HISTORY OF ROLLER COASTERS

From humble beginnings to dominating modern theme park skylines, roller coasters are steeped with a rich history of technical advancements. Here’s a timeline of many highlights that influenced the development of roller coasters throughout the years.

1914

Jul 11

During the early 20th century, “flat” steel track (that is, non-tubular) was used for certain roller coasters to provide a smoother ride than wooden track. Steel track carried the advantage of requiring less maintenance than wooden track, and required less support structure.

1911

Jun 12

Virginia Reel developed

A Virginia Reel had a spinning car going down a twisting track. The one at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the UK was demolished due to safety issues in 1981 and was one of the last remaining in the world.

1903

May 15

John A Miller Builds First Roller Coaster

A founding father of the roller coaster industry, Miller’s first creation was the simply named Roller Coaster at Cascade Park in Pennsylvania, USA. Miller would go on to design more than 140 coasters.

1902

Jun 02

Leap the Dips Built

Leap the Dips, the oldest operating roller coaster in the world, opened on June 2, 1920. It’s a side-friction Toboggan coaster and resides at Lakemount Park in Pennsylvania, USA.

1887

Apr 06

First Toboggan Coasters Debut

Around the same time as the first Scenic Railway appeared, so did the Toboggan roller coaster. These coasters ran through wooden troughs that featured mild dips and turns, while wheels on the side and bottom of the car guided the train along.

Mar 23

First Scenic Railway

Developed and built by LaMarcus Thompson at Atlantic City in New Jersey, USA, these rides were seen as an exciting tour, rather than a heart-stopping adventure. The ride had wheels underneath, and on the sides, but nothing held the cars onto the track, so speed was controlled by a brakeman.

1885

Jun 18

First Commercial Looping Coaster Debut

Flip-Flap Railway, featuring a 25 foot (7.6 m) tall loop, opened at Coney Island in New York, USA.

1884

Apr 09

Switchback Railways Debut

These early coasters were made famous by LeMarcus Thompson and first opened at New York City’s Coney Island in 1884. Though Richard Knudson patented the design first, it was Thompson who brought them to the masses.

1840

Aug 12

First Looping Coasters Debut in Europe

The first looping roller coasters made their first appearance in Europe in the 1840’s with one opening in France and a smaller one in the UK.

1817

Mar 17

First Roller Coasters

Two wooden tracked “coasters” were built in France. They had very simple layouts, with carriages connected to the track.