The construction of traditional wooden rollercoasters might not allow for the same high speeds as steel rollercoasters, but don't let that fool you. Wooden ones are just as exhilarating as their metallic cousins!
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Cons. Wooden roller coasters require more maintenance than steel roller coasters. They are not as fast or intense as steel roller coasters. They can be more expensive to build.
Steel rollercoasters are well-known for their speed, height, and steep drops. They usually have plenty of loops and twists and turns in their tracks too, allowing riders to experience the exhilarating rush and push of gravity many times during one ride.
There's a grit, akin to making a meal from scratch yourself or driving a dirt road off the beaten path. If you want to feel like you've REALLY ridden a roller coaster, really had your bones rattled and your nerves tested, wooden coasters are where it's at.
A major part of the wooden coaster's appeal comes in the way the track sways as the coaster makes its way around it. Many wooden tracks are designed to sway up to a foot or more for effect. Stress limits are built into the design, so there's no inherent risk.
Far more than steel, wooden coasters can get rougher over time, as rails and ledgers sag and bend under the weight of a 15,000-pound car bouncing around the track. A poorly maintained wooden coaster can become a rough, unpleasant ride.
In Branson, Missouri, Silver Dollar City can now claim to the world's only wooden coaster to twist upside down three times. With its 720° double barrel roll, Outlaw Run will draw visitors like bears to honey.
A small amusement park named Lakemont Park in Altoona is where the world's oldest operating coaster is located. This roller coaster, called Leap the Dips opened in 1902 and is one of the last “side friction” coasters. A side friction coaster is one that usually has a wooden track and a lack of up-stop wheels.
How many wooden roller coasters are in operation in the United States? According to the Roller Coaster Database (www.rcdb.com) there are only 115 operating wooden roller coasters in all of the United States.
Fast wooden coasters like American Eagle and the Beast should be ridden in the front row, because of the wind rushing against your face and there is a lot of smoothness. You can also ride in the back row to get a bunch of airtime.
The wood track is protected with steel strips that are custom bent to match the profile of the track and it's that steel-on-steel contact that causes the vibration riders feel when riding a wooden coaster. Over time, that vibration can cause some wear and tear, making for a bumpier ride.