Roller coaster

{{Short description|Rail-based amusement park ride}} {{Other uses}} [[File:Luna Park Melbourne scenic railway.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Great Scenic Railway at Luna Park, Melbourne, is the world's oldest operating roller coaster, built in 1912.]]

A '''roller coaster''' is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements.<ref name="Definition">{{cite web |title=Definition of roller coaster |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806112204/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roller-coaster |archive-date=August 6, 2023 |access-date=August 6, 2023 |publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref><ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |last1=Pescovitz |first1=David |title=Roller coaster: Definition, History, & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/roller-coaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806112548/https://www.britannica.com/topic/roller-coaster |archive-date=August 6, 2023 |access-date=August 6, 2023 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> Roller coasters are usually designed to produce a thrilling experience, though some roller coasters aim to provide a more gentle experience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Family Coasters mentioned on RCDB |url=https://rcdb.com/g.htm}}</ref> Trains consist of open cars connected in a single line, and tracks are typically built and designed as a complete circuit in which trains depart from and return to the same loading station. The rides are typically found in amusement parks around the world but can also be located in shopping malls<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home – Nickelodeon Universe |url=https://nickelodeonuniverse.com/home/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |website=nickelodeonuniverse.com}}</ref> and zoos. The Roller Coaster DataBase records over 6,000 extant roller coasters {{as of|January 2026|lc=y}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Roller Coaster Census Report |url=https://rcdb.com/census.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251005225833/https://rcdb.com/census.htm |archive-date=October 5, 2025 |access-date=October 5, 2025 |website=rcdb.com |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref>

The earliest progenitors to the modern roller coasters were the "Russian Mountains", which first appeared in the 17th century. LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first known patents for a track-based roller coaster design in 1885, based on the Switchback Railway which opened a year earlier at Coney Island.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US332762 |title=Gravity switch-back railway; US patent# 332762 |access-date=May 28, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-roller-coaster-in-america-opens |title=First roller coaster in America opens - Jun 16, 1884 - HISTORY.com |newspaper=HISTORY.com |access-date=2016-12-30}}</ref> Today, most roller coasters are built out of steel, which can allow for more intense forces and inversions (where the rider is upside down).

==History==  {{Main|History of the roller coaster}}

===The Russian Mountains and the Aerial Promenades=== {{anchor|Russian Mountains}} {{redirect|Russian Mountains|other uses}} The oldest roller coasters are believed to have originated from the so-called "Russian Mountains"; specially constructed hills of ice located in the area that is now Saint Petersburg, Russia.<ref>Coker, Robert (2002). ''Roller Coasters: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines''. New York: Metrobooks. 14. {{ISBN|9781586631727}}.</ref> Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between {{convert|70|and|80|ft|m|0}}, had a 50-degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports. Later, in 1784, Catherine the Great is said to have constructed a sledding hill in the gardens of her palace at Oranienbaum in St. Petersburg.<ref>Bennett, David (1998). ''Roller Coaster: Wooden and Steel Coasters, Twisters and Corkscrews''. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books. 9. {{ISBN|9780785808855}}.</ref>

[[File:La Grand Glisade (stitched, hi-res).png|center|thumb|800px|La Grande Glisade, Tsarskoye Selo]] The Riding Mountain (aka ''La Grande Glisade'') entertainment pavilion designed by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli for Tsarskoye Selo royal residence was built in 1754–1757. In Russian it was known as ''Katalnaya gora'' (Катальная гора, literally "Mountain for riding")<ref name=grate/> It was a huge building in the shape of rotunda. It had a trail with five hills, which could be covered with ice in winter. In the summertime, the trails used trolleys on wheels secured in the steel grooves mounted on the wooden trails. Due to a pendulum-like motion based on inertia, all five hills could be traversed in one ride.<ref>Agata Pietrzak, [https://www.gdanskstrefa.com/chopin-na-rollercoasterze/ Chopin na rollercoasterze]</ref> The ride was engineered by Russian scientist Andrey Nartov.<ref name=grate>{{Cite web |url=https://tzar.ru/objects/ekaterininskypark/landscape/granite |title=Гранитная терраса | Государственный музей-заповедник «Царское Село» |website=tzar.ru}}</ref> ''Katalnaya gora'' was dismantled in 1792–1795. Currently in its place is the Granite Terrace in the Catherine Park.<ref name="grate" />thumb|''Les Montagnes de Belleville'' [[File:Promenades Aeriennes Jardin Baujon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Promenades-Aériennes in Paris, 1817]] Two early forms of roller coaster were built in France in 1817.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-first-roller-coasters.html |title=The World's First Roller Coasters |date=June 10, 2019 |website=WorldAtlas}}</ref> ''Les Montagnes de Belleville'' (''Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville'') in Belleville, Paris had wheels attached to carriages and locked on tracks.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://issuu.com/sister_magazine/docs/en_sistermag29_1/s/123650 |title=The Ultimate Thrill |website=Issuu}}</ref> The ''Promenades Aériennes'', opened in Parc Beaujon in Paris on July 8, 1817<ref>Fierro, Alfred, ''Histoire et Dictionnaire de Paris'' p. 613</ref> had wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds.<ref name="Urbanowicz">Urbanowicz, Steven J. (2002). ''The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion;'' Kensington, New York: Citadel Press. {{ISBN|9780806523095}}.</ref> It spawned half a dozen imitators, but their popularity soon declined.

However, during the Belle Epoque they returned to fashion. In 1887, Catalan entrepreneur Joseph Oller, co-founder of the Moulin Rouge music hall, constructed the ''Montagnes Russes de Belleville'', "Russian Mountains of Belleville" with {{convert|656|ft|m}} of track laid out in a double-eight, later enlarged to four figure-eight-shaped loops.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Promenades aériennes - Histoire analysée en images et œuvres d’art |last=Ranson-Enguiale |first=Valérie |url=http://histoire-image.org/etudes/promenades-aeriennes |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=histoire-image.org |language=fr}}</ref> [[File:Thompsons Switchback Railway 1884.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884]]

===Scenic railways=== {{see also|Side friction roller coaster}} {{distinguish|The Great Scenic Railway|Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)}} In 1827, a mining company in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania constructed the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, a downhill gravity railroad used to deliver coal to Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania – now known as Jim Thorpe.<ref>[http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/america.shtml "Roller Coaster History: Early Years In America"]. Retrieved July 26, 2007.</ref> By the 1850s, the "Gravity Road" (as it became known) was selling rides to thrill seekers. Railway companies used similar tracks to provide amusement on days when ridership was low.

Using this idea as a basis, LaMarcus Adna Thompson began work on a gravity Switchback Railway that opened in 1884 at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.<ref>{{cite news |author=Chris Sheedy |title=Icons – In the Beginning... Roller-Coaster |work=The Sun-Herald Sunday Life (Weekly Supplement) |publisher=John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd. |page=10 |date=2007-01-07}}</ref> Passengers climbed to the top of a platform and rode a bench-like car down the {{convert|600|ft|m|0|adj=on}} track up to the top of another tower where the vehicle was switched to a return track and the passengers took the return trip.<ref name="Rutherford" /> This track design was soon replaced with an oval complete circuit.<ref name="Urbanowicz"/> In 1885, Phillip Hinkle introduced the first full-circuit coaster with a lift hill, the ''Gravity Pleasure Road'', which became the most popular attraction at Coney Island.<ref name="Urbanowicz"/> Not to be outdone, in 1886 Thompson patented his design of roller coaster that included dark tunnels with painted scenery. "Scenic railways" were soon found in amusement parks across the county.<ref name="Urbanowicz"/>

===Popularity, decline, and revival=== By 1919, the first underfriction roller coaster had been developed by John Miller.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=01319888&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page |title=Patent Images |website=patimg2.uspto.gov |access-date=2010-03-25 |archive-date=2017-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728194717/http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=01319888&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page |url-status=dead}}</ref> Over the next decade, roller coasters spread to amusement parks around the world and began an era in the industry often referred to as the "Golden Age". One of the most well known from the period is the historical ''Cyclone'' that opened at Coney Island in 1927. The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s, however, significantly impacted the amusement park industry and brought an end to the rapid growth experienced during the Golden Age. This aside, roller coasters were still built with varying success from location to location. In May 1932, the Scene Railway witnessed somewhat of a revival in the UK, including the opening of the roller coaster at Great Yarmouth. Today it is the only scenic railway still in operation in the UK.<ref>[https://riderater.co.uk/9040/east-england-theme-parks-during-covid-19/ East England theme parks during COVID-19]. ''RideRater''. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.</ref>

In 1959, Disneyland introduced a design breakthrough with ''Matterhorn Bobsleds'', the first permanent roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. Designed by Arrow Development, the tubular track was unlike standard rail design on wooden coasters, allowing the track to bend in sharper angles in any direction, leading to the incorporation of loops, corkscrews, and inversion elements into track layouts. A little more than a decade later, the immediate success of ''The Racer'' at Kings Island in 1972 sparked a new era of roller coaster enthusiasm, which led to a resurgence across the amusement park industry over the next several decades.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

In 1989 Cedar Point introduced Magnum XL-200, the first ever hyper coaster. This kicked off a so called roller coaster war that would push the limits of what could be done. This would last into the early 2000s with rides such as Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, and Kingda Ka being constructed. Kingda Ka marked of this period as no park wanted to invest the amount of money needed to surpass the height of this {{convert|456|ft|m|adj=on}} ride.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Faber |first=Maxon |date=2024-11-17 |title=RIP Kingda Ka — A Look Back at the Coaster Wars of the 90s and 2000s |url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/parks/the-coaster-wars-of-the-90s-and-2000s/ |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=LaughingPlace.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Etymology== [[File:Dorney Park Steel Force Thunderhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Steel Force (left) and Thunderhawk (right), two roller coasters at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Steel Force is the eighth longest steel roller coaster in the world.]] There are several explanations for the name ''roller coaster''. It is said to have originated from an early American design where slides or ramps were fitted with rollers over which a sled would coast.<ref name="Urbanowicz"/> This design was abandoned in favor of fitting the wheels to the sled or other vehicles, but the name endured.

Another explanation is that the phrase originated from a ride located in a roller skating rink in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1887. A toboggan-like sled was raised to the top of a track which consisted of hundreds of rollers. This ''Roller Toboggan'' then took off down gently rolling hills to the floor. The inventors of this ride, Stephen E. Jackman and Byron B. Floyd, say they were the first to use the term "roller coaster".<ref name="Rutherford" />

The term ''jet coaster'' is used for roller coasters in Japan, where such amusement park rides are very popular.<ref name=Alvey>Robb and Elissa Alvey. [http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/japan.htm "Theme Park Review: Japan 2004"], ''themeparkreview.com''. Retrieved March 18, 2008.</ref>

In many languages, including most Romance languages, the name refers to "Russian mountains". Conversely, in Russian, they are called "Американские горки" (''Amerikanskiye gorki'', "American hills"). In the Scandinavian languages, the roller coaster is referred as "mountain-and-valley railway". German has the word ''Achterbahn'', stemming from ''Figur-8-Bahn'', relating to the form of the number 8 (''acht'' in German). This is similar to the Dutch ''Achtbaan'', in which ''acht'' also means "eight".{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

==Mechanics== {{Main|Physics of roller coasters}}

[[File:Helix POV video.webm|thumb|upright=1.2|Video from inside a roller coaster car (Helix at Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden)]] Roller coaster trains are not typically powered. Most are pulled up a lift hill by a chain or cable and released downhill. The potential energy accumulated by the rise in height is transferred to kinetic energy, which is then converted back into potential energy as the train rises up the next hill.<ref name="ut">{{cite web |title=Engineering Thrills: The Science Behind Roller Coasters |date=19 August 2024 |url=https://onlineme.engr.utexas.edu/engineering-thrills-the-science-behind-roller-coasters/ |publisher=University of Texas at Austin}}</ref> Changes in elevation become smaller throughout the track's course, as some mechanical energy is lost to friction and air drag. A properly-designed, outdoor track will result in a train having enough kinetic energy to complete the entire course under a variety of stressful weather conditions.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Tom |last1=Harris |first2=Cherise |last2=Threewitt |title=How Roller Coasters Work |url=https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/roller-coaster.htm |date=January 1970}}</ref>

In lieu of a lift hill, a train may also be set into motion by a launch mechanism such as a flywheel, linear induction motor, linear synchronous motor, hydraulic launch, or drive tire. Some launched roller coasters are capable of reaching greater speeds using less track when compared to traditional coasters that rely on a conventional lift hill.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}

A brake run at the end of the circuit is the most common method of stopping a roller coaster train as it returns to the station.<ref name="ut"/> One notable exception is a powered roller coaster, which instead of relying on gravity uses one or more motors to propel the trains along the course.

== Safety == Roller coasters are statistically very safe when compared to other activities, although accidents still occur. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) reports that a rider has one chance in 15.5 million of being injured on a ride. Also, "In a typical year, more than 385 million guests enjoyed in excess of 1.7 billion rides at approximately 400 North American fixed-site facilities". IAAPA is required to report annual ride incidents to the National Safety Council.<ref>{{Cite news |last=National Safety Council |date=August 2021 |title=North America Fixed-Site Amusement Ride Injury Survey, 2020 Update |work=International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Orlando, FL |pages=1–14}}</ref>

=== Safety mechanisms and technology === A variety of safety mechanisms protect riders on roller coasters.

==== Block system ==== Most large roller coasters have the ability to run two or more trains at once.

The block system prevents these trains from colliding. In this system, the track is divided into two or more sections known as blocks. * Only one train is permitted in each block at any given time. * There is a section of track at the end of each block where a train can be stopped if necessary. ** Examples include block brakes, the top of a lift hill (that can stop) and the station (train will not dispatch until the next block is clear). * Sensors detect when a train passes so that the system's computer is aware of which blocks are occupied. If a train attempts to enter an occupied block, the stopping mechanisms in all blocks are engaged.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Block brake - Coasterpedia - The Amusement Ride Wiki |url=https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Block_brake |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=coasterpedia.net}}</ref>

==== Seat restraints ==== Seat restraints are used to ensure that riders stay in their seats throughout the ride.

===== Types of restraints ===== {{multiple issues|section=yes| {{more citations needed section|date=November 2025}} {{User-generated|section|date=November 2025}} }} {| class="wikitable" |+ !Type of restraint !Description !Pros !Cons !{{Refh}} |- |Over-the-shoulder |Secures riders' torsos using a harness that is pulled down over the rider before the ride starts. | * Can feel more secure for scared riders | * Can cause headbanging * Can remove some airtime * Can feel cramped or claustrophobic |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Over-the-shoulder harness - Coasterpedia - The Amusement Ride Wiki |url=https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Over-the-shoulder_harness |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=coasterpedia.net |language=en}}</ref> |- |Lap bar |Secures riders' laps using either a bar that's pulled from in front of riders or pulled down from above like over-the-shoulder restraints | * More airtime * No headbanging * More open feel | * Can feel insecure or exposing for scared riders * Can cause misconceptions that roller coasters with inversions that use lap bars are dangerous |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lap bar - Coasterpedia - The Amusement Ride Wiki |url=https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Lap_bar |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=coasterpedia.net}}</ref> |- |Vest |Similar to over-the-shoulder restraints but uses a vest pulled tightly on the rider's torso to secure them | * No headbanging * Less bulky than over the shoulder restraints | * Tight * Can remove airtime |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vest harness - Coasterpedia - The Amusement Ride Wiki |url=https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Vest_harness |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=coasterpedia.net |language=en}}</ref> |- |Seatbelt |Uses a belt across the rider's waist to secure them, or can be used as a fallback for other restraints | * Can be used in conjunction with other restraint types as a fall-back * Can make scared riders feel more secure when used in conjunction with other restraints * When used alone is very open and very unrestrictive | * Not suitable for most types of intense roller coasters | |}

===== Restraint locking mechanisms ===== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Locking mechanism !Description !{{Refh}} |- |Hydraulic |Uses hydraulic piston and fluid to lock restraints. When the restraint is pulled down, it forces liquid through a one-way valve. This liquid cannot return and thus the restraint stays closed. When the restraints are unlocked by the ride operator, an electrical signal is sent to another valve, which opens, allowing the fluid to return to the start position and letting the restraint rise. |<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoebiger |title=Personal restraint hydraulic lock LE |publisher=Hoebiger |year=2017 |location=Alabama |language=English}}</ref> |- |Ratcheting |Uses a toothed gear and pawl to lock restraints. When the restraint is pulled down, the pawl clicks into the next tooth on the gear. The pawl cannot go in the opposite direction. When the restraint is unlocked by the ride operator, an electrical signal is sent to the pawl which moves it out of the way and lets the restraint go back up. |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Griffin Schobel - Rollercoaster Restraint System (2019) |url=https://griffinschobel.com/rollercoaster-restraint-system |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=griffinschobel.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |} Restraints use proximity sensors to determine if they are locked. If not all of the restraints are locked, the train cannot leave the station.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Väisänen |first=Antti |title=Design of Roller Coasters |publisher=Aalto University School of Engineering |year=2018 |location=Espoo, Finland |pages=11 |language=English}}</ref>

==== Braking systems ==== Braking systems such as pivoting pawls are used on the bottom of the train and on the inclined lift hill. While the train goes up the lift hill, it is pulled by a chain. The pawl moves over bumps that are separated closely apart. In the event that the train ever becomes disconnected from the chain, the anti rollback system will engage and it will fall back into the nearest downhill stop preventing the train from falling down the lift hill.<ref>{{Cite patent |number=US5715756A |title=Ride attraction anti-roll back system |gdate=1998-02-10 |invent1=Weigand |invent2=Black |invent3=Drobnis |inventor1-first=Frank K. |inventor2-first=Alan |inventor3-first=Nick |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5715756A/en}}</ref> This system creates the loud "clicking" sound that is heard on the lift hill of roller coasters.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==== Programmable logic controller ==== Another key to safety is the programmable logic controller, an essential component of a roller coaster's computer system. Multiple controllers work together to detect faults associated with operation and automate decisions to engage various elements (e.g. lift, brakes, etc.). Periodic maintenance and visual inspection by ride engineers are also important to verify that structures and materials are within expected wear tolerances and functioning correctly. Effective operating procedures further enhance safety.<ref>[https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg175.htm Fairgrounds and amusement parks: Guidance on safe practice]. ''Health and Safety Executive''. November 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2023.</ref>

=== Roller coaster design and statistics === Roller coaster design is another important aspect that requires a working knowledge of basic physics to enhance ride comfort and avoid harmful strain to the rider. Ride designers must carefully analyze the movement a ride subjects its riders to, ensuring it is within a reasonable tolerance. The human body needs sufficient time to react to sudden changes in force in order to control muscle tension and avoid harmful consequences such as whiplash. Designers typically stay in the range of {{cvt|4|to|6|g-force|sigfig=1}} as a maximum for positive g-force acceleration, which increases the feeling of weight and pushes riders downward into their seat. High positive g-forces can lead to the sensation of a greyout or a loss of consciousness. For negative g-force (which causes the sensation of weightlessness and airtime), the target is {{cvt|1.5|to|2|g-force}} as a maximum. These fall into a range considered safe to a majority of the population. Lateral acceleration is also typically kept under {{cvt|2|g-force}}, using various techniques including the banking of curves, which increases vertical acceleration and reduces lateral acceleration.<ref>{{Cite news |title=CoasterForce |url=https://coasterforce.com/physics/ |access-date=9 May 2022 |website=CoasterForce}}</ref>

Wheels are a critical part in roller coaster design. The purpose of wheels is to keep the train on the track and to prevent it from flying off. A majority of roller coaster wheels are made from polyurethane. There are three kinds of roller coaster wheels which include road wheels, side friction wheels, and up-stop wheels. Road wheels ride on top of the track. Side friction wheels ride on the side of the track to keep the train on the track throughout turns. Up-stop wheels ride below the track and prevent the train from lifting off the track.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hunt |first=Kristen |title=Design Analysis of Roller Coasters |publisher=Worcester Polytechnic Institute |date=May 2018 |location=Worcester, MA |pages=11 |language=English}}</ref>

=== Health concerns === Some sources have shown concern over the ability of roller coasters to cause head trauma and serious injury such as the tearing of axons and damaging of blood vessels.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-15 |title=The link between roller coasters and headaches |url=https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/headache-after-roller-coaster |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Medical News Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kuo |first1=Calvin |last2=Wu |first2=Lyndia C. |last3=Ye |first3=Patrick P. |last4=Laksari |first4=Kaveh |last5=Camarillo |first5=David B. |last6=Kuhl |first6=Ellen |date=2017 |title=Pilot Findings of Brain Displacements and Deformations during Roller Coaster Rides |journal=Journal of Neurotrauma |volume=34 |issue=22 |pages=3198–3205 |doi=10.1089/neu.2016.4893 |pmc=6436029 |pmid=28683585}}</ref>

==Types== {{See also|Roller coaster elements}} [[File:Nokkakivi - Cyclon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Cyclon roller coaster in the Nokkakivi amusement park in Laukaa, Finland]] Roller coasters are divided into two main categories: steel roller coasters and wooden roller coasters. Steel coasters have tubular steel tracks, and compared to wooden coasters, they are typically known for offering a smoother ride and their ability to turn riders upside-down. Wooden coasters have flat steel tracks, and are usually supported with a lattice or truss. The vast majority of roller coasters operating today are made with steel.<ref name=":0" /> Newer types of track, such as I-Box and Topper introduced by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), improve the ride experience on wooden coasters, lower maintenance costs, and add the ability to invert riders.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}

[[File:Thunder Dolphin - roller coaster - Oct 15 2021.ogg|thumb|upright=1.2|Thunder Dolphin, a steel roller coaster in Tokyo, at dusk]] A third classification type is often referred to as a hybrid roller coaster, which uses a mixture of wood and steel elements for the track and structure. Many, for example, have a track made out of steel and a support structure made from wood.<ref name="Weisenberger">{{cite book |page=18 |title=Coasters 101: An Engineer's Guide to Roller Coaster Design |first1=Nick |last1=Weisenberger |edition=1st |location=United States |isbn=9781468013559 |year=2012 |type=Paperback |publisher=Createspace Independent Publishing |language=English}}</ref><ref name="Throgmorton">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKIfDAAAQBAJ&dq=hybrid+roller+coaster&pg=PA49 |pages=21, 49, 116, 223, 231 |edition=4th |title=Coasters: United States and Canada |first1=Todd H. |last1=Throgmorton |first2=Samantha K. |last2=Throgmorton |isbn=9781476622118 |date=April 30, 2016 |format=E-book |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers |language=English}}</ref><ref name="Hybrid-TripSavvy">{{Cite web |title=What Is a Hybrid Wooden and Steel Roller Coaster? |url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/what-is-a-hybrid-roller-coaster-3226485 |access-date=2021-04-26 |website=TripSavvy |language=en}}</ref> RMC has notably redesigned wood coasters that have either deteriorated from age or been deemed by parks as too costly to maintain.<ref name="Hybrid-TripSavvy" /><ref name="Hybrid-CoasterCritic">{{Cite web |title=What Is A Hybrid Roller Coaster? |url=http://coastercritic.com/2018/03/hybrid-roller-coaster/ |access-date=2021-04-26 |website=coastercritic.com |date=29 October 2019}}</ref> RMC often replaces the wood track with their patented steel I-Box track design, while reusing much of the ride's wooden structure, resulting in a smoother ride with the incorporation of new design elements, such as inversions, sharper turns, and steeper drops.<ref name="Hybrid-CoasterCritic" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-04 |title=State of the Arts: A New Kind of Wooden Coaster Twists and Turns at Cedar Point |url=https://www.wksu.org/arts-culture/2018-05-04/state-of-the-arts-a-new-kind-of-wooden-coaster-twists-and-turns-at-cedar-point |access-date=2021-04-26 |publisher=WKSU |language=en}}</ref>

Although the term "hybrid roller coaster" wasn't used until the 21st century, one of the oldest examples is Cyclone at Luna Park, which opened in 1927.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cyclone - Luna Park (Brooklyn, New York, United States) |url=https://rcdb.com/222.htm |access-date=2021-04-26 |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> It features a wood track and steel structure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Cyclone |url=http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1636.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223171706/http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1636.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-23 |website=nyc.gov}}</ref> Other older examples include mine train roller coasters, many of which were built by Arrow Dynamics.<ref name="Arrow-CoasterForce">{{Cite web |title=Arrow Dynamics - Coasterforce |url=https://coasterforce.com/arrow/ |website=Coasterforce |date=17 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Roller Coaster Search Results |url=https://rcdb.com/r.htm?order=-8&ot=2&mo=8299 |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> The term ''hybrid'' became more prominent after the introduction of New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas in 2011.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Roller Coaster Search Results |url=https://rcdb.com/r.htm?order=1&ot=2&ca=219 |access-date=2021-04-28 |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> Many in the industry, however, continue to classify coasters strictly by their track type only, labeling them either steel or wood.<ref name="Weisenberger"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Texas Giant Roller Coaster |url=https://guidetosfot.com/rides/newtexasgiant/ |access-date=2021-04-28 |website=Guide to Six Flags over Texas |language=en-US}}</ref>

Modern roller coasters are constantly evolving to provide a variety of different experiences. More focus is being placed on the position of riders in relation to the overall experience. Traditionally, riders sit facing forward, but variations such as stand-up and flying models position the rider in different ways to change the experiences. A flying model, for example, places riders lying down and facing forward with their chests and feet strapped in. Other ways of enhancing the experience involve removing the floor beneath passengers riding above the track, as featured in floorless roller coasters. Unique track elements, such as new inversions, are often introduced to provide entirely new experiences.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} One variation, a shuttle roller coaster, reverses at some point throughout the course of the ride to traverse the same track backwards. Parks have also experimented with using virtual reality to augment the coaster experience.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-05-26 |title=Here's what it's like to ride a virtual reality roller coaster |url=https://newatlas.com/virtual-reality-coaster/43535/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=New Atlas |language=en-US}}</ref>

===By train type=== * Bobsled * Floorless * Flying * Fourth-dimension * Inverted * Mine train * Motorbike * Summer toboggan, also known as Mountain/Alpine coaster * Pipeline * Side friction * Single-rail * Spinning ** Virginia Reel * Stand-up * Steeplechase * Suspended * Water coaster * Wing * Wild mouse {{col-3}}

===By model=== * Accelerator Coaster * Boomerang * Dive Coaster * El Loco * Galaxi * Euro-Fighter * Giant Inverted Boomerang * Impulse * Infinity Coaster * Invertigo * Launched Loop * Polercoaster * SFX Coaster * Shuttle Loop * Sky Rocket II * SkyLoop * Suspended Family Coaster * Suspended Looping Coaster * Thrust Air 2000 * Toboggan * Vekoma Junior Coaster {{col-3}}

===By track layout=== * Dual-tracked * Figure 8 * Out and back * Shuttle * Terrain * Twister * Wild mouse

===By mechanics=== * Lift hill * Launched * Powered {{col-end}}

===By height=== {{See also|List of roller coaster rankings}}[[File:Kingdom Coaster 002.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|'''Family coaster:''' Kingdom Coaster at Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a {{convert|55|ft|m|abbr=out|adj=mid|-tall}} coaster that reaches a top speed of {{convert|40|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}]] [[File:Nitro coaster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|'''Mega/Hyper coaster:''' Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, a Bolliger & Mabillard out and back coaster.]] [[File:Millennium Force (Cedar Point) 06.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|'''Giga coaster:''' Millennium Force is a Intamin designed roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.]] [[File:Kingda Ka tower.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|'''Strata coaster:''' Once the tallest coaster in the world, the {{convert|456|ft|m|abbr=out|adj=mid|-tall}} Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure closed in 2024.]] Several height classifications have been used by parks and manufacturers in marketing their roller coasters, as well as enthusiasts within the industry. One classification, the '''kiddie coaster''', or '''family coaster''', is a roller coaster specifically designed for younger riders. Following World War II, parks began pushing for more of them to be built in contrast to the height and age restrictions of standard designs at the time. Companies like Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) developed scaled-down versions of their larger models to accommodate the demand.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} These typically featured lift hills smaller than {{convert|25|ft}}, and still do today. The rise of kiddie coasters soon led to the development of "junior" models that had lift hills up to {{convert|45|ft}}. A notable example of a junior coaster is the Sea Dragon – the oldest operating roller coaster from PTC's designer John Allen – which opened at Wyandot Lake in 1956 near Powell, Ohio.<ref name="Rutherford">{{cite book |last=Rutherford |first=Scott |title=The American Roller Coaster |year=2004 |publisher=MBI |isbn=0760319294}}</ref>

====Hypercoaster==== {{for|a list of hypercoasters|Hypercoaster#List of hypercoasters}} A hypercoaster, occasionally stylized as hyper coaster, is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least {{convert|200|ft}}. Moonsault Scramble, which debuted at Fuji-Q Highland in 1984, was the first to break this barrier, though the term ''hypercoaster'' was coined by Cedar Point and Arrow Dynamics with the opening of Magnum XL-200 in 1989.<ref name="Moonsault-NYDailyNews">{{cite news |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1989-08-06/features/8902240513_1_roller-coaster-renaissance-american-coaster-enthusiasts-looping-coaster |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816102835/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1989-08-06/features/8902240513_1_roller-coaster-renaissance-american-coaster-enthusiasts-looping-coaster |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 16, 2017 |title=A Rolling Revival |last=Meskil |first=Paul |date=August 6, 1989 |work=New York Daily News |access-date=August 16, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Magnum-ACE">{{cite web |url=http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/details.aspx?id=44 |title=Coaster Landmark Award: Magnum XL-200 |publisher=American Coaster Enthusiasts |access-date=August 16, 2017}}</ref> Hypercoasters have become one of the most predominant types of roller coasters in the world, now led by manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard and Intamin.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}

====Giga coaster==== A giga coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least {{convert|300|ft}}.<ref name="Giga - NY Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/17/travel/17Coasters.html |title=Just How Tall Can Roller Coasters Get? |last=Murphy |first=Mekado |date=August 17, 2015 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150817161511/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/17/travel/17Coasters.html?_r=0 |archive-date=August 17, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The term was coined during the construction of the Millennium Force roller coaster built by Intamin on Cedar Point amusement park in 2000.<ref name="Giga coinage">{{cite web |url=https://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/march00/stories/030900_02.shtml |title=310-Foot-Tall "Giga-Coaster" Nears End of Construction |date=March 9, 2000 |work=UltimateRollercoaster.com |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cedarpoint.com/play/rides/millennium-force |title=Millennium Force |publisher=Cedar Point |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Morgan and Bolliger & Mabillard have both also produced roller coasters in this class.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! Status !! Opened !! Height !! Drop !! {{Refh}} |- | Millennium Force || Cedar Point || Intamin || {{Yes|Operating}} || May 13, 2000 || {{convert|310|ft|m}} || {{convert|300|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/594.htm |title=Millennium Force-Cedar Point |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Steel Dragon 2000 || Nagashima Spa Land || Morgan || {{Yes|Operating}} || August 1, 2000 || {{convert|318.2|ft|m}} || {{convert|306.8|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/1173.htm |title=Steel Dragon 2000-Nagashima Spa Land |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Pantherian || Kings Dominion || Intamin || {{Yes|Operating}} || April 2, 2010 || {{convert|305|ft|m}} || {{convert|300|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/4520.htm |title=Pantherian-Kings Dominion |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | | Leviathan || Canada's Wonderland || Bolliger & Mabillard || {{Yes|Operating}} || May 6, 2012 || {{convert|306|ft|m}} ||{{convert|306|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/10108.htm |title=Leviathan-Canada's Wonderland |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Fury 325 || Carowinds || Bolliger & Mabillard || {{Yes|Operating}} || March 25, 2015 || {{convert|325|ft|m}} || {{convert|320|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/12273.htm |title=Fury 325-Carowinds |website=rcdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=August 10, 2023 |title=Carowinds reopens Fury 325 rollercoaster, closed for over a month |url=https://www.wral.com/story/carowinds-reopens-fury-325-rollercoaster-closed-for-over-a-month/20994593/ |access-date=August 10, 2023 |publisher=WRAL |language=en}}</ref> |- | Red Force || Ferrari Land || Intamin || {{Yes|Operating}} || April 7, 2017 || {{convert|367|ft|m}} || N/A || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/10698.htm |title=Red Force-Ferrari Land |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Orion || Kings Island || Bolliger & Mabillard || {{Yes|Operating}} || July 2, 2020 || {{convert|287|ft|m}} || {{convert|300|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/11437.htm |title=Orion-Kings Island |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Tormenta Rampaging Run || Six Flags Over Texas || Bolliger & Mabillard || {{Maybe|Under construction}} || 2026 || {{convert|309|ft|m}} || {{convert|285|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/22243.htm |title=Tormenta Rampaging Run-Six Flags Over Texas |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |}

====Strata coaster==== A strata coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least {{convert|400|ft}}. As with the other two height classifications, the term ''strata'' was first introduced by Cedar Point with the release of Top Thrill Dragster, a {{convert|420|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} roller coaster that opened in 2003.<ref name="Strata coaster - Guinness">{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/8/national-roller-coaster-day-10-incredible-coaster-records-for-every-thrill-seeke-439990 |title=National Roller Coaster Day: Ten incredible records for every thrill seeker |date=August 16, 2016 |work=guinnessworldrecords.com |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Kingda Ka was the second strata coaster, and it opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2005 as the tallest roller coaster in the world with a height of {{convert|456|ft}}. Top Thrill Dragster closed in 2021 following an incident in which a guest was severely injured while standing in line.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-15 |title=Settlement reached after Michigan woman hurt in 2021 Top Thrill Dragster accident at Cedar Point: Read a statement from the park |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/entertainment/places/cedar-point/cedar-point-top-thrill-dragster-lawsuit-settlement-rachel-hawes-accident/95-95e47ae0-2ec1-4a42-9937-efabe259225e |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=wkyc.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The ride was subsequently refurbished and modified, and it reopened in 2024 as Top Thrill 2.<ref name="TT2">{{cite news |last1=Glaser |first1=Susan |title=Cedar Point's Top Thrill 2 will replace Top Thrill Dragster coaster, with second 420-foot tower and 120 mph top speed |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/08/cedar-point-announces-top-thrill-2-will-replace-top-thrill-dragster-coaster-with-second-420-foot-tower-and-120-mph-top-speed.html |access-date=August 10, 2023 |publisher=Cleveland.com |date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801164749/https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/08/cedar-point-announces-top-thrill-2-will-replace-top-thrill-dragster-coaster-with-second-420-foot-tower-and-120-mph-top-speed.html |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Kingda Ka was permanently closed on November 10, 2024, and was later demolished in February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-11-14 |title=Six Flags Great Adventure closing two beloved rides |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-jersey/six-flags-great-adventure-kingda-ka-twister-green-lantern/5984538/ |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=NBC New York |language=en-US}}</ref>

Superman: Escape From Krypton, a {{convert|415|ft|m|adj=on}} coaster, operated at Six Flags Magic Mountain from 1997 to 2024. It was not typically classified as a strata coaster due to its shuttle coaster design, where trains do not travel a complete circuit.<ref name="Strata coaster - Guinness" /><ref name="Full-circuit limitation - USA Today">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/03/06/new-roller-coaster/24506031/ |title=Watch the plunge from this new 325-foot roller coaster |date=March 6, 2015 |work=USA Today |access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! Status !! Opened !! Modified !! Height !! {{Refh}} |- | Top Thrill 2 || Cedar Point || Intamin/Zamperla{{efn|name="ZamperlaIntamin"|Originally built in 2003 by Intamin and later renovated by Zamperla in 2024.}} || {{Yes|Operating}} || May 4, 2003 || May 4, 2024 || {{convert|420|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/1896.htm |title=Top Thrill 2-Cedar Point |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |- | Kingda Ka || Six Flags Great Adventure || Intamin || {{No|Removed}} || May 21, 2005 || {{N/A}} || {{convert|456|ft|m}} || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/2832.htm |title=Kingda Ka-Six Flags Great Adventure |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |}

====Exa coaster==== An exa coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least {{convert|600|ft}}.<ref name="Exa Coaster - New York Post">{{cite news |last1=Cost |first1=Ben |title=Six Flags unveils world's tallest, fastest roller coaster that sends riders speeding 150 mph off a 600-foot cliff |url=https://nypost.com/2023/11/17/lifestyle/six-flags-unveils-worlds-tallest-fastest-rollercoaster-that-sends-riders-off-a-cliff/ |access-date=11 December 2023 |publisher=New York Post |date=17 November 2023}}</ref> The term ''exa'' was first introduced by Intamin for Falcons Flight, a {{convert|640|ft|m|adj=on}}{{refn|Falcons Flight has been advertised with a height of {{convert|640|ft}}. This is the difference from the highest point to lowest point. Tallest freestanding element is the {{convert|534.8|ft}} camelback hill.<ref name="Falcons Flight">{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Falcons Flight|location=Six Flags Qiddiya City|rcdb_number=21315|accessdate=January 15, 2026}}</ref>|name=Falcons Flight|group=lower-alpha}} coaster that opened at Six Flags Qiddiya City in December 2025.<ref name="Exa Coaster - Fact">{{cite web |last1=Anwar |first1=Shaheera |title=Six Flags Qiddiya eyes a 2025 opening |url=https://www.factmagazines.com/news/six-flags-qiddiya-eyes-an-october-2024-opening |website=Fact Magazines |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="Exa Coaster - Interesting Engineering">{{cite news |last1=Malayil |first1=Jijo |title=World's tallest, longest & fastest rollercoaster to debut in Saudi Arabia |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/worlds-tallest-longest-fastest-rollercoaster-to-debut-in-saudi-arabia |access-date=11 December 2023 |publisher=Interesting Engineering |date=20 November 2023}}</ref> Upon opening, it became the tallest, fastest, and longest coaster in the world, surpassing the previous records once held by Top Thrill 2, Formula Rossa, and Steel Dragon 2000.<ref name="Exa Coaster - Coaster101">{{cite news |last1=Stilwell |first1=Andrew |title=Intamin Reveals Falcon's Flight Details |url=https://www.coaster101.com/2023/11/14/intamin-reveals-falcons-flight-details/ |access-date=11 December 2023 |publisher=Coaster101 |date=14 November 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! Status !! Opened !! Height !! {{Refh}} |- | Falcons Flight || Six Flags Qiddiya City || Intamin || {{Yes|Operating}} || December 31, 2025 || {{convert|640|ft|m}}{{refn|name=Falcons Flight|group=lower-alpha}}|| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://rcdb.com/21315.htm |title=Falcons Flight-Six Flags Qiddiya City |website=rcdb.com}}</ref> |}

==Major roller coaster manufacturers== {{div col|colwidth=27em}} * Allan Herschell Company (defunct, merged with Chance Rides) * Arrow Development (acquired by Huss Trading Corporation, formed into Arrow-Huss) * Arrow Dynamics (defunct, assets bought by S&S Arrow) * ART Engineering * Arrow-Huss (defunct, reformed as Arrow Dynamics) * B.A. Schiff & Associates * Bolliger & Mabillard * {{interlanguage link|Bradley and Kaye (defunct)|fr|Bradley and Kaye|nl|Bradley & Kaye}} * Chance Morgan * Chance Rides * Custom Coasters International (defunct) * D. H. Morgan Manufacturing (acquired by Michael Chance, formed into Chance Morgan) * Dinn Corporation (defunct) * Dynamic Structures * E&F Miler Industries * Fabbri Group * Gerstlauer * Giovanola (defunct) * The Gravity Group * Great Coasters International * Hopkins Rides * Intamin * Mack Rides * Maurer AG * Martin & Vleminckx * Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters * Pinfari (defunct) * Premier Rides * Preston & Barbieri * Reverchon SAMC (formerly known as Reverchon Industries) * Rocky Mountain Construction * Roller Coaster Corporation of America (defunct) * Sansei Technologies * S&S - Sansei Technologies (formerly known as S&S Worldwide) * SBF Visa Group * Schwarzkopf (defunct) * TOGO (defunct) * Vekoma * Zamperla * Zierer {{div col end}} {{clear}}

==Gallery== <gallery widths="100" heights="100" class="center" caption="Roller Coasters"> File:Särkänniemi - Tornado.jpg|Tornado, located at Särkänniemi in Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland File:PKDHypersonicDrop.jpg|Hypersonic XLC, the world's first production Thrust Air 2000. (now defunct) File:TopThrill2.jpg|Top Thrill 2 (previously known as Top Thrill Dragster) at Cedar Point was the first strata coaster ever built. File:Rollercoaster expedition geforce holiday park germany.jpg|Riding Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park, Germany File:Cedar point raptor1.jpg|Raptor, a steel inverted coaster, is located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. File:Wooden roller coaster txgi.jpg|Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas before being refurbished into a hybrid steel-wood coaster New Texas Giant. File:Image-Lightning Racer at Hersheypark station.jpg|Lightning Racer at Hersheypark is a racing, dueling roller coaster made by GCI. File:Linnanrollerc.JPG|This all-wooden roller coaster, built in 1951, dominates the Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki, Finland. File:Coney Island 2010 109.JPG|Coney Island Cyclone in Brooklyn, New York was built in 1927 and refurbished in 1975. File:PKI-Son of Beast.jpg|Son of Beast in Kings Island was the only wooden coaster to have a vertical loop. File:Kennywood Jack Rabbit DSCN2786.JPG|Jack Rabbit at Kennywood Park outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States was built in 1920. File:Knoebels Phoenix.JPG|Phoenix, built in 1947, at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, United States. File:Baron 1889.jpg|Baron 1898 at Efteling in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands File:Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom, Myrtle Beach, SC.jpg|Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom in Mrytle Beach, South Carolina. File:Griffon (Busch Gardens Europe) 02.JPG|Griffon splashing down into a pool at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, US. File:Great Bear Helix.jpg|Great Bear is the first steel inverted coaster in Pennsylvania, located at Hersheypark. File:Behemoth (Canada's Wonderland) 06.jpg|Behemoth, at Canada's Wonderland, at one point the highest and fastest coaster in Canada File:Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Montu.jpg|"Montu", a popular inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, US File:Millennium Force (Cedar Point) 06.JPG|Millennium Force at Cedar Point File:Black mamba first drop.jpg|Black Mamba at Phantasialand, Germany File:Euromir.jpg|Euro-Mir, a spinning roller coaster at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany File:Rollercoaster dragon khan universal port aventura spain.jpg|Dragon Khan at PortAventura Park in Salou (Tarragona), Spain File:Kennywood Thunderbolt DSCN2744.JPG|Thunderbolt at Kennywood outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US was built in 1968. File:Leviathan Reactions.jpg|Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland, the tallest coaster in Canada ({{convert|306|ft|abbr=on|disp=or|order=flip}}, {{convert|148|km/h|mph|abbr=on|disp=or}}) File:Kingda Ka.jpg|Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure was the world's tallest roller coaster and was the second strata coaster in the world after Top Thrill Dragster. File:Ee-train.jpg|Expedition Everest, a roller coaster at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World File:Porcijunkulovo, Čakovec, 2017. - vlak smrti.jpg|A small roller coaster at a local festival in Čakovec, Croatia File:Hyperion, Energylandia - 2018 Aug 06.jpg|Hyperion at Energylandia in Zator, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland File:Carowinds-Fury325Entry.JPG|Fury 325 at Carowinds is the tallest roller coaster to use a traditional chain lift. File:Superman Ultimate Flight (Six Flags Great Adventure).jpg|alt=Superman The Ride|Superman: Ultimate Flight, a flying coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure File:Revere Beach Cyclone Postcard Crop.JPG|alt=|The Cyclone, Revere Beach, Massachusetts, USA </gallery>

==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== * Bennett, David (1998). ''Roller Coaster: Wooden and Steel Coasters, Twisters and Corkscrews''. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books. 9. {{ISBN|9780786508853}}. * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eeyoCJBUiAsC&q=Hybrid+roller+coaster |page=40 |title=Rollercoaster Tycoon |first1=Matthew K. |last1=Brady |first2=David Alan |last2=Knight |year=2001 |isbn=9780761537656 |type=Paperback |publisher=Prima Games |language=English}} * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qtyoe7tlkVcC&q=Hybrid+roller+coaster |title=The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster |first1=Robert |last1=Cartmell |year=1987 |isbn=9780879723422 |type=Paperback |publisher=Amusement Park Books |language=English}} * Coker, Robert (2002). ''Roller Coasters: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines''. New York: Metrobooks. 14. {{ISBN|9781586631727}}. * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T1H_lzFYRngC&q=Hybrid+roller+coaster |title=Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards |first1=David W. |last1=Francis |first2=Diane DeMali |last2=Francis |year=2002 |isbn=9780738519975 |type=Paperback |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |language=English}} * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3LFl80xGY8sC&dq=%22Russian+Mountain%22+roller+coaster&pg=PA82 |title=Night+Day Mexico City - Pedro Romero |isbn=9780977624560 |access-date=2013-07-26 |last1=Romero |first1=Pedro |year=2007 |publisher=ASDavis Media}} * {{cite book |title=The American Roller Coaster |first1=Scott |last1=Rutherford |year=2004 |isbn=9780760319291 |type=Paperback |publisher=Motorbooks International |language=English}} * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vnf_0IVt1GgC&dq=Russian+Mountains+roller+coaster&pg=PA182 |title=Russia and Europe in the Nineteenth Century - Edward Strachan, Roy Bolton |isbn=9781907200021 |access-date=2013-07-26 |last1=Sphinx Fine Art |last2=Strachan |first2=Edward |last3=Bolton |first3=Roy |year=2008 |publisher=Sphinx Fine Art}} * {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=06ifSJMnStQC&q=Hybrid+roller+coaster |title=The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the World's Best Coasters |first1=Steven J. |last1=Urbanowicz |date=2002 |isbn=9780806523095 |type=Paperback |publisher=Kensington Publishing Corporation, Citadel Press |language=English}} {{ISBN|9780806523095}} * {{cite book |title=The 50 Most Terrifying Roller Coasters Ever Built |first1=Nick |last1=Weisenberger |isbn=9781500699963 |date=September 2, 2014 |type=Paperback |publisher=Createspace Independent Publishing |language=English}}

==External links==  {{Sister project links}} * [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/glossary/ Roller Coaster Glossary] * [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/ Roller Coaster History] – History of the roller coaster * [http://rcdb.com/ Roller Coaster Database] – Information, statistics and photos for over 3700 roller coasters throughout the world * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140508030244/http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/v/a/vac3/table.html Roller Coaster Patents] – With links to the U.S. Patent office * [http://vip.vast.org/BOOK/HOME.HTM Roller Coaster Physics] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316000956/http://vip.vast.org/BOOK/HOME.HTM |date=2016-03-16 }}) – Classic physics explained in terms of roller coasters * [http://science.howstuffworks.com/roller-coaster.htm How Roller Coasters Work] * [http://www.excelunusual.com/a-2d-animated-excel-roller-coaster-video-preview/ 3D Animated Roller Coaster in MS Excel] * [http://ktla.com/2014/08/28/magic-mountain-announces-twisted-plans-for-iconic-colossus-roller-coaster/ Magic Mountain Announces 'Twisted' Plans for Iconic Colossus Roller Coaster] * [http://www.rollercoastermuseum.org/collection/ National Roller Coaster Museum & Archives] – Collection of historic ride vehicles

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roller Coaster}} Category:Roller coasters Category:17th-century introductions Category:Articles containing video clips Category:Russian inventions Category:French inventions Category:Rail infrastructure