Before I begin to ramble on about this National Holiday I had NO idea existed, can I say “Started from the bottom now we are here?” Okay, okay maybe I started at the top being a New Yorker. Maybe not. I do know one thing, we will begin by going through all the glitz and glam about ROLLERCOASTERS!
So Like What Is RollerCoaster Day?
To be completely honest I have no idea. What I do know is that today on bing.com it’s depicted on the home screen. Enticed by a lavish photograph it inspired me enough to create this post. ( The actual photograph is pictured below)
This coaster according to the website is at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey. The coaster is known as the Great White. It is a hybrid wooden and steel coaster. It’s been in operation since 1996 and reaches its highest point 110 feet above the ground. (According to bing.com) Let’s DIVE right into the worldwide coasters!
What is a Rollercoaster?
A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride that is created by elevated railroad tracks. They are mainly designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Most roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers are seated and secured with restraints. When two or more cars are hooked together they are called a train although some roller coasters, notably run using single cars.
History in Roller Coasting:
The oldest roller coasters are believed to have originated in an area that is now known as Saint Petersburg, Russia. They were originally more like slides. They were hills of ice that were constructed in the 17th century to be used with sledding equipment. By 1919, the first underfriction roller coaster had been developed by inventor John Miller. The term underfriction was used to describe the wheel device used to keep the train from jumping off the track due to extreme and intense motion.
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”. Golden ages are periods of great wealth, prosperity, stability, and cultural and scientific achievement. One of the most well-known from the period is the historical Cyclone that opened at Coney Island in 1927.
Most Famous Coasters Worldwide:
The Cyclone Rollercoaster:
The Cyclone has been a core fixture of the amusement district. Located at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn New York, and is known as the mother of America’s roller-coaster revolution. It reaches a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour. It can carry 24 passengers and boasts a total track length of 2,640 feet. This ride is the second-steepest wooden roller coaster in the world and is a timeless classic after more than 90 years of operation.
Formula Rossa:
Is a rollercoaster that is located at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ferrari World is best known as an indoor theme park. It’s the world’s first Ferrari-themed park and features Formula Rossa the world’s fastest roller coaster. Developed to resemble a Ferrari sportscar, it launches riders from zero to 150 miles per hour in five seconds.
Full Throttle:
This ride is a steel-launched roller coaster that can be found at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The train is launched from 0 to 70 miles per hour and enters the record-breaking giant 187-foot-tall vertical loop. It is the world’s third-tallest vertical loop and the train uses the loop twice during the ride. I must say it looks VERY nerve-racking to be on as a passenger but also extremely exciting!