In 1884, the country’s first roller coaster designed specifically for amusement opened in Coney Island, New York. Soon, roller coasters were popping up all over the country. They were made mostly of wood. By the 1920s, the U.S. had become the world’s roller coaster capital, with more than 1,500 of these thrill rides.
During this golden age of roller coasters, designers competed to make the fastest, steepest, twistiest rides. This is when the first “inversions” appeared—loops that turned riders upside down. Throwing up was common. Some riders blacked out. By the 1930s, several people had died in grisly accidents. But as time passed, things changed. New rides offered thrills with fewer spills (and less vomit).
Today’s roller coaster designers are skilled engineers. They use high-tech tools and understand how many twists and turns most humans can withstand before the ride is no longer fun.
Materials have changed too. Tracks made of steel tubing can be molded into tight curves and loops. Take the Thunderbird coaster at Holiday World in Indiana. It twists around trees and buildings, making riders feel like they are about to crash. (Fun, right?)
The rides we enjoy today are also far safer than those of the early 1900s. Automated systems halt rides if there’s a problem. But accidents do happen. Google the words “roller coaster” and “stranded,” and you’ll find harrowing accounts of people who got stuck upside down.
Still, people keep lining up for roller coasters. Each year, about 400 million people visit amusement parks in the U.S. and Canada. Dozens of new coasters have opened in the past decade.
And this year, Falcon’s Flight is scheduled to open in Saudi Arabia, a country in the Middle East. When it’s completed, it will replace Kingda Ka as the world’s tallest roller coaster, climbing 655 feet, plummeting straight down, and reaching speeds of 156 miles per hour.
Would you climb on board?
