Roller Coaster HistoryRoller Coaster History

How Roller Coasters How Roller Coasters

Evolved in the United StatesEvolved in the United States

The First U.S. Roller CoasterThe First U.S. Roller Coaster

Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway

Built by LaMarcus Thompson Built by LaMarcus Thompson

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, 1884 Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, 1884

Two 45-foot towers connected with two Two 45-foot towers connected with two sets of tracksets of track

Top speed of 6 miles per hour Top speed of 6 miles per hour

More Coasters in the 1800sMore Coasters in the 1800s

Later in 1884 – First coaster with Later in 1884 – First coaster with continuous track developedcontinuous track developed

1885 – Mechanical hoist used to raise 1885 – Mechanical hoist used to raise cars to top of hill instead of towing them cars to top of hill instead of towing them manuallymanually

1895 – Coaster designers began 1895 – Coaster designers began experimenting with loopsexperimenting with loops

The 1900sThe 1900s

1901 –Loop-the-Loop built at Coney 1901 –Loop-the-Loop built at Coney IslandIsland

1907 – First coaster to have lap bars 1907 – First coaster to have lap bars openedopened

1992 – First successful inverted coaster 1992 – First successful inverted coaster openedopened

Popular Roller Coaster LocationsPopular Roller Coaster Locations

Cedar Point – Sandusky, OhioCedar Point – Sandusky, Ohio– 15 Roller Coasters15 Roller Coasters

Indiana Beach – Monticello, IndianaIndiana Beach – Monticello, Indiana– 5 Roller Coasters5 Roller Coasters

Six Flags Magic Mountain – Valencia, Six Flags Magic Mountain – Valencia, CaliforniaCalifornia– 15 Roller Coasters15 Roller Coasters

Morey’s Piers – Wildwood, New JerseyMorey’s Piers – Wildwood, New Jersey– 7 Roller Coasters7 Roller Coasters

Popular RollerPopular Roller Coaster Locations (Continued) Coaster Locations (Continued)

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom – Louisville, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom – Louisville, KentuckyKentucky– 6 Roller Coasters6 Roller Coasters

Paramount’s Kings Island – Kings Mills, Paramount’s Kings Island – Kings Mills, OhioOhio– 12 Roller Coasters12 Roller Coasters

Six Flags Over Georgia – Austell, GeorgiaSix Flags Over Georgia – Austell, Georgia– 9 Roller Coasters9 Roller Coasters

Numbers of Amusement Park Numbers of Amusement Park Roller CoastersRoller Coasters

0

2

46

810

1214

16

Cedar Point

Indiana Beach

Magic Mtn

Morey's Piers

Six Flags KY

Kings Island

Six Flags GA

Newest Roller CoastersNewest Roller Coasters

LocationLocation CoasterCoaster TypeType OpenedOpened

Cedar Cedar PointPoint

Wicked Wicked TwisterTwister

SteelSteel 20022002

Indiana Indiana BeachBeach

Lost Lost CoasterCoaster

WoodenWooden 20022002

Magic MtnMagic Mtn XX SteelSteel 20022002

Morey’s Morey’s PiersPiers

RC-48RC-48 SteelSteel 20002000

Newest Roller Newest Roller Coasters (Continued)Coasters (Continued)

LocationLocation CoasterCoaster TypeType OpenedOpened

Six Flags Six Flags KYKY

Road Road RunnerRunner

SteelSteel 20002000

Kings Kings IslandIsland

Son of Son of BeastBeast

WoodenWooden 20002000

Six Flags Six Flags GAGA

SupermanSuperman SteelSteel 20022002

Cedar Point Roller CoastersCedar Point Roller Coasters

Blue StreakBlue StreakCedar Creek Mine Cedar Creek Mine RideRideCorkscrewCorkscrewGeminiGeminiJr. GeminiJr. GeminiIron DragonIron DragonDisaster TransportDisaster TransportMagnum XL-200Magnum XL-200

Mean StreakMean StreakWildcatWildcatRaptorRaptorMantisMantisWoodstock’s Woodstock’s ExpressExpressMillennium ForceMillennium ForceWicked TwisterWicked Twister

ReferencesReferences

Kruidhof, Jessica, and Selene Kucera, Kruidhof, Jessica, and Selene Kucera, The Effects of The Effects of New Technology on Roller Coaster Thrills, Safety and New Technology on Roller Coaster Thrills, Safety and EconomicsEconomics, abstract, University of Texas at Austin , abstract, University of Texas at Austin Mechanical Engineering Department, Fall 1997, <Mechanical Engineering Department, Fall 1997, <http://http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/roller/history.htmlwww.me.utexas.edu/~uer/roller/history.html> (May > (May 2002)2002)

Marden, Duane, Roller Coaster Database, 1996, <Marden, Duane, Roller Coaster Database, 1996, <http://rcdb.comhttp://rcdb.com> (May 2002)> (May 2002)

Midlink Magazine, Midlink Magazine, North Carolina State University, North Carolina State University, 1994, <1994, <http://ncsu.edu/midlink/hr/amuse.htmhttp://ncsu.edu/midlink/hr/amuse.htm> (May > (May 2002)2002)