91-451: Derby Racer was the name of two wooden roller coasters that operated at Revere Beach in Revere , Massachusetts . The first coaster was built in 1911 and demolished in 1936. The second coaster of the same name was built in 1937 and demolished in 1948. Both coasters were racing roller coasters , with side-by-side track pairs where two coaster trains would race each other around the circuit of
182-485: A railroad train . Individual cars vary in design, often carrying multiple passengers each. Some roller coasters, notably Wild Mouse roller coasters , operate with individual cars instead of trains. Some roller coasters feature tunnels , and they may include special effects such as lighting, fog, and sound. The Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, for example, features a darkened, above-ground tunnel. A camelback or camelback hill , also known as an airtime hill ,
273-457: A roller coaster train . The most common type is the friction brake, often called a fin brake, which involves a series of hydraulic-powered clamps that close and squeeze metal fins that are attached to the underside of a coaster train. Other common types include skid brakes and magnetic brakes. These different types are divided into two main categories; trim brakes refer to brake runs that slow the train, while block brakes are brake sections that stop
364-404: A top hat element, such as Stealth at Thorpe Park , Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point , and Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure . Typically, brakes on a launch track retract to a lower position during launch and move into an engaged position immediately after launch. A lift hill, or chain lift, is often the initial upward section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports
455-541: A 90-foot (27 m) vertical loop , which was made of steel. The ride was well-received but was plagued by a number of incidents, including two that were serious, eventually leading to its demise in 2012. In the 2010s, a new era of wooden roller coasters came about with the introduction of Topper Track developed by Rocky Mountain Construction. The new technology replaced the flattened steel strip and upper two layers of wood traditionally used in wooden track design with
546-503: A camelback can be a much larger, single hill often found earlier in the track's layout. A double dip element, also known as a double drop or double down , is created when a hill is divided into two separate drops by a flattening out of the drop midway down the hill. Two notable rides featuring this element are Jack Rabbit located at Kennywood and Jack Rabbit located at Seabreeze , both of which are roller coasters designed by John A. Miller in 1920. The inverse of this element
637-589: A camelback hill. The train first goes up a regular camelback hill, then quickly tilts beyond 90 degrees at the very top. It is the only roller coaster element named after its designer, in this case Werner Stengel . Examples of roller coasters that feature this element include Goliath at Walibi Holland and Thunderbolt at Luna Park . A speed hill , also known as a high-speed float, is an airtime element commonly found in Bolliger & Mabillard steel coasters and Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coasters. The element
728-409: A few inches to a few feet with a passing train , give a sense of unreliability and the "threat" of collapse or disregard for safety. Of course, this assumption is purely mental, since wooden roller coaster supports and track systems are designed to sway with the force produced by the coaster. If the track and structure were too rigid, they would break under the strain of the passing train. The swaying of
819-443: A few set coaster records. Hercules at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom , built in 1989, had the tallest wooden coaster drop at 150 feet. Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas and Mean Streak at Cedar Point were large wooden coasters with similar layouts, with the later opening as the tallest wooden coaster in the world at 161 feet. After a dispute during construction of Pegasus at Efteling , Dinn Corporation closed down and
910-405: A half corkscrew, completing a first inversion. This is immediately followed by another half corkscrew that twists in the opposite direction into the other half vertical loop, completing a second inversion. The train exits the cobra roll traveling in the opposite direction from which it entered. Vekoma's Boomerang was the first model to incorporate a cobra roll, and the first Boomerang installation
1001-418: A headchopper. Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure featured several foot choppers, and it is a common element on Vekoma's Suspended Looping Coaster model during the coaster's in-line-twist, in which the train approaches a section of track directly below but twists riders safely over the track. Both headchoppers and foot choppers can appear on Wing Coaster models from Bolliger & Mabillard when
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#17328513518731092-523: A magnetic launch of 45 mph up a 200' hill, similar to the magnetic lift on Maverick . In 2000, Kings Island opened Son of Beast . Designed by Werner Stengel and built by the Roller Coaster Corporation of America , the roller coaster broke many world records. With a height of 218 feet (66 m), it was the first wooden roller coaster to top 200 feet (61 m). It was also the first modern wooden roller coaster to feature an inversion,
1183-497: A nearby control panel or by moving large levers in the station. Single-position lap bars on wooden roller coasters are sometimes referred to as "buzz bars", a slang term named for the buzzing sound that some bars make as they lock or release. The term can be misleading as the buzzing sound only occurs on Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) trains when the solenoid that releases the bar is out of alignment. There are other train types, such as NAD and even some PTC trains, that feature
1274-435: A portion of the train as it crosses that section of track. In this case, it is usually the brake fin that is used to propel or slow the train with the tires. When oriented vertically, they contact the underside of the train as it crosses a particular section of track. This underside area is a flat area which often has a grated metal surface to increase friction between the car and the tire. One disadvantage of vertical drive tires
1365-423: A rail car, eliminating the need for side friction wheels. The following list is in alphabetical order. Corkscrew (roller coaster element) Roller coasters are widely known for their drops, inversions, airtime , and other intense ride elements that contribute to a thrilling ride experience. They are also made up of a variety of features and components responsible for the mechanical operation and safety of
1456-402: A roller coaster with the same name at Knott's Berry Farm , designed by Arrow Dynamics . The element was well-received and became a staple of many early roller coasters that inverted riders. Corkscrews commonly exist in pairs, where the end of one leads straight into the next. Another configuration involves interlocking corkscrews , where two corkscrews are intertwined, with each crossing over
1547-440: A sidewinder. It is the inverse of a cobra roll . Like other inversions, this element has different names depending on the roller coaster's manufacturer. It is most commonly known as a batwing, which is the term used by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). Afterburn at Carowinds and Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are two examples that feature this element. It was first marketed as a Kamikaze Kurve by Arrow Dynamics during
1638-611: A significant legacy on the coaster industry. The high number of wooden coasters they constructed, 34 over their decade of operation, helped to rekindle interest in the wooden roller coasters and allowed modern wooden coaster designers to thrive. Designers from CCI went on to form modern wooden coaster design firms, like Great Coasters International , The Gravity Group , and the wooden coaster department at S&S Worldwide . Many of their coasters rank highly in wooden coaster polls, including Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure and Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce . In 2013, Boulder Dash
1729-484: A single-position lap bar that has a mechanical release and therefore does not produce a buzzing sound. Most parks have switched to individual ratcheting lap bars, similar to the lap bars found on steel coasters. Ironically some of the earlier ratcheting lap bar conversions use a solenoid release and can also produce a buzzing sound. It can be argued that single-position buzz bars afford riders more air time on roller coasters, as ratcheting lap bars tend to lock further during
1820-407: A slight curve in the direction opposite that of the overall turn (a so-called "priming" of the turn). The train then banks heavily to the side opposite the initial curve and finishes its climb while it negotiates the overall turn, beginning its descent midway through the turn. The second half of the element is the same as the first half, but in reverse order. While negotiating a hammerhead turn element,
1911-667: A steel box, which led to rides like the triple-inverting Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City in 2012. Others like Wildfire at Kolmården Wildlife Park and Goliath at Six Flags Great America soon followed. Topper Track provides the added benefit of smoother rides and lower maintenance costs. The Gravity Group also designed five wooden coasters with a single inversion: these include coasters at each of three Oriental Heritage theme parks in China, all named Jungle Trailblazer , as well as Mine Blower in Fun Spot Kissimmee and
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#17328513518732002-498: A steel coaster. Wooden roller coasters provide a very different ride and experience from steel roller coasters . While they are traditionally less capable than a steel coaster when it comes to inversions and elements (except for the chain lift hill), wooden coasters instead rely on an often rougher and more "wild" ride (depending on train speed and/or track layout), as well as a more psychological approach to inducing fear . Their structures and track, which usually move anywhere from
2093-416: A top hat inversion, also called an inside top hat or inverted top hat, the track makes a 90-degree twist as the train approaches the top. The train travels on the inside of the element, and once it reaches the apex, the train becomes inverted. Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast at Six Flags St. Louis is an example that features this variant. A wave turn, commonly found on Rocky Mountain Construction roller coasters,
2184-545: Is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster that automatically photographs all of the riders on passing trains. They are usually mounted at the most intense part of the ride, to capture the best possible pictures. The pictures are available for viewing and purchase at a booth outside the ride's exit. On some rides, such as Saw: The Ride at Thorpe Park , Rocky's Rapids at Indiana Beach , and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida , video, as well as still photographs, can be purchased upon exiting
2275-428: Is a 90-degree banked turn that incorporates a small camelback hill. The airtime feature separates wave turns from typical banked turns. When a train banks either right or left into an inclined turn, it traverses an airtime hill while banked at 90 degrees. The element finishes with the train exiting in the opposite direction that it entered. A banana roll is an inversion element similar to an elongated cobra roll and
2366-454: Is a hump-shaped hill that travels in a straight line and is designed to lift riders out of their seats to provide a feeling of weightlessness. The effect is commonly known as airtime , and camelbacks produce negative g-force to achieve the effect. The term has been used to describe a series of smaller hills typically found near the end of a track's layout, which is a common finale on older wooden coasters. A modern coaster's implementation of
2457-406: Is a mini-version of camelback entered at a high speed, which results in significant negative G-forces that exceed a typical camelback. Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland and Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City are two roller coasters that feature this element. A top hat , also known as top cap, is an element consisting of a 90-degree ascent up a tall hill followed by a 90-degree descent, with
2548-423: Is a straight section of track along a launched roller coaster layout in which the train is quickly accelerated to a significant velocity in a matter of seconds. It serves the same basic purpose as a lift hill —providing energy to the train—but does so in a different manner. A lift hill gives the train potential energy as it is slowly raised to the highest point of the lift hill and released. A launch track gives
2639-514: Is a turn or curve in which the track tilts 90 degrees or more, often in the 100–120 degree range. The element is common on large steel roller coasters, particularly those built by Intamin and Rocky Mountain Construction . Two examples include the first turn-around on Superman the Ride at Six Flags New England and the overbanked turn that follows the barrel roll on Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay . A Stengel dive combines an overbanked turn with
2730-449: Is a type of roller coaster classified by its wooden track , which consists of running rails made of flat steel strips mounted on laminated wood. The support structure is also typically made of wood, but may also be made of steel lattice or truss , which has no bearing on a wooden coaster's classification. The type of wood often selected in the construction of wooden coasters worldwide is southern yellow pine , which grows abundantly in
2821-515: Is a type of turnaround maneuver found on Maurer Rides GmbH's Spinning Coaster model. The horseshoe is essentially a 180-degree turnaround with high banking so that riders are tilted at a 90-degree angle or more at the top at the element. The horseshoe is named that way because the element is shaped roughly like a horseshoe , with a semicircular shape at the top. It is found on coasters such as Dragon's Fury at Chessington World of Adventures and Laff Trakk at Hersheypark . A junior Immelmann loop
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2912-481: Is an inversion similar to a corkscrew, except the second half of the element is reversed. The train exits the inversion in the opposite direction from which it entered. Arrow Dynamics debuted the feature on Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 1992. It can also be found on other coasters such as Twisted Timbers at Kings Dominion, Steel Curtain at Kennywood Park, and Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. A dive drop (also known as
3003-503: Is commonly found on early B&M roller coasters, as well as older roller coasters from other manufacturers. An alternative name "trick hill" comes from the illusion created from the pre-drop, which "tricks" riders into thinking they have already started the main descent, when in fact they haven't. The station is the area where guests waiting in a line queue board a roller coaster. The line often divides into lanes to allow guests to board each row. In addition to boarding, passengers also exit
3094-423: Is currently the tallest wooden coaster in the world at 183 feet tall. While only having built 4 wooden coasters, all are praised by coaster enthusiasts, with all 4 being within the top 20 wooden coasters in the world on Mitch Hawkers poll. Since 2010, El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure , which opened in 2006, has been ranked the number one wooden coaster in the world on Mitch Hawkers poll. Notable designers from
3185-544: Is found on Goudurix in Parc Astérix in Plailly , France , or Blue Hawk at Six Flags Over Georgia . The cobra roll is a roller coaster inversion that resembles the shape of a cobra head when flaring its hood. The element consists of two half vertical loops facing the same direction joined by two half corkscrews that each twist in opposite directions. As the train completes the first half loop, it turns perpendicular into
3276-417: Is known as a double up , where two inclines are separated by a level piece of track. Stampida at Portaventura Park is an example that incorporates both a double dip and a double up element. A hammerhead turn is based on a flying maneuver by the same name and is similar to, but not the same as, a 180-degree overbanked turn ( see #Overbanked turn ). The train enters the element with a steep slope up and
3367-458: Is made in 25-foot (7.6 m) sections, which have special joints on the ends to allow them to snap together. The result is generally higher precision than what could be achieved by hand, leading to a smoother ride and reduced cost surrounding construction and maintenance. In addition, unlike traditional wooden coasters which feature bare metal wheels, the trains for a prefabricated wooden coaster have wheels made of polyurethane treads, similar to
3458-411: Is named after its shape. Unlike a cobra roll, the banana roll only inverts riders once. The element first appeared on Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland in 2011, and it also appears on TMNT Shellraiser at Nickelodeon Universe and Steel Curtain at Kennywood . A batwing is a heart-shaped roller coaster element that features two inversions. The train goes into a reverse sidewinder, followed by
3549-402: Is similar to a normal Immelmann loop , except riders are not inverted and only roll to 90 degrees instead of 180 degrees. The element first appeared on Black Mamba at Phantasialand . A non-inverting cobra roll is similar to a cobra roll, except the half-loops at the entrance and exit level out before reaching 180 degrees, and the train therefore does not invert. Kondaa at Walibi Belgium
3640-440: Is sometimes found on Vekoma roller coasters. A butterfly begins like a vertical loop, but as the track goes up, it twists 45 degrees to one side or the other, and then when it is headed down the track twists back. The maneuver is then repeated but in reverse. It is essentially the same in construction as a batwing or boomerang except for the coaster exiting the construct traveling in the same direction as it began. An example of this
3731-456: Is that rainy weather can greatly reduce friction between the tire and the train, possibly causing the train to slightly overshoot its intended position and cause an emergency stop. A headchopper is the name of an element where the support structure of the ride or a portion of the track appears to come very close to making contact with passengers, particularly with their heads. The illusion is intentional, and headchoppers are designed so that even
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3822-481: Is the only coaster to feature this element, according to the Roller Coaster DataBase . A bent Cuban eight is a double inversion element that features two "bent and twisted" Immelmann loops that are connected back to back. Designed by Maurer Rides GmbH , the element only appears on two X-Car roller coaster models from the company, including G Force that was at Drayton Manor Theme Park . A butterfly
3913-616: Is the only ride to feature this element. The non-inverting loop is a variety of loop that, when coming up, twists similar to a heartline roll, leaving riders completely right-side-up when at the top of the loop. Some roller coasters with this element include Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida , Shock at Rainbow MagicLand, Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom , Flying Aces at Ferrari World , Soaring with Dragon at Hefei Wanda Theme Park, DC Rivals Hypercoaster at Warner Bros. Movie World and Tempesto at Busch Gardens Williamsburg . An overbanked turn
4004-473: Is when the track twists from the horizontal plane into the vertical plane, tipping the train to the side in the direction of the turn. Banking is used to minimize the lateral G-forces on the riders to make the turn more comfortable. When a banked turn continues to create an upward or downward spiral of approximately 360 degrees or more, it becomes a helix . A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track that utilizes some form of brakes to slow or stop
4095-457: The roller coaster train to an elevated point. Upon reaching the top, the train is then disengaged from the lift hill and allowed to coast through the rest of the roller coaster's circuit. Lift hills usually propel the train to the top of the ride via one of a few different types of methods: a chain lift involving a long, continuous chain which trains hook on to and are carried to the top; a drive tire system in which multiple motorized tires push
4186-494: The 1920s, specifically those by Fred Church and Harry Traver, and the company focuses on making the structures of their coasters aesthetically appealing and artistic. In 2001, Swiss steel coaster designer Intamin began producing wooden roller coasters using prefabricated track. Their wooden coasters are known for large amounts of airtime (including ejector airtime), smooth ride experiences, and steep drops. T Express in Everland
4277-509: The 2010s. The design borrows the principles of steel coaster manufacturing and applies them to wood. Traditional wooden coaster track is typically built on site. It is cut as needed, bent to the proper shape, and mounted layer-by-layer to the support structure with steel running plates. Prefabricated track, on the other hand, is manufactured in a factory, temperature-controlled setting. It is made of many thin layers of wood that are glued together and then laser cut to exact specifications. The track
4368-764: The Golden Age of coaster design. This was the decade when many of the world's most iconic coasters were built. Some of these include the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and its counterpart at Belmont Park , the Cyclone at Coney Island , the Big Dipper at Geauga Lake , The Thriller at Euclid Beach Park , and the Roller Coaster at Lagoon . All of these rides were built during this time. The decade
4459-690: The Great Depression was brought to an end by The Racer at Kings Island , which opened in 1972 and sparked a second "Golden Age" of wooden coaster design. After their success with the Racer at Kings Island, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) constructed another 9 roller coasters over the next decade. About half were small family coasters, two were racing coasters similar to the Racer, and two were out and back coasters with custom designs. One of these, Screamin' Eagle at Six Flags St. Louis ,
4550-506: The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal Orlando. Launch lift hills use mostly linear synchronous motors or linear induction motors but sometimes use drive tires. The linear induction motor is a simple but powerful type of electric motor used to propel the cars. Rather than using a standard enclosed spinning rotor and drive wheels, there is a long flat magnetic pole plate with closely spaced electric coils. This pole plate mounts on
4641-401: The car do not need to touch, and the gap between them can be quite wide to accommodate any side-to-side car motion, so there is no friction or wear between them. Further, the magnetic coil assembly on the driving pole plates are either potted or sealed in a weathertight enclosure, so that rain, vibration, and dust do not affect motor performance or cause drive motor slippage. An on-ride camera
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#17328513518734732-504: The coaster in lieu of retirement, Kings Island built the coaster themselves, with the coaster designed by Al Collins and Jeff Gramke and construction overseen by Charlie Dinn. Rather than a typical out and back layout, the coaster sprawled over the woods at the back of the park, using the terrain to create an elevation change from lowest to highest point of 201 feet, even though the coaster was only 118 feet tall. The coaster also had two lift hills which, while common for mine train coasters at
4823-525: The coaster opened. The coaster then re-opened two weeks following the incident. Six years later, another man was killed on the Revere Beach Derby Racer after being thrown in front of a coaster train. In 1923 a couple was severely injured on the Derby Racer as well. Another rider was thrown from a train in 1929, which resulted in a 1935 Massachusetts Supreme Court case against Ocean View Amusements,
4914-433: The coaster was constructed in 1911, Derby Racer had been the second-largest roller coaster ever built . The owners of Derby Racer, Lewis Bopp and Lewis Trask also owned a restaurant that stood next to the coaster, as well as other attractions on Revere Beach. Derby Racer was known for a particularly poor safety record. A young man was thrown from the coaster, inflicting life-threatening injuries on June 8, 1911, shortly after
5005-458: The coaster. The first Derby Racer coaster at Revere Beach was built in 1911 by Fred W. Pearce for a cost of $ 140,000. Derby Racer's racing coaster design was a popular type of roller coaster in the first two decades of the 20th century; more than one quarter of all the racing coasters ever built were constructed in the 1900s and 1910s. The twin tracks of the Derby Racer were laid out in a figure 8 design. Many years later, Pearce claimed that when
5096-407: The construction of Orient Express at Worlds of Fun , which opened in 1980. Arrow would later refer to the element as a boomerang in future projects, such as the defunct Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure . One variation of the batwing is known as a bowtie , where the entrance and exit of the inversion are in the same direction. Dragon Mountain at Marineland of Canada
5187-580: The conversion of their existing Hades 360 in Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park . The common choice of wood selected for modern wooden roller coasters worldwide is southern yellow pine , a softwood abundant in the southern United States from eastern Texas to Virginia . It is known for its strength, which comes from its extremely dense properties. Southern pine is also easy to cut and responds well to pressure treatment . Companies like Intamin and Rocky Mountain Construction began using prefabricated track in
5278-468: The defunct Geauga Lake ; Hurricane: Category 5 at the defunct Myrtle Beach Pavilion ; and The Legend at Holiday World ). CCI's coaster designs included both out and back layouts like Hoosier Hurricane at Indiana Beach as well as more twisted layouts like Megafobia at Oakwood Theme Park . Megafobia was also the company's first coaster outside the United States. CCI coasters were also unique at
5369-434: The first successful attempt of an inversion on a wooden coaster, a vertical loop made of steel. A decade later, the introduction of Topper Track by Rocky Mountain Construction allowed for new possibilities, with corkscrews , overbanked turns, and other inverting elements appearing on wooden coasters such as Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City and Goliath at Six Flags Great America . The 1920s are generally considered
5460-509: The former Custom Coasters International formed The Gravity Group and in 2005 opened Hades (now Hades 360) at Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park . The coaster features highly unique elements, including an airtime filled pre-lift section, an 800-foot tunnel underneath a parking lot, and a 90 degree banked turn. In 2006, The Gravity Group built The Voyage at Holiday World , a large wooden coaster which stands 163 feet tall, has over 6,442 feet of track, three 90 degree banked turns, and has been ranked
5551-557: The modern wooden coaster. In 2011, they renovated the Texas Giant, which had become very rough and hard to maintain, into a steel roller coaster. This treatment became popular and was later applied to other aging roller coasters such as Iron Rattler and Twisted Colossus . In addition, RMC designs and builds their own original wooden coasters. In 2016, the company opened the world's first launched wooden roller coaster, Lightning Rod which opened at Dollywood in 2016, and until 2024 featured
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#17328513518735642-541: The number one wooden coaster in the world by Amusement Today five times. Many of the Gravity Group's coasters are highly unique and custom built for the park, such as Twister at Gröna Lund , which has a highly compact layout to fit in the parks small footprint. Their coasters have become very popular in China , in which 12 coasters have been built since 2009. Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) has recently been revolutionizing
5733-427: The operator of the coaster. After the first Derby Racer at Revere Beach was demolished in 1936, a new racing roller coaster with the same name was constructed in 1937. This coaster was built by H. A. Bauscher, and designed by noted roller coaster designer Harry C. Baker . Little is written about the coaster, however, and it was demolished 11 years later in 1948. Wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster
5824-398: The other's track. Both Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park and Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure feature interlocking corkscrews. Bolliger & Mabillard introduced a variation of the corkscrew that they call a flat spin, where riders are quickly snapped through the inversion at varying speeds, as opposed to a standard corkscrew that rotates riders at slower, constant speeds. A cutback
5915-472: The partnership ended. Custom Coasters International was formed in 1991 by Denise Dinn-Larrick (daughter of Charlie Dinn), her brother Jeff Dinn, and her husband Randy Larrick. After the closure of Dinn Corporation, several other designers joined CCI. The company's first coaster, Kingdom Coaster at Dutch Wonderland , was a small family coaster that stood only 55 feet high. As time went on, they began to design larger coasters. One of their earlier coasters that
6006-513: The relocation of The Rocket from Playland Park to Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania . It now operates as the Phoenix and is ranked highly on wooden coaster polls. In 1988, Charlie Dinn started a partnership with Curtis D. Summers to design and build new wooden coasters. Between 1988 and 1991, they designed and built ten new wooden coasters. While most were of typical wooden coaster size,
6097-504: The ride in many installations. The traditional " pirate ship " style thrill ride often utilizes this type of restraint, as does the Troika . A drive tire, or squeeze tire depending on its usage, is a motorized tire used to propel a roller coaster train along a piece of track. Although they are most often used in station areas and brake runs , they can also be used to launch trains at greater speeds. However, they are generally used to propel
6188-429: The ride within the station, but this is not always at the same location where boarding passengers are waiting. A roller coaster train describes the vehicle (s) which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized universal joint . The vehicle is called a "train" due to its similarities with
6279-416: The ride. A pre-drop, or preliminary drop, is any small hill following the lift hill that precedes the main drop. After a train is hauled up the lift and begins to descend down the hill in a standard configuration, the force of gravity pulls the train cars that are still hooked to the lift. When a pre-drop is used, the tension and stress on the lift mechanism is reduced prior to the train's release. The element
6370-462: The ride. Some are very common and appear on every roller coaster in some form, while others are unique to certain makes and models. Amusement parks often compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coasters to attract thrill seekers and boost park attendance. As coaster design evolved with the aid of computer-simulated models, newer innovations produced more intense thrills while improving overall quality and durability. A banked turn
6461-449: The southern United States, due to its density and adherence to different forms of pressure treatment . Early wooden roller coaster design of the 19th century featured a single set of wheels running on top of the track, which was common in scenic railway rides. John A. Miller introduced side friction coasters and later underfriction coasters in the early 20th century, which added additional sets of wheels running along multiple sides of
6552-452: The surge in the 1970s, wooden coasters construction became stagnant due to the steel roller coaster being much more popular. Most original coasters during this time were designed by William Cobb , such as Monstre at La Ronde . Another trend during the 1980s was relocating old wooden coasters in danger of being destroyed. Charlie Dinn, who formed Dinn Corporation after leaving Kings Island in 1984, oversaw some of these relocations, including
6643-461: The tallest rider, with both hands up, would be unable to make contact assuming rider height requirements are being met. Headchoppers were originally common elements on wooden coasters but have since become increasingly more common on steel coasters as well. On inverted roller coasters , the equivalent is a foot chopper , which creates the illusion that riders' legs will make contact with the ride's support structure or some other structure, similar to
6734-554: The time for sometimes featuring angle iron support structures rather than wooden beams (the track remains the same as other wooden coasters). Most CCI coasters ran Philadelphia Toboggan Company trains, although some, like The Boss at Six Flags St. Louis, run trains from the German manufacturer Gerstlauer . In 2002, Custom Coasters declared bankruptcy while building the New Mexico Rattler at Cliff's Amusement Park . The company left
6825-454: The time, was uncommon for wooden coasters. Opening in 1979, the coaster was, and still is, the longest wooden roller coaster in the world at 7,361 feet. Another significant wooden coaster of this era was the racing American Eagle at (now) Six Flags Great America , built by Intamin in 1981, which still holds the records for racing wooden coasters of height (127 ft), length (4650 ft), speed (66 mph), and drop (147 ft). After
6916-425: The track reduces the maximum force applied, like a shock absorber. Like steel roller coasters, wooden roller coasters usually use the same three-wheel design, pioneered by John Miller . Each set of wheels includes a running wheel (on top of the track), a side friction (or "guide") wheel (to guide motion in the lateral plane and reduce excessive side-to-side movement known as " hunting ") and an upstop wheel (beneath
7007-531: The track to allow for more intense ride design with sharper turns and steeper drops. The underfriction design became commonplace and continues to be used in modern roller coaster design. Traditionally, wooden roller coasters were not capable of featuring extreme elements such as inversions , near-vertical drops, and overbanked turns commonly found on steel roller coasters after the introduction of tubular steel track by Arrow Development in 1959. Son of Beast at Kings Island made history in 2000 by incorporating
7098-472: The track to prevent cars from flying off the track). Some wooden coasters, such as Leap-The-Dips , do not have upstop wheels and are known as side friction roller coasters . As a result, the turns and drops are more gentle than on modern wooden roller coasters. Scenic Railway roller coasters also lack upstop wheels but rely on a brake operator to control the speed so that upstop wheels are not necessary. A handful of wooden coasters use flanged wheels, similar to
7189-424: The track underneath the car and a matching metal plate attached to the car moves across the magnetic pole faces. By applying a multiphase alternating current to the poles, the pole plate induces eddy currents into the moving plate and can be used to accelerate or brake the car. Compared to other drive mechanisms, the linear motor is typically maintenance-free. The pole faces on the track and moving plate attached to
7280-448: The train kinetic energy immediately during its quick acceleration at launch, which often occurs before the train enters its first significant incline. A launch track normally includes some form of brakes to brace for an expected return of the train, such as in a shuttle roller coaster design, or for an unexpected return of the train when a rollback occurs on a complete-circuit coaster. Rollbacks are more common on coasters that feature
7371-627: The train at speeds between 5-8 mph. The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure is notable for using drive tires to launch the train up an incline. Some roller coasters use drive tires instead of a chain on lift hills. Notable examples include many junior coasters made by Vekoma and Zierer , The Olympia Looping traveling roller coaster, and Mindbender at Galaxyland . Drive tires are also used to power other types of amusement rides, such as ferris wheels , Pirate Ships , and other spinning rides. When oriented horizontally, drive tires are often put in pairs so as to "squeeze"
7462-542: The train completely. Roller coasters may incorporate multiple brake runs throughout the coaster's track layout to adjust the train's speed at any given time. While modern roller coasters have at least one computer-controlled brake run embedded in the track, older coasters such as The Great Scenic Railway at Luna Park Melbourne may have brakes onboard the train and rely on a brakeman operator to apply them as needed. Older wooden coasters are also more likely to rely on skid brakes, which may still depend on manual engagement at
7553-519: The train makes a turn of more than 180 degrees; however, because of the entry and exit curves, the overall effect is that of a 180-degree turn that exits toward the direction from which it entered, roughly parallel to the portion of track preceding the hammerhead turn. Hammerhead turns are found on some B&M hypercoasters . Examples of these coasters are Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure , Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland , Diamondback at Kings Island and Mako at SeaWorld Orlando . A horseshoe
7644-405: The train passes through keyhole elements. The train seats riders in pairs on both sides of the track, with nothing above or below each rider, as it passes through the center of an object creating the illusion its passengers may not have enough clearance to fit. A helix is a section of track that forms a spiral, which generally exceeds 360°. Helixes can spiral upward or downward. A launch track
7735-421: The train upward; a cable lift system as seen on Millennium Force at Cedar Point ; or a linear synchronous motor system as seen on Maverick . Launch lift hills are similar to launch tracks, but inclined rather than flat. Sometimes, launch lift hills serve the same purpose as lift hills but offer faster transport to the top of the lift hill; or they are sometimes used to power the train up into an element, like
7826-417: The train usually exiting in the opposite direction from which it entered. Top hats are commonly found on launched coasters, and in a standard configuration, the track twists so that the train does not invert during the ride. Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point and Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure — the only two strata coasters in existence — feature a top hat element. In
7917-408: Was Sea Serpent at Morey's Piers in 1984. A corkscrew inversion resembles a helix that rotates riders 360 degrees perpendicular to the track. It was named for its resemblance of a corkscrew tool used to remove bottle corks. Unlike vertical loops , riders face forward for the duration of the inversion. The corkscrew was the first modern-day coaster inversion element. It first appeared in 1975 on
8008-466: Was also the design peak for some of the world's greatest coaster designers, including John A. Miller , Harry Traver , Herb Schmeck , and the partnership of Prior and Church . Many wooden roller coasters of this time were demolished during the Great Depression , but a few still stand as American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) classics and landmarks. This relatively quiet age of coaster design following
8099-687: Was rated the number one wooden roller coaster in the world by Amusement Today . Great Coasters International (GCI) was formed in 1994 by Mike Boodley and Clair Hain, Jr, the former of whom was a designer at Custom Coasters prior to GCI. The first coaster was Wildcat at Hersheypark which opened in 1996. Since then, they have become one of the major wooden coaster designers in the industry, with award-winning coasters like Lightning Racer at Hersheypark and Thunderhead at Dollywood . GCI's coasters feature highly twisted layouts with many crossovers, and usually use GCI's own wooden coaster trains called Millennium Flyers. Their designs are inspired by coasters from
8190-423: Was the last coaster designed by John Allen before his retirement. After these coasters, PTC stopped producing roller coasters, but continues to produce wooden roller coaster trains as Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. Their distinctive rectangular cars are widely used on wooden coasters around the world. A notable non-PTC coaster built during this time was The Beast at Kings Island. After John Allen refused to design
8281-408: Was well received was The Raven at Holiday World . Custom Coasters took on increasingly high numbers of wooden coaster projects, including 7 coasters in 2000 alone ( The Boss at Six Flags St. Louis , which was the largest with a 153-foot drop and almost a mile of track; Medusa at Six Flags Mexico ; Mega Zeph at the defunct Six Flags New Orleans ; Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce ; Villain at
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