When it comes to roller coasters, everyone has heard of this - a vertical loop, a loop
de loop, or just simply a loop.
But have you heard of a cobra roll, a bunny-hop, or even a zero-G roll?
Believe it or not, these are all names of roller coaster elements,
just like the humble vertical loop.
Today, roller coasters can do a huge number of unique things, most of which have their
own special name.
These elements, along with their names, have gotten more complex over time, but it’s
easier if we start at the very beginning.
Some roller coaster elements are self explanatory.
We have the lift hill, which pulls riders up to a great height; and we have the brake
run, the section of track used to slow the trains down.
Some rides might feature a launch Instead of a lift hill, which in turn requires a long
piece of track known as the launch straight.
After gaining height or speed, most roller coasters feature a large element of some description,
often in the form of a drop.
Normally these are relatively steep, but some take this to the next level.
The beyond vertical drop sees riders fall at angles steeper than 90 degrees, often going
underneath the track above them.
This more extreme version of a well known manoeuvre is something seen throughout the
world of roller coasters.
Take the banked turn - a simple element found on nearly all of the world’s coasters.
However, a turn that continuously travels in the same direction, while changing elevation
is known as a helix.
A classic example of this is the 360 degree Helix, which sees guests climb or fall during
a single full rotation.
If the train is travelling at a high speed, a normal turn might not be enough.
At this point, guests could encounter an over-banked turn - a piece of track which banks riders
between 90 and 135 degrees, so they’re partially, but not fully, upside down.
Even the basic hill has some extreme and more unique variations.
For example, the camelback hill, seen on many hyper coasters, is a large hill that is parabolic in shape.
This provides riders with sustained weightlessness as they crest the hill,
making them float in their seat.
The bunny hop on the other hand is a smaller hill which is designed to cause riders to
rise up and out of their seats quickly.
As such, these types of elements are present on many airtime focused rides.
A modification to both of these is the off-axis hill.
This is essentially a traditional airtime hill in which the apex is banked to the left or right.
As a result riders are often pushed to the side of their seat.
Two airtime hills placed back to back, with one higher than the other is called a double-up.
While the reverse is called a double-down; who knew!
Other hills can be specific to certain types of rides, such as the top-hat.
Commonly found on launch coasters, the top hat feature steep climbs,
often resembling a tower in shape.
While other elements, such as the S-Hill, aim to combine multiple other elements together.
Guests climb the hill through a banked turn, and as they crest the apex their direction
changes, causing them to exit the hill with another turn banked in the opposite direction.
Similarly, the non-inverting loop pairs a vertical loop with a simple twist.
This sees riders climb the loop, before rotating to the left or right through it’s apex.
This way guests are never truly upside down.
In fact, all of the elements explained so far are classed as non-inverting - meaning
the track doesn’t place riders upside down.
So what about inverting elements?
Naturally, the most common and well known is the vertical loop.
Some rides have the loop angled to one side, referred to as an inclined loop; while others
have used it for inspiration.
The dive loop sees guests climb into the sky before rotating and navigating the 2nd half
of a traditional vertical loop.
If completed in reverse, starting with the climb through the half loop, it’s referred
to as an immelmann - neat!
Another well known inverting element is the corkscrew, which was widely used on the world’s
first modern day inverting roller coasters.
The corkscrew sees guests complete a 360 degree roll either to the left or right.
This rotating motion sparked the creation of a whole range of new and exciting elements.
Including the barrel roll, a 360 degree spin with a slight change in elevation; or even
the inline-twist, which sees the track rotate on a fixed axis while the train spins around it.
The opposite of the inline twist is the heartline roll, an element which causes the centre of
the riders to rotate on a fixed axis.
As a result, the track appears as if it’s spinning around the centre of the train.
Finally, the Zero-g roll takes twisting to a whole new level.
Shaped like an airtime hill, this element sees guests climb up, before completing a
full 360 degree rotation at the apex of the hill.
As riders flip over they experience total weightlessness, and float in their seats.
Naturally, these rolls can also be incorporated into drops as well.
The twisted drop, or barrel roll drop, sees the trains flip while they plummet towards the ground.
Some inverting elements even mix a combination of other elements to provide unique experiences.
For example, the cobra roll is common on looping rides, and consists of 2 half loops separated
by 2 half corkscrews.
Guests climb a half loop, inverting them, before twisting through the 2nd half of a corkscrew.
This is then completed again but in reverse, causing the direction of the train to change,
and riders to complete a total of 2 inversions.
By flipping the 2nd half of the cobra roll, so guests exit in the same direction as they
enter, you get something known as the sea-serpent roll.
Meanwhile, the Batwing on the other hand uses the half loop and half corkscrew in a different
order to create a whole new element.
Riders enter the first half of a corkscrew, followed by the 2nd half of a loop.
The same two elements are then completed in reverse; again causing riders to change direction
while going upside down twice!
But what if you combine two elements that in themselves are already a combination of two elements?
Well you end up with something like this, the Staffordshire Knot, named after a traditional knot!
This monstrosity sees a batwing intertwined with a cobra roll.
Due to the nature of the ride featuring this, two trains can navigate each element separately,
at the same time - leading to a very cool duelling effect!
Several elements on the other hand are simply inverting versions of their non-inverting cousins.
For example, the inside top hat sees riders climb the inside of a top hat element, placing
them upside down at the top.
While the Zero-G stalls flips guests upside down all while they traverse the underside
of what looks like an airtime hill.
Again, this gives riders a weightless sensation as they hang below the track!
Most of the elements discussed so far feature names that roughly describe the motion of
the train; but there’s a whole list of roller coaster elements that are quite the opposite.
The flying snake dive is a prime example.
After completing an upward 360 degree heartline roll riders enter the flying snake dive and
plummet towards the ground through an element that partially resembles a deformed dive loop.
Or what about the trick track double up?
That’s a double up, with the 2nd hill banked to one direction, followed by a 3rd hill,
on the same level, banked in the opposite direction!
But in my eyes there’s one element to rule them all; the fantastic banana roll.
Shaped like a banana, this inversion can be thought of as morphed cobra roll that doesn’t
level out half-way through.
Although there is the demonic knot,
the norwegian loop,
the step-up underflip,
the pretzel loop,
and the top gun stall.
Who knew there was a whole collection of weird and wonderful roller coaster elements out there.
With every year, a new element seems to be born, often with a more unique name than the last.
Let me know some of your favourite roller coaster elements in the comments down below.
Anyway, thank you for watching, and we’ll see you all next time.
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