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ACE - ACE is
an acronym for the American Coaster Enthusiasts; an organization
of roller coaster enthusiasts based out of Mission, Kansas.
Member benefits of ACE include publications, admission to
special coaster events, invitations to selected media events,
and more.
AIRTIME - A term used by enthusiasts to describe the
sensation of weightlessness, or negative G's as a roller coaster
navigates the track. Upstop wheels mounted on the bottom of the
wheel bogeys prevent the train from fully leaving the track.
AMUSEMENT PARK - An area of land setup with rides, games
and other attractions. Generally not heavily themed.
ANCHOR STRAP - Metal strips used to connect supports to
the concrete footers or foundation of a roller coaster.
ANTI-ROLLBACK - A series of mechanisms mounted under the
train that connect on racks mounted on lifthills of coasters,
causing the distinct "clacking" noise as you are traveling up
the lifthill. Some coasters may also feature anti-rollback racks
on inclines of certain hills along the course.
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-B-
BACK-TO-BACK
SEATING - A seating arrangement in which each car has two
rows that face outwards, as on Vekoma Invertigo coasters.
BANKED TURN - Banked turns are turns angled laterally to
reduce lateral G-forces on the riders and the train as the train
enters a curve or turn. Banked Turns also allow for the trains
to not lose as much velocity built up by kinetic energy from
previous drops in the course.
BANKING - A section of track that is angled laterally.
BARREL ROLL - An inversion element where the coaster
train rotates 360º around the track, without any change
vertically or horizontally. Very similar to the same maneuver
performed by jet aircrafts, this element is truly only found on
TOGO's Ultra Twister, located at Six Flags Astroworld in
Houston, Texas.
BATWING - Arrow Dynamics' name for the standard boomerang
element. Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) calls this element the
"Cobra Roll." Not to be confused with the flying coaster of the
same name at Six Flags America.
BENCH SEATS - Usually found on older, more traditional
wooden roller coasters, Bench Seats are seats with no type of
physical divider dividing the two seats from each other,
allowing for more free lateral movement from one side of the
train to the other. A Modern version of this type of car can be
found on the GCI coasters Roar at Six Flags Marine World, and
Lightning Racer at Hershey Park.
BENTS - The vertical beams or posts on a wooden roller
coaster.
BLOCK - A section of track divided from the rest of the
roller coaster by means of brakes, a chain lift, or some other
form of stopping the train from progressing. This is used when
two or more trains are running on a roller coaster at a given
time to prevent them from ever coming in contact with each other
in case the first may stop for any reason. Theme Parks often run
"block violation" checks as part of a routine safety inspection
and try to purposely collide the trains into one another to
ensure their block systems are working properly.
BLOCK BRAKE - A series of brakes placed at various points
along the track of a roller coaster only used to prevent trains
from colliding into one another in emergency situations. Not to
be confused with TRIM BRAKES.
BOBSLED - A type of 'roller coaster,' with no physical
'track'. Instead, free-rolling cars navigate around the sides of
a banked trough, creating lateral G's and weightlessness. While
a traditional roller coaster can still operating in light rain
conditions, unless a bobsled coaster is enclosed, they must be
shut down for safety reasons at the first sign of precipitation.
BOGEY - SEE WHEEL BOGEY.
BOOMERANG - In coaster terms, the boomerang can either
mean one of two things. It can refer to the inversion by the
name of "Boomerang," as on Vekoma roller coasters, but is called
the Batwing on Arrow Dynamics' roller coasters, and the Cobra
Roll on Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) roller coasters. In the
inversion, the train completes a half-loop, then is thrown into
a type of twist/half-corkscrew. It then, completes the process
in reverse, exiting in the same direction from which the train
entered.
Additionally, the coaster manufacture Vekoma, located in The
Kingdom of the Netherlands, produces a line of roller coasters
under the model name of "Boomerang", in which a train is first
pulled up one lift hill in reverse, and is then dropped back
through the station, through the boomerang element, into a
vertical loop, and up the other lift hill. When reaching the top
of the second lift hill, the train is released in reverse
completing the course in reverse.
BOOSTER WHEELS - A set of parallel rotating tires which
push the train along flat sections of track. Most commonly
located around the dispatch station of a roller coaster. They
may also be used as a replacement for the traditional chain
lift, propelling the train up the lift hill such as on Texas
Tornado and Mayan Mindbender, also located at Six Flags
AstroWorld.
BOWTIE - Originally developed by Arrow-Huss, the "bowtie"
inversion element involves the train navigating through a
half-left corkscrew, a half loop, another half loop, and a
half-right corkscrew, resulting in the train entering the
element, and leaving the element, in the same direction. The
Bowtie element is currently featured only on the Dragon Mountain
roller coaster at MarineLand, in Niagara Falls, Canada.
BRAKE FIN - The fin mounted on the side or under the
train which is squeezed between two plates in order to stop the
train.
BRAKE RUN - A Brake Run is a long, flat stretch of track
fitted with brakes with the purpose to slow down and stop the
incoming train before approaching the station. Not to be
confused with BLOCK BRAKES or TRIM BRAKES.
BRAKES - Brakes are usually friction devices used to slow
down, or completely stop a train during it's circuit. Most
brakes work by having two parallel 'blocks,' that, in
conjunction with sensors, close on special fins mounted
underneath, or in the case of a Schwarzkopf coaster, the sides,
of the train and slow down or stop the trains. For safety
concerns, every roller coaster brake is set to a default
'closed' position and requires either an electrical current or
flow from an air compressor to 'open' the brakes to allow a
train past the braking point. This is done in case of a power
loss, the ride is still able to safely come to a stop.
An innovation found on a few of today's more modern roller
coasters are magnetic brakes. These use Rare-Earth magnets to
slow down the trains. Primarily found on newer generation
Intamin roller coaster, this type of braking can also be found
on Intamin's second-generation tower drop rides, such as Dungeon
Drop at Six Flags AstroWorld. One major benefit of using
magnetic braking allows for using significantly shorter stopping
distances than traditional friction or 'squeeze' brakes.
BUNNY HOP - A 'hop' designed to give a brief pop of
airtime.
BUTTERFLY - An inversion much like a Bowtie, in which the
train enters a half corkscrew, half loop, half loop, and another
half corkscrew exiting the opposite way you entered. This
element can be found on the Tennessee Tornado at Dollywood
Amusement Park.
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CATAPULT LAUNCH
- A ride that uses a pulley and wheel system to launch the
coaster. Greezed Lightnin' at Six Flags AstroWorld is an example
of this type of ride. They offer very fast and extreme launches.
This system has been replaced with the modern LINEAR INDUCTION
MOTOR and LINEAR SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR systems.
CAMEL BACKS - Usually found on hypercoasters or wooden
coasters, a series of two or more hills, each descending in
height, usually resulting in airtime.
CAR(S) - Cars are the basic sections of the roller
coaster train. An average number of 5-8 cars make up the train,
which are attached to each other with specialized couplers.
CENTRIFUGAL FORCE - The force which the rider has on his
or her seat (or as a train has on its tracks) as they experience
positive g forces due to vertical accelerations. From a physics
standpoint, this force does not actually exist, and is only an
effect of inertia.
CENTRIPETAL FORCE - The force which the train has on its
riders (or which track has on a train). This force opposes
centrifugal force.
CHAIN DOGS - Devices beneath the train which "catch" onto
the moving chain to engage the train up the lifthill.
CHAIN LIFT - The most common way of propelling a train up
the initial hill, a chain is continuously looped through a motor
and to the top of the lifthill. The train latches onto the chain
lift via the chain dog and is released at the top. Other methods
include booster tires or an elevator cable lift system.
CIRCUIT - The path or journey around the track. Coasters
that navigate around a full circuit without any points of
returning in reverse are called "Full Circuit coasters", while
others are called "Shuttle coasters." Greezed Lightnin' at Six
Flags Astroworld is an example of a "Shuttle Coaster", although
it's production line is more commonly referred to as a "Shuttle
Loop" coaster by the manufacture.
CLAMSHELL - A type of restraint used on B&M's "Speed
coasters". These are similar to individual lap bars, but cover
more of the lap area, and are therefore more comfortable than
other types of lap restraint.
CLOTHOID - The mathematical term for the shape of most
vertical loops.
COBRA ROLL - B&M's name for the basic Boomerang element
found on many roller coasters.
CORKSCREW - The first modern inverting element, developed
by Arrow Dynamics in the 1970s. Arrow also produced a series of
then-successful runs of the standard "Corkscrew" production
model coaster.
CREST - The top of a hill. Also referred to as the CROWN.
CROSSOVER - A point at which a portion of track crosses
another part of the same track.
CROWN - See CREST.
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DARK RIDE -
A ride in which cars travel along a track in darkness. Usually
themed to some degree, and can sometimes offer riders the option
of shooting at "targets" with a light gun through-out the
course.
DIVING LOOP - An inversion element by B&M in which the
train climbs upward, and upon cresting the top, it curves left
or right into a half loop.
DOG LEG - A special case of an out and back coaster which
features a turn part way through it's layout.
DOUBLE DOWN - A hill that is lowered at the crest
resulting in two dips.
DOUBLE LOOP - A series of two vertical loops.
DOUBLE OUT AND BACK - An Out and Back roller coaster that
goes "out and back" twice.
DROP - A Section of track in which elevation is lost in
exchange for speed.
DROP RIDE - A ride which hauls rides into the air and
then releases them. Dungeon Drop at Six Flags AstroWorld, Scream
at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Wildcatter at Six Flags over
Texas are all examples of this type of attraction.
DUELING COASTER - A roller coaster with two (or more)
tracks that 'duel' or have near misses at points in the course.
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EJECTOR AIRTIME
- A slang term for a type of airtime which forces riders
violently up against their restraints. See also FLOATING
AIRTIME.
ELEMENT - A distinct part of a coaster track. Often used
to describe inversions, helixes, spirals and turnarounds.
ELEVATED CURVE - A curve, usually banked, in which it
raises or lowers it's elevation during the maneuver.
ELEVATOR LIFT - A type of roller coaster lift hill that
uses cables and pulleys instead of the traditional "chain lift"
found on most roller coasters. This system debuted on Millennium
Force at Cedar Point in the year 2000.
ENCLOSED COASTER - A roller coaster that is enclosed
inside a building or structure. These rides are generally
operated with little to no light inside the building. An example
would be Mayan Mindbender at Six Flags Astroworld.
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FAN CURVE -
A Curve with reinforcements, generally cables, radiating from a
central point resembling a fan. Also used to describe a curve
that ascends in elevation as it enters and descends as it exits.
FAN TURN - See FAN CURVE.
FIGURE EIGHT - A coaster with a layout resembling the
number eight, resulting in both left and right turns during the
course of the ride. Two examples are The Viper and Texas
Cyclone, both at Six Flags AstroWorld.
FIRST DROP - The first and usually the longest drop of a
roller coaster.
FIXED LAPBAR - A non-moving lapbar that is fixed to a
point requiring riders to slide in. Fixed lapbars are mostly
found on older roller coasters.
FLAT RIDE - Any type of ride that is low to the ground,
and is not a roller coaster. Generally spins riders in circles
in some variation.
FLAT SPIN - B&M's term for a corkscrew.
FLAT TURN - A turn with no banking, or no lateral
twisting causing the illusion the train/car will flip over. Most
Wild Mouse roller coasters have flat turns. At one time, the
Upper North and Upper South Bend turns on Texas Cyclone at Six
Flags AstroWorld were banked, however, they are now flat turns.
FLOATING AIRTIME - A slang term describing when riders
gently float weightlessly through the air. See also EJECTOR
AIRTIME.
FOURTH DIMENSION - The 4-D roller coaster design by Arrow
features seats sitting on the outside of the train and rotate in
accordance to an additional control rail fitted on the outside
of the track. "X" at Six Flags Magic Mountain is an example of
the Fourth Dimension roller coaster.
FOOTERS - The cement foundations of a roller coaster.
FOOTPRINT - The shape of a roller coaster circuit.
FREEFORM - A roller coaster design/layout that conforms
to the terrain and doesn't fall into any of the standard
categories. Also called a "terrain coaster".
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G-FORCE -
The forces of gravity on an object which are created by changes
in the velocity and inertia of an object. Earth gravity is one
G. Positive G forces make you feel heavier, where as Negative
G's make you feel lighter. See also AIRTIME and POSITIVE G's.
GAUGE - See TRACK GAUGE.
GIANT BOOMERANGS - Vekoma's name for their SUPER
BOOMERANG inverted boomerang coasters.
GIGACOASTER - A term created by Intamin and Cedar Point
to describe a coaster over 300 feet tall. It should be noted,
however, that Intamin calls any non-looping sitdown coaster a
"mega-coaster" as evidenced by the metal plates seen on their
trains.
GUIDE WHEELS - A set of wheels that run along the side of
the coaster track, which helps offset the forces of lateral g's
and keeps the trains affixed to the track. These wheels also
allow for turning on a roller coaster. Depending on the
manufacture of the ride, guide wheels can run along the inside
or outside of the track. See also WHEELS.
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-H-
HAIRPIN TURN
- A very sharp 180º turn which submits riders to high G-forces.
HAMMERHEAD - A turn in which riders are held in a
constant position on their sides throughout the entire turn.
HEAD CHOPPER - Supports on a coaster that appear to come
very close to the coaster riders and look as if they might come
into contact with the riders.
HEADRESTS - The uppermost portion of a seatback in which
riders rest their heads on to absorb G-Forces on coasters that
feature high-end positive G's.
HEARTLINE COASTER - A design referring to TOGO's 'Ultra
Twister' design at Six Flags Astroworld, which consists of
specially designed cars with running rails on the sides. The
design allows heartline twists, or true barrel rolls, but
doesn't allow turning.
HELIX - A continuing turn which elevates up or down
during it's course causing vertical G's and/or lateral G's
depending on the helix's banking. Also commonly used as the
"return point" of a roller coaster.
HORSECOLLAR - A type of "Over The Shoulder Restraints"
which fit over the shoulders and reach down to the waste to
secure riders in the train. An example can be seen on XLR-8 at
Six Flags AstroWorld.
HYPERCOASTER - A term coined by Arrow Dynamics to
describe a roller coaster that is 200 feet or taller. The worlds
first Hypercoaster was the Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point.
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-I-
IMMELMAN -
B&M's term for the Diving Loop on their Inverted coasters.
Vekoma Suspended Looping Coasters refer to this inversion as a
"Sidewinder Half Loop". Often used as a "return point" for a
roller coaster. The "Immelman" was named after an airplane
maneuver invented by a German pilot in World War I.
INCLINED LOOP - A vertical loop that is tilted at 45
degrees, and featured on B&M's roller coasters such as Mantis
and Riddler's Revenge.
INDOOR COASTER - A roller coaster located inside of a
building.
INTERLOCKING LOOPS - Loops which interlock within one
other.
INVERSION - Any element on a roller coaster which inverts
the rider by turning them upside down by one form or another.
Also called an Inversion Element.
INVERTED COASTERS - Any coaster that performs inversions
in which the trains hang under the track. B&M and Intamin
coasters of this type are most commonly referred to as "Inverted
Coasters", while Vekoma has named their product line the
"Suspended Looping Coaster". Arrow Dynamics debuted the
"Suspended Coaster" with XLR-8 at Six Flags AstroWorld in 1984,
however, these type of coasters do not perform inversions due to
problems in design engineering.
INVERTIGO - Vekoma's name for their suspended boomerang
coasters. Not to be confused with GIANT BOOMERANG's.
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-J-
JUNIOR COASTER
- A coaster mainly targeted towards a younger audience,
generally from 6 to 11 years of age. Often referred to as a
Family Coaster. 'The Serpent' at Six Flags Astroworld would be
an example of this type of coaster.
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-K-
KIDDIE COASTER
- A coaster targeted specifically towards very young children.
Adults are generally not permitted to ride. Examples of this
type of coaster include Little Laser at Dorney Park and Gemini
Jr. at Cedar Point.
KINETIC ENERGY - The energy possessed by a body because
of its motion, equal to one half the mass of the body times the
square of its speed. Coasters are dependent on this force, and
achieve all the kinetic energy required at the bottom of the
first drop to ensure a full circuit around the track.
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LAPBAR - A
simple restraint that consists of a bar elevated over the lap
area securing riders with comfort. Generally found on
non-looping and wooden coasters.
LAUNCHED LIFTHILL - See LIFTHILL and TIRE LAUNCH.
LIFTHILL - Generally the first hill of a coaster that
features a motorized device to lift the train to the crest of
the hill. Most roller coasters use a chain lift, but some use
drive tires or an elevator lift. Launched coasters, such as
Greezed Lightnin at Six Flags AstroWorld or Mr. Freeze at Six
Flags over Texas, generally do not have a lifthill. One
exception, however, is The Incredible Hulk at Islands of
Adventure.
LIM - Linear Induction Motors use magnets on the track to
attract then repel the train to force the train to a high speed
in a short amount of time. LSMs are much the same technology,
but different implementation.
LINE - See QUEUE
LINE UP - See QUEUE
LINEAR G's - The forces a rider feels when a train is
launched or braked. The forces pull riders forwards or backwards
in their seats in a direction aligned with the train's direction
of travel.
LOADING PLATFORM - The platform in which riders board the
train. May have a separate UNLOADING PLATFORM where riders
depart the train.
LOOP - See VERTICAL LOOP.
LSM - Linear Synchronis Motors use magnets on the track
to attract then repel the train resulting in a launch in very
short time. LIMs are much the same technology, with different
implementation.
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MEGA COASTER
- The term coined by INTAMIN for their large, non-looping rides.
MINE TRAIN - A type of roller coaster which is themed to
Mines and feature quick, unexpected turns and drops.
MULTI ELEMENT - A coaster which features many different
elements and inversions.
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-N-
NEGATIVE G's
- See AIRTIME.
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-O-
OTSR - Over
The Shoulder Restraint. Generally found on looping coasters for
additional restraint on the rider.
OUT AND BACK - A Coaster that travels 'out and back'.
Upon leaving the station, you travel out to some point, and then
turnaround and head right back to the station. Also see "Double
Out and Back". Other types include terrain and twisters among
others. Generally refers to wooden coasters. Judge Roy Scream at
Six Flags over Texas is one example of this type of coaster.
OVERBANKED TURN - A curve or turn on a coaster which is
more than 90º. Debate continues on if this could be considered
an inversion or not.
OVERRUN - When a coaster train overshoots its station.
This most commonly happens on older wooden coasters.
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-P-
PARABOLIC -
Used to describe a coaster hill that is continuously curving,
usually resulting in airtime.
PIPELINE - A design by Arrow which has cars riding
between the rails allowing barrel rolls and twisting elements.
The design never made it to production however, because of costs
and other problems.
POSITIVE G's - G Forces which are positive and push you
down into your seat. The opposite of airtime and Negative G's.
POTENTIAL ENERGY - The type of energy a coaster train has
when it is on a high section of track, but not necessarily
traveling very fast. A trains potential energy is jointly
proportional to it's mass and height.
POWER WHEELS - The wheels sometimes found within the
course of a ride, such as on the upper north and upper south
bend turns on Texas Cyclone at Six Flags AstroWorld. They exist
to help the train complete the circuit in high winds.
POWERED COASTER - A coaster that uses an onboard drive
system to power the train for all parts of the ride.
PRE-DROP - A small drop immediately following a lift
hill, designed to give more speed starting down the first drop.
A coaster with an example of this is Texas Tornado at Six Flags
AstroWorld.
PRETZEL - An inversion much like a Butterfly. Riders
enter with a half corkscrew, half loop, half loop, and another
half corkscrew exiting the opposite way you entered like a
Butterfly, except the exit of the inversion is on the opposite
side of the entrance.
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-Q-
QUEUE - The
area in which riders wait in line to board a coaster.
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-R-
RACING COASTER
- A coaster which features tracks running parallel to one
another in which two or more trains "race" one another to the
end of the track. One example is Lightning Racer at Hershey
Park.
RAVEN TURN - Riders are seated in chairs without track
above or below them, and are led into an inversion that rotates
them around vertically so that they exit the element in the same
direction they entered. Currently only featured on 4th Dimension
coasters.
RESTRAINT - A device used to secure a passenger into the
train of the roller coaster.
RIBS - The part of a steel coaster that connects the
running rails to the spine. They can connect to either the
inside or outside of the running rails, depending on the
manufacture of the ride. This affects the placement of the guide
wheels on the train.
ROAD WHEELS - The wheels which ride on top of the running
rail or tube of the coaster track. Generally larger than upstop
or guide wheels. See also WHEELS.
ROLLING STOCK - Another word for the trains of a roller
coaster.
RUNAWAY MINE TRAIN - A roller coaster that is themed as a
mine train.
RUNNING RAIL - The thick, flat metal attached to a wood
coasters track, upon which the train rides on.
RUNNING RAILS - The rails that a steel coasters rolling
stock runs directly on. The shape of the running rails directly
determines the layout and geometry of a coaster.
RUNNING WHEELS - See ROAD WHEELS.
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-S-
SAFETY ENVELOPE
- The area determined by the ride manufacture and the home theme
park of the ride in which the clearance is determined for riders
to safely ride without coming into contact with the ride itself.
SEATBELT - Another kind of restraint used alone or in
conjunction with another type of restraint.
SEA SERPENT - A Sea Serpent mostly resembles a Cobra
Roll, however, the key difference between the two is the exit
maneuver, which does not turn to the opposite direction. Sea
Serpent elements are mostly seen on Vekoma SLC coasters, such as
Serial Thriller at Six Flags AstroWorld. B&M's version of this
element debuted on Medusa at Six Flags Marine World.
SERPENTINE CURVES - The classic back-and-forth curves
found on wild mouse coasters. These are usually unbanked.
SHOULDER HARNESS - Another word for Over The Shoulder
Restraints that secure the rider into the train by dropping down
over the shoulders and to the waist area.
SHUTTLE COASTER - A roller coaster that does not make a
complete circuit. Instead, the train reverses at some point on
the track and returns to the station in reverse.
SHUTTLE LOOP - A coaster that launches riders through a
nearly circular vertical loop, then the train climbs a 70 degree
incline until it's momentum is depleted, falls backwards and
repeats the journey.
There are two variations of the catapult system: Weight Drop and
Flywheel. The Weight Drop uses a 40 ton weight in a tower at the
end of the ride. The weight connects to a pulley system which
triples the speed of the drop, placing over 13 tons of force on
the train. The Flywheel utilizes a six ton flywheel in a machine
room in front of the loop. The flywheel spins to 1044rpm and
then engages a 4:1 speed reducer. This turns a drive pulley and
propels the train via a cable. An example of a Type II shuttle
loop coaster is Greezed Lightnin' at Six Flags AstroWorld.
SIDE FRICTION - Another name for the GUIDE WHEELS of a
coaster train, or an early type of roller coaster which runs
with guide wheels on the top and side of the track.
SIDEWINDER HALF LOOP - Vekoma's name for an IMMELMAN.
SKID BRAKES - A type of brake that raises up underneath a
train, lifting its wheels off the tracks and slows the train
down by friction.
SKY COASTER - A flat ride in which riders are pulled into
the air secured to a steel cable, and riders release a rip cord
to send them flying through the air. The Barnstormer at Six
Flags AstroWorld is an example of this type of attraction.
SLAMMER - A very hard abrupt drop, providing a short,
intense burst of negative G's.
SPAGHETTI BOWL - A track element in which the track
twists and curves in a tight tangled mass of track. One example
is Poltergeist at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
SPEED BUMP - A small bump taken at high speeds resulting
in airtime or Negative G's.
SPEED RUN - A series of speed bumps.
SPINE - The most structural part of a steel coasters
track. It runs between the running rails and is connected to
them by ribs. It can be tubular, square in section or even
triangular. Some coasters use multiple spines.
STAND UP - A coaster which riders Stand Up instead of
sitting down. An example would be Batman: The Escape at Six
Flags AstroWorld.
STANDING BUT NOT OPERATING - A term used to describe a
roller coaster that is standing, but not operating due to
problems or desertion of a park. An example would be Texas
Tornado as Six Flags AstroWorld sat Standing But Not Operating
in the year 2001.
STAPLED - Being tightly restrained by a ride operator to
the point of discomfort.
STATION - Building which houses the loading platform,
maintenance track area, controls, and other related objects.
STATION BRAKE - Brakes which slow down the train as it
enters the station.
STEEL COASTER - Any roller coaster with steel running
rails. Some steel coasters have wooden structures, but are still
steel roller coasters because of the track.
SUSPENDED COASTER - Arrow's suspended coasters consist of
cars hanging down from the track and swing freely from side to
side during lateral G's. These coasters do not perform
inversions. An example of this type of coaster is XLR-8 at Six
Flags AstroWorld, the worlds very first successful Suspended
Coaster.
SUPER BOOMERANG - See GIANT BOOMERANG.
SUSPENDED LOOPING COASTER (SLC) - The Vekoma production
name for their inverted looping coasters. An example would be
Serial Thriller at Six Flags AstroWorld. See also INVERTED
COASTER.
SWOOP TURN - A turn which the trains enter while
descending and exit while ascending.
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TERRAIN COASTER
- A roller coaster that follows the terrain of the park,
swooping into valleys and ravines and making use of the natural
landforms. See also "FREEFORM".
THEME PARK - A park that is themed heavily such as Disney
and Busch parks. See also AMUSEMENT PARK.
THEME PARK MENTALITY - A slang, negative term referring
to parks or coasters that have excessive safety rules,
precautions or policies. Also refers to a ride which has been
"toned-down" either through added brakes, or re-profiling of the
ride. Visit SEA WORLD OF TEXAS' STEEL EEL for an example.
THEMEING - Objects used around a roller coaster to set it
to a certain theme.
TILT DROP - A feature where trains are stopped on a
section of track at the top of the lift hill, locked into place,
at which point the track physically moves and tilts downward 90º
down and releases the train onto a second section of track.
TIRE DRIVE LIFT - A lifthill that uses drive tires to
project the train up the hill. See also LIFTHILL.
TIRE LAUNCH - A method of launching a coaster train where
the train is pushed along at a rapid rate by spinning wheels.
Not to be confused with a TIRE DRIVE LIFT.
TOP HAT - An element in which the train heads up a near
vertical section of track, then twists around until the train is
upside down. As the train exits the inversion, the track rotates
around again so the train is once again right side up. An
example of this element is found on Mr. Freeze at Six Flags over
Texas.
TRACK - The portion of the ride that guides a roller
coasters train along its path.
TRACK GAUGE - The distance between the centers of the
running rails. Wood coasters generally fall between 42 to 44
inches, and steel coasters between 27 and 48 inches.
TRACK SENSORS - Devices that determine the position of
the train on the circuit.
TRAIN - A series of coaster cars hooked together.
TRANSFER TRACK - On roller coasters capable of running
multiple trains, a section of track for holding spare trains.
TRICK TRACK - A straight section of track that is banked,
or that alternately banked opposite directions. This causes the
car to rock from side to side as it passes over the trick track.
TRIM BRAKE - Also known as trims, brakes placed
strategically around the track to keep the train at a specific
speed at all times. Trim brakes are usually a coaster
enthusiasts' worst nightmare.
TRUCKS - The wheel assemblies and wheels. See also WHEEL
BOGEY.
TURNAROUND - An element on roller coasters that make the
train turnaround to reverse it's direction and make it head the
other way, a 180º turn in the track.
TWISTER - A coaster with lots of directional changes and
crossovers.
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-U-
UPSTOP WHEELS
- The wheels which ride on the underside of the track to keep it
from flying off during hills and drops. See also WHEELS.
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-V-
VALLEY - A
term used by themeparks to indicate when a coaster train, due to
wind or other factors, does not complete it's course and stalls
at some point during the ride.
VERTICAL DROP - A drop on a coaster of 90º or close to
90º. However, a true vertical drop is 90º.
VERTICAL LOOP - Also known as a Loop, vertical loops are
the simplest of inversion elements which consist of a train
going through an oval-shaped element. Teardrop-shaped loops
called "Clothoid" in shape are used more often than perfect
circles because of the higher G Forces circular loops produce.
VERTICAL TWIST - A vertical spike of track that twists
around as it travels vertically towards the sky.
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-W-
WEIGHT DROP LAUNCH - A type of launch
that launches the train by dropping a weight from an elevated
point and in turn launching the train.
WHEEL BOGEY - The assembly which houses the wheels on a
roller coaster.
WHEELS - Roller coaster wheels usually consist of three
sets. Road wheels roll on top of the track and support the
weight of the train. Side Friction or Guide wheels keep the
train from flying off the track when coming to a turn. Upstop
wheels fit underneath the track to secure the train to the track
and to keep it from flying off the track during hills and drops.
See also GUIDE WHEELS, ROAD WHEELS AND UPSTOP WHEELS.
WILD MOUSE - A roller coaster, usually one car in length,
featuring tight turns and sudden drops.
WOODEN COASTER - Any ride in which flat steel running
rails are laden over laminated wood make a wooden roller
coaster. Some wooden coasters have steel structures, but are
still considered wood because of their track design.
WOODIE - Slang for a wooden coaster.
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-X-
There are no entries under the letter "X".
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-Y-
There are no entries under the letter "Y".
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-Z-
ZERO G ROLL - A element mostly found
on B&M coasters in which riders are subjected to near Zero G's.
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Some information provided by
Coasters2k.com.
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