Comments on: Happy Roller Coaster Day 2012

By: Mike M.

Mike M. — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 02:32:15 +0000

For Coaster Day, I was gearing up in the DMV area for a weekend tour of BGW and King’s Dominion. Mission completed. Got on just about every coaster I wanted to.

By: @mattmcirvin

@mattmcirvin — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:10:25 +0000

Real roller coasters (the "side-friction" type, without upstop wheels) predate the Haverhill toboggan slide, but they were often called "scenic railways", "gravity roads" or "Russian mountains" (which of course is still what roller coasters are called in many languages). The actual origin of the term "roller coaster" seems somewhat obscure.

By: CoasterCritic

CoasterCritic — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:03:58 +0000

Pretty interesting. I've actually never thought about the origin of the word roller coaster.

By: @mattmcirvin

@mattmcirvin — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 04:48:16 +0000

I'm afraid I didn't do anything very coaster-related on the day.

I remember looking up some old coaster patents in connection with a peculiar claim connected to the town where I live (Haverhill, Massachusetts).

There's a claim that the word "roller coaster" actually originated with a ride in Haverhill that operated from 1887 to 1890, which was actually a sort of indoor toboggan slide with lots of small wheels on the track (making it a literal "roller coaster"). The building also had a roller skating rink in it, and the bottom of the slide went around the rink; there was a vertical lift to return the sleds to the top.

I'm not entirely convinced about the etymology of "roller coaster"; the company itself seems to have called it a "roller toboggan". But I did figure out exactly where the ride was (it's now a public parking lot). And from later patent filings, it appears that the Haverhill Roller Toboggan Company built some conventional roller coasters later on.

By: Prof.BAM

Prof.BAM — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 01:11:23 +0000

Joyeaux Anniversaire, Joel! or however the French spell Happy Birthday.

By: Dillon

Dillon — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 00:29:18 +0000

Happy Birthday Joel! And Happy Coaster Day to everyone! (Sorry I'm a day late)

By: DRU

DRU — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:53:56 +0000

I was pleasantly surprised by Hydra. It always amazes me when the smaller coasters like this deliver so well on the goods. Your gonna love the way it uses the hilly spot it sits on. That little slow-motion rollout of the station is funner than it looks…

By: DRU

DRU — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:47:45 +0000

Happy coaster day!
I was solo at Great Adventure today Dorney yesterday. I did't even know it was Coaster day…Dumb luck!
I think El Toro surpasses it reputation. That air is downright scary! I guess I never truly felt "ejector air" until today. WOW! I can't wait to go back. I also agree with your take on King Da Ka. It is great but it would be epic if they had an actual coaster after that sick launch and great height.

By: Gearhart

Gearhart — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:04:37 +0000

Nice call on the Prescott patent. I celebrated a couple days early (to catch some Perseid meteor shower viewing), but just got back from a great visit to Silverwood with some rides on two hidden wooden gems. The powerhouse CCI twister Tremors (that goes underground 4 times) and the airtime machine Timber Terror. Also checked out last year's new addition Ricochet Rapids with a section of WhiteWater West's new MEGAtube, amazing! Had a loaded raft that was so heavy it went nearly vertical dropping into the tube and I flew a good 4 or 5 inches off the raft. Worth the trip to the middle of nowhere, if you get the chance, go.

By: CoasterCritic

CoasterCritic — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 03:34:54 +0000

I'm actually guilty of reporting it incorrectly in the past thanks to other sites doing the same. I went back and corrected it in my previous posts though.

After visiting Six Flags Great America recently, I'm not surprised at all that they got it right. That park seems to be a step above in a lot of ways.