Tig’rr is a steel roller coaster at Indiana Beach amusement park on Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana. Built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by Werner Stengel, it runs the compact “Jet Star” layout, a portable model known for its tight, twisting circuit packed into a small footprint.
The ride has a longer history than its Indiana Beach opening date suggests. It originally operated as a Jet Star at Holiday Beach starting in 1979 before being relocated and reopening at Indiana Beach on June 17, 1984, where it became the park’s second roller coaster. Today it holds a rare distinction: it’s one of only three Schwarzkopf Jet Star models still operating anywhere in the world, and the only one still running in North America.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Indiana Beach (Monticello, Indiana)
- Manufacturer: Anton Schwarzkopf
- Designer: Werner Stengel
- Opened: 1984 (originally built 1979)
- Height: about 44 feet
- Top speed: about 31 mph
- Length: about 1,765 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Tig’rr is built almost entirely atop a pre-existing building, threading its track through a tight, elevated structure rather than sprawling across open ground. The compact twister layout crams sharp drops and tight, banked turns into a small footprint, delivering a ride that feels far more aggressive than its modest height and speed numbers suggest. Riders sit four across in small single-car trains, three of which run the circuit at a time.
The coaster’s height restriction of 54 inches is unusually high for its size, a direct result of the extreme lateral forces produced by its tight turns. Originally, riders had no restraints beyond a simple bar; retractable seat belts were added later for additional safety.
A Rare Survivor
Only three Schwarzkopf Jet Star models are known to still operate anywhere in the world, and Tig’rr is the last one running in North America, making it a genuine piece of living roller coaster history. In 2016, the ride received a fresh paint job that changed its track color from red to black and its supports from white to bright orange, giving the vintage machine a modernized look while preserving its original Schwarzkopf engineering.
Explore more: Explore more classic roller coasters.
Tig’rr FAQs
What manufacturer built Tig’rr?
Tig’rr was built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf, with the layout designed by Werner Stengel. It uses Schwarzkopf’s portable “Jet Star” model.
How tall and fast is Tig’rr?
Tig’rr stands about 44 feet tall and reaches a top speed of around 31 mph over roughly 1,765 feet of track, with no inversions.
Is Tig’rr the original ride, or has it moved?
The ride originally operated at Holiday Beach starting in 1979 before being relocated to Indiana Beach, where it reopened on June 17, 1984.
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Photo: Bigtime Boy / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.