just weeks later by Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
The coaster is best known for its unusual back-to-back double loop layout, sending riders through two consecutive vertical loops with no other elements in between. That design produces forces up to 5.9 Gs, among the highest of any coaster from its era. As of September 2026, Shock Wave has been closed since March and is listed as standing but not operating (SBNO), though it remains standing at the park.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington, TX)
- Manufacturer: Anton Schwarzkopf
- Designer: Werner Stengel
- Opened: April 22, 1978
- Height: 116 ft
- Top speed: 60 mph
- Length: 3,600 ft
- Inversions: 2 (back-to-back vertical loops)
- Status: Closed / SBNO since March 2026
The Ride Experience
After a chain-lift climb to 116 feet, Shock Wave’s train drops 105 feet and immediately launches into the first of two consecutive vertical loops, a rare back-to-back arrangement that few coasters have replicated. Seven cars carry riders two across in two rows, 28 per train, through a roughly two-minute layout that finishes with a brake run back to the station.
The double-loop sequence was considered a bold engineering move for 1978, and it remains the ride’s signature element. Schwarzkopf’s tubular steel track and Stengel’s loop geometry combined to create forces up to 5.9 Gs, a figure that stood out among coasters of the period and still ranks among the strongest recorded on an operating-class ride.
A Record-Setting Design
When it debuted, Shock Wave was billed as the world’s tallest complete-circuit roller coaster, a title it held only briefly before Loch Ness Monster opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg the same year. Over the decades the ride saw several disruptions, including a 2004 closure tied to flooding and an extensive 2008 remodel, and it later received a Samsung Gear VR virtual reality overlay from 2016 into 2017.
The coaster has not been removed from the park, but it has sat closed and listed as SBNO since March 2026, with Six Flags giving no public reopening date as of this writing. Its future status remains unconfirmed, even as the park moves forward with other new coaster projects.
Explore more: Explore more classic roller coasters.
Shock Wave FAQs
Is Shock Wave still open at Six Flags Over Texas?
No. As of September 2026, Shock Wave has been closed since March 2026 and is listed as standing but not operating (SBNO), with no announced reopening date.
Who built Shock Wave?
Shock Wave was built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by engineer Werner Stengel, opening on April 22, 1978.
How many loops does Shock Wave have?
Shock Wave features two vertical loops arranged back-to-back, a distinctive design that generates up to 5.9 Gs of force.
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