Roller coaster reviewer and theme park enthusiast Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota discusses the top 5 unknown facts about roller coasters.
Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota is a long-time roller coaster reviewer and theme park, enthusiast. She knows more about roller coaster than most park officials and recently released her most interesting and unknown roller coaster facts.
“Many people don’t know that the world’s oldest roller coaster is still working and ready to ride,” Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota said. “Leap-The-Dips was created in Altoona, Penn., 1901 and is now a National Historic Landmark.”
Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota also described that the concept of roller coasters was inspired by Russia. As early as the 1600s, Russians were sledding on giant, wooden slides covered in ice. They’d sit atop a straw seat or block of ice and slide down as speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. The idea was later taken to France, where the slides didn’t fare well in the warmer temperatures. Tracks were created and wheels were added to the sleds to create the first modern roller coaster in 1817.
“The first roller coaster in America was extremely slow by today’s standards,” Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota says. “At its fastest point, the Switchback Railway in Brooklyn reached a speed of 6 miles per hour.”
Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota explained how different that is from today’s coasters. She described that the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi, can reach speeds of 149 miles per hour in less than five seconds. However, she stated that six of the world’s top 10 fastest coasters are actually right here in the United States.
Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota Discusses Restrictions
“Many people think height restrictions are because kids can fall out of the coaster, but that’s not exactly why they’re set in place,” Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota says. “Height restrictions are in place to keep children and smaller people safe in the event of a sudden stop.”
Roller coaster experts like Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota describe that physics alone will typically hold passengers of all sizes in their seats. It’s the possibility of an emergency stop that keeps height restrictions in place. Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota explains that height restrictions are actually more serious than people think, so it’s important not to push your friend or child to appear taller by standing on tip-toes or using other tactics.
“Your chances of getting seriously hurt on a roller coaster are extremely slim,” Jessica Brambilla of Sarasota says. “However, we always want passengers to meet height requirements in the very rare chance of an incident.”
The National Safety Council states that passengers have a 1 in 24 million chance of incurring a serious injury from an amusement park ride. With amusement parks gearing up to open for the summer of 2020, now is the time to get excited about roller coaster drops, loops, take-offs, and more.
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