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64-527: New Mexico Rattler is a wooden roller coaster located at Cliff's Amusement Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico . The roller coaster was designed and manufactured by Custom Coasters International (CCI); the park completed the attraction after CCI went bankrupt in July 2002. The New Mexico Rattler opened on September 28, 2002, having cost $ 2 million. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 80 feet (24 m), with

128-541: 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

192-419: A contest for the public to submit names through local Wendy's locations for the attraction. Park officials wanted to advertise the roller coaster to an adult demographic and would increase park admission prices. The construction of the roller coaster would result in "15 to 30 jobs" being added, with the park aiming for an increase in attendance for the 2003 season. Installation of concrete foundations began after

256-423: A drop. The train ascends to the left before dropping into a succession of curved hills; thereafter entering a right-banked hill. Following the banked turn, the train continually descends into the 125-foot (38-meter) tunnel, emerging in an upward right banked turn. The train continues downward into a right turn, ascending a few hills before banking into the left turn. Exiting the turn, the train goes slightly right into

320-409: 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

384-443: 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

448-577: A large addition to the park was feasible. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks , park co-owner Gary Hays brought forward the construction of its conceived roller coaster by a year to help in the recovery of tourism. Then-mayor of Albuquerque Martin Chávez assisted in facilitating permits for the park to build the roller coaster in 2002; in part, facing some opposition from city hall. Hays contracted Custom Coasters International (CCI) to manufacture and build

512-523: 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,

576-499: A maximum speed of 47 mph (76 km/h) and a total track length of 2,750 feet (840 m). The New Mexico Rattler spans the entire length of the park but only occupies one acre (0.40 ha) of land. Located in the southwest section, the roller coaster navigates over different attractions throughout the park. The New Mexico Rattler utilizes a steel support structure with a wooden track. The layout incorporates elements of an out and back and twister roller coaster . Upon opening,

640-473: A new opening date scheduled for mid-July. A second set back to its opening date in July delayed the roller coaster's opening near the fall season, due to pending delivery of construction materials. In late July, manufacturer CCI filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio , ending operation. At the time of the manufacturer's bankruptcy, the "roller coaster

704-486: A rail car, eliminating the need for side friction wheels. The following list is in alphabetical order. Brake run The different types of brake runs are classified under two main categories: trim brakes and block brakes. A trim brake refers to a braking section that slows a train, while a block brake has the ability to stop a train completely in addition to slowing it down. Block brakes are important to roller coasters that operate more than one train simultaneously, in

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768-611: 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

832-667: 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

896-498: 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

960-501: A variety of braking methods that have evolved over time. Skid brakes involve a long piece of material, often ceramic -covered, that is situated in the middle of the track parallel to the rails . When the brake is engaged, the skid raises and causes friction against the underside of the train, reducing its speed. They can be used to slow or stop the train. Skid brakes were one of the first advancements in roller coaster braking and are typically found on older wooden coasters, such as Leap

1024-480: A writer for the Albuquerque Journal , commented on the roller coaster's nonstop pacing, stating there were "no pauses in the ride, no slowing down". Potts also remarked that after the initial drop "the speed is unrelenting", relating the experience to that of falling "off a five-story building and living to tell about it". Potts recorded several guests reactions to the roller coaster, with one guest commenting on

1088-406: Is a loss of power. They are also constructed with a certain measure of redundancy, incorporating extra sets of brakes in the event that one set fails. Opening is done by a bellows type of air-operated actuator, with each set of brakes fitted with its own air supply system that is controlled by supply valves that open and release the brake when it is safe to do so. A heavy spring usually made of steel

1152-423: 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 the southern United States, due to its density and adherence to different forms of pressure treatment . Early wooden roller coaster design of

1216-423: 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

1280-458: 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

1344-431: Is used to hold the brake closed when engaged. Instead of relying on friction, which can often be affected by weather conditions such as rain, magnetic brakes apply resistance through magnetism without making direct contact with the train. They are made up of one or two rows of neodymium magnets . When a metal fin made of copper or a copper-aluminum alloy passes between the rows of magnets, eddy currents are generated in

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1408-474: The "2003 best promotion award" for actualizing the wooden roller coaster and marketing efforts. The New Mexico Rattler received various placements on Amusement Today 's Golden Ticket Awards as being one of the top wooden roller coasters. Wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster 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

1472-494: 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

1536-693: 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 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

1600-509: 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

1664-616: The Dips , the world's oldest roller coaster still in operation. Friction brakes, commonly called fin brakes, involve a computer-controlled clamping system that squeeze metal fins attached underneath the train. Friction brakes can be used to slow or stop the train and are the most common form of brakes found on modern roller coasters. They can involve thick metal box beams or thin metal plates. They slide between pairs of friction pads similar to automotive brake pads . Friction brakes are designed to be fail-safe , allowing them to engage even when there

1728-764: 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

1792-690: 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 ,

1856-504: 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

1920-580: 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

1984-468: 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

New Mexico Rattler - Misplaced Pages Continue

2048-541: The different positive ride experiences in the front and back; another expressing their enthusiasm for the roller coaster, wanting to ride it again. During the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) 2003 exposition, the park earned two Brass Rings in relation to its press kit and billboard advertisements for the New Mexico Rattler. The Cliff's Amusement Park owners also earned

2112-425: The event that one train stalls on a portion of the track. 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. Trim brakes are brake run sections that reduce the speed of the train but are not intended to stop

2176-624: The fin, creating a magnetic force that opposes the fin's motion. The resultant braking force is directly proportional to the speed at which the fin is moving through the brake element. Magnetic brakes can be found in two configurations: Magnetic brakes are silent and provide a smoother riding experience than friction brakes, gradually increasing the braking power so that the people on the ride do not experience rapid changes in deceleration. Intamin began incorporating them with their Accelerator Coaster models, as well as Bolliger & Mabillard beginning in 2004 with their installation of Silver Bullet,

2240-441: The final brake run before turning right to enter the station. One cycle of the roller coaster takes approximately a minute and fifteen seconds to complete. The New Mexico Rattler was primarily designed, manufactured, and constructed by Custom Coasters International. Before the manufacturer's closure, there were around 25 people who worked on building the wooden roller coaster, both from the company and locally. Engineering plans for

2304-603: The first inverted coaster to feature magnetic brakes. There are also third-party companies, such as Magnetar Technologies Corp., which provide a service to retrofit existing coasters with magnetic braking technology to increase safety, improve rider comfort, and lower maintenance costs and labor. A disadvantage of magnetic braking is that the eddy force is not usually stable enough to hold a train completely still, and as such cannot be used as block brakes. Magnetic brakes are often complemented by an additional set of friction brakes or "kicker wheels", rubber tires that make contact with

2368-509: 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

2432-577: The introduction of tubular steel track by Arrow Development in 1959. Son of Beast at Kings Island made history in 2000 by incorporating 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

2496-557: 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

2560-541: 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

2624-412: The originally planned 2,620 feet (800 m). The New Mexico Rattler operates with one train, which has six cars that contain two rows of two seats, allowing a maximum capacity of 24 people. The train was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters . Each seat contains a lap bar restraint system. Upon opening, the New Mexico Rattler generally received positive reviews from guests and critics. Leanne Potts,

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2688-472: 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

2752-513: 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,

2816-447: The roller coaster generally received positive reviews from guests and critics, and it received several awards. A major roller coaster at the Cliff's Amusement Park had been proposed for ten years prior to its construction. The growing size of Albuquerque, New Mexico , was a contributing factor in constructing the roller coaster; by the early 2000s, the nearby population had grown enough that

2880-572: The roller coaster in January 2002, based on their reputation and deals offered. A month later, groundbreaking and construction of the roller coaster began. Park owners Gary and Linda Hays, as well as Chávez, announced the construction of the roller coaster at the Albuquerque city hall on February 20, 2002. The unnamed wooden roller coaster would cost $ 2 million to construct and have a projected opening date for June 21. Park officials simultaneously announced

2944-416: The roller coaster took a month to complete. The roller coaster spans the entirety of the amusement park. The roller coaster lies on one acre (0.40 ha) of land and is located in the southwest section of Cliff's Amusement Park. The park relocated several attractions as a result of New Mexico Rattler's construction. In addition, the roller coaster navigates over multiple rides and trees. The New Mexico Rattler

3008-443: The roller coaster were conducted on September 27, 2002, and it opened the next day, September 28. After leaving the station , the train dips to the right before ascending the 25.4-degree, 80-foot (24-meter) lift hill . Cresting the hill, the train descends the 52-degree, 75-foot (23-meter) right-banked drop, reaching its maximum speed of 47 mph (76 km/h). It then traverses a series of left-banked hills before descending into

3072-579: The roller coaster's announcement. The contest ended in April 2002, with the name, "New Mexico Rattler", chosen from a 4-year-old's submission in May. The owners selected the name because of its likeness to the predator and state. In early May, steel supports began to be built, with construction of the wooden track taking place soon after. The roller coaster's anticipated opening date was set back in June due to construction delays;

3136-452: 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

3200-554: 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

3264-454: 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

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3328-425: 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

3392-472: 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

3456-476: The track. They act as virtual barriers between the trains running on the roller coaster, preventing collisions should one train stop along the course for any reason. Block brake sections must also be engineered so that the train can begin moving again upon release, either by using a slight downward slope to let gravity take its course or by using drive tires to push the train out of the block. These are commonly called mid-course brake runs. Roller coasters utilize

3520-411: The train and effectively park it. Another disadvantage is that they cannot be conventionally disengaged like other types of brakes. Instead, the fins or magnets must be retracted so that the fins no longer pass between the magnets. Accelerator Coasters, for example, have a series of magnetic brake fins located on the launch track. Prior to the train's launch, the brakes are retracted out of the way to allow

3584-407: The train completely. They may be engineered into a ride during design in anticipation of certain trouble spots, or later retrofitted in areas where trains are traveling at higher-than-expected speeds. Trim brakes can also be added for safety reasons, lowering the g-force riders experience at various points throughout the track layout, or for preventative maintenance reasons, reducing wear-and-tear on

3648-430: The train to reach its maximum speed. After launch, the brake fins are raised back in position to stop the train in the event of a rollback . An example of this can be found on Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure . While skid brakes already existed by the time Scenic Railway had been conceived, LaMarcus Adna Thompson decided against using these brakes for his Scenic Railway roller coasters, and instead opted for using

3712-425: The trains or track. A proximity sensor often precedes the trim brake in order to identify the current speed of the passing train and determining how much the brake will need to slow the train, if at all. Block brakes also have the ability to slow the train but serve the additional purpose of being able to stop the train completely. This is required on roller coasters that operate more than one train simultaneously on

3776-473: Was 95% finished". Following CCI's closure, the park employed seventeen previous workers from manufacturer and another eight workers to finish the roller coaster. The delays caused additional costs to the $ 2 million initially slated for its construction, and the bankruptcy was partially attributed by industry experts to the amusement market decline. The roller coaster was removed from advertising that had been intended to promote it until it opened. Final test runs for

3840-466: 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

3904-687: 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

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3968-495: Was the first major roller coaster built in New Mexico. Contrasting from traditional wooden roller coasters, the New Mexico Rattler utilizes steel supports, which required less area to support the wooden track. The roller coaster combines features an out and back and twister layout. The roller coaster exerts a maximum of 3.1 g-forces to its riders. The roller coaster has a total track length of 2,750 feet (840 m), longer than

4032-423: 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

4096-408: 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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