The first American roller coaster was actually a railway. The Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railway (shown above) was built in the mountains of Pennsylvania in 1827. The track, originally built to send coal to the bottom of a hill, relied on mules to haul the empty cars back to the top of the hill. During non-peak hours, for one dollar, …
How cool would it be to build a roller coaster in your own backyard? Though it’s not common practice, recently there have been several people who were driven to meet the challenge of designing their own backyard coaster. Not such a crazy idea—the project teaches physics emphasizing gravity, friction and speed while making fun for the entire family. The Oklahoma …
Do you remember your first roller coaster ride? Did you stop breathing for that second when you felt your stomach drop as you rode down the first steep hill? Many people love the sound of coaster wheels on the track and the exhilarating thrill of record-setting speed and acrobatic maneuvers as you reach zero gravity. Others—not so much! STEMists, however, whether …
