How roller coasters work
Chapter 1
The icy origins of gravity rides
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Chapter 2
The invisible engine of gravity and energy
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Chapter 3
Surviving loops and extreme forces
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Chapter 4
The engineering of speed and safety
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YOUR GOAL
Master of How roller coasters work
Ch 1 · The icy origins of gravity rides
teacher Icy Roller Coaster Beginnings
Before wheeled cars (Oh-oh!) Ice slides gave the thrill! (Yeah!) In old Russia's snow (Oh-oh!) A frozen downhill spill! (Whoa!)
Fun Fact
Russian ice slides: Catherine the Great loved 15th-century Russian ice slides so much she had wheels attached to her sleds to ride them during summer.
Glossary
ice slide (noun)
A steep chute or ramp coated with ice, designed for people to slide down on sleds. During the 1600s in St. Petersburg, riders slid down these wooden structures, which inspired modern roller coasters.
A steep chute or ramp coated with ice, designed for people to slide down on sleds. During the 1600s in St. Petersburg, riders slid down these wooden structures, which inspired modern roller coasters.
Quiz
Which famous Russian ruler was an early fan of ice slides and built them on royal estates?
Quiz
What was the original purpose of the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway in Pennsylvania?
Quiz
Why did early roller coaster switchback railways have riders sit sideways instead of facing forward?
Quiz
Where did the earliest ancestors of modern roller coasters, the giant ice slides, originate?
Quiz
Who is widely considered the 'Father of the American Roller Coaster' for his Coney Island design?