Engineer Explains Every Roller Coaster For Every Thrill | A World of Difference | WIRED
TLDRThe video script delves into the world of roller coaster engineering with Korey Kiepert from The Gravity Group. It explores various types of coasters, from wooden to steel, and the factors influencing their design, such as safety standards, G-forces, and terrain utilization. The script highlights the engineering challenges and innovations, including launched coasters, inverted rides, and the incorporation of technology like VR for enhanced thrills, showcasing the art and science behind creating unforgettable amusement park experiences.
Takeaways
- 🎢 Roller coasters come in various types, including metal, wooden, wild mouse, and launched coasters, each offering unique experiences.
- 👨🔧 Korey Kiepert, an engineer at The Gravity Group, specializes in designing amusement rides, focusing on structural and mechanical engineering aspects.
- 📏 Engineers consider the land plot, budget, and terrain features when designing a roller coaster to maximize the thrilling experience while ensuring safety.
- 🌐 Safety standards vary by country, with different regions having their own guidelines that engineers must adhere to in roller coaster design.
- 🛠️ Roller coasters have common features such as cars with specific wheel systems, including road wheels, side wheels, and up-stops for stability.
- 🔨 The materials used in roller coasters can be wood or steel, with wooden coasters often having more supports and a traditional structure due to shorter spans.
- 💺 Braking systems in roller coasters use pinch brakes or magnetic forces for a comfortable and gradual stop.
- 🔄 Designing a roller coaster involves calculating various forces, including vertical, horizontal, and longitudinal G-forces, to create a thrilling yet controlled ride.
- 🌲 Terrain coasters utilize natural landscapes to enhance the ride experience, often following the contours of the land for a more efficient and thrilling journey.
- 🎢 Different types of roller coasters, like wooden, steel, hypercoasters, giga coasters, and strata coasters, cater to various thrill levels and park sizes.
- 🔄 Innovations in roller coaster design include VR integration, unique seating configurations, and advanced storytelling to enhance the overall ride experience.
Q & A
What is the primary role of a roller coaster engineer?
-A roller coaster engineer is responsible for the structural and mechanical engineering of the ride. They design the ride to fit within a given plot of land and budget, considering factors like terrain and existing structures to create an exciting and safe experience.
Why are there so many different types of roller coasters?
-The variety in roller coaster types is due to the need to create the illusion of danger and adventure while maintaining control and safety. Different designs allow for different experiences, catering to a wide range of thrill-seekers.
What are the key safety standards that roller coaster engineers must consider?
-Roller coaster engineers must adhere to safety standards that can vary by country, such as the ASTM standards in America, European standards, and Chinese standards. These standards dictate safe limits for riders while ensuring the ride is enjoyable.
What are the common components found in all roller coasters?
-All roller coasters have a car with various wheels including top wheels, side wheels, and up-stops or uplift wheels for stability. They also have a track made of wood or steel, crossties to maintain rail distance, supports, and a braking system.
What forces do roller coaster engineers need to account for in their designs?
-Engineers must consider vertical G-forces, horizontal G-forces, and longitudinal G-forces. These forces affect the rider's experience, creating sensations of airtime, positive and negative G-forces, and banking during turns.
What distinguishes a wooden roller coaster from a steel roller coaster?
-The primary distinction is the track material, with wooden roller coasters using stacked wood plies topped with steel rails, and steel roller coasters using tubular steel tracks. Wooden coasters often have a nostalgic feel and compact layouts.
Can you explain the concept of an 'out-and-back' roller coaster?
-An out-and-back roller coaster is designed to maximize airtime. Riders start at one section of the park and travel out into another area, often through wooded areas, with the ride featuring significant drops to create a floating sensation.
What is a hypercoaster and how does it differ from a giga coaster?
-A hypercoaster is any roller coaster that exceeds 200 feet in height, while a giga coaster reaches heights in the 300-foot range. The terms differentiate the scale and thrill level of the rides, with giga coasters offering a more intense experience.
How do terrain roller coasters utilize the natural landscape to enhance the ride experience?
-Terrain roller coasters take advantage of hills, valleys, and other natural features to create a more efficient and thrilling ride. They can incorporate larger drops and high-speed sections, and the natural surroundings can add to the visual appeal and excitement.
What is a wild mouse roller coaster and what makes it unique?
-A wild mouse roller coaster is known for its tight hairpin turns and small radius zig-zags. It typically has a small train with one or two cars, offering a high lateral force and a feeling of being out of control, which adds to the thrill.
What are some innovative seating configurations in modern roller coasters?
-Modern roller coasters experiment with various seating configurations such as standing positions, flying or face-down positions, backward seating, and riding below the track as in suspended or inverted coasters, which add new dimensions to the riding experience.
How are roller coaster engineers integrating technology into ride designs?
-Engineers are envisioning the use of virtual reality, augmented reality, and other technological enhancements to traditional roller coasters. They aim to blend technology with the handcrafted nature of rides to create new and immersive experiences.
Outlines
🎢 The Art of Roller Coaster Engineering
The first paragraph introduces the diverse world of roller coasters, highlighting their commonalities despite different types such as metal, wood, wild mouse, and launched coasters. It features an interview with Korey Kiepert, an engineer at The Gravity Group, who explains the role of a roller coaster engineer, including structural and mechanical engineering aspects. Kiepert discusses the importance of integrating the ride into its environment, using terrain features, and considering existing structures. The paragraph also touches on safety standards varying by country and the balance between creating a thrilling yet controlled experience.
🌲 Wooden Roller Coasters: Nostalgia and Innovation
This paragraph delves into the specifics of wooden roller coasters, describing their construction with stacked plies of wood and steel rails. It mentions different layouts like out-and-back and twister designs, exemplified by the historic Cyclone at Coney Island, built in 1927. The paragraph also discusses the Voyage at Holiday World, known for its airtime and large drops, and the classic Blue Streak at Cedar Point. The evolution of steel roller coasters is traced back to Disneyland's Matterhorn and the subsequent development of hypercoasters and giga coasters, which are taller and faster, leading to increased costs and technological challenges.
🏞 Terrain and Themed Roller Coasters: Enhancing the Ride Experience
The third paragraph explores how roller coasters can be designed to take advantage of natural terrain, allowing for more efficient and thrilling rides. It uses The Beast at Kings Island as an example, the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, known for its integration with the park's landscape. The paragraph also covers other types of roller coasters such as wild mouse rides, characterized by their tight hairpin turns and high lateral forces, and mine train coasters, which provide an introductory experience with a focus on an out-of-control feeling rather than speed or height.
🚀 Launched and Inverted Coasters: Pushing Boundaries
The fourth paragraph discusses the excitement of launched roller coasters, which use external means like electromagnets or hydraulic systems to propel riders from a standstill to high speeds in seconds. It mentions the Incredicoaster and Thunderbird as examples, the latter being a winged coaster. The paragraph also explores seating configurations, such as standing, flying, or backward seating, and innovative designs like suspended and inverted coasters, which add new dimensions to the riding experience. The 4D coaster is introduced as a blend of a winged coaster with the added element of free spinning, making each ride unique.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Roller Coaster
💡Engineer
💡Structural Engineering
💡Safety Standards
💡G-forces
💡Track Material
💡Braking System
💡Terrain Coaster
💡Launched Roller Coaster
💡Inverted Roller Coaster
💡4D Coaster
💡Winged Coaster
💡Technology Integration
Highlights
Different types of roller coasters share common elements such as cars with specific wheel configurations for safety and control.
Rollercoaster engineer Korey Kiepert explains the role of structural and mechanical engineering in ride design, including terrain utilization and interaction with existing park features.
Safety standards vary by country, and engineers must balance rider excitement with safety limits when designing roller coasters.
Roller coasters have a car with wheels for stability, including top, side, and up-stop wheels, and can be made of wood or steel with varying support structures.
Braking systems in roller coasters use pinch brakes or magnetic forces for a comfortable and gradual stop.
Designing a roller coaster involves considering vertical, horizontal, and longitudinal G-forces to create thrilling yet controlled experiences.
Wooden roller coasters like the Cyclone in Coney Island are known for their nostalgic and compact designs.
Out-and-back roller coasters are designed for maximum airtime, with examples like the Voyage at Holiday World featuring significant drops.
Steel roller coasters have evolved from the first tubular steel Matterhorn at Disneyland to hypercoasters and giga coasters, with increasing heights and speeds.
Terrain roller coasters like The Beast at Kings Island take advantage of natural landscapes for efficiency and thrilling drops.
Wild mouse roller coasters are known for their tight hairpin turns and high lateral forces, providing a unique ride experience.
Mine train roller coasters offer an introductory experience with a rickety look and out-of-control feeling.
Launched roller coasters use external means to propel riders quickly from a standstill, eliminating the need for a lift hill.
Engineers are exploring seating configurations, such as standing, flying, or backward seating, to enhance the roller coaster experience.
Inverted roller coasters and suspended carts below the track provide a different sensation with legs dangling freely.
Winged coasters place riders outside the track, offering a unique perspective on the ride and surroundings.
4D coasters add an element of spinning freely, making each ride a unique experience with unpredictable spins.
The future of roller coasters includes blending technology with rides, such as VR and AR, and fine-tuning launches and storytelling for a reinvented experience.
Transcripts
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