About Amusement Park Roller Coasters

A roller coaster is the staple of the modern amusement park. The roller coaster is a specialized railroad system with the track built onto on a raised platform. The roller coaster is designed to give the rider a thrill. In general the rail system is raised off the ground in increments to allow for speed on the downward section and can contain dips, twists and loops.

History

The first roller coaster patent was filed by LaMarcus Adna Thompsonon January 20 in 1885. However, the history of the roller coaster goes back to the "Russian Mountains," which were large specially hills of ice that were ridden down on a sled.

As these became more complex they eventually became the modern roller coasters used today. In fact, in many parts of the world, roller coasters are still called "Russian Mountains." In America the first roller coaster was made by a mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania as a "scenic gravity railroad" which took riders on a straight line tour for fifty cents a ride.

How a Roller Coaster Works

Most roller coasters use a lift hill to take the cart and rider to a high point. From there the coaster's cart is dropped down a slope to take advantage of kinetic energy. This propels the cart through the rest of the course or to the next lift hill. However, some coasters do not have a lift hill and instead use a launch mechanism of some kind.

Roller Coaster Types

Roller coasters come in two generic types, wood and steel. Steel are the most modern versions. They are typically designed to have lots of twists and turns, commonly inverting the rider and looping them around. On the other hand, wooden roller coasters are sought after by enthusiasts and purists. These people believe that the wooden coaster is more true to form, with a rougher ride that allows for more hang time.