Author: Paul Gregg

I got permission from the owner/builder to post this photo of his BYRC. I guess we can call this a backyard roller coaster, because it’s in his backyard, and it’s for personal use. He built it for his grandkids. This guy owns his own truck trailer company, so his fabrication ability is amazing. It’s 300 meters long (950 feet) and has a vertical drop of 12.3 meters (40 feet). Steel tube track and welded steel cart, which seats 4 and looks like a formula I race car. Chain lift and pneumatic brakes at the end. His daughter contacted me, and I’ve been helping him with some physics and engineering, trying to get more speed. He used wheels with soft polyurethane rims, and that was causing a lot of friction, but he’s switched all the wheels and it’s running well now. When he’s happy with it, I’ve encouraged him to make a video and publish it somewhere so I can link it online. I don’t want to “steal his thunder” by posting any more information now, but stay tuned. If there’s someone in first place in our backyard roller coaster world, this guy is about to be our leader.

I challenged myself to design and build a rideable roller coaster cart not using welded steel.  I designed one cart where the wheel bogies used fastened wood blocks.  Then I designed one using fewer parts and judicious use of 2 and 2.5 inch hole saws.  Even if the wood fails, I think the bolts would keep anything catastrophic from happening.

This blog is for people with an interest in backyard roller coasters.  I’m new to blogging, but if you have a question I’ll try to help.