can anyone tell me or gimme a site or better your opinion of what are the good things and the bad things about a wooden roller coaster and a steel roller coaster?????????????
2007-02-04 04:47:07 · 5 answers · asked by Fellinlovetoday 3 in Games & Recreation ➔ Amusement Parks
STEEL:
-more track manuverability (twists, barrel rolls, corkscrews, etc)
-can achieve higher speeds
-can have Linear Induction Motors (the powered launch)
WOOD:
-many ppl (incl. me) prefer the "feel" of wood over Steel
-more "outta control"
-more supports ("head chopper" effect and you have no clue where it will take you next)
2007-02-04 07:55:28 · answer #1 · answered by SF 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My favorite site for information about roller coasters is:
www.ultimaterollercoaster.com
Steel Coaster Pros:
*Much taller hills and drops can be achieved with steel track. The tallest steel coaster is Kingda Ka (Six Flags Great Adventure, NJ) at 456 ft and has a 418 ft drop. The tallest wooden coaster is Son of Beast (Paramount's Kings Island, OH) at 218 ft and has a 214 ft drop.
*Some steel coasters feature a hydraulic launch that shoots the train to over 100 mph in a few seconds. The fastest steel coaster - Kingda Ka - reaches 128 mph.
*Steel coasters can easily incorporate many loops into their design; there are only a few wooden coasters that have ever featured a loop.
*Greater angles of descent can be achieved - over 90 degrees.
*In general they provide somewhat of a smoother ride through twists and turns.
Steel Coaster Cons:
*Tighter and greater number of restraints pressing against your shoulders, chest, and legs.
*Less people can ride them due to height and health factors.
Wooden Coaster Pros:
*Generally more hills with 'air time', the feeling of being weightless due to negative G force.
*More frequent turns and sharper turns can be achieved with wooden track.
*Less safety restraints are necessary which creates greater feeling of openness and nicer views of surroundings.
Wooden Coaster Cons:
*With only a couple exceptions they don't ever have loops.
*Shorter hills and drops and lesser angles of descent. Currently El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure, NJ) has the greatest angle of descent - 76 degrees - of any wooden coaster.
*They can't match the speed of steel coasters. So far no wooden coaster has surpassed the 80 mph mark. Currently the fastest is Son of Beast (Paramount's Kings Island, OH) at 78.3 mph.
Now coaster manufacturers are creating hybrid coasters made of wood and steel, and that allows for some of the best features of both to be included.
(All records mentioned are current as of Feb. 2007)
2007-02-05 09:53:11 · answer #2 · answered by Jason 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agree w the previous....steel is faster & more "tricks" can be added....wood is still the classic!!......creaks & groans as the car rolls by & just looks & feels better...scarier.
Check out the site for ACE...American Coaster Enthusiast....it has the major coasters rated & gives historical background, other neat stuff about the rides of a lifetime!!
2007-02-04 23:43:15 · answer #3 · answered by SantaBud 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wooden are for nostalgia and some of the older riders love the creeks and turns you get on them. Steel you can get more speed and are smoother but you have way more power and you can go upside down. There is a wooden one (Beast or Son of Beast?) that goes upside down but I think that portion of it may be steel. It is all a matter of preference. Neither is wrong.
2007-02-05 16:52:10 · answer #4 · answered by berta44 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PROS: Steel- better tricks, faster, option of hanging below
(inverted), smooth ride
Wood- out of control feeling, in most cases shorter lines
CONS: Steel- because of their popularity they tend to have
longer lines, more likely to throw up
Wood- bumps and jerks, loud,
2007-02-04 16:58:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋