Roller coaster facts for kids

Riding the Expedition GeForce roller coaster

A roller coaster is a popular ride you find at theme parks. It's like a small train with several cars that zoom along a special track. This track has big hills that go up and steep valleys that go down. Some tracks even have parts that turn the train completely upside-down! Roller coaster tracks can be made from wood or strong steel. Some roller coasters are designed for younger children and don't go very fast. Others are built super tall and travel at incredible speeds. Riders are kept safe and secure with a lap bar, a shoulder harness, or a seat belt.

Roller coasters work because of gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls everything down to the ground. Most roller coaster trains are pulled to the top of the first big hill by a chain. From there, gravity takes over! The train slides down the track, picking up speed as it goes downhill. It then slows down a bit as it climbs the next hill, only to speed up again on the next drop. It's a thrilling ride of ups and downs!

How Roller Coasters Started

The first roller coaster in the United States was patented by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. He got his patent on January 20, 1865. He called his ride the "Switchback Railway." Workers had to pull the cars to the top of the track for each ride. The first modern steel roller coaster was the Matterhorn Bobsleds. It opened at Disneyland in 1959.

Different Kinds of Roller Coasters

Roller coaster tracks are usually made from two main materials: wood or steel.

Steel roller coasters come in many exciting types:

• Wing Coasters: On these, riders sit on either side of the track. There's nothing above or below them, making it feel like they're flying!
• Flying Roller Coasters: Riders lie face down in these cars. The cars hang below the track, giving you the feeling of soaring through the air.
• Floorless Coasters: When you ride a Floorless Coaster, there's no floor under your feet! Your legs dangle freely just above the track.

Some roller coasters even spin the riders around as they go!

Both steel and wooden roller coasters can turn riders upside down. This thrilling move is called an inversion.

For a long time, Son of Beast was the only wooden roller coaster with an inversion. However, its loop was later removed. After another incident, the ride was taken down. In 2013, two other wooden coasters, Hades 360 and Outlaw Run, added inversions. The Smiler holds the world record for having the most upside-down sections of any roller coaster.

Famous Roller Coasters Around the World

Here are some of the most famous roller coasters and their amazing records:

Images for kids

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  The Scenic Railway at Luna Park, Melbourne, is the world's second-oldest operating roller coaster, built in 1912.

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  The Promenades-Aériennes in Paris, 1817

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  Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884

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  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.

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  Cyclon roller coaster in the Nokkakivi amusement park in Laukaa, Finland

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  Family coaster: Kingdom Coaster at Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a 55 feet (17 m) tall coaster that reaches a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h).

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  Mega/Hyper coaster: Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, a Bolliger & Mabillard out and back coaster.

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  Strata coaster: The tallest coaster in the world, the 456 feet (139 m) tall Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.

See also

In Spanish: Montaña rusa para niños