Safety Features

Home Page Safety Construction History   Interesting Facts Types References Authors Glossary

You may wonder why the roller coaster car does not just fly off the track.  One wheel on top of the rail, and one wheel on the bottom, prevents the car from flying off the track, and another wheel on the side of the rail keeps the car from flying off sideways.  The road wheel runs on the top of the rail and carries the car.  The upstop wheel operates under the rail.  It was invented by John A. Miller in the 1900s to keep the car from jumping the track.  The guide wheel runs along the side of the rail, and keeps the car from jumping off the rail sideways.

Safety   Safety Features   Accidents   Testing

Now that you know how roller coasters stay on the tracks, how do they stop?  The brake system is one of the most important safety features of the roller coaster.  Originally, roller coasters did not have brakes, but were designed to be stopped when the ride operator pulled a lever at the station.  Sometimes the operator didn`t pull hard enough and the riders got a free ride!  Today the brakes are pneumatic, powered by air pressure and not muscle.     Brakes, chainlifts and other devices divide roller coasters into blocks.  Only one train (group of cars) can be in a block at a time, which prevents cars from crashing into each other!  This and many other safety features can be traced back to one man, John A. Miller.  At the age of 19, Miller was hired by LaMarcus Thompson to work as Chief Engineer on Thompson`s new Scenic Railway.  Miller was talented in improving old designs and making new ones.  He eventually patented over 100 safety devices and improvements!   Have you ever wondered what causes that sinking feeling in your stomach when you ride a roller coaster?  Your stomach is not tied tightly to your body and it moves a little.  When the roller coaster starts down a hill, for an instant you are nearly weightless, including your stomach.  Because it is weightless, your stomach is not pressing down which makes you feel strange.  Also, you know how after awhile on a roller coaster, you start to get dizzy?  That feeling is because of fluid movement in your ear, and combined with the blurred landscape, can lead to dizziness or motion sickness.