This page is lovingly dedicated to my obsession,

Roller Coasters

An Ever-So-Brief History

In the late 1700's, 'Roller Coasters' originated on the icy slopes of Russia as more like sleds than the coaster trains we know today. Eventually, they added wheels and a track constructed of wooden rollers to their design, making them a 'truer' form of roller coaster. Soon the French were building their own versions of these new 'rides' around 1804.

It wasn't long before American inventors tried their hand at improving these designs by building wooden tracks and trains. In the 1920's, the coaster boom was in full swing. As a result of this, safety standards were pretty lax, at best, and these rides were often dangerous…even fatal. Some rides snapped riders' necks, gave them bloody noses and broken ribs. Sometimes, nurse's stations were located on the unloading platforms to attend to the not-quite-so-lucky. As Dr. Robert Cartmell said, "If three people died, didn't come back, they'd say 'Next time, let's try to get it down to one.'"

Nowadays, roller coasters are flourishing all over the world, and safer than ever. These rides take you on some of the most extreme tests of your endurance. They're now over 3oo feet high, breaking 90 miler per hour, G-forces well exceeding 4 and more dizzying elements than you can imagine.

 

These beautiful, twisted hunks of metal are the Vekoma Boomerang (top) and the Arrow Dynamics

Steamin' Demon (below) at Six Flags Great Escape in Lake George, NY

Listing of Coasters Still Operating In the USA

 

This listing is not a complete one. Coasters are listed as follows:

Listings sorted by state, host park, and then by city. I have chosen not to list kiddie coasters.

Wooden coasters are printed in GREEN, whereas Steel coasters are printed in RED.

Alabama

Visionland Theme Park

Bessemer

Rampage

Waterville USA

Gulf Shores

The Cannonball

Arizona

Castles & Coasters

Phoenix

Desert Storm

California

Castle Amusement Park

Riverside

Tornado

Disneyland

Anaheim

Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railway, Matterhorn Bobsleds

Knott's Berry Farm

Buena Park

Ghost Rider, Windjammer, Jaguar!, Boomerang, Montezuma's Revenge

Paramount's Great America

Santa Clara

The Grizzly, Invertigo, Tidal Wave, The Demon, Vortex, Top Gun

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz

Giant Dipper, Hurricane, Orient Express

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Valencia

Colossus, Psychlone, Riddler's Revenge, Batman the Ride, Viper, Flashback, Gold Rush Mine Train, Ninja, Revolution

Six Flags Marine World

Vallejo

ROAR!, Kong, Boomerang

Colorado

Lakeside Park

Denver 

Cyclone, Wild Chipmunk 

Six Flags Elitch Gardens Island Kingdom 

Denver

Twister II, Sidewinder, Boomerang, Mind Eraser 

Connecticut

 Lake Compounce

Bristol

Wildcat, Zoomerang  

Quassy Amusement Park

Middlebury

Monster Mouse

Florida

Busch Gardens

Tampa

Gwazi,, Python,, Kumba,, Montu,, Scorpion

Miracle Strip Amusement Park

Panama City 

Starliner

Georgia

Lake Winnepesaukah

Rossville 

Cannonball 

Six Flags Over Georgia

Atlanta 

Georgia Cyclone, Great American Scream Machine, Georgia Scorcher, Batman the Ride, Dahlonega Mine Train, Viper, Ninja, Mindbender

Wild Adventures

Valdosta

Hangman, Tiger Terror, Boomerang, Gold Rush Coaster 

Idaho

Silverwood Theme Park

Athol

Timber Terror, The Corkscrew

Illinois

Santa's Village Amusement Park & Polar Dome  

Dundee 

Typhoon

Six Flags Great America 

Gurnee

American Eagle, Viper, Batman the Ride, Raging Bull, Demon, Iron Wolf, Shock Wave, Whizzer

Indiana

Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo

Angola

Afterburner, Zyklon

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari 

Santa Claus 

Raven, The Howler

Indiana Beach

Monticello

Hoosier Hurricane, Galaxy, Tiger 

Iowa

Advenrureland

Des Moines

Underground, The Outlaw, Tornado, Dragon, Galaxy 

Arnolds Park

Arnolds Park

The Legend 

Kansas

Joyland

Wichita 

Roller Coaster

Kentucky

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Louisville

Thunder Run, Twisted Sisters, Chang, Batman the Ride, Vampire, Boomerang, Roller Skater

Maine

Palace Playland

Old Orchard Beach

Galaxy

Maryland

Jolly Roger Amusement Park

Ocean City

Zyklon

Ocean Pier Rides

Ocean City

Looping Star

Six Flags America

Largo

Roar, Wild One, Joker's Jinx, Invertigo, Mind Eraser

Trimper's Rides and Amusements

Ocean City

Tidal Wave

Massachusetts

 Six Flags New England

Agawam

Riverside Cyclone, Thunderbolt,  

Whalom Park

Fitchburg

Flyer Comet

Michigan

Michigan's Adventure

Muskegon

Shivering Timbers, Wolverine Wildcat, Corkscrew, Mad Mouse, Big Dipper 

Minnesota

Knott's Camp Snoopy

Bloomington 

Ripshaw Roller Coaster

Valleyfair!

Shakopee

High Roller, Wild Thing, Excalibur, Mad Mouse, Corkscrew 

Missouri

Silver Dollar City

Branson

Thunderation

Six Flags St. Louis

Eureka

Screamin' Eagle, Mr. Freeze, Batman the Ride, Ninja, River King Mine Ride

Worlds of Fun

Kansas City

Timber Wolf, Orient Express, Mamba

Nevada

The Adventure Dome

Las Vegas

Canyon Blaster 

Buffalo Bill's

Jean

Desperado 

MGM Grand Adventure Theme Park

Las Vegas 

Lightning Bolt 

Stratosphere Tower

Las Vegas

High Roller

New Hampshire

Canobie Lake Park

Salem

Yankee Cannonball, Galaxi, Canobie Corkscrew

Story Land

Glen

Polar Coaster

New Jersey

Casino Pier

Seaside Heights 

Jet Star, Wild Mouse, Wizard's Cavern 

Fun Town Pier

Seaside Heights

 Roller Coast Loop

Jenkinson's Beach Boardwalk

Point Pleasant

Flitzer 

Playland Park

Ocean City

Python, Flitzer, Wild Mouse

Wonderland Pier

Ocean City

 City Jet

Bowcraft Amusement Park

Scotch Plains

Flying Dragon 

Clementon Amusement Park

Clementon 

Jack Rabbit 

Keansburg Amusement Park

Keansburg

Sea Serpent, Wild Cat 

Six Flags Great Adventure

Jackson

Rolling Thunder, Runaway Mine Train, Viper, Great American Scream Machine, Tivoli Coaster, Acme Seaport Railway, Medusa, Batman & Robin:The Chiller, Batman the Ride, Skull Mountain 

New Mexico

Cliff's Amusement Park

Albuquerque 

Galaxy

New York

Adventureland

East Farmingdale

 Hurricane

Astroland Amusement Park

Coney Island, Brooklyn

 Cyclone

Six Flags Great Escape

Queensbury

Comet, Boomerang Coast-To-Coaster, Steamin' Demon, Nightmare, Alpine Bobsled

Martin's Fantasy Island

Grand Island

Silver Comet, Wildcat 

Midway Park

Maple Springs

Dragon Coaster

Nellie Bly Park

Brooklyn

Flash 

Playland Park

Rye

Dragon Coaster, Hurricane 

Seabreeze Amusement Park

Rochester

 Jack Rabbit, Bobsleds, Quantum Loop

Six Flags Darien Lake 

Darien Center

Predator, Superman: Ride of Steel, Coast-to-Coaster, Mind Eraser, Viper 

North Carolina

Ghost Town in the Sky

Maggie Valley

Red Devil

Paramount's Carowinds

Charlotte

Thunder Road, Hurler, Top Gun, Carolina Goldrusher, Carolina Cyclone, Vortex

Ohio

Cedar Point

Sandusky

Blue Streak,Mean Streak, Millenium Force, Magnum XL200, Mantis, Raptor, Disaster Transport, Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, Gemini, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Wildcat 

Americana Amusement Park

Middletown

 Screechin' Eagle, The Serpent

 Geauga Lake

Aurora

 Raging Wolf Bobs, Big Dipper, Serial Thriller, Double Loop, Mind Eraser

  Paramount's Kings Island

Kings Island

 Racer, The Beast, Face/Off, King Cobra, Vortex, Adventure Express, Top Gun, Outer Limits: Flight of Fear

Oklahoma 

 Bell's Amusement Park

Tulsa

Zingo

 Frontier City

Oklahoma City

Wildcat, Silver Bullet, Diamond Back, Nightmare

Oregon

 Oaks Park

 Portland

Looping Thunder

 Thrill-Ville

Turner

 Ripper

Pennsylvania

Bland's Park

 Tipton

Zyklon

Dorney Park

Allentown

 Hercules, Thunderhawk, Steel Force, Lazer, Dragon

 

 

NEXT UPDATE 9/15/2k

Email me with comments, suggestions, or just to say "hi"!

koasterkid@adelphia.net

Links To Coaster Sites

American Coaster Enthusiasts Arrow Dynamics Roller Coaster Tycoon

Coaster HostRoller Coasters of the Wild West