Thrilling Discoveries: Top 7 Roller Coaster Fun Facts You Never Knew

1. From Coal Mine to Coaster

Before coal miners went off the rails and exchanged shovels for roller coaster tickets, Pennsylvania had started the party already: The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, intended for transporting coal, was transformed into America's first roller coaster in the mid-1800s, treating tourists to a scenic climb up the mountain and a wild ride back down, all for just a nickel, paving the way for the beloved wooden roller coasters to fill the nation with screams and laughter.
Source => science.howstuffworks.com

2. Scenic Routes of Yesteryear

Did the inventor of roller coasters unveil a different kind of "scenic route"? You bet your sweet adrenaline LaMarcus did: LaMarcus Adna Thompson, known as the Father of the Modern American Roller Coaster, held over thirty patents on roller coaster technology and designed Scenic Railways that offered riders panoramic views of landscapes, backdropped by elaborate, hand-painted exotic destinations.
Source => wrhs.org

Dive into the origins of America's first modern amusement park, as Captain Paul Boyton makes a splash with his waterlogged wonder in 1894, paving the way for iconic parks like Luna Park! 🌊🎢🎡

=> Fun Facts about Amusement-Parks

3. Kingda Ka, the Speed King

Hold onto your hats, it's about to get Kingda Crazy up in here: Kingda Ka, the behemoth roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, not only nabbed the title of the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster back in 2005, but it still reigns without fear as the fastest in the U.S. with a face-melting top speed of 128 mph and an astonishing 456-foot top hat tower of pure vertical doom.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Swiss Alps at Disneyland

When the Swiss Alps got tired of playing hide and seek with mountaineers, they decided to shimmy their way to Disneyland instead: The Matterhorn Bobsleds, opened on June 14, 1959, in Anaheim, California, holds the distinction of being the first roller coaster modeled after the iconic mountain range and the very first to feature a tubular steel track, making this wild ride a pioneering addition to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland expansions.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Steel Dragon's Marathon Ride

Feeling Dragon-tastic and ready for a marathon ride? Steel yourself for the mother of all coasters: Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan is the world's longest roller coaster boasting a track length of 2,479 meters (8,133 feet) and a duration of 4 minutes – just don't expect to conquer the entire beast in one go, as multiple trains carrying 28 riders each ensure different experiences, speeds, and track portions for each intrepid adventurer.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Kidney-Stone-Curing Coaster

Hold on to your kidneys—this roller coaster ride might just be the cure for what ails you: Research conducted by Michigan State University has found that Disney's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, at a moderate intensity level, can help pass kidney stones, with a 63.89% success rate in the back seat and 16.67% in the front seat, as discovered using a 3D printed kidney model with actual stones implanted for the study.
Source => latimes.com

7. Dethroned Dragster Still Thrills

Feeling dethroned and draggin' its ego: Top Thrill Dragster was once the king of coasters with its 420 feet (130 m) of majestic height and a roaring 120 mph (190 km/h) speed, but was defeated by Kingda Ka in 2005 - yet it still manages to conquer hearts as a top-ranking steel coaster in the Golden Ticket Awards kingdom of Amusement Today.
Source => en.wikipedia.org