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A steel roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel track, which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along the track typically rely on wheels made of polyurethane or nylon to keep each train car anchored to the track.[1] The introduction of tubular steel drastically changed roller coaster innovation, allowing for greater speeds, higher drops, and more intense elements such as inversions.
Arrow Dynamics is credited with inventing tubular steel track and introducing the first modern steel coaster with the opening of Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959. Older steel-tracked coasters existed previously in a simpler form, such as Little Dipper at Memphis Kiddie Park in Brooklyn, Ohio, which is the oldest operating steel coaster in North America. The oldest in the world is Montaña Suiza at Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo (Spain), which has been operating since 1928.
Characteristics
[edit]
- Steel coasters can generally provide a smoother ride experience than their wooden counterparts, and due to their strength, can have more complex ride elements, achieve greater speeds, and feature higher drops. Despite the advantages, wooden roller coasters continue to be built and still remain popular in the industry for providing a different riding experience.[citation needed]
- Most world records for height, speed, and length are typically held by steel roller coasters.[2]
- Some designs combine steel tracks with wooden frames, or vice versa, which are referred to as hybrid roller coasters. In some cases, the original wooden track on a wooden coaster is retrofitted with steel track during a refurbishment, with one of the first being New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas. One of the most popular conversions was Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point.[3]
There are various types of steel coaster models and designs, including flying, inverted, floorless, and suspended.
Notable steel roller coasters
[edit]| Name | Park | Opened | Country | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman: The Ride | Six Flags Great America | 1992 | United States | The first looping inverted roller coaster | |
| Corkscrew | Knott's Berry Farm | The first modern roller coaster featuring an inversion | |||
| Kingda Ka | The world's tallest roller coaster at 456 feet (139 m) | ||||
| Formula Rossa | The world's fastest roller coaster at 149.1 miles per hour (240.0 km/h) | ||||
| Magnum XL-200 | The first full-circuit roller coaster over 200 feet tall | ||||
| Matterhorn Bobsleds | Credited as the first roller coaster with tubular track | ||||
| Millennium Force | The first full-circuit roller coaster over 300 feet tall | ||||
| Moonsault Scramble | The first roller coaster over 200 feet tall | ||||
| Olympia Looping | The largest traveling roller coaster | ||||
| Runaway Mine Train | The first mine train roller coaster | ||||
| Steel Dragon 2000 | The world's longest roller coaster at 8,133.2 feet (2,479.0 m) | ||||
| Superman: Escape from Krypton | The first roller coaster over 400 feet | ||||
| The Smiler | The roller coaster with the most inversions at 14 | ||||
| The New Revolution | The first modern roller coaster with a vertical loop | ||||
| TMNT Shellraiser | The world's steepest roller coaster drop and the indoor roller coaster with the most inversions at 7 | ||||
| Top Thrill Dragster | The first full-circuit roller coaster over 400 feet | ||||
| Tower of Terror | The first roller coaster to reach 100 mph (160 km/h) in speed and 300 feet (91 m) in height | ||||
| X2 | The first fourth-dimension roller coaster | ||||
| Xcelerator | The first roller coaster with a hydraulic launch |
- Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the world's tallest full-circuit inverted coaster[5][6]
- Banshee at King's Island, the world's longest inverted coaster[7][8]
- Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the first inverted roller coaster[9]
- Corkscrew at Knott's Berry Farm, the world's first modern roller coaster to feature an inversion[10]
- Eejanaika at Fuji-Q Highland, the world's tallest and second fastest wing coaster[11]
- Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure, the world's tallest roller coaster at 456 feet (139 m) and second fastest at 128 mph (206 km/h)[12][13]
- Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, the world's fastest roller coaster at 150 mph (240 km/h)[14]
- Impulse, 540° Helix at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania[15]
- Magnum XL-200, the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 200 feet (61 m)[16]
- Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, the first tubular steel roller coaster[17]
- Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height[12][18]
- Moonsault Scramble at Fuji-Q Highland, the first roller coaster over 200 feet (61 m) in height[19]
- Ninja at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's fastest suspended roller coaster[20]
- Olympia Looping - world's tallest transportable coaster and the coaster with the most of traditional loopings (5)[21]
- Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster[22][23][24]
- Runaway Mine Train at Six Flags Over Texas, the first mine train roller coaster, built in 1966[25]
- Steel curtain at Kennywood- featuring the highest inversion in the world
- Steel Dragon 2000, the world's longest roller coaster at 8,133 feet (2,479 m)[26]
- Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the first roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120 m) in height[12]
- The Smiler at Alton Towers, the most inversions in the world (14)[27]
- Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, formerly the world's steepest roller coaster with a beyond-vertical drop of 121°[28][29] opened in 2011[30]
- Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest flying roller coaster[31][32][33]
- The New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the first modern roller coaster with a vertical loop[34]
- TMNT Shellraiser at Nickelodeon Universe theme park, steel indoor roller coaster with the most inversions[35]
- Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, the world's first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120 m) in height[12][36]
- Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, the first roller coaster to reach 100 mph (160 km/h) in speed and 300 feet (91 m) in height[12][13]
- Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the world's first steel monorail roller coaster.[37]
- X² at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's first 4th Dimension roller coaster[38]
- Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm - world's first roller coaster to feature a hydraulic launch[39]
- Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland, the world's tallest dive coaster at 223 ft[40]
References
[edit]- ^ Harris, Tom; Threewitt, Cherise. "How Roller Coasters Work". HowStuffWorks. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ "Record Holders". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
- ^ "What Is a Hybrid Wooden and Steel Roller Coaster?". tripsavvy.com. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Force (Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Tallest Inverted Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wicked Twister (Cedar Point)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Schwartzberg, Eric (April 18, 2014). "Record-breaking Banshee roller coaster debuts at Kings Island". Dayton Daily News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results (Inverted Roller Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ a b c d e Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Tallest Steel Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Fastest Steel Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ "Record Holders". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Impulse - Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, Pennsylvania, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Hartmann, Adam C. (14 August 2005). "Soaring attraction - Amusement parks gain popularity". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Tower of Terror II (Dreamworld)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Fastest Suspended Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ stevee22 (2023-12-17). "[Olympia Looping] Any coasters have more than 5 vertical loops?". r/rollercoasters. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Tallest Stand-Up Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Fastest Stand-Up Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Longest Stand-Up Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results (Mine Train roller coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ "Record Holders". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Inversions)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Fuji-Q Highland (11 May 2011). "Guinness Record Pending Steepest Drop At 121° – A New Roller Coaster" (PDF). Press Release. Japan National Tourism Organisation. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ^ "Takabisha, World's Steepest Rollercoaster, To Open In Japan (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ "World's steepest roller-coaster opens in Japan". The Telegraph. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Tallest Flying Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Fastest Flying Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders (Longest Flying Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Superman: Escape from Krypton (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Levine, Arthur (1 May 2018). "Exclusive: Six Flags Fiesta Texas' Wonder Woman coaster review". USA TODAY. USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results (4th Dimension Roller Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results (Accelerator Coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Kayata, Erin; Kayata (2022-11-27). "This Is the Longest, Tallest, and Fastest Dive Roller Coaster in the World". Reader's Digest. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
