Roller coaster

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railway track that carries passengers on a train through hills, turns, valleys, and other elements, to exert abnormal g-forces on the body. Roller coasters are usually designed to produce a thrilling experience, though some roller coasters aim to provide a more gentle experience. Trains usually consist of open cars connected in a single line, and tracks are typically built and designed as a complete circuit in which trains depart from and return to the same loading station. The rides are typically found in amusement parks around the world but can also be located in zoos. The Roller Coaster DataBase records over 6,000 extant roller coasters as of January 2026.

The earliest progenitors to the modern roller coasters were the "Russian Mountains", which first appeared in the 17th century. LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first known patents for a track-based roller coaster design in 1885, based on the Switchback Railway which opened a year earlier at Coney Island. Today, most roller coasters are built out of steel, which can allow for more intense forces and inversions, although modernized versions of wooden coasters still exist.

History

The Russian Mountains and the Aerial Promenades

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, Russia. Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 70 and 80 feet (21 and 24 m), had a 50-degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports.