Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but swings via a pivoting bar attached to the wheel carriage. The coaster type's inverted orientation, where the passengers' legs are exposed, distinguishes it from a traditional roller coaster, where the passengers' arms are instead exposed.
| Inverted roller coaster | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) A Bolliger & Mabillard built Inverted coaster. Nemesis at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom | |
| Status | In Production |
| First manufactured | 1992 |
| No. of installations | 189 |
| Manufacturers | Bolliger & Mabillard, Vekoma, Intamin, and Mack Rides |
| Vehicles | Suspended trains |
| Restraint Style | Over-the-shoulder (most common style) |
The inverted coaster was pioneered by the Swiss roller coaster designers Bolliger & Mabillard in the early 1990s. The first installation came at Six Flags Great America in 1992.[1] Batman: The Ride opened to much fanfare and was "cloned" many times at other parks. The inverted coaster quickly became an industry favorite with custom designs installed nearly every year. The tallest and fastest inverted coaster is Wicked Twister at Cedar Point at 215 feet (66 m) tall and reaching speeds up to 72 miles per hour (116 km/h). The longest inverted coaster is Banshee at Kings Island which travels along 4,124 feet (1,257 m) of track.
Other roller coaster manufacturers followed in the footsteps of Bolliger & Mabillard and began working on their own inverted coaster designs, including Vekoma, Intamin and other smaller companies. Intamin has few designs classified as inverted coasters, although they do install inverted coaster trains on some of their launched designs. Vekoma, on the other hand, usually mass-produces the same design (SLC (689m Standard)) with 41 identical coasters – and a few variations of that design – installed around the world.[2] Also, in recent years, Vekoma has become the first manufacturer to install a family-friendly inverted roller coaster. Giovanola also has a single inverted coaster operating.
The inversions usually include vertical loop, zero-g roll, Immelmann loop, cobra roll, and corkscrew.
Installations
189 inverted roller coasters have been installed at various theme parks, some of which have been relocated. The following list is not exhaustive and only shows the most notable installations.
Gallery
_01.JPG.webp)
References
- Meyer, Russell (May 12, 2014). "Coaster Tech: An Insider's look at inverted coasters". themeparkinsider.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- http://rcdb.com/cm7.htm
- "Dragon Challenge closing for a new Harry Potter ride". orlandoinformer.com. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inverted roller coasters. |