Double, Racing, & Deuling
Are there other types of "dual" coasters out there or are these it?
From what I can see, for "Dual Track" there are quite a few distinctly different types of coasters...
1. Classic double-track. This would count as one and only one coaster that happens to have 2 exactly the same tracks side by side. Virtually no difference between tracks. Ex. Colossus @ SFMM, Superman: the escape @ SFMM.
2. Racing coaster. Again, one coaster, with 2 tracks that are side by side OR mirror images of the same track. Difference between this and double track is that the trains SHOULD be dispached at the same time, allowing the trains to "race" each other around the track. Ex. The Racer @ Kennywood, and The Racer @ PKI.
3. Dueling coasters. I would count these as 2 seperate and distinct coasters and track layouts that happen to be on the same piece of real estate and sharing (usually) the same name. They feature near misses (near hits) and are of similar size and speed, but not the same. Ex. Dueling Dragons @ IOA, and Gwazi @ BGT.
As for who was first, Dual track coasters have been around since the 20's. Racing coasters have been around almost as long.
I consider the Matterhorn Bobsleds @ D-land to be the first "dueling" coaster by definition, but others obviously disagree.
Comments?
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Gotta ride 'em all!
From what I can see, for "Dual Track" there are quite a few distinctly different types of coasters...
1. Classic double-track. This would count as one and only one coaster that happens to have 2 exactly the same tracks side by side. Virtually no difference between tracks. Ex. Colossus @ SFMM, Superman: the escape @ SFMM.
2. Racing coaster. Again, one coaster, with 2 tracks that are side by side OR mirror images of the same track. Difference between this and double track is that the trains SHOULD be dispached at the same time, allowing the trains to "race" each other around the track. Ex. The Racer @ Kennywood, and The Racer @ PKI.
3. Dueling coasters. I would count these as 2 seperate and distinct coasters and track layouts that happen to be on the same piece of real estate and sharing (usually) the same name. They feature near misses (near hits) and are of similar size and speed, but not the same. Ex. Dueling Dragons @ IOA, and Gwazi @ BGT.
As for who was first, Dual track coasters have been around since the 20's. Racing coasters have been around almost as long.
I consider the Matterhorn Bobsleds @ D-land to be the first "dueling" coaster by definition, but others obviously disagree.
Comments?
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Gotta ride 'em all!
The Racer at PKI is totally different than Kennywood's. PKI's are mirror coasters side by side.
The Racer at Kennywood is really one continuous track. You leave on a train on one side of the station, and return on the other side. If you remained on that train for another consecutive ride, only then would you end up where you originally started. This is accomplished by having the trains separate only once- the "two" tracks separate when they leave the station- one goes left, the other goes right. The rest of the route is track side by side.
The Racer at Kennywood is really one continuous track. You leave on a train on one side of the station, and return on the other side. If you remained on that train for another consecutive ride, only then would you end up where you originally started. This is accomplished by having the trains separate only once- the "two" tracks separate when they leave the station- one goes left, the other goes right. The rest of the route is track side by side.
Don't forget the Lightning Racer at Hersheypark. Its the first Dueling/Racing coaster. It races twice and duels several times as well.
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Parks hit for 2000!
PKD,BGW,Knoebels,DP,HP,PKI,HW,SFKK,SFA, Camden, SFO,CP,WL,IW,KW,BP
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Parks hit for 2000!
PKD,BGW,Knoebels,DP,HP,PKI,HW,SFKK,SFA, Camden, SFO,CP,WL,IW,KW,BP
Well, then, Monstre at La Ronde was the first coaster to race/duel. Both lifts are side by side, both first drop also. Track 2 "attacks" track 1 at the top of the second hill and the helixes are not the same on each rides. On the back run behind track 1 waiting lines, both trains race back into the fan turn for track 1 and the turn for track 2. Sorry for all Hersheypark fans, but if that's their definition of dueling/racing, Monstre was the first coaster to be like that and its was build 15 years before Lightning Racers.
You also have the Space Mountain Coasters they are dual coasters.
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#1 Steel-Incredible Hulk
#1 Wood--Timber Wolf
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#1 Steel-Incredible Hulk
#1 Wood--Timber Wolf
Good point Soggy -
It's odd that Disneyland's Matterhorn is not considered two different coasters. This one, or should I say these two, do not seem to fit the criteria of double track or racing coasters. And dueling coasters would be a stretch. But if that's the case, then perhaps each track should have a different name. Kind of like Dueling Dragons' Fire and Ice.
It's odd that Disneyland's Matterhorn is not considered two different coasters. This one, or should I say these two, do not seem to fit the criteria of double track or racing coasters. And dueling coasters would be a stretch. But if that's the case, then perhaps each track should have a different name. Kind of like Dueling Dragons' Fire and Ice.
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