Roller coaster

A roller coaster is an amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained a patent regarding roller coasters on January 20, 1885, which were made out of wood, but this patent is considerably later than the "Russian mountains" described below. In essence a specialized railroad system, a roller coaster consists of a track that rises in designed patterns, sometimes with one or more inversions (such as vertical loops) that briefly turn the rider upside down. The track does not necessarily have to be a complete circuit, as shuttle roller coasters demonstrate. Most roller coasters have multiple cars in which passengers sit and are restrained. Two or more cars hooked together are called a train. Some roller coasters, notably wild mouse roller coasters, run with single cars.

The oldest roller coasters are believed to have originated from the so-called "Russian Mountains", which were specially-constructed hills of ice, located in an area that would later become St. Petersburg. Built in the 17th century, the slides were built to a height of between 21 and 24 m (70 and 80 feet), consisted of a 50-degree drop, and were reinforced by wooden supports.

Some historians say the first roller coaster was built under the orders of Russia's Catherine the Great in the Gardens of Oranienbaum in St. Petersburg in the year 1784. Other historians believe that the first modern roller coaster was built by the French. The Promenades Aériennes in Parc Baujon and the Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville (The Russian Mountains of Belleville) were both constructed in Paris in 1817 and both featured wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds.

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