History of the roller coaster

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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. In between, numerous technological innovations have been introduced to make coasters bigger, faster, safer, and more exciting than the coasters that came before.

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[edit] History

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[edit] Forerunners of the roller coaster

The oldest roller coasters descended from the so-called "Russian Mountains," which were specially constructed hills of ice[1] located especially around Saint Petersburg, Russia. Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 70 feet (21 m) and 80 feet (24 m), consisted of a 50 degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports. These slides became popular with the Russian upper class. Catherine II of Russia was such a fan of these attractions that she had a few of these slides built on her own property. "Russian mountains" remains the term for roller coasters in many languages, such as Spanish (la montaña rusa), Italian (montagne russe), French (les montagnes russes) and Portuguese (montanha-russa). Ironically, the Russian term for roller coaster, американские горки (amerikanskie gorki), translates literally as "American mountains."[2][3]

There is some dispute as to who was the first to put this operation on wheels. Some historians say the first real roller coaster was built under the orders of Catherine II in the Gardens of Oreinbaum in St. Petersburg in the year 1784. (The lawn where Catherine's roller coaster once stood, at the Sliding Hill Pavilion, now sits vacant.)[4]. 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.[5] The first loop track was probably also built in Paris from an English design in 1846, with a single-person wheeled sled running through a 13-foot (4 m) diameter vertical loop.

Mount Pisgah with the Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad.
Mount Pisgah with the Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad.

[edit] Developments in the United States

In 1827, a mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania constructed the Mauch Chunk gravity railroad, a brakeman-controlled, 8.7 mile (14 km) downhill track used to deliver coal to Mauch Chunk (now known as Jim Thorpe), Pennsylvania.[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.
Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884.

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. [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.[8] This track design was soon replaced with an oval complete circuit.[5] In 1885, Phillip Hinkle introduced the first complete-circuit coaster with a lift hill, the Gravity Pleasure Road, which was soon the most popular attraction at Coney Island.[5] 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.[5]

[edit] Growing popularity and innovations

As roller coasters grew in popularity, experimentation in coaster dynamics took off. In the 1880s the concept of a vertical loop was again explored, and in 1895 the concept came into fruition with The Flip Flap, located at Sea Lion Park in Brooklyn, and shortly afterward with Loop-the-Loop at Olentangy Park near Columbus, Ohio. The rides were incredibly dangerous, and many passengers suffered whiplash. Both were soon dismantled, and looping coasters had to wait for over a half century before making a reappearance.

The Scenic Railway at Luna Park (Melbourne, Australia), the world's oldest continually-operating rollercoaster, built in 1912.
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 was developed by John Miller. 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. Like The Cyclone, all early roller coasters were made of wood. Many old wooden roller coasters are still operational, at parks such as Kennywood near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Pleasure Beach Blackpool, England. The oldest operating roller coaster is Leap-The-Dips at Lakemont Park in Pennsylvania, a side friction roller coaster built in 1902. The oldest wooden roller coaster in the United Kingdom is the Scenic Railway at Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate,Kent and features a system where the brakeman rides the car with wheels. It was serevely damaged by fire on the 7th April 2008.[9]

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). Designed by John Allen, the instant success of The Racer began a second golden age, which has continued to this day.

Matterhorn Bobsleds, the world's first steel roller coaster.
Matterhorn Bobsleds, the world's first steel roller coaster.

[edit] Steel roller coasters

In 1959, the Disneyland theme park introduced a new design breakthrough in roller coasters with the Matterhorn Bobsleds. 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.

In 1975 the first modern-day roller coaster to perform an inverting element opened: Corkscrew, located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. In 1976 the vertical loop made a permanent comeback with the Great American Revolution at Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita, California.

New designs and technologies are pushing the limits of what can be experienced on the newest coasters. Flying coasters like Tatsu and electromagnetically-launched coasters like Maverick are examples of the latest generation of technologically advanced coasters.

[edit] Timeline of notable roller coasters

The roller coasters mentioned here are significant for their role in the amusement industry. They were notable for specific reasons, including:

  • First coaster of a specific kind, style, manufacturing material or unique technology; ground-breaking
  • First time a particular record-breaking threshold was crossed
  • Historical significance

[edit] 1800 to 1899

1817
  • First coaster featuring cars that locked onto track: Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville (Russian Mountains of Belleville), Paris, France.
  • First coaster to feature two cars racing each other: Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville.
  • First complete-circuit coaster: Promenades Aériennes (The Aerial Walk), Paris.
1827
1846
  • First looping coaster (non-circuit): Centrifugal Railway, Frascati Garden, Paris.[10]
1885

[edit] 1900 to 1969

1907
  • First use of lapbar: Drop-The-Dips, Coney Island.
1913
1947
Phoenix at Knoebels, relocated from Playland Park where it was called Rocket.
Phoenix at Knoebels, relocated from Playland Park where it was called Rocket.
1959
1964

[edit] 1970 to 1979

1972
1975
1976
Corkscrew at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster with three inversions.
Corkscrew at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster with three inversions.
1977
1979
  • The Beast: opened and which broke many records and is still the longest wooden roller coaster in the world.

[edit] 1980 to 1989

1980
1981
1982
Racer at Kings Island, the first roller coaster to operate vehicles in reverse.
Racer at Kings Island, the first roller coaster to operate vehicles in reverse.
  • First coaster to operate vehicles in reverse: Racer, Kings Island.
  • First coaster to run stand-up trains: Dangai, Thrill Valley, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan.
1985
1987
  • First coaster with six inversions: Vortex, Kings Island.[10]
1988
1989
  • First complete-circuit coaster to exceed 200 feet (61 m) in height: Magnum XL-200, Cedar Point.

[edit] 1990 to 1999

1991
  • First coaster to feature an underwater tunnel: Anaconda, Kings Dominion.
1992
Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the first inverted roller coaster.
Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the first inverted roller coaster.
1995
1996
1997
1998
Oblivion at Alton Towers, the first Diving Machine roller coaster.
Oblivion at Alton Towers, the first Diving Machine roller coaster.
1999

[edit] 2000 to Present

2000
Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height and the first to utilize an elevator cable lift.
Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the first roller coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height and the first to utilize an elevator cable lift.
  • First complete-circuit coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height: Millennium Force, Cedar Point.
  • First coaster to utilize an elevator cable lift system: Millennium Force.
  • First modern wooden coaster with vertical loop: Son of Beast, Kings Island. (Note: After an accident on July 9, 2006 the loop was removed.[10])
  • First wooden coaster more than 200 feet (60.96 m) tall: Son of Beast.
2001
2002
2003
2004

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Coker, Robert (2002). Roller Coasters: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines, Metrobooks, New York. ISBN #1586631721. pg 14
  2. ^ Rambler New English-Russian Dictionary: "American"
  3. ^ Rambler New English-Russian Dictionary: "mountain"
  4. ^ Erla Zwingle (Sep 1998). "Catherine the Great", in the National Geographic, Vol. 194, n. 3.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Urbanowicz, Steven J. (2002). The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion; Citadel Press, Kensington, New York. ISBN 0806523093.
  6. ^ Roller Coaster History: Early Years In America. Retrieved 26 July 2007
  7. ^ Sheedy, Chris. "Icons — In the Beginning... Roller-Coaster", Sunday Life (weekly supplemental magazine included in The Sun-Herald), John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd., January 7, 2007, p. 10. 
  8. ^ Rutherford, Scott (2000) The American Roller Coaster, MBI Publishing Company, Wisconsin, ISBN#0760306893.
  9. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7335519.stm Retrieved on 8th April 2008
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kay, James (2007). The History of the Inversion. CoasterGlobe. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  11. ^ Kay, James. The History of the Pipeline Coaster. CoasterGlobe. Retrieved on 2008-02-07.
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