View source for Roller coaster

{{Other uses}}
{{short description|Ride developed for amusement parks}}

[[File:Luna Park Melbourne scenic railway.jpg|thumb|200px|The Scenic Railway at [[Luna Park, Melbourne]], is the world's second-oldest operating roller coaster, built in 1912.]]

A '''roller coaster''' is a type of [[list of amusement rides|amusement ride]] that employs a form of elevated [[Rail tracks|railroad track]] designed with tight turns, steep [[Grade (slope)|slopes]], and sometimes [[Roller coaster inversion|inversions]].<ref name="Definition">{{cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/roller_coaster|title=Definition of roller coaster in English|publisher=Oxford Living Dictionaries|access-date=May 28, 2017}}</ref> People ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are often found in [[amusement park]]s and [[theme park]]s around the world.<ref name="Definition" /> [[LaMarcus Adna Thompson]] obtained one of the first known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, related to the [[Switchback Railway]] that opened a year earlier at [[Coney Island]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=cSc_AAAAEBAJ |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> The track in a coaster design does not necessarily have to be a complete circuit, as [[shuttle roller coaster]]s demonstrate. Most roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers sit and are restrained.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/glossary/#s|title=Roller Coaster Glossary – Roller Coasters|website=www.ultimaterollercoaster.com}}</ref> Two or more cars hooked together are called a [[Train (roller coaster)|train]]. Some roller coasters, notably [[Wild Mouse roller coaster]]s, run with single cars.

==History==
<!-- This section should be kept compact. Additions go in the main article, linked in the line below.-->
{{Main|History of the roller coaster}}

===The Russian mountain and the Aerial Promenades===
[[File:Promenades Aeriennes Jardin Baujon.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Promenades-Aériennes in Paris (1817)]]
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|Saint Petersburg, Russia]].<ref>Robert Coker (2002). ''Roller Coasters: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines''.  New York: Metrobooks.  14.  {{ISBN|1-58663-172-1}}.</ref> Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between {{convert|70|and|80|ft|m|0|abbr=in|order=flip}}, 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, Russia|Oranienbaum]] in St. Petersburg.<ref name=Bennett>David Bennett (1998). ''Roller Coaster: Wooden and Steel Coasters, Twisters and Corkscrews''.  Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books. 9. {{ISBN|0-7865-0885-X}}.</ref> The name ''Russian Mountains'' to designate a roller coaster is preserved in many languages (e.g. the Spanish ''montaña rusa''), but the Russian term for roller coasters is ''{{lang|ru|американские горки}}'' ("amerikanskiye gorki"), which translates to "American mountains."

The first modern roller coaster, the ''Promenades Aeriennes'', opened in Parc Beaujon in Paris on July 8, 1817.<ref>Fierro, Alfred, ''Histoire et Dictionnaire de Paris'' p. 613</ref> It featured 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;'' Citadel Press, Kensington, New York. {{ISBN|0-8065-2309-3}}.</ref> It spawned half a dozen imitators, but their popularity soon declined.

However, during the [[Paris in the Belle Epoque|Belle Epoque]] they returned to fashion. In 1887 Spanish 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>Valérie RANSON-ENGUIALE, " Promenades aériennes ", Histoire par l'image [en ligne], consulté le 26 Mai 2017. URL : http://www.histoire-image.org/etudes/promenades-aeriennes</ref>

[[File:Thompsons Switchback Railway 1884.jpg|left|175px|thumb|Thompson's [[Switchback Railway]], 1884]]

===Scenic railways===
{{see also|Side friction roller coaster}}
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, Pennsylvania|Jim Thorpe]].<ref>[http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/america.shtml "Roller Coaster History: Early Years In America"]. Retrieved on 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 at [[Coney Island]] in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (State)|New York]], in 1884.<ref>{{cite news | author=Chris Sheedy | title=Icons&nbsp;– 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 (entrepreneur)|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}}</ref> Soon, roller coasters spread to amusement parks all around the world. Perhaps the best known historical roller coaster, ''[[Coney Island Cyclone|Cyclone]]'', was opened at Coney Island in 1927.

The Great Depression marked the end of the golden age of roller coasters, and theme parks, in general, went into decline. This lasted until 1972 when the instant success of ''[[Racer (Kings Island)|The Racer]]'' at [[Kings Island]] began a roller coaster renaissance which has continued to this day.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

===Steel===
In 1959, [[Disneyland]] introduced a design breakthrough with ''[[Matterhorn Bobsleds]]'', the first roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. Unlike wooden coaster rails, tubular steel can be bent in any direction, allowing designers to incorporate loops, corkscrews, and many other maneuvers into their designs. Most modern roller coasters are made of steel, although wooden coasters and hybrids are still being built.

==Etymology==
[[File:Dorney Park Steel Force Thunderhawk.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Steel Force]] (left) and [[Thunderhawk (Dorney Park)|Thunderhawk]] (right), two roller coasters at [[Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom]] in Allentown, Pennsylvania]]
There are several explanations of 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 it originated from a ride located in a [[Roller rink|roller skating rink]] in [[Haverhill, Massachusetts|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, claim that 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 on March 18, 2008.</ref>

In many languages, the name refers to "Russian mountains". Contrastingly, in Russian, they are called "American mountains". In the [[Scandinavian languages]], the roller coaster is referred as "mountain-and-valley railway". German knows the word "Achterbahn", stemming from "Figur-8-Bahn", like Dutch "Achtbaan", relating to the form of the number 8 ("acht" in German and also Dutch).

==Mechanics==
{{Main|Physics of roller coasters}}
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2009}}
[[File:Helix POV video.webm|thumb|right|200px|Video from inside a roller coaster car ([[Helix (roller coaster)|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. Changes in elevation become smaller throughout the track's course, as some mechanical energy is lost to [[friction]]. 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.

Not all coasters feature a lift hill, however. A train may also be set into motion by a launch mechanism such as a flywheel, [[linear induction motor]] (LIM), [[linear motor|linear synchronous motor]] (LSM), hydraulic launch, or drive tire. Some [[launched roller coaster]]s are capable of reaching greater speeds using less track when compared to traditional coasters that rely on a conventional lift hill.

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. One notable exception is a [[Powered coaster|powered roller coaster]], which instead of relying on gravity, it uses one or more motors to propel the trains along the course.

In 2006, NASA announced that it would build a system using principles similar to those of a roller coaster to help astronauts escape the [[Ares I]] launch pad in an emergency,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4888 |title=NASA will build Rollercoaster for Ares I escape |access-date=2007-01-08 |author=Chris Bergin|date=November 3, 2006 |publisher=NASA Spaceflight.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115214126/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4888 |archive-date=2006-11-15 }}</ref> although this has since been scrapped along with the rest of the [[Ares I-X|Ares program]].

==Safety==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2009}}
A variety of safety mechanisms protect riders on roller coasters. One of these is the [[Signaling block system|''block'' system]]. Most large roller coasters have the ability to run two or more trains at once, and 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, such as preventing dispatch from the station, stopping a lift, or simply applying brakes. 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.

Another key to safety is the [[programmable logic controller]] (PLC), an integral component of a roller coaster's computer system. Multiple PLCs 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 as well.

Roller coaster design is another important aspect that requires a working knowledge of [[kinematics|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 its 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 (medicine)|whiplash]]. Designers typically try to stay in the range of 4–6[[G-Force|Gs]] (40–60 m s<sup>−2</sup>) as a maximum for positive g-force acceleration, which increases the feeling of weight and pushes riders downward into their seat. For negative g-force, or the feeling of weightlessness, the target is 1.5-2Gs (15–20 m s<sup>−2</sup>) as a maximum.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} These fall into a range considered safe to a majority of the population. Lateral acceleration is also typically kept under 2Gs using various techniques including the banking of curves.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

Roller coasters are statistically very safe when compared to other activities, but despite all the safety measures in place, [[amusement park accidents|accidents]] still occur.<ref>{{cite web| title = Verified Injury Accidents at Theme and Amusement Parks| url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/accidents/list.cfm}}</ref> The [[U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]] estimates that 134 park guests required hospitalization in 2001 and that fatalities related to amusement rides average two per year. According to a study commissioned by Six Flags, 319 million people visited amusement parks in 2001. The study concluded that a visitor has a one-in-500-million chance of being fatally injured, which is less likely than being injured in a golf cart or folding lawn chair.<ref>{{cite news |author=Arthur Levine |title=White Knuckles Are the Worst of It |url=http://themeparks.about.com/cs/sixflagsparks/a/CoasterSafety.htm |publisher=themeparks.about.com |access-date=2007-01-08}}</ref>

Controversy about safety has increased over the years as roller coasters become more extreme. There have been suggestions that these may be subjecting passengers to translational and rotational accelerations capable of causing brain injury. In 2003, a report from the Brain Injury Association of America concluded, "There is evidence that roller coaster rides pose a health risk to some people some of the time. Equally evident is that the overwhelming majority of riders will suffer no ill effects."<ref>{{cite journal | author = Blue Ribbon Panel | date = 2003-02-25 | title = Blue Ribbon Panel Review of the Correlation between Brain Injury and Roller Coaster Rides&nbsp;– Final Report | url = http://www.biausa.org/Pages/blue_final_report.html | access-date = 2007-01-08 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061129230533/http://www.biausa.org/Pages/blue_final_report.html |archive-date = 2006-11-29}}</ref> A similar report in 2005 linked roller coasters and other thrill rides with the potential triggering of abnormal heart conditions that could lead to death.<ref>{{cite news |author=Charlene Laino and Louise Chang, MD |title= Roller Coasters: Safe for the Heart?|url=http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/115/111717.htm |publisher=WebMD.com |date=2005-11-16|access-date=2007-01-08 }}</ref> Autopsies have shown that some of these were due to undetected, preexisting heart conditions.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}

==Types==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2009}}
{{See also|Roller coaster elements}}
Roller coasters are divided into two main categories: [[steel roller coaster]]s and [[wooden roller coaster]]s. 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 typically renowned for producing "air time" through the use of negative G-forces when reaching the crest of some hill elements. Newer types of track, such as I-Box and Topper introduced by [[Rocky Mountain Construction]], improve the ride experience on wooden coasters, lower maintenance costs, and add the ability to invert riders.

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 newer variations such as [[stand-up roller coaster|stand-up]] and [[Flying roller coaster|flying]] models position the rider in different ways to change the experiences. A flying model, for example, is a suspended roller coaster where the riders lie facing forward and down 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 Coaster|floorless roller coaster]]s. Also new track elements – usually types of inversions – are often introduced to provide entirely new experiences.

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===By train type===
* [[4th Dimension roller coaster]]
* [[Bobsled roller coaster]]
* [[Dive Coaster|Dive roller coaster]]
* [[Floorless roller coaster]]
* [[Flying roller coaster]]
* [[Inverted roller coaster]]
* [[Mine train roller coaster]]
* [[Motorbike roller coaster]]
* [[Mountain coaster|Mountain/Alpine roller coaster]]
* [[Pipeline roller coaster]]
* [[Side friction roller coaster]]
* [[Spinning roller coaster]]
* [[Stand-up roller coaster]]
* [[Steeplechase (roller coaster)|Steeplechase roller coaster]]
* [[Suspended roller coaster]]
* [[Virginia Reel roller coaster]]
* [[Water Coaster (roller coaster)|Water coaster]] 
* [[Wing Coaster|Wing roller coaster]]
* [[Zipline roller coaster]]
{{col-2}}

===By track layout===
* [[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang roller coaster]]
* [[Roller coaster elements#Corkscrew|Corkscrew roller coaster]]
* [[Dual-tracked roller coaster]]
* [[Figure 8 roller coaster]]
* [[Out and back roller coaster]]
* [[Shuttle roller coaster]]
* [[Terrain roller coaster]]
* [[Twister roller coaster]]
* [[Wild Mouse roller coaster]]

===By mechanics===
* [[Lift hill|Chain-lift/cable lift/Elevator lift/Ferris Wheel lift roller coaster]]
* [[Launched roller coaster]]
* [[Powered roller coaster]]

{{col-end}}

===By height===
<!-- This heading name is linked by other articles -->
[[File:Kingdom Coaster 002.JPG|thumb|right|'''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|right|'''Mega/Hyper coaster:''' [[Nitro (Six Flags Great Adventure)|Nitro]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]], a [[Bolliger & Mabillard]] out and back coaster.]]
[[File:Kingda Ka tower.jpg|right|thumb|'''Strata coaster:''' The tallest coaster in the world, the {{convert|456|ft|m|abbr=out|adj=mid|tall}} [[Kingda Ka]] at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]].]]
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, 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. 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 (roller coaster)|Sea Dragon]] – the oldest operating roller coaster from PTC's legendary designer John Allen – which opened at [[Rides At Adventure Cove|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 first 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|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]].

====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=New York Times|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> The term was coined during a partnership between Cedar Point and Intamin on the construction of [[Millennium Force]].<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> Although [[D. H. Morgan Manufacturing|Morgan]] and Bolliger & Mabillard have not used the term ''giga'',<ref>{{cite web|title = Bolliger & Mabillard – Products | access-date= 13 February 2012 | url=http://www.bolliger-mabillard.com/products/products_en.aspx}}</ref> both have also produced roller coasters in this class.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! Status !! Opened !! Height !! Drop
|-
| [[Millennium Force]] || [[Cedar Point]] || [[Intamin]] || Operating || May 13, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/594.htm|title=Millennium Force-Cedar Point|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|310|ft|m}} || {{convert|300|ft|m}}
|-
| [[Steel Dragon 2000]] || [[Nagashima Spa Land]] || [[D. H. Morgan Manufacturing|Morgan]] || Operating || August 1, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/1173.htm|title=Steel Dragon 2000-Nagashima Spa Land|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|318.3|ft|m}} || {{convert|306.8|ft|m}}
|-
| [[Intimidator 305]] || [[Kings Dominion]] || [[Intamin]] || Operating || April 2, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/4520.htm|title=Intimidator 305-Kings Dominion|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|305|ft|m}} || {{convert|305|ft|m}}
|-
| | [[Leviathan (roller coaster)|Leviathan]] || [[Canada's Wonderland]] || [[Bolliger & Mabillard]] || Operating || May 6, 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/10108.htm|title=Leviathan-Canada's Wonderland|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|306|ft|m}} ||{{convert|306|ft|m}}
|-
| [[Fury 325]] || [[Carowinds]] || [[Bolliger & Mabillard]] || Operating || March 25, 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/12273.htm|title=Fury325-Carowinds|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|325|ft|m}} || {{convert|320|ft|m}}
|-
| [[Red Force (roller coaster)|Red Force]] || [[PortAventura World#Ferrari Land|Ferrari Land]] || [[Intamin]] || Operating || April 7, 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/10698.htm|title=Red Force – Ferrari Land (Salou, Tarragona, Spain)|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|367|ft|m}} || N/A
|-
| [[Orion (roller coaster)|Orion]] || [[Kings Island]] || [[Bolliger & Mabillard]] || Operating || July 2, 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/11437.htm|title=Orion – Kings Island (Mason, Ohio)|website=rcdb.com}}</ref> || {{convert|287|ft|m}} || {{convert|300|ft|m}}
|}

====Strata coaster====
A strata coaster is a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of at least {{convert|400|ft}}.<ref name="Giga - NY Times" /> 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> Another strata coaster, [[Kingda Ka]], opened at [[Six Flags Great Adventure]] in 2005 as the tallest roller coaster in the world featuring a height of {{convert|456|ft}}. [[Superman: Escape From Krypton]] exceeded {{convert|400|ft}} back when it opened in 1997, but its [[shuttle roller coaster|shuttle coaster design]] where the trains don't travel a complete circuit usually prevents the roller coaster from being classified in the same category.<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 !! Height
|-
| [[Top Thrill Dragster]] || [[Cedar Point]] || [[Intamin]] || Operating || May 4, 2003 || {{convert|420|ft|m}}
|-
| [[Kingda Ka]] || [[Six Flags Great Adventure]] || [[Intamin]] || Operating || May 21, 2005 || {{convert|456|ft|m}}
|}

==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]])
* [[HUSS Park Attractions|Arrow-Huss]] (defunct, reformed as Arrow Dynamics)
* [[B.A. Schiff & Associates]]
* [[Bolliger & Mabillard]]
* Bradley and Kaye (defunct)
* [[Chance Morgan]]
* [[Chance Rides]]
* [[Custom Coasters International]] (defunct)
* [[D. H. Morgan Manufacturing]] (acquired by Michael Chance, formed into Change 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 Industries]] (defunct)
* [[Rocky Mountain Construction]]
* [[Roller Coaster Corporation of America]] (defunct)
* [[Sansei Technologies]]
* [[S&S - Sansei Technologies]] (formerly known as S&S Worldwide)
* [[SBF Visa Group]]
* [[Anton Schwarzkopf|Schwarzkopf]] (defunct)
* [[TOGO]] (defunct)
* [[Vekoma]]
* [[Zamperla]]
* [[Zierer]]
{{div col end}}
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==Gallery==
<gallery caption="Roller Coasters" widths="100px" heights="100px" class=center>
File:Fahrenheit (Drop).jpg|[[Fahrenheit (roller coaster)|Fahrenheit]], located at [[Hersheypark]] in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.
File:Särkänniemi - Tornado.jpg|[[Tornado (Särkänniemi)|Tornado]], located at [[Särkänniemi]] in [[Tampere]], [[Pirkanmaa]], Finland
File:PKDHypersonicDrop.jpg|[[Hypersonic XLC]], the world's first production [[Thrust Air 2000]] (now defunct)
File:Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point) 01.jpg|[[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|Holiday Park]], Germany.
File:Cedar point raptor1.jpg|[[Raptor (Cedar Point)|Raptor]], a steel inverted coaster, is located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States.
File:Wooden roller coaster txgi.jpg|[[New Texas Giant]] at [[Six Flags Over Texas]] before being refurbished into a hybrid steel-wood coaster.
File:Image-Lightning Racer at Hersheypark station.jpg|Lightning Racer at Hersheypark is a racing, dueling roller coaster made by [[Great Coasters International|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. The loop was removed in 2006, and the ride was closed from 2009 until its demolition in 2012.
File:Kennywood Jack Rabbit DSCN2786.JPG|[[Jack Rabbit (Kennywood)|Jack Rabbit]] at [[Kennywood Park]] outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States was built in 1920.
File:Knoebels Phoenix.JPG|[[Phoenix (roller coaster)|Phoenix]], built in 1947, at [[Knoebels Amusement Resort]] in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It was relocated from San Antonio's [[Playland Park (San Antonio, Texas)|Playland Park]] in 1984.
File:AltonTowers-Oblivion.JPG|[[Oblivion (roller coaster)|Oblivion]] at [[Alton Towers]] in Staffordshire, England.
File:Griffon (Busch Gardens Europe) 02.JPG|[[Griffon (roller coaster)|Griffon]] splashing down into a pool at [[Busch Gardens Williamsburg]].
File:Great Bear Helix.jpg|[[Great Bear (roller coaster)|Great Bear]] is the first steel inverted coaster in Pennsylvania, located at Hersheypark.
File:Behemoth (Canada's Wonderland) 06.jpg|[[Behemoth (roller coaster)|Behemoth]], at [[Canada's Wonderland]], was the highest ({{convert|230|ft|abbr=on|disp=or|order=flip}}) and fastest ({{convert|77|mph|km/h|abbr=on|disp=or|order=flip}}) coaster in Canada before [[Leviathan (roller coaster)|Leviathan]] opened.
File:Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Montu.jpg|"[[Montu (roller coaster)|Montu]]", a popular [[inverted roller coaster]] at [[Busch Gardens Tampa Bay]]
File:Black mamba first drop.jpg|[[Black Mamba (roller coaster)|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 was built in 1968.
File:Leviathan Reactions.jpg| [[Leviathan (roller coaster)|Leviathan]], also at [[Canada's Wonderland]], is the current tallest coaster in Canada ({{convert|306|ft|abbr=on|disp=or|order=flip}}, {{convert|148|km/h|mph|abbr=on|disp=or}}) and is also made by Bolliger & Mabillard. It was the second tallest coaster made by B&M.
File:Kingda Ka.jpg|[[Kingda Ka]] is the world's tallest roller coaster and is 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 (roller coaster)|Hyperion]] at [[Energylandia]] in [[Zator]], Poland
File:Carowinds-Fury325Entry.JPG|[[Fury 325]] at [[Carowinds]] is the tallest roller coaster ever constructed by B&M and the tallest roller coaster to use a traditional chain lift.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [[Amusement park]] ([[List of amusement parks]])
* [[Euthanasia Coaster]]
* ''[[RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)|RollerCoaster Tycoon]] ''
* ''[[Thrillville: Off the Rails]]'' – video game with roller coaster design simulator
* [[List of roller coaster rankings]]
* [[Train (roller coaster)]]
{{div col end}}

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

==External links==
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{{Sisterlinks}}
* [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
* [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] – 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]

<!-- Please review http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:EL before adding links -->
{{Roller coaster}}
{{Rollercoaster tracks}}
{{Roller coaster manufacturers}}
{{Amusement rides}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Roller coasters| ]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]