What Makes a coaster?

I was just talking to my brother, and we got into an argument on whether Wicked Twister is a rollercoaster or not. He claims that because it is not a full circuit, and just goes back and forth, that it is not a rollercoaster. There also have been other talk about if Superman: The Escape is a rollercoaster or not. So my question is, what makes a coaster, a coaster?

If it's fun and it goes up and down and uses wheels on track and it's really fun, and you go really fast and go wheeeeeee!!!! then it's a coaster.

How about this, for simplicities sake, if it's in the coaster database, then it's a coaster. Otherwise, flamewar pending.

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I'm not an enthusiast. I just play one on message boards.

I do.

Good way to put it Homey...never thought of it that way.

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WW is fun. CP_M @ TN and Perfectbowler @ SFN.

Homey - that is the best definition of a coaster I've yet read! Mind you - it'll boost my track record fourfold! ;-)

This has been rehashed, brought back from the dead, and beaten till dead numerous times.

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UnfrigginbelievablyIncredible

My Def is a coaster it runs on rails, is in part powered by gravity, and you sit in a train. That goes up and down hills.

My Def of a coaster is:
1.uses a track
2. uses gravity or a launch system to propell it
3. has wheels
4. has cars
5. Produces some sort of G forces(Lateral, Positive, Negative, etc.)
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free your mind

B&M ;)

Both of those definatly are coasters. If a coaster has to be full circuit then I guess all the boomerangs aren't coasters.

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Top 3
1-S:RoS @ SFNE
2-Boulder Dash
3-Yankee Cannonball

It's a small piece of wood or other material you put under your drink to prevent rings from forming on your table.

That said, I have 18 coasters in my backyard right now, and I've ridden 3.

That also means S:TE is not a coaster.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

I spilled beer all over my coaster.:(

I think the safe thing is to say if it's in the database, then it's a coaster. Otherwise, by the standards that SFDL_Fan gave, any ride, just as Super Himilaya or Matterhorn, both of which run on a track, could be considered a coaster.

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"Do what you believe in and believe in what you do," Jeffrey E. McCants

Flame suit.......check

Flame proof eye gear......check

Complete circuit

My engineers definition:

If it rolls and exchanges potential energy and kinetic energy to produce thirlls in other than a straight vertical drop then it's a roller coaster. This may make Intamin drop towers coasters,

Isn't there something in the TOS about posts like this? I realize whoever started it is probably new, but we've had this topic over and over and over again and most people are sick of it. Please don't start nit-picky topics - just enjoy the coasters (or not coasters) that you get to ride!

~me

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S:ROS; SFNE. Ride it, and you'll understand.

It's not really "ANY" ride that runs on a track, since there are water rides that ride on a track.

Also, Gravity may not always play a role in the role of a rollercoaster... such is the case with some run-away powered mine train coasters, such as "Thunder Run" at Paramount Canada's Wonderland. That is basically all powered, as there are no real hills, and it gets the momentum from electricity.

Soo, basically, a definition of a coaster is any car/train that travels on rails.
(car refers to wild-mouse coasters & such)

You know what is hilarious to me, that you have people saying that this topic is about to be a flame war but yet, no one has started any fights...hmmm.

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"Do what you believe in and believe in what you do," Jeffrey E. McCants

I do think that Superman at SFMM is a coaster but it false advertises going 400 feet. The tower may be 400 feet but it only goes up like 2/3 of the way.

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I go to the point each year to have their new coaster break down, thats my life. Dragster and WT may have been closed, but MF is always there to fulfill my thrill needs

Jephry said:
You know what is hilarious to me, that you have people saying that this topic is about to be a flame war but yet, no one has started any fights...hmmm.

You suck! ;)

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff