Rollercoasters: Five Minutes of Fun and Terror
Even though roller coasters look like the height of modern technology the fact is they have been in use for a long time. LeMarcus Adna Thompson claimed the first roller coaster in 1885 but some historians even claim that the first one was actually commissioned by Catherine the Great of Russia in 1784.
Roller coasters had their “golden age” around the turn of the century. Their popularity began declining during the Great Depression of the thirties when people could no longer afford to pay to go to amusement parks. However, in 1972, they became popular again with the advent of The Racer at King’s Island. The Racer was a roller coaster that later became two side-bye-by coasters that “raced”, one going forward and one going backward, through its track.
The advent of steel roller coasters, in 1959, offered a whole new set of thrill seeking adventures. With steel coasters, the tracks could be bent and shaped. This allowed the roller coasters to go upside down, turn corkscrews, and do all of those other fun things that we see today.
However, wooden roller coasters are still alive today. King’s Island, in Ohio, has a wooden coaster called Son of the Beast, which hosts the largest drop at 214 feet. King’s Island also has The Beast that at 7400 feet long is the longest roller coaster in the world, wooden or steel.
Most roller coasters work with momentum. They begin by being pulled slowly up a hill, where they then pick up speed and take off at a fast pace. Others, however, are launched right from the beginning of the ride. These rides take off faster and are usually capable of picking up more speed a long the way.
Roller coasters do not have to make a complete circuit, or a loop. If they do not, they are called “shuttle coasters.” In addition, they do not have to be a train of cars, although most are. A popular single car roller coaster are the Wild Mouse roller coasters.
There are also roller coasters that have their cars suspended. In these coasters, the riders let their feet dangle in the air as their car speeds down the track. Some riders report that these types of roller coasters offer a smoother ride.
In modern amusement parks there is often a mixture of wood and steel coasters for visitors to enjoy. The tallest of the steel coasters is called the Kingda Ka and is located at Six Flags in Jackson, New Jersey. It is also the fastest roller coaster in the world accelerating up to 128 mph.
The longest steel roller coaster in the United States is at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It is 6595 feet.
Located in Tennessee, Dollywood might not be known for its rides, but it still has the 5th steepest roller coaster in the world. The Mystery Mine coaster drops down at a 95 degree angle.
People enjoy roller coasters for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the adrenalin rush can be intoxicating. They are also safe ways to induce thrills, considering that accidents are rare. There are not few places in the world where an adult can be flown through the air, turned upside down, and set gently back on the ground in less than five minutes.
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