The 50 Most Terrifying Roller Coasters Ever Built

Mega roller coasters of today reach heights of over 400 feet and speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Roller coasters towering taller than a certain height are terrifying for many individuals but it would be boring to simply make a list of the world’s tallest coasters. As a result, most of the bone-chilling machines in this list do not use sheer height to terrify, but instead prey on our fears and emotions in other, more creative ways. One element alone may not make a ride terrifying but the sum of all of its parts does. What factors make a roller coaster terrifying? Height, speed, inversions, backwards segments, unique track elements, darkness, and unexpected surprises all contribute to making your head spin and your knees tremble. Where are the most terrifying roller coasters found? Who designs them? Which park builds the craziest rides? Find out by reading The 50 Most Terrifying Roller Coasters Ever Built! The second coaster book from Nick Weisenberger, author of Coasters 101: An Engineer’s Guide to Roller Coaster Design which is the most in-depth look at how a roller coasters are designed, from concept through construction.

Tired of the same old, rickety wooden roller coasters? Crave more thrills than the typical vertical loops and camelback hills found at every local amusement park? Fortunately, roller coasters come in a mind-blowing profusion of styles, shapes, and sizes. From innovative track designs to unusual seating configurations, from ridiculous locations to bizarre theming, the experience never gets old. In The 50 Most Unique Roller Coasters Ever Built you'll explore a roller coaster......powered by people....inspired a popular computer game....uses a Ferris wheel as a lift....requires an on-board brakeman....where the louder you scream the faster you go....built on top of a skyscraper....known as the "dog fart" coaster (yes, you read that right!).The 50 Most Unique Roller Coasters Ever Built is a list comprised of unusual, rare, and hard to find scream machines.***2nd Edition, Updated June 2017***

Have you always wanted to learn more about how roller coasters work? I’m not talking about the basic “roller coasters use gravity!” descriptions you’re used to. I’m talking about learning in-depth about the nitty gritty engineering details, like: How do roller coaster engineers know what size motor is needed to pull the train to the top of the lift hill and how much will it cost to operate it? What material are the wheels made out of and how does it affect the performance of the ride? What is the difference between LIM and LSM propulsion? How does the control system on a racing or dueling coaster time up the near collision moments perfectly every single time? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest edition of Coasters 101: An Engineer’s Guide to Roller Coaster Design. “I thought it was great. It was a good first look at roller coaster design. It also gave great information and details about roller coasters in general.” - Adrina from Goodreads “Thanks for writing a very good book. I could not put it down. Lot's of great information. I am a technology and engineering teacher and the information I found here is very helpful in trying to get students more excited about engineering.” -Amazon reviewer

Gothic tourism is a growing phenomenon and a medium through which Gothic fictions and folkloric tales are re-imagined and generated. This book examines the complex relationship between contemporary English Gothic attractions and storytelling, uncovering how works of Gothic fiction can both inspire Gothic tourism and emerge from the spaces of Gothic tourism, contending that Gothic tourist attractions are multi-layered storytelling experiences. Contributing to the study of literature and place, Gothic Literary Travel and Tourism draws together the study of literary Gothic tourism and spatial philosophy, offering interdisciplinary analysis into the interface between Gothic narrative(s) and the spaces in which the tourist navigates. The storytelling practices taking place in Gothic caves, theme parks, ghost tours and rural walks serve to reflect contemporary fears and anxieties. This book situates the act of touring a Gothic site as a process of literary and social discovery.

Full of roller-coaster twists and turns, Neal Shusterman's page-turner is an Orpheus-like adventure into one boy's psyche. Sixteen-year-old Blake and his younger brother, Quinn, are exact opposites. Blake is the responsible member of the family. He constantly has to keep an eye on the fearless Quinn, whose thrill-seeking sometimes goes too far. But the stakes get higher when Blake has to chase Quinn into a bizarre phantom carnival that traps its customers forever. In order to escape, Blake must survive seven deadly rides by dawn, each of which represents a deep, personal fear--from a carousel of stampeding animals to a hall of mirrors that changes people into their deformed reflections. Blake ultimately has to face up to a horrible secret from his own past to save himself and his brother--that is, if the carnival doesn't claim their souls first!

In 1870, Louis Zistel began ferrying passengers from Sandusky to the Cedar Point Peninsula's beer garden and sandy beaches. In 1888, the Grand Pavilion was built, housing a massive theatre, bowling alley, photographic studio, and kitchen, and shortly thereafter, the resort's first roller coaster was installed. George Boeckling transformed the resort into a self-sufficient city and amusement park, but the park suffered badly in the 1930s economic depression. However, after Cedar Point changed hands several times in the 1950s, it became one of America's leading amusement parks. Today, the park is best known as the world's largest amusement park and the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World."

Ticket To Ride takes you through the history of roller coasters, from the first in seventeenth century St. Petersburg to today’s gigantic theme park attractions—complete with a tour of the most hair-raising and fantastic examples. The adrenaline rush of a roller coaster ride provides its fans with a leg-wobbling wave of euphoria and exhilaration unmatched by any other experience. It takes a certain amount of courage—or foolhardiness—to climb onto a roller coaster, but what a ride. Fans travel the world to experience the latest and most gut-wrenching rides, and they have quite a selection to choose from. Exactly who built the very first roller coasters is contentious, but they are generally agreed to have appeared in seventeenth century St. Petersburg, where they were made of ice and wood—accordingly nicknamed “Russian Mountains.” Now a staple of amusement parks and theme parks, the first patented roller coaster appeared in the first real theme park, at famed Coney Island in 1884. It was created by “Father of the Gravity Ride” LaMarcus Adna Thompson, an American inventor and amusement park pioneer. His “scenic railways” were a sensation, so much so that he opened six at Coney Island alone. The first golden age of the roller coaster ended with the Great Depression in tandem with the decline of amusement parks in general. A roller coaster revival did not begin until 1972, with the construction of The Racer at Kings Island, Ohio. This started the second golden age of the roller coaster and led, in turn, to the construction of rides like Rebel Yell (at Kings Dominion, Virginia) and Thunder Road (at Carowinds, North and South Carolina). In 1959, the first steel track roller coaster, called Matterhorn Bobsleds, appeared at Disneyland, California, leading the way with innovative loops and corkscrews. Aficionados have their favorites; some prefer steel roller coasters for their smoother ride and ability to turn their passengers upside-down as they fly around the tracks. Conversely, others prefer the more old-fashioned wooden roller coasters that rattle along and play with negative G-forces to provide “air time” for their passengers. Today, there are numerous types of roller coasters, which broadly divide into train-type coasters, mechanical coasters, and track layout coasters. Some of the favorites featured in this book include: Jurassic Park, Animal Kingdom theme park, Superman the Ride (Bizarro), Superman: Escape from Krypton, Batman The Ride, El Toro, Loop The Loop, Transformers: The Ride, Jack Rabbit, Th13teen, Saw: The Ride, London Eye, Back at the Barnyard Hayride, Great American Scream Machine, Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Apollo's Chariot, Apocalypse, Big Dipper Roller Coaster, Boomerang Coaster, Dragon, Cyclone, Medusa,Thunderbolt, The Sea Dragon, Alpine Bobsled, Rattlesnake, Shockwave, Full Throttle, Goliath, Joker 4-D coasters, Phantom’s Revenge, The Big One, The Ultimate,Centrifugal Railways, Oblivion, Klondike Gold Mine, Dreamland park, and more. Ticket To Ride looks at the development of roller coasters and how they have evolved into the biggest theme park attractions in the world, taking you on a tour of the greatest, most spectacular examples.