From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel
Blue Fire , an inverting
launched roller coaster , at
Europa-Park ,
Germany
Dragon Challenge was a unique
inverted roller coaster that featured a
dueling layout, located at
Islands of Adventure in
Orlando, Florida
A steel roller coaster is a
roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of
steel . Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world. Incorporating tubular steel track and
polyurethane -coated wheels, the steel roller coasters can provide a taller, smoother, and faster ride with more
inversions than a traditional
wooden roller coaster .
Arrow Dynamics introduced the steel roller coaster to feature tubular track to the thrill industry with their creations of the
Matterhorn Bobsleds (
Disneyland ) in 1959 and the
Runaway Mine Train (
Six Flags Over Texas ) in 1966.
As of 2006, the oldest operating steel roller coaster in North America is
Little Dipper at
Memphis Kiddie Park in
Brooklyn, Ohio and has been operating since April 1952. The oldest operating steel rollercoaster in the world is
Montaña Suiza at Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo (Spain). It has been operating since 1928.
Characteristics
A close-up of the tubular steel tracks of
Galactica at Alton Towers
Steel coasters have a generally smoother ride than their wooden counterparts, and due to their strength, rides can have more complex and faster turns and twists without injuring riders. However, some coaster enthusiasts prefer wooden coasters due to the jolting ride feeling more dangerous and giving a larger adrenaline rush.
Almost all world records for tallest, fastest, and longest coasters are currently held by steel roller coasters.
[1]
The fact that fewer supports are needed means steel roller coasters have made a large variety of features possible, such as loops, barrel rolls, corkscrews, zero-G rolls and beyond 90° drops.
Occasionally steel tracks are combined with wooden frames typical for wooden roller coasters. These are sometimes referred to as
Hybrid Roller Coasters . In many cases these were originally wooden roller coasters whose original wooden track was later replaced by steel, while some are built in this fashion originally. Examples include
Excalibur at
Valleyfair ,
Gemini and
Steel Vengeance at
Cedar Point ,
Twisted Timbers at
Kings Dominion , and
New Texas Giant at
Six Flags Over Texas .
[2]
There are different types of steel coasters, such as
flying ,
inverted ,
floorless , and
suspended .
Notable steel roller coasters
Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom's
Steel Force and
Thunderhawk roller coasters, just outside
Allentown, Pennsylvania . Steel Force is the eighth-tallest steel roller coaster in the world with a first drop of 205 feet (62 m) and has a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).
[3]
The Smiler , a
Gerstlauer
Infinity Coaster at
Alton Towers , which holds the record for the longest inversion
Impulse with 540° helix at
Knoebels Amusement Resort
Alpengeist at
Busch Gardens Williamsburg , the world's tallest full-circuit inverted coaster
[4]
[5]
Banshee at
King's Island , the world's longest inverted coaster
[6]
Batman: The Ride at
Six Flags Great America , the first inverted roller coaster
[7]
Corkscrew at
Knott's Berry Farm , the world's first modern roller coaster to feature an inversion
[8]
Eejanaika at
Fuji-Q Highland , the world's tallest and second fastest wing coaster
[9]
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)
[10]
[11]
Formula Rossa at
Ferrari World , the world's fastest roller coaster at 150 mph (240 km/h)
[12]
Impulse , 540°
Helix at
Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania
[13]
Magnum XL-200 , the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 200 feet (61 m)
[14]
Matterhorn Bobsleds at
Disneyland , the first tubular steel roller coaster
[15]
Millennium Force at
Cedar Point , the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 300 feet (91 m) in height
[10]
[16]
Moonsault Scramble at
Fuji-Q Highland , the first roller coaster over 200 feet (61 m) in height
[17]
Ninja at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the world's fastest suspended roller coaster
[18]
Olympia Looping - world's tallest transportable coaster and the coaster with the most of traditional loopings (5)
[19]
Riddler's Revenge at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the world's tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster
[20]
[21]
[22]
Runaway Mine Train at
Six Flags Over Texas , the first mine train roller coaster, built in 1966
[23]
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)
[24]
Superman: Escape from Krypton at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the first roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120 m) in height
[10]
The Smiler at
Alton Towers , the most inversions in the world (14)
[25]
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°
[26]
[27] opened in 2011
[28]
Tatsu at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the world's tallest, fastest, and longest flying roller coaster
[29]
[30]
[31]
The New Revolution at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the first modern roller coaster with a
vertical loop
[32]
TMNT Shellraiser at
Nickelodeon Universe theme park , steel indoor roller coaster with the most inversions
[33]
Top Thrill Dragster at
Cedar Point , the world's first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed 400 feet (120 m) in height
[10]
[34]
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
[10]
[11]
Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at
Six Flags Fiesta Texas , the world's first steel monorail roller coaster.
[35]
X² at
Six Flags Magic Mountain , the world's first
4th Dimension roller coaster
[36]
Xcelerator at
Knott's Berry Farm - world's first roller coaster to feature a
hydraulic launch
[37]
Yukon Striker at
Canada's Wonderland , the world's tallest dive coaster at 223 ft
[38]
References
^
"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 .
^
"Roller Coaster Search Results" . rcdb.com . Retrieved 2024-03-22 .
^ Marden, Duane.
"Roller Coaster Search Results (Inverted Roller Coasters)" .
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^
"Roller Coaster Search Results" . rcdb.com . Retrieved 2024-03-22 .
^
"Roller Coaster Search Results" . rcdb.com . Retrieved 2024-03-22 .
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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)" .
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^ Marden, Duane.
"Roller Coaster Search Results (Mine Train roller coasters)" .
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^
"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)" .
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^ 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 .
Construction material Train configuration Track layout