The terrifying or thrilling Kingda Ka became the tallest and fastest rollercoaster on Earth starting with its opening, in May 2005. Located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA, Kingda Ka is a massive entertainment machine for all those looking for a rush of adrenaline.

The train is launched with the help of a hydraulic mechanism that zooms in from 0 to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. The train reaches an amazing height of 456 feet (139.5 m), shooting passengers 90 degrees into a quarter-turn. The train then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree spiral. The train ride lasts for 28 seconds but the “official” ride time is 50.6 seconds.

On occasions, the train can roll back, failing to reach the tower. Part of the excitement is that the launch of the train is hard to predict. Passengers will hear a voice that says “arms down, head back and hold on”, then five seconds later the train will launch. The rollercoaster’s mechanism is capable of launching a train every 45 seconds, meaning an average of 1400 passengers per hour.

Searching for a thrilling ride? This might just be what you’re looking for. Just make sure you don’t have any heart issues and that the sudden speed up won’t make you feel nauseous.

photo sources: Wikimedia Commons