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Altitude has become the defining characteristic of roller coasters
- ctdonath 11y agoAn insightful mockumentary on the subject is _The_Centrifuge_Brain_Project_: https://vimeo.com/58293017 https://vimeo.com/58293017
- ohitsdom 11y agoWeird article title. I was hoping to read an article about the constraints of building tall roller coasters (and hard limits, if any). This is just a review of 4 tall roller coasters, not even the steepest ones[0]. TBD if we can build one with a 500 foot drop. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings#Longest_steel_roller_coaster_drops https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_ranking...
- jds375 11y agoHuge fan of the millennium force. Has anyone tried the top thrill dragster at Cedar Point? Seems pretty epic, albeit very short.
- bamboo_7 11y agoGigas and Stratas are two different beasts. Despite the height and speed differences, Millenium Force > Top Thrill in my opinion.
- jerhinesmith 11y agoAgreed. Top Thrill is great for the "thrill" of hitting 120 mph and dropping ~400 feet, but it's over in a matter of seconds. I think they nailed it with the drag race metaphor. There's very little anticipation, and the payoff is immediate.
- npongratz 11y agoMost runs, Top Thrill Dragster indeed has little anticipation. I have experienced an exception once: I was in the front seat and glanced up, straight ahead, as the countdown started. In that instant just before takeoff, I noticed a number of seagulls lazily floating a couple feet above the track. Watching those birds continue across the tracks and out of the path of my face were the longest two to three seconds of my life.
- DuskStar 11y agoEven better than that is when you're in the coaster waiting to go, and then the one before you doesn't quite make it over - so you get to watch it come hurtling back at you! (And then wait 15 minutes for the wind to go down again)
- theandrewbailey 11y ago> There's very little anticipation I disagree, since the line for it is usually quite long (over 1 hour wait), and the track surrounds the line.
- foldor 11y agoI was surprised to see the Leviathan was one of only 5 roller coasters in this category. I'll admit that seeing it in person is incredibly intimidating though. So much so that it was the only one I haven't been on yet.
- wittekm 11y agoThis article is confusing - what defines a gigacoaster? Why isn't the Kingda Ka (tallest North American roller coaster), for example, among them?
- neonhomer 11y agoA giga coaster is between 300-399 feet, while a strata coaster is 400+. I guess they didn't include the two strata coasters (Top Thrill Dragster being the second) because they don't go through as long of a ride. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_coaster#By_height https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_coaster#By_height
- ojbyrne 11y agoBecause a giga-coaster is specifically defined as smaller than that one: "Enthusiasts use the term to apply to a roller coaster with a drop of 300 to 399 feet, meaning that its riders fall the length of a football field. (Anything beyond 400 feet and you’re in strata coaster terrain.)" So yeah, weird article.
- Animats 11y agoThat's an ad. In the New York Times. Whatever happened to editorial standards? Back in 2014, there were lots of videos of Oculus Rift VR of simulated roller coasters, and the videos are on YouTube. That fad seems to be over.
- dctoedt 11y agoWatching the videos full-screen on a decent-size monitor creates just a bit of the sensation of the drops and turns.