This manufacturer’s first ride was a stand-up coaster called Iron Wolf, which opened in 1990 at Six Flags Great America. B&M was founded in Monthey, Switzerland in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard. The first coaster under consideration is Dueling Dragons, an inverted dueling coaster built by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). Towards the end of this study, potential ways that both guests and ride operators can improve safety are discussed.īeyond the Track: Dueling Dragons (Dragon Challenge) Dueling Dragons Manufacturer Overview This coaster would combine the best elements and engineering principles from all three manufacturers’ roller coasters into one exemplary ride.
The Summary lens restates all the notable points about the ride and why the coaster and its manufacturer are important to the amusement industry.Īfter the analysis of the details, strengths and weaknesses of each manufacturer, a new hypothetical coaster named Galactic Twist is proposed. To expand further, Redesign Considerations proposes realistic changes that could improve the coaster under consideration.
To draw conclusions, Highlights of the Manufacturer and Pitfalls of the Manufacturer describe what the company excels at based on the previous analysis and what they can improve upon. Thematic Marketing discusses the theme of the coaster and its related advertising campaign. Then, Ride-Through Description provides a detailed written explanation of the coaster’s experience from an on-ride perspective. These five lenses were selected because each aspect is quite different between all three manufacturers. Afterwards, specific lenses such as Track Design, Support System, Train Design, Programming and Lift System meticulously explore the details of each topic. Following, Important Dates and History provides a backstory of the conception, design process, opening, struggles and changes to each coaster. The first of these lenses, Manufacturer Overview, gives brief insight into the history and basics of each engineering firm.
To streamline the study of each coaster and manufacturer, each was evaluated via a variety of lenses. Overall, this paper analyzes a coaster that does not exist anymore, one that is still operating as of May 2021 and an unopened ride as of the date of this paper’s authorship. Finally, Iron Gwazi, a yet-to-open hybrid coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is evaluated to understand RMC’s rides. The Smiler, an infamous 14-looping coaster at Alton Towers, is explored to exemplify Gerstlauer’s engineering.ģ. Dueling Dragons, a defunct inverted coaster that once stood at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, is being analyzed to represent B&M’s coasters.Ģ. To study their unique styles, a specific coaster built by each manufacturer is being evaluated.ġ. The three manufacturers under consideration are Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M), Gerstlauer and Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC).
The specialties of three vastly different roller coaster manufacturers are compared throughout this series, including their history, highlights and pitfalls.Įditor’s Note: Welcome to the first installment in a four-part “Beyond the Track” series by Coaster101 guest writer Ryan Cataldo. Moreover, each company follows different layout guidelines and principles. Each manufacturer has its own unique style of track, support structure and train design. A handful of manufacturers from across the globe are responsible for fabricating these steel machines. Not all coasters are built equally, though. Every functional coaster on earth has scrutinous engineering and special principles behind it. There is more beyond the surface of a roller coaster than just hills and drops.