Future of Rollercoasters

Heh, it sounds like your teacher wants you to be more of a fortune teller than a researcher, then again, who's going to revisit this paper in 2050 to see if you were right...go out on a limb! 700 foot launched maglev 4-D coasters!

Trekker Park: as far as #2 goes, while I think roller coasters would be one of the best places to really make new innovations in maglev, I doubt we'll see any coasters with it before it becomes commonplace on trains. Trains have the image of being far safer than roller coasters for the general public, and I'd be willing to bet that VERY few people from the GP would be willing to ride a ride that never touches the track. Heck, I'd be nervous every time I rode it. Maglev would have to become pretty commonplace and very proven before people would ride it, IMHO.

The only place I would see that possibly working is if some coaster company wanted to fulfill what a lot of people have thought about, a coaster that jumps off the track for a bit. Have some maglev kick in for a short time over a straight stretch of track with some airtime, and that would probably scare the heck out of many people, but they still might be willing to ride it.

I have to disagree with your logic Tom Servo as far as GP riding a maglev coaster. I don't think the GP would not ride a coaster they could visibly see complete the course safely numerous times before their very eyes (not to mention safety testing and the fact that it was approved to build in the first place).

Plus, from most maglev trains I've seen the train wraps around the top, outside, and bottom of the rail (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/488394.stm), giving a sense of connection. The train simply does not just float above a surface.

Plus, the GP currently rides many things not commonplace - air and hydrolic launches, any spin and puke ride to name a few....

Code 823, who could ride a roller coaster 180 mph, I just about die everytime I get to the launch on Volcano (PKD) and thats only 0-70!

Anaconda, what you feel on that launch for Volcano are the G-forces, not the actual speed. People don't die on airplanes and they go 500+ mph. It is the fast rate of acceleration that can cause people to pass out during a launch-type situation. A roller coaster that went 180+ mph could be safely done by having a slower launch.

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If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing.

You guys were extremely helpful. I'm on to taking notes today. I am documenting all the different heights, companies, speeds, lapbars, wheels, and even different prototypes. This is going to be one massive research paper and your input has been great. Thanks.

IMO:

I believe Roller Coasters will never die out. As long as people still want the thrills and heart-pumping adrenline, they will still be here. As for they make and type in the future, we can only imagine now. Who knows what Roller Coasters will lead to 15 years even 50 years down the road. Time will tell everything.

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Fly with the man of steel in '03 at SFGAM :)

Well unfortunately, saying something like that would give me an F. Time will tell with all the different predictions we make, but I think I'm going to start researching the maglev. That is looking promising. It's just so tricky to do, why can't it just be summer all ready?!

I have ridden a Maglev Monorail and it was very smooth, I could see this been used in the future but only really on out and Back style hyper coasters.

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JawCoasters - UK Coaster Reviews, Pictures and Cartoons.
http://www.jawcoasters.co.uk

Mag-Lev has problems. Primary is its price: it's too expensive to develop, build, and operate.

Also, I have concerns about its ability to handle Gs.

Well my prediction is going to say that in 47 years they will have that straightened out, and with that amount of time, something like that should be fixed.

Stand-UP Inverted

Stand-Up Floorless

Spining Inverted Wild Mouse

Stand up floorless, that's gonna hurt if you're a guy!

Now I know who the Lemon Chill guy is.

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If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing.

It's been said before, you can't do a standup inverted and be a guy, it would make you completely sterile!;)

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Yeah, if coasters WEREN'T men we'd have Raging Cow instead!;)

TeknoScorpion said:
It's been said before, you can't do a standup inverted and be a guy, it would make you completely sterile!;)
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Yeah, if coasters WEREN'T men we'd have Raging Cow instead!;)

Ditto on the stand up floorless, ouch! I stand by my statement that any standup ride I have ever been on would be better off with a normal sitdown car on the track.

*Oops someone mentioned the floorless comment, oh well I second it*

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Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.
*** This post was edited by Touchdown 4/28/2003 1:19:07 AM ***

Significant increases in speed will probably depend on advances in wheel composition. I understand that the overheating (from friction) and deformation of the wheels on steel coasters has limited their speed at times during the past few decades. In the 70's and early 80's Arrow and Intamin were using nylon and polyurethane wheels that would not withstand speeds of 70mph. Rides like Magnum and Steel Phantom were made possible by changes in the size and composition of the wheels. Ditto for Steel Dragon 2000 a decade later. Does anyone know of a website or other source that goes into specifics about wheel technology and its probable future?

I was intrigued by a remark made in an earlier post about seeing more coasters outside of parks. We have them in hotels and casinos in Vegas. Why not integrate them into skyscrapers in the future? Being part of an existing structure would reduce the cost of supports. This way, a coaster with a drop of over 1000 feet would have a chance of being safe and profitable. Of course, you'd probably want the entire skyscraper to be an amusement center/resort. The noise from the coasters and screaming riders would probably deter most people from wanting to work or live there!

*** This post was edited by Railshark 4/28/2003 3:07:33 AM ***

I dont know, there may be a way to do a standing floorless coaster. Don't make it where there is a seat between the crotch. thats killer. perhaps something that goes around the legs, arms, and waist that tighten and hold you there comfortably. Otherwise, ya, u'd be hurtin for certain ;-).

I wonder if we'll ever have another slump period like the one between the end of the 1920's and the 1970's.

I guess that would depend on world events.

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Visit Camden's 100th!

There are always going to be ups and downs in the rollercoaster industry.

sorry ;) couldnt resist the corny joke

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Is that Freedom Rock? Well turn it up dude !!

As far as maglev technology not being able to handle the Gs that's false. The cars that are in use in the system in place in China are a lot heavier than a coaster car would be, therefore the G forces (simulating extra weight) would be easily handled.

I've worked for Maglev Inc. for 2 years now and I'm now at another engineering firm, but still working on it. It is entirely feasible, I will tell you that much. And as far as being expensive, I would guess (and this is an educated and well thought out guess) that a maglev version of say Kumba would come out to about 14-15 million - not that much more than BGT would have paid in the first place.

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"You know we got a good thing goin and I don't wanna see it end" --Reel Big Fish
-- Brett