Force One

The new force of Schwabenpark

The Swabians are commonly considered as the more economically acting people of the German population. They definitely do not stand in the forefront when it comes to spending money and praising others. But now the operators of Schwabenpark (Swabia Park) did ungrudgingly open their wallets and treated themselves to a new major attraction that may even let the locals be carried away to speak out the highest imaginable praise for a Swabian: "ha ja, mer kos fahra" ("Oh well, you can ride it").

After Himalaybahn (1989) and Crazy Worm (2003) the park has now opened its third and largest roller coaster: Force One. While the two existing coasters are located in the lower part of the park and therefore are not visible from the entrance visitors are now greeted by the new roller coaster before they even enter the parking lot. Situated on the highest point of the park the yellow and red snake-like steel structure winds its way on a grassy hillside. The train plunges down into a maze of tracks and thrills its riders for 38 seconds before coming to a stop in the final brakes. Gently rolling back to the station it then waits for up to 16 new riders, taking the next forceful ride.

Two million Euros is the investment for the newest attraction of Schwabenpark of which 170.000 Euros have been paid by the federal state Baden-Württemberg. But is it a rewarding investment for the park? We take a closer look.

After passing the entrance we take a right turn and follow the path that leads us directly to the station building of Force One. A short queue passes by one side of the station and then turns to the opposite direction upwards to the loading platform. Although the station provides plenty of space there are currently no compartments for placing bags and other loose items. Because of that, everything is just placed on the floor. Riders can choose one of eight rows of the train and take one of 16 comfortable seats with slim lap bars that have to be closed after being told so by the station attendant. Thanks to sensors a visual lap bar check is sufficient and the ride can begin.

The sleek formula 1-style train gets pushed out of the station through a right turn and quickly climbs the lift hill. Because of Force One’s location on a hillside you can get an impressive view on the adjacent town Gmeinweiler and its surroundings once the train reaches the peak of 22 meters above the ground. Afterwards it picks up speed through a banked flat right turn and plunges down the rather steep first drop. Force One dives under the lift hill with 85 km/h, takes a small hill with a good amount of airtime and throws itself into the first helix which at first goes slightly downwards but then gains height again. At this point you can feel the stronger G-forces of the ride for the first time. The ride continues through a small valley into the next right turn, a directional change and into the second helix. The train gains height again. Before loosing too much speed the ride gets faster once more for the next directional change. The train flies over a small hill close to the ground, throws itself into yet another tight right turn, flies above an even smaller hill and after one final turn comes to a stop in the final brakes – completing some 530 forceful meters.

The flashy design with its glaring yellow and red colours really looks strange and out of place in the idyllic Swabian landscape. The train design together with the station building however fits very well to the overall attraction. While G-forces are surprisingly strong in the two helices the rest of the ride is very well balanced. Unfortunately very strong vibrations from the train have a negative effect on the ride experience. While still tolerable in the front rows the vibrations get stronger and more annoying the further you are seated to the back of the Force One train. The 21 year-old wildcat (Himalayabahn) provides a considerably more comfortable ride in comparison. Force One is without doubt a visual eye-catcher. The track layout is interesting and the ride dynamic and forceful, sometimes maybe a little bit too forceful for a family roller coaster. Because of some intense vibrations of the train however the ride experience is not entirely satisfying and falls short of its potential.