The roller coaster: a device that has been around since the early 17th century. It has immensely changed since it’s origins though. Its size, shape, structure, and overall look has developed into what we know and (for some) love today. Its gargantuan size originated from a way of ice sledding, believe it or not. Though it looks very different today, the first design was only a slide, on an icy path. Even back then though it was not one for changes.
Soon after the first invention of the roller coaster, people began to make their own modifications to the sled, and throughout the time it remained in Russia, it changed a lot. The regular slide, developed into a sleigh, that eventually added tracks to fit the sleigh. Many other inventors got their …show more content…
One of the big reasons that this device is still prominent today is because of the modifications made by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. Though the roller coaster had been in America for a few years, Thompson was really the one that brought it into the commercial limelight. He basically reinvented the way the roller coaster looked. With posts to hold it up, he added two bumps to it, ultimately leading to what we know today. The modifications since then have included changing wood to metal, adding more seats (and of course seatbelts,) and making it in different shapes and fashions. This lead to amusement parks such as Universal Studios, Disney, and other famous amusement …show more content…
Recently research was done in Ohio, that shows over 93,000 children between 1990 and 2010 have been injured due to roller coaster accidents. Age can make a big difference in the safety of roller coasters. If you’re too young, it could be too fast or too strong for a child to handle. If you’re too old, you may be at risk due to health issues.
There is a silver lining though because all these factors lead to engineers to come up with new and inventive ways to make the carts safer. Some parks have modified their seats to fit people who can’t make a regular seat work. They have also made the use of technology more prominent, controlling the cart and placing cameras to make sure there are no accidents. From this it can be said that they’ve made sure there rides are safe, while still maintaining that thrill a roller coaster can give
Soon after the first invention of the roller coaster, people began to make their own modifications to the sled, and throughout the time it remained in Russia, it changed a lot. The regular slide, developed into a sleigh, that eventually added tracks to fit the sleigh. Many other inventors got their …show more content…
One of the big reasons that this device is still prominent today is because of the modifications made by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. Though the roller coaster had been in America for a few years, Thompson was really the one that brought it into the commercial limelight. He basically reinvented the way the roller coaster looked. With posts to hold it up, he added two bumps to it, ultimately leading to what we know today. The modifications since then have included changing wood to metal, adding more seats (and of course seatbelts,) and making it in different shapes and fashions. This lead to amusement parks such as Universal Studios, Disney, and other famous amusement …show more content…
Recently research was done in Ohio, that shows over 93,000 children between 1990 and 2010 have been injured due to roller coaster accidents. Age can make a big difference in the safety of roller coasters. If you’re too young, it could be too fast or too strong for a child to handle. If you’re too old, you may be at risk due to health issues.
There is a silver lining though because all these factors lead to engineers to come up with new and inventive ways to make the carts safer. Some parks have modified their seats to fit people who can’t make a regular seat work. They have also made the use of technology more prominent, controlling the cart and placing cameras to make sure there are no accidents. From this it can be said that they’ve made sure there rides are safe, while still maintaining that thrill a roller coaster can give