The Interpreter Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 THE ROLLERCOSTER has come a long way since it was first patented in 1885, with the first amusement park ride of this kind appearing at New York's Coney Island measuring 600 feet long and 50 feet high. Travel website Cheapflights.com has come up with a list of the top 10 fast, fierce and ferocious rollercoasters for this summer. This list is not endorsed by Reuters. 1. Behemoth, Wonderland Park, Toronto, Canada... 2. Eejanaika, Fuji-Q Highland park, Yamanashi, Japan... 3. Tower of Terror, Queensland, Australia... 4. Steel Dragon 2000, Nagashima Spa Land, Nagashima, Japan... 5. Furius Baco, PortAventura, Spain... 6. Megafobia, Oakwood Coaster Country, Pembrokeshire, Wales... 7. Nemesis, Alton Towers, England... 8. Formula Rossa, Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi... 9. Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey... 10. Bizarro, Six Flags, New England, Massachusetts... http://www.moneycont...s_463597-0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 *Switchback Railway, Coney Island, 1884. Not 1885. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 11, 2010 Author Share Posted June 11, 2010 *Switchback Railway, Coney Island, 1884. Not 1885. The ride opened the year before it was patented. The source cited the patent date. U S Patent 332,762 Patented December 22, 1885. The source is correct about the patent date for that ride: http://patft.uspto.g...ery=PN%2F332762 However, that was NOT the first roller coaster patent: ...It is interesting to note that Thompson was not the first to patent a coaster-like item, as early as 1878 Richard Knudsen had patented the "Improvement in Inclined Railways," (patent #128,674), but it never opened. Some historians argue that Thompson simply took many of the concepts utilized by Knutson and added them to his own design.... http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/america.shtml (Source there is the incomparable Adam Sandy, to which many of us owe a lot for his detailed research and thoroughness) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 You learn something new every day. Thanks Terp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Is #8 Formula Rossa, Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi even open yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I wonder where the writer of this atricle lives. Does not seem like the USA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Is #8 Formula Rossa, Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi even open yet? http://www.rcdb.com/4485.htm Nope. I think we can go and throw this writer's credibility out the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincyMan98 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 That is an odd top 10 roller coaster list......yet, everybody has their opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbfan Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I like how they describe Kingda Ka.. 9. Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, New JerseyKingda Ka is technically the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the world. The ride begins with a launch that rushes its passengers into 128 mph acceleration up 456 feet in the air and the descent is the 90-degree plunge. Barely any info and plays it down, but at the same time Tower of Terror, which isn't technically a real coaster, is at number three with this long detailed description: 3. Tower of Terror, Queensland, Australia Shooting straight up into the sky on an L-shaped track, this magnetic induction shuttle coaster runs on linear synchronous motors, which propels it into a free-floating position, and then forces a drop to retrace its route backwards. At 100 mph, it's one of the fastest roller coasters on the planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 How did this one make the list? 6. Megafobia, Oakwood Coaster Country, Pembrokeshire, WalesOne of the most respected wooden roller coasters, Megafobia runs on a twister-style layout. Coming in at 100 seconds in time, standing at 85 feet tall and running at 2,956 feet in length, Megafobia shows passengers that its old-time wooden frame isn't something to be scoffed at. 85 feet tall and 1:40 ride length. RCDB says top speed is 48mph. Doesn't seem special to me. And how can they say it has an "old-time wooden frame" when it opened in 1996? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I think what needs to be remembered is that this list was made by cheapflights.com. A website dedicated to selling airline tickets. IMO, that is why many of the coasters on the list are from MANY parts of the World, and most have been seen on Travel Channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast79 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 This looks like another paste coasters pics all over the wall and throw darts at them to pick their top 10. But at the same time they have the right to their own opinion even if they posted a coaster you can't even ride yet! Formula Rossa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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