East Brunswick Teen Builds Functional Backyard Roller Coaster

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — East Brunswick teen Samson “Sammy” Trechak loves roller coasters. And he took his love to new heights by building one in his own backyard.

It took Trechak a year to build the roller coaster which he has named the “Shadow Stalker.”

And this is not even his first roller coaster!

“I built my first backyard roller coaster when I was in the fifth grade and made some upgrades to it in the sixth grade. A year later I took it down and in the eighth grade, just before COVID could begin, I started building a new one,” Trechak told Patch.

Shadow Stalker is Trechak’s third roller coaster and his most complex to date. He was helped by friend Jack Creegan in this endeavor.

“Jack implemented a lot of the technology. He did the car, built the stairs, and delivered like the technical stuff,” Trechak said.

“I did all the structure for this coaster. I built the tracks, the station, and the bigger things that you see. I also ran the social media for this.”

Before building the “Shadow Stalker”, Trechak checked with the state and township to ensure they did not need any permits.

“This is considered a play structure. The state doesn't require permits for rides that aren't in amusement areas, and as long as one is not charged to ride it. It is also on private property,” Trechak said.

Despite that, the teen takes every safety precaution before letting friends or acquaintances ride the roller coaster.

“You have to fill out a waiver before riding it. And then there's insurance - we go through every step necessary,” Trechak said.

It took a year for the high schooler to complete the project. “We started back in April last year. Then there were long periods of time in November and December that we didn’t work on it,” he said. Trechak had to work around his school schedule to finish his project.

The teen receives many requests from people on social media who are keen to ride the roller coaster. “This is a personal project and I’m still in high school. I receive many requests and I try to set something up for those who are really interested,” he said.

Although his family has not been on the roller coaster yet, they are very impressed and excited with all the hard work the teen has put in.

Trechak plans to study mechanical engineering after graduating high school. “I'd love to work with a backyard roller coaster company. There is a market for it - that's what I found out while doing this project. So being a part of a real roller coaster company would be a dream,” he said.

This summer, Trechak will be hosting backyard parties and inviting friends to try the roller coaster.

“The best part is watching everyone's excitement when they get off the ride. It's awesome,” Trechak said. “I just love seeing all the smiles.”

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