The track of a typical roller coaster. This track scheme is loosely based on the Crystal Beach Cyclone. The Crystal Beach Cyclone is one of a 'Terrifying Triplet' of highly extreme and vicious Roller Coasters designed and built by Harry G

The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. Rides redirects here For the album by Reef see Rides (album, and for the BBC television series see Rides (TV series. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first roller coaster on January 20, 1885. LaMarcus Adna Thompson ( March 8, 1848 &ndash May 8, 1919 in Ohio, United States is best known for his early work developing Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1885 ( MDCCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In essence a specialized railroad system, a roller coaster consists of a track that rises in designed patterns, sometimes with one or more inversions (such as vertical loops) that turn the rider briefly upside down. A roller coaster inversion is an element of a Roller coaster track that turns riders upside-down and then rights them History The vertical loop is not a recent roller coaster innovation The track does not necessarily have to be a complete circuit, as shuttle roller coasters exhibit. A shuttle roller coaster is any Roller coaster that ultimately does not make a complete circuit but rather reverses at some point throughout its course and traverses the same Most roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers sit and are restrained. An entire set of cars hooked together is called a train. A roller coaster train describes the Vehicle (s which transports Passengers around a Roller coaster 's circuit Some roller coasters, notably Wild Mouse roller coasters, run with single cars. A Wild Mouse roller coaster (or Wildemous, Mad Mouse or Rat Run) is a type of Roller coaster characterized

In what may be a practical application of the roller coaster, NASA has announced that it will build one to help astronauts escape the Ares I launch pad in an emergency. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Ares I is the crew Launch vehicle being developed by NASA as a component of Project Constellation. ^[1]

Etymology

There are several explanations of the name roller coaster. It is said to have originated from an early French design where slides or ramps were fitted with rollers over which a sled would coast. ^[2] This design was abandoned in favor of fitting the wheels to the sled or other vehicles, but the name endured.

Another explanation is that it originated from a ride located in a roller skating rink in Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1887. A toboggan-like sled was raised to the top of a track which consisted of hundreds of rollers. A toboggan is a simple Sled used on snow to carry one or more people (often children down a hill or other slope for recreation This Roller Toboggan then took off down gently rolling hills to the floor. The inventors of this ride, Stephen E. Jackman and Byron B. Floyd, claim that they were the first to use the term "roller coaster. "^[3]

The term jet coaster is used for roller coasters in Japan, where such amusement park rides are very popular. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^[4]

History

Main article: History of the roller coaster

"Russian Mountains"

The oldest roller coasters descended from the so-called "Russian Mountains," which were specially constructed hills of ice, located especially around Saint Petersburg. The history of the Roller coaster stretches back to ice slides constructed in 17th century Russia and spans all the way to the many and varied modern coasters of today Russian Mountains were a predecessor to the Roller coaster. The earliest roller coasters descended from Russian winter sled rides held on specially constructed hills of Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River ^[5] Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 70 and 80 feet (24 m), consisted of a 50 degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports. "Russian mountains" remains the term for roller coasters in many languages.

Some historians say the first real roller coaster was built under the orders of Russia's Catherine the Great in the Gardens of Oreinbaum in Saint Petersburg in the year 1784. Other historians believe that the first roller coaster was built by the French. The Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville (The Russian Mountains of Belleville) constructed in Paris in 1812 and the Promenades Aeriennes both featured wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds. ^[2]

Scenic gravity railroads

In 1827, a mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania constructed the Mauch Chunk gravity railroad, an 8. Summit Hill is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad, originally called the Mauch Chunk Railroad, was a 9-mile (14-km Gravity railroad in Pennsylvania A Gravity railroad ( US) or Gravity railway ( UK) is a Railroad on a slope that allow cars carrying minerals or passengers to coast 7mi (14km) downhill track used to deliver coal to Mauch Chunk (now known as Jim Thorpe), Pennsylvania. Jim Thorpe is a Borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 4804 at the 2000 census. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern ^[6] By the 1850s, the "Gravity Road" (as it became known) was providing rides to thrill-seekers for 50 cents a ride. Railway companies used similar tracks to provide amusement on days when ridership was low.

Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884. The original Switchback Railway at Coney Island was the first Roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America.

Using this idea as a basis, LaMarcus Adna Thompson began work on a gravity Switchback Railway that opened at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York in 1884. The original Switchback Railway at Coney Island was the first Roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America. Coney Island is a Peninsula, formerly an island in southernmost Brooklyn, New York City, USA with a Beach on the Atlantic Ocean ^[7] Passengers climbed to the top of a platform and rode a bench-like car down the 600 ft (180 m) track up to the top of another tower where the vehicle was switched to a return track and the passengers took the return trip. ^[3] This track design was soon replaced with an oval complete circuit. ^[2] In 1885, Phillip Hinkle introduced the first full-circuit coaster with a lift hill, the Gravity Pleasure Road, which was soon the most popular attraction at Coney Island. A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical Roller coaster that initially transports the Roller coaster ^[2] Not to be outdone, in 1886 LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented his design of roller coaster that included dark tunnels with painted scenery. "Scenic Railways" were to be found in amusement parks across the county. ^[2]

Popularity, decline and revival

The Scenic Railway at Luna Park (Melbourne, Australia), the world's oldest continually-operating rollercoaster, built in 1912.

By 1912, the first underfriction roller coaster had been developed by John Miller. On a Roller coaster train, the underfriction, up-lift, or up-stop wheels are a device to keep the train from jumping off the track under John A Miller (born August John Mueller in 1872 Homewood Illinois - died June 24, 1941, Houston Texas) was a Roller coaster designer Soon, roller coasters spread to amusement parks all around the world. Perhaps the best known historical roller coaster, The Cyclone, was opened at Coney Island in 1927. The Coney Island Cyclone, better known as simply the Cyclone, is a well known Roller coaster in Coney Island.

The Great Depression marked the end of the first golden age of roller coasters, and theme parks in general went into decline. This lasted until 1972, when The Racer was built at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio (near Cincinnati). Kings Island is a 364-acre (15 km² Theme park located in the city of Mason, in Warren County Ohio, USA. Designed by John Allen, the instant success of The Racer began a second golden age, which has continued to this day.

Steel roller coasters

In 1959, the Disneyland theme park introduced a new design breakthrough in roller coasters with the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Disneyland, marketed as the happiest place on Earth, is an American Theme park in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt The Matterhorn Bobsleds or the Matterhorn is an attraction made up of two intertwining Steel roller coasters at Disneyland in Anaheim This was the first roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. Unlike conventional wooden rails, tubular steel can be bent in any direction, which allows designers to incorporate loops, corkscrews, and many other maneuvers into their designs. Most modern roller coasters are made of steel, although wooden roller coasters are still being built.

New designs and technologies are pushing the limits of what can be experienced on the newest coasters. Electromagnetically-launched coasters are examples of such technologies. The launched roller coaster is a modern form of Roller coaster which has risen to prominence within the last decade

Mechanics

The cars on a typical roller coaster are not self-powered. Instead, a standard full circuit roller coaster is pulled up with a chain or cable along the lift hill to the first peak of the coaster track. The potential energy accumulated by the rise in height is transferred to kinetic energy as the cars race down the first downward slope. Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system The kinetic energy of an object is the extra Energy which it possesses due to its motion Kinetic energy is then converted back into potential energy as the train moves up again to the second peak. This hill is necessarily lower, as some mechanical energy is lost to friction. Friction is the Force resisting the relative motion of two Surfaces in contact or a surface in contact with a fluid (e

Not all roller coasters feature a lift hill, however. The train may be set into motion by a launch mechanism such as a flywheel launch, linear induction motors, linear synchronous motors, hydraulic launch, compressed air launch or drive tire. The launched roller coaster is a modern form of Roller coaster which has risen to prominence within the last decade Such launched roller coasters are capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter length of track than those featuring a conventional lift hill. The launched roller coaster is a modern form of Roller coaster which has risen to prominence within the last decade Some roller coasters move back and forth along the same section of track; these are known as shuttles and usually run the circuit once with riders moving forwards and then backwards through the same course.

A properly designed roller coaster under good conditions will have enough kinetic, or moving, energy to complete the entire course, at the end of which brakes bring the train to a complete stop and it is pushed into the station. A brake run at the end of the circuit is the most common method of bringing the roller coaster ride to a stop. A brake run on a Roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train One notable exception is a powered roller coaster. A Powered Coaster is a Roller coaster which relies on a motor in the train to complete the course often replacing a traditional chain lift hill These rides, instead of being powered by gravity, use one or more motors in the cars to propel the trains along the course.

If a continuous-circuit roller coaster does not have enough kinetic energy to completely travel the course after descending from its highest point (as can happen with high winds or increased friction), the train can valley: that is, roll backwards and forwards along the track, until all kinetic energy has been released. The train will then come to a complete stop in the middle of the track. This, however, works somewhat differently on a launched roller coaster. When a train launcher does not have enough potential energy to launch the train to the top of an incline, the train is said to "roll back." On some modern roller coasters, such as Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, this is an occurrence highly sought after by many coaster enthusiasts. A rollback occurs on a Launched roller coaster when the train is not launched fast enough to reach the top of the tower Top Thrill Dragster is a steel hydraulically-launched Roller coaster located at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio Cedar Point is a 364 acre (15 km² Amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, U Sandusky is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Erie County.

Timing

Most large roller coasters have the ability to run two or more trains at once. A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another These rides use a block system, which prevents the trains from colliding. In a block system, the track is divided into several sections, or blocks. Only one train at a time is permitted in each block. At the end of each block, there is a section of track where a train can be stopped if necessary (either by preventing dispatch from the station, closing brakes, or stopping a lift). Sensors at the end of each block detect when a train passes so that the computer running the ride is aware of which blocks are occupied. When the computer detects a train about to travel into an already occupied block, it uses whatever method is available to keep it from entering. The trains are fully automated. The above can cause a cascade effect when multiple trains become stopped at the end of each block. In order to prevent this problem, ride operators follow set procedures regarding when to release a newly-loaded train from the station. One common pattern, used on rides with two trains, is to do the following: hold train #1 (which has just finished the ride) right outside the station, release train #2 (which has loaded while #1 was running), and then allow #1 into the station to unload safely.

Safety

Because roller coasters are intended to feel risky, accidents such as the September 5, 2003 fatality at the Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, attract public attention. This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Disney-owned theme parks, Amusement parks, or water parks. Theme

Statistically, roller coasters are very safe. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 134 park guests required hospitalization in 2001 and that fatalities related to amusement rides average two per year. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (U S CPSC is an independent agency of the U According to a study commissioned by Six Flags, 319 million people visited parks in 2001. The study concluded that a visitor has a one in one-and-a-half billion chance of being fatally injured, and that the injury rates for children's wagons, golf, and folding lawn chairs are higher than for amusement rides. ^[8] In fact, driving to the amusement park has a higher risk of injury than riding the rides at the amusement park. It is not unusual for park management to pay higher insurance premiums for carousels than they do for roller coasters. A carousel ( carrousel in French) is an Amusement ride consisting of a rotating platform with seats for passengers

Many safety systems are implemented within roller coaster systems. The key to the mechanical fail safes is the control of the roller coaster's operating computers: programmable logic controllers (often called PLCs). A programmable logic controller ( PLC) or programmable controller is a Digital computer used for Automation of industrial processes such as Most roller coasters run with three separate PLCs; however, only one PLC is required to detect a fault for the ride's fail-safes to be activated. This is often the reason that the ride trains may stop on the lift or the brake runs, yet after a short time the ride starts again without any obvious maintenance by staff. It is likely in such a case that one of the PLCs detected a fault by mistake, and the ride operator only needed to restart the ride.

Nevertheless, accidents do occur. Amusement park accidents often result in serious injury or death to somebody visiting or working at an amusement park ^[9] Regulations vary from one authority to another. Thus in the USA, California requires amusement parks to report any ride-related accident that requires an emergency room visit, while Florida exempts parks whose parent companies employ more than 1000 people from having to report any accidents at all. Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts has introduced legislation that would give oversight of rides to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Ride accidents can be caused by riders or ride operators not following safety directions properly, but in extremely rare cases riders can be injured by mechanical failures. One such example was the 2006 de-railing of one car on the Wild Thing roller coaster at Valleyfair. Wild Thing, located at the Valleyfair Amusement park in Shakopee Minnesota, is a steel out-and-back Roller coaster Valleyfair is a 90 acre (05 km² Amusement park located in Shakopee Minnesota, USA and is currently the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest This accident was not a serious accident, as is with almost all roller coaster accidents. Witnesses say the back car of the train derailed just as the train was entering the final brake run, and nobody was seriously hurt.

In recent years, controversy has arisen about the safety of the increasingly extreme rides. There have been suggestions that these may be subjecting passengers to translational and rotational accelerations that may be capable of causing brain injuries. In 2003 the Brain Injury Association of America concluded in a report that "There is evidence that roller coaster rides pose a health risk to some people some of the time. Equally evident is that the overwhelming majority of riders will suffer no ill effects. " ^[10]

A similar report in 2005 linked roller coasters and other thrill rides with potentially triggering abnormal heart conditions that could lead to death. ^[11] Autopsies have shown that recent deaths at various Disney parks, Anheuser-Busch parks, and Six Flags parks were due to previously undetected heart ailments. This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Disney-owned theme parks, Amusement parks, or water parks. This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Anheuser-Busch-owned Amusement parks, Water parks or Theme parks. This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at Amusement parks, water parks, or Theme parks currently owned or managed by Six Flags.

Physics

Roller coaster design is a science, as well as an art: the designer must use knowledge of kinematics to avoid overstressing the human body and building an uncomfortable or dangerous ride. Kinematics ( Greek κινειν, kinein, to move is a branch of Classical mechanics which describes the motion of objects without The acceleration is a significant design parameter, as is the rate of change of acceleration, jerk. In Physics, jerk, jolt (especially in British English) surge or lurch, is the rate of change of Acceleration; that is Jerk is often used in engineering as some precision or fragile objects—such as passengers—need time to sense stress changes and adjust their muscle tension to avoid injuries such as whiplash. Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and Whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders (WAD represent a range of injuries to the Neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck Designers also have to incorporate gravitational forces into their design. g-force (also G-force, g-load) is a measurement of an object's Acceleration expressed in g s On a roller coaster, humans have certain limits of G-forces that they can endure. Positive vertical forces (ones that push riders down into the seat) can be withstood the easiest, with forces almost going into the 6 G (six times the force of gravity) range. Gravitation is a natural Phenomenon by which objects with Mass attract one another Negative vertical forces (a type of force that, if balanced with gravity correctly, will give the sensation of weightlessness), a force on a roller coaster in which the car crests a hill or similar element, and the riders are pushed out of their seat from centrifugal force. Weightlessness is a phenomenon experienced by people during Free-fall. Designers normally don't exceed -1. 5 to -2 G-forces in this type of force because it is the hardest for riders to endure. Lateral G-forces are also experienced on almost every ride ever built. This is the force that throws the rider toward one side of the seat when going around a curve. Normal lateral forces on a roller coaster usually don't exceed 1. 5 Gs, though some have been recorded as 1. 8. Lateral forces can cause an uncomfortable, rough feeling on a roller coaster if there is too much force.

Types of roller coasters

Today, there are two main types of roller coaster:

• Steel roller coasters
• Wooden roller coasters

Steel coasters are known for their smooth ride and often convoluted shapes that frequently turn riders upside-down via inversions. A steel roller coaster is a Roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of Steel. A wooden roller coaster or woodie is most often classified as a Roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid Wooden coasters are typically renowned by enthusiasts for their rougher ride and "air time" produced by negative G-forces when the train reaches the top of hills along the ride. There are also hybrid roller coasters that combine a steel structure with wood tracks, or a wood structure with steel tracks. A hybrid roller coaster is a Roller coaster design in which the track is made from a different material from the structure

Modern roller coasters take on many different forms. Some designs take their cue from how the rider is positioned to experience the ride. Traditionally, riders sit facing forward in the coaster car, while newer coaster designs have ignored this tradition in the quest for building more exciting, unique ride experiences. Variations such as the stand-up roller coaster and the flying roller coaster position the rider in different ways to provide different experiences. A stand-up roller coaster is a Roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride A flying roller coaster is a variation of Roller coaster meant to simulate the sensations of flight Stand-up coasters involve cars that have the riders in a standing position (though still heavily strapped in). Flying coasters have the riders hanging below the track face-down with their chests and feet strapped in. Vekoma "Flying Dutchman" coasters have the riders starting out sitting above the track, then they fully recline so that the riders are looking at the sky. Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV is a Roller coaster and Thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The Flying Dutchman, according to Folklore, is a Ghost ship that can never go home and is doomed to sail the oceans forever Eventually, they twist into the "flying" position. B&M flying coasters have the riders hanging below the track like in an inverted (hanging) coaster. To go into the flight position, the section of the car where the riders' feet are is raised to the track. That way, they start in the flight position. In addition to changing rider viewpoint, some roller coaster designs also focus on track styles to make the ride fresh and different from other coasters.

See Roller coaster elements for the various parts of a roller coaster and the types of thrill elements that go into making each roller coaster unique. Roller coasters are composed of various elements, the individual parts of the design and operation such as a track hill loop turn etc

By height

The world's first gigacoaster, the 310 ft tall Millennium Force at Cedar Point

Several height-related names have been used by parks and manufacturers for marketing their roller coasters. A 4th Dimension roller coaster is a style of Roller coaster whereby riders are positioned either side of the track in seats capable of spinning about a horizontal axis A Bobsled roller coaster is the generic name given to any Roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has The Diving Machine, is a model of Roller coaster manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger and Mabillard. The floorless roller coaster is a fairly new concept brought forth by coaster manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. A flying roller coaster is a variation of Roller coaster meant to simulate the sensations of flight An inverted roller coaster is a Roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage A Mine Train roller coaster is a steel Roller coaster whose trains depict a set of mine carts apparently pulled by the reproduction of a Steam locomotive A motorbike roller coaster is a type of Roller coaster designed with Motorcycle type cars The Pipeline Coaster was a Roller coaster developed by Japanese ride company TOGO. A side friction roller coaster is an early Roller coaster design that does not have an extra set of wheels under the track to prevent cars from becoming airborne A spinning roller coaster is a Roller coaster with cars that rotate on a vertical axis A stand-up roller coaster is a Roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride A suspended Roller coaster is one in which the car hangs from the bottom of the wheel assembly by a pivoting Fulcrum or hinge assembly Roller coasters are composed of various elements, the individual parts of the design and operation such as a track hill loop turn etc A dueling roller coaster features two (or more Roller coasters usually with a similar layout built close to each other A Figure 8 roller coaster is the generic name given to any Roller coaster where the train runs through a figure 8 shaped course before returning to the boarding station A Möbius loop roller coaster can be either a Racing roller coaster or a Dueling roller coaster. Out and back refers to the layout of a Roller coaster. An out and back coaster is one that climbs a Lift hill, races out to the far end of the track performs a A racing roller coaster, sometimes referred to as a dual track coaster consists of one whole track or two separate coasters that travels along parallel or mirrored tracks A shuttle roller coaster is any Roller coaster that ultimately does not make a complete circuit but rather reverses at some point throughout its course and traverses the same A twister roller coaster is the generic name given to any Roller coaster layout which tends to twist or interweave its track within itself several times A Wild Mouse roller coaster (or Wildemous, Mad Mouse or Rat Run) is a type of Roller coaster characterized A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical Roller coaster that initially transports the Roller coaster The launched roller coaster is a modern form of Roller coaster which has risen to prominence within the last decade A Powered Coaster is a Roller coaster which relies on a motor in the train to complete the course often replacing a traditional chain lift hill Millennium Force is a steel Roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and was built by Intamin AG Cedar Point is a 364 acre (15 km² Amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, U While often used among coaster fans, their definitions are not always agreed upon, nor are the terms necessarily accepted industry wide.

A megacoaster is usually defined as a complete-circuit roller coaster with a lift hill or drop between 200 feet (61 m) and 299 feet (91 m) high. The world's first megacoaster was Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point. Magnum XL-200 is a steel Roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio. A coaster with a total elevation change of at least 200 feet (61 m) but with no individual ascent or drop of at least 200 feet (61 m), such as Tatsu, is not considered a megacoaster. Tatsu is a steel flying Roller coaster operating at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The term hypercoaster, coined by amusement industry writer Allen Ambrosini, is also used for this height classification, but its usage is more ambiguous as it also refers to a "style" of coaster that is out and back, lacks inversions and is designed with speed and airtime (negative G-forces) in mind. A hypercoaster can mean one of two things A "style/model" of Roller coaster that incorporates three features An initial Out and back refers to the layout of a Roller coaster. An out and back coaster is one that climbs a Lift hill, races out to the far end of the track performs a A hypercoaster in this style may or may not fit the height classification; some manufacturers, such as Bollinger & Mabillard and Chance Morgan, use the term for production models both under and over the 200 feet (61 m) to 299 feet (91 m) range. Chance Morgan, a Roller coaster and Amusement ride manufacturer was formed in 2001 with the merger of Chance Industries (a ride manufacturer and D

A gigacoaster is a complete-circuit roller coaster with a height of between 300 feet (91 m)and 399 feet (122 m). The term was coined in 2000 by Cedar Point in conjunction with ridemaker Intamin AG of Switzerland, as a marketing description for their coaster Millennium Force, the first roller coaster to break the 300-foot (90 m) threshold. Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Millennium Force is a steel Roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and was built by Intamin AG The term is used as a production designation on the Intamin website. The only other gigacoaster in existence, Steel Dragon 2000, also opened in 2000 and holds the record for world's longest roller coaster. Steel Dragon 2000 is a Roller coaster at Nagashima Spa Land Amusement Park in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Top Thrill Dragster, the world's first stratacoaster at 420 feet. Millennium Force is a steel Roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and was built by Intamin AG Cedar Point is a 364 acre (15 km² Amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, U Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Steel Dragon 2000 is a Roller coaster at Nagashima Spa Land Amusement Park in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Nagashima Spa Land is a major Amusement park in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Chance Morgan, a Roller coaster and Amusement ride manufacturer was formed in 2001 with the merger of Chance Industries (a ride manufacturer and D Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Top Thrill Dragster is a steel hydraulically-launched Roller coaster located at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio

A stratacoaster is a complete-circuit roller coaster with a height between 400 feet (120 m) and 499 feet (152 m). The term was adopted and attributed by Intamin. Only two stratacoasters have been built worldwide, both using Intamin's hydraulically-launched Accelerator Coaster design. Accelerator Coaster is Intamin AG 's term for their hydraulically-launched Roller coaster model The first was Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, which opened in 2003 and stands at a height of 420 feet (130 m). The second was Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure, which opened in 2005 with a record-breaking height of 456 feet (139 m). Kingda Ka is a Roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township New Jersey, USA. Six Flags Great Adventure is a Theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, located 67 miles from New York City, 60 miles from Newark

Tower of Terror and Superman: The Escape at Dreamworld, Australia and at Six Flags Magic Mountain, respectively, were the first roller coasters to break the 400-foot (120 m) barrier, but are not considered stratacoasters, since they are shuttle roller coasters and their cars go only 328 feet (100 m) high. For the similarly named roller coaster located in Australia, please see Superman Escape. Dreamworld is a large Theme park situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Six Flags Magic Mountain is an Amusement park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles.

A junior roller coaster is a roller coaster specifically designed for families and children not able to ride the larger rides. Top Thrill Dragster is a steel hydraulically-launched Roller coaster located at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio Cedar Point is a 364 acre (15 km² Amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, U Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Kingda Ka is a Roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township New Jersey, USA. Six Flags Great Adventure is a Theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, located 67 miles from New York City, 60 miles from Newark Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Gallery

Roller Coasters

Kingda Ka, the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, located at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Kingda Ka is a Roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township New Jersey, USA. Six Flags Great Adventure is a Theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, located 67 miles from New York City, 60 miles from Newark New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. (see List of roller coaster records)	Riding Expedition GeForce, Germany. This list of roller coaster records provides data on current record-holding roller coasters runners-up and previous record holders Expedition GeForce is a steel Roller coaster located at Holiday Park in Haßloch, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.	This all-wooden roller coaster, built in 1951, dominates the Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki, Finland. Linnanmäki ( Borgbacken in Swedish, colloquially Lintsi, literal translation Castle's Hill) is an Amusement park in Helsinki Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe.	The Road Runner roller coaster at Warner Bros. Movie World, Australia. Warner Bros Movie World is a popular movie related Theme park on the Gold Coast in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.	"Montu", a popular inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Africa
A classic wooden roller coaster at Great America. Montu is an Inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Florida. An inverted roller coaster is a Roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage Busch Gardens Africa (also known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) is a 335 acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa Florida. A wooden roller coaster or woodie is most often classified as a Roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid	"Lethal Weapon - The Ride" at Warner Bros. Movie World is among the first steel inverted roller coasters in Australia	Black Mamba at Phantasialand, Germany	Hypersonic XLC, the world's first production Thrust Air 2000

Major roller coaster manufacturers

• Arrow Dynamics (now S&S-Arrow since S&S Power bought Arrow Dynamics)
• Bolliger & Mabillard
• Bradley and Kaye
• Chance Morgan
• Fabbri Group
• Gerstlauer
• Giovanola
• Great Coasters International
• Intamin AG
• MACK Rides
• Maurer Söhne
• Pinfari (defunct)
• Premier Rides
• S&S Power
• Schwarzkopf (defunct)
• TOGO (defunct)
• The Gravity Group
• Vekoma
• Zamperla
• Zierer

See also

• List of roller coaster records
• List of amusement parks

Notes

External links

• Roller Coaster Database - Information, statistics and photos for over 3700 roller coasters throughout the world
• Roller Coaster History - History of the roller coaster
• Roller Coaster Patents - With links to the U. S. Patent office
• Roller Coaster Physics - Classic physics explained in terms of roller coasters
• How Roller Coasters Work