Coaster Terms

backwards train

The track is left alone, but the cars on the track are facing the opposite direction.

banked curve

A turn that is slanted instead of flat, to allow the train to turn faster without excessive forces on the passengers.

bobsled coaster

Instead of riding down a fixed track, the cars slide along a curved metal trough and are free to move from side to side.

butterfly loop

Two adjacent loops slanted at a 60-degree angle. While these do not exactly go upside down, they are still counted as two loops.

corkscrew loop

A loop that is stretched out so that it resembles a corkscrew. Generally these come in pairs.

enclosed coaster

A rollercoaster that is housed entirely within a building of some sort.

headrest

A padded piece of material located on the back of the seat that protects the back of your head.

horizontal loop

Instead of turning upside down, the track is tilted almost parallel to the ground and completes a circle like that.

intermediate coaster

My designation for a coaster that is a step above a "kiddie coaster". Older children will enjoy it, but some adults will find it too "tame".

inverted coaster

The rollercoaster hangs below the track instead of riding above the track. In an inverted coaster, the cars are not allowed to swing from side to side.

kiddie ride

A ride specifically designed for children that are not old enough or tall enough for other rollercoasters. Many "kiddie rides" are designed to let parents, and other non-children, ride as well.

lap bar

A (usually) padded piece of metal that goes across the top of your legs in a rollercoaster seat. It is used to keep you from falling out, but the forces of the ride are almost always enough to hold you in without it.

linear induction

A method using magnetic fields and lasers to propel the train forward, rather than pulling the train up a hill and letting it fall.

loop

Any sort of curve or flip in the track that turns riders upside-down with respect to the ground below.

mine train

A class of rollercoasters that take on the form of a runaway train. Almost all of these have trains that look similar to miniature locomotives.

portable coaster

A rollercoaster that can be torn down and re-built at another location, rather than being permanently cemented into the ground. This is often found at traveling fairs and carnivals.

racing trains

Two tracks that run parallel to each other, with a car on each track. This gives the riders a feeling of racing the other train back to the station.

shoulder harness

Technically, what most people call shoulder harnesses are really called "horse collars". Both go over your shoulders and hold you in the car. While most times these are not necessary, they often help riders feel safer.

shuttle loop

A track, usually with one or more loops in the middle, that is open at both ends. A train will be catapulted through the loop, up to one end of the track, and freefall backwards through the loop and to the other end of the track.

sidewinder loop

A unique sort of loop, where it starts into a normal vertical loop, but when it reaches the top, the track twists off to the side at a 90-degree angle to the previous direction.

stand-up coaster

A rollercoaster that you ride either on your feet or in a standing position on a bicycle-type seat.

steel coaster

A rollercoaster made entirely of metal. These may have loops and other things not possible on wooden coasters. Most have plastic or fiberglass trains.

themed ride

A ride whose scenery and non-ride portions (before loading and after unloading) are based on a certain topic (like a Wild West ride or a Space Adventure).

train

A set of cars connected to one another. Each train holds a large number of people and is the actual vehicle that travels around the track.

tunnel

A hole in the ground that lets the train travel below the surface of the surrounding area.

upside-down roller coaster

Any rollercoaster that has one or more loops.

vertical loop

A loop that is perfectly upright (not slanted to the side or twisted in any sort of way.)

wooden coaster

One of the oldest types of coasters. These are made entirely of wood, except for (possibly) metal tracks. They cannot have loops and are famous for their bumpy feel.

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Page last updated Saturday, January 30, 1999.