how long has it been since you've ridden a roller coaster? it must be about 25 years for me

at Six Flags Qiddiya City

1910-1930 the first generation electric trams that ran from Venice to Santa Monica, open-air vehicles called “electric trams,” “Venice trams,” “electric promenade trams,” or simply “boardwalk trams.” The Venice Electric Tram operated along the concrete walkway between Venice and Santa Monica.

When Abbot Kinney opened his Venice of America in 1905, he had a small steam train running around the canals. 

On the Venice Ocean Front there were wicker basket trams that were pushed from behind by people power.

By 1920 the trams were electric battery powered. They ran from Venice Pier, to the Ocean Park Pier, and then to the Santa Monica Pier, and back. 

In 1923, the Venice Tram Company was formed. By the 1930s, the trams had 4 cylinder, Ford model A engines and canopy tops. There were also similar 4 cylinder, Chevy engines. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/259877984030942/posts/7577249022293765 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1347871653567356&set=a.181986760155857 https://www.erha.org/venicetram.htm

in 1908, Santa Cruz had some rich guy who went for a gravity rollercoaster of unexceptional design by todays standards, but it probably blew minds when Teddy Roosevelt's Great White Fleet went on a world tour. 

The ride’s 25-mph was fast compared to autos that traveled just 10-mph back then, speed and thrills were secondary to the overall ride experience.

https://blog.beachboardwalk.com/nadm-scenic-railway-roller-coaster/

In the 60s, on the East coast, in Ocean City MD, they did something similar but with a sperate engine unit 

https://www.oceancity.com/celebrating-60-years-of-the-tram-the-inside-scoop/

https://venicebeachhead.org/2014/08/01/all-aboard-the-tram/

amusement park rides on wheels that I haven't posted before

the Flip-Flap Railway was the first looping roller coaster in the United States.

Auto Race, Kennywood. (I've never heard of Kennywood)

 Sky Cycle, Washuzan Highland, Kurashiki-shi, Japan

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/travel/g32406964/historic-amusement-park-rides

this fun ol guy is giving a lot of little kids a fun and safe roller coaster ride, with a garden tractor and some home made humps/moguls!

 

https://www.tumblr.com/armengoldira/757218439422148608?source=share

Mom of the year, making a roller coaster experience for her munchkin. Best thing I saw today

here's the video: https://www.tumblr.com/estrigifor/749666506128998400?source=share

but have you seen the unusual circular rollercoaster that was at Coney Island in 1918?

look at it in the video.. very interesting design! 

in the video, skip the first 48 seconds

 https://www.tumblr.com/iosonomer-blog/748548548457627648?source=share

A lot of summer resorts were in business in lower Michigan by the 1920s, one had a miniature train for rides around the resort through the Michigan forest, and a cool depot.

I kid you not, to be a teenager looking for a summer job, and landing a train operator or mechanic job? Wow

another had a baseball park, one had a wood roller coaster

https://99wfmk.com/lemon-park-kalamazoo-county/

there's no way any corporation nowadays would take the liability insurance out to sell these in my opinion

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3673470969599099&set=pcb.3673472522932277

Rollercoaster news: A woman was standing in the waiting line and was seriously injured when she was struck in the head by a metal bracket that flew off the Cedar Point "Top Thrill Dragster" is suing the park for negligence.

Hawes was waiting in line to ride the Top Thrill Dragster with her father when the metal plate dislodged from a train and struck her in the head.

The object was an "L-shaped" bracket roughly the size of a man's hand that had been attached to the back of a train car, state investigators said.

Bolts had secured the bracket in place, hovering just over the track as the train zoomed along. A series of sensors monitoring the coaster showed it reached 120 mph in 3.8 seconds and shot up the ride's 420-foot climb for a ride that lasted less than 20 seconds

During its descent, the bracket hit the coaster's track and came off, Miran said.

An investigation by the ODA found that half of the bolts that secured the bracket to the train body had also dislodged.

She suffered a traumatic brain injury, bleeding and brain swelling, according to the complaint. Hawes was also treated for a right-side open skull fracture with a cerebral laceration, contusions and loss of consciousness that exceeded 24 hours, according to the lawsuit.

She was rendered "permanently disabled," no longer able to reach potential earning capacity – more than $1.2 million, according to the suit. Her medical costs soared to more than $2 million. Future medical care and daily living assistance could cost an additional $10 million.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/07/13/ohio-woman-roller-coaster-injury-lawsuit/70410730007/

A type of roller coaster was patented, but not likely ever made. A scooter on a rail would be the passengers mount, and good luck finding anyone that wanted to try that loop

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2022/04/04/good-luck-2/

the Do-Dodonpa roller coaster in Japan, near the base of Mount Fuji, has been shut down by the region's government, after several passengers sustained fractured bones while on the ride

The coaster, known for its "super death" speeds, is the fastest-accelerating roller coaster in the world, going from zero to 112 miles per hour in 1.56 seconds.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/super-death-speed-roller-coaster-is-shut-down-for-snapping-backs-and-bones-in-japan-167920.html#agal_0

cool roller coaster cert!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53003768@N06/15683494829/

from the oddly satisfying Reddit page, Stuffed bears riding a roller coaster in the Netherlands

roller coasters, another thing with wheels I rarely find material to post about

see the video at:
https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/grt20r/stuffed_bears_riding_a_roller_coaster_in_the/

looks like a one person roller coaster, 1900, Coney Island

https://ritkanlathatotortenelem.blog.hu/2015/01/19/napi_erdekes_23_kep_18_a_szazadik

the Yukon Striker roller coaster

223 feet high, then a 90-degree drop, 245 feet down into an underwater mining shaft.

Six Flags Chicago has announced a triple-record breaking roller coaster coming to the park in summer 2019

Maxx Force will be the fastest launch coaster in North America. It will feature the fastest inversion and highest double inversion of any roller coaster in the world, according to a news release from Six Flags.

“The new Maxx Force coaster is in a class all by itself, launching riders from 0 to 78 miles per hour in under two seconds.

Other unparalleled features:
A unique air-powered launching system propelling guests forward at record speeds
The world’s highest double inversion at 175 feet above the ground
The fastest inversion on any roller coaster in the world with a 60 miles-per-hour zero-G roll
Five high-speed inversions
One-of-a-kind custom coaster trains modeled after Formula One racing cars

https://wgntv.com/2018/08/30/record-breaking-maxx-force-launch-coaster-coming-to-great-america-in-2019/

Excessive speed caused that roller coaster to screw up last month

It had derailed in the past, and that info wasn't offered to the current operator, owners, and public.



https://www.clickorlando.com/news/excessive-speed-caused-daytona-beach-roller-coaster-derailment

Worlds largest indoor Ferris wheel, 90 million dollars. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the record for the world’s tallest indoor ferris wheel belongs to the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center of Ashgabat, Turkenistan.

 The 24-pod ferris wheel, called “Alem,” which means “the Universe,” is enclosed in a 187-feet diameter glass and white steel casing that rests at the top of the step pyramid structure. Each floor of the six-story building measures at approximately 23 feet, which brings the building to 312 feet.

 A 56-foot decorative spire rests at the top, bringing the center’s overall height to 368 feet. Designed by architects at Polieks, the center is home to two movie theatres, a planetarium equipped with star-gazing equipment, a bowling alley, and a restaurant.

The building’s main feature, the record-breaking ferris wheel, is housed in a structure built to resemble the eight-sided star of Oguz Khan, a legendary Khan who is commonly included in many motifs across the nation.

http://lumiflonusa.com/case-studies/architecture/worlds-tallest-ferris-wheel-housed-in-building-enveloped-in-lumiflon-enhanced-acm/
http://viralthings.tumblr.com/post/114915211059/worlds-largest-indoor-ferris-wheel-ashgabat

Yikes, bad news, 6 in the hospital after roller coaster "The Sandblaster" derails in Florida

Emergency services rescued 10 riders from a dangling roller coaster car at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. A total of six people have been sent to the hospital, including two riders who fell to the ground from more than 30 feet

https://twitter.com/i/moments/1007450258253574151

Loop The Loop roller coaster on Young’s Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, ca. 1910

https://tmblr.co/Zqou6t1j_Gt4Q