New Jersey teen builds backyard roller coaster

Anchor / Reporter

it's called Shadow Stalker, and if you head over to 17-year-old Sammy Trechak's house in Middlesex County, you can ride it because it's in his backyard.

Sammy says it took him about a year to build his backyard coaster and this isn't his first one. This is actually his third backyard roller coaster and it is definitely the most complex, and his friends have been along for the ride.

"I actually did my very very first one when I was in fifth grade," said Trechak. "And then my dad had mentioned, all right, it's time to build a new one."

"I think my favorite part has just been watching how excited it makes him to make it all come together to get people to come ride it and really just get everyone excited about it," said friend Colin Petrignani.

Sammy's love of coasters goes back to when he was about 6 years old and he saw a video of the Blue Flash backyard coaster in Indiana. His mom said if he wanted one like that he would have to build it.

So he did.

His latest coaster is built out of concrete cinder blocks from Home Depot. That's for the footings. Then they poured cement for the poles and the rest is all wood. There is steel on top of the track and, of course, for the nuts and bolts.

As for what's next? Sammy says he'd like to start a backyard roller coaster business in New Jersey.

Scroll down for comments if available

Anchor / Reporter

Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV.