LaMarcus Thompsons Switchback Railway, an early roller coaster, opened on Coney Island in 1884.

Thompson’s Switchback Railway at Coney Island is generally considered the first roller coaster in the U.S. In January of 1885, Thompson received U.S. Patent #310,966 for the “roller coasting structure” that he had built at Coney Island the previous year for only $1,600. A far cry from Six Flags’ 1997 Superman The Escape, which cost $20 million to build and reaches speeds up to 100 miles per hour, the Switchback Railway was simply a pair of “hills” on two wooden tracks. The train raced down the 600-foot track until it lost momentum. Passengers then got out and re-boarded after attendants pushed the train to the top of the hill on the second track. The popular ride cost passengers 10 cents and earned an average of $600 to $700 per day.

Illuminations
In Competing Coasters (3–5), students view photos of roller coasters from around the country, and then predict which coaster is faster, which is higher, which goes further and which takes longer to ride. They then look up data on another Web site to check their predictions.

Roller coasters are among the many attractions at theme parks like Disney World. In Planning a Trip to Disneyland or Disney World (3–5) and Planning a Trip to Disneyland or Disney World, Part Two (3–5) students practice mathematical skills of estimation, data collection and problem solving to plan a trip to Disney World or Disneyland.

Science NetLinks
LaMarcus Thompson’s original roller coaster literally coasted down a ramp. In Ramps 1: Let it Roll! (K–2), students explore ramps, discuss why different ramps work better than others and practice procedures for testing designs and recording results.

Students design, build and test their own ramps in Ramps 2: Ramp Builder (K–2).