What coaster revolutionized the coaster industry?

I think Stealth revolutionized the coaster industry because it was the first coaster to create a true flying sensation. Now, designers such as B&M (Air) and Arrow (X) are trying to develop more sophisticated flying coasters. What do you guys think?

Id have to say it's this little one built way back in 1896 known as The Swithcback Railway at a place called Coney Island. Ever Heard of it.

the corkscrew @ knotts berry farm, definately.

the first to go upside down *successfully*. as in not hurting people.

stealth did really nothing to the industry since B&M already had their flying coaster in concept many years prior to stealth, and so did arrow with the concept of the fourth dimension.

coaster_freak00 said:
Id have to say it's this little one built way back in 1896 known as The Swithcback Railway at a place called Coney Island. Ever Heard of it.

OH! that too, totally. i guess i was thinking more of the industry in recent years.

Matterhorn at Disneyland California-First tubular steel rails.

Corkscrew @ KBF-First Corkscrew/Successful inversion.

Revolution @ SFMM- First Vertical Loop

Batman: The Ride @ SFGAm-First inverted, paved the way for looping, under track rollercoasters, could be considered the precursor to flying coasters.

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Welcome to Six Flags Great America, home of the fastlane and delay-ja vu! We have now officially been deemed the world-wide wait!

Revolutionized the industry?

Well, the way the question is formed I suppose you meant revolutionized the industry AFTER it became one.

So, with that understanding, then the coaster that most revolutionized the industry would be....

Racer at King's Island.

It single handedly re-started the modern day coaster craze. Read any book on the subject, ask most any coaster buff and they will tell you that Racer ushered in the second coming of rollercoasters 30 years ago.

And it is still one heck of a ride today!

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

When Magnum XL-200 was built in 1989 it sparked the coaster wars that we are still experiencing today. Without all these parks trying to one up each oter with Coasters who know's where we would be today.

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Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

Seems like this has been asked before but not recently. My candidates are:

1884 - Switchback Railway at Coney Island, the wooden structured tracked ancestor of all coasters that have followed.

ca. 1912 - Unknown - Whatever coaster John Miller first applied his underfriction wheels to. This was the break through that made all coasters with steep drops and violent maneuvers possible.

1959 - The Matterhorn at Disneyland - Introduced tubular steel track

i would have to say the Batman: The Ride. first inverted. paved the way for the flying coasters.

I'm going with Magnum. Nobody saw it coming.
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"Yeah, they did it in Superman 3"

Raven baby! Bringing back a fun and out of control woodie has sparked simular interest at many other parks! (Not to mention a big crowd drawer)

Chuck, who can't wait to get back to ride Cornball and thought Cheetah was great too!

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Charles Nungester
167 coasters asn hopes to be over 200 by the end of 2002

I can't beleive nobody said Coney Island Cyclone. It is one of the only coasters still existing from its time and it has been nearly cloned many times.

i'd say kumba

Id have to say Batman the Ride@ SFGAm look how many coasters inverts followed that and are still being built.
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WHAT!
My Top 5 Coasters:
1. Raging Bull(SFGAm) 2.Millenium Force(CP) 3. Deja Vu(SFGAm) 4.V2(SFGAm) 5.Cornball Express(IB)WHAT!

As far as revolutionized, I will go with Magnum XL-200. Cyclone was great and all but the industry went crazy with Magnum. After it, so many different coasters came.
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"The opposite of war isn't peace, its creation," Rent.

FreakLogic said:
"stealth did really nothing to the industry since B&M already had their flying coaster in concept many years prior to stealth..."

Actually, if I remember correctly, Stealth (the concept, at least) was in development as early as 1987. I know that B&M was planning their flying coaster before Oblivion (before 1998) but I think Vekoma had their concept first. An exact date would help, here, for B&M.

I can't stand people thinking that Vekoma's Flying Dutchman is a last-minute piece of engineering. There was an overlap in the two company's design times, but I think that the so-called "Race-to-the-finish" that so many think took place never really happened. The two models are both extremely complex machines that attempt to accomplish the same thing in two different ways. Quit playing favorites. No one says that two companies producing wooden coasters or traditional sit-down coasters are copying eachother. With this logic, you could say that B&M copied TOGO and Arrow with the stand-up coaster.

Anyway, I think that Arrow has redefined the industry many times: Matterhorn Bobsleds, Corkscrew (KBF), Magnum. Each ride somehow breathed new life into the industry.
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Yet may I, by no means, my wearied mind
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore,
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Since in a net I seek to hold the wind. --Sir Thomas Wyatt

http://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/coneyisland/articles/coasterlist.htm" target=_blankhttp://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/coneyisland/articles/coasterlist.htm
Edit: #12
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
http://www.woodencoaster.com/P

*** This post was edited by bigkirby on 2/18/2002. ***

I will second Jim Fisher's vote.

1884 - Switch Back Rail Way

ca. 1912 - first coaster to use "up stop" or underfriction or what every type of wheels

1956 - Matterhorn - first tubular steel tracked coaster. Argue all you want about corkscrews and loops... with out tubular steel tracks even these simple elements would be hard (or impossible) to succesfully produce.

Someone mentioned PKI's Racer. I wouldn't say revolutionized the industry... Revived the wood coaster industry, yes... but not revolutionized it.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

The Racer @ PKI, The Bat @ PKI, and Vortex @ PKI,

I'd have to say the magnum, but the phantoms revenge could prove revolutionary, proving you can redo a steel coaster.
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Yea, you got it this is the infamous Token from the worlds greatest, KPU.