Introduction

There is more beyond the surface of a roller coaster than just hills and drops. Every functional coaster on earth has scrutinous engineering and special principles behind it. Not all coasters are built equally, though. A handful of manufacturers from across the globe are responsible for fabricating these steel machines. Each manufacturer has its own unique style of track, support structure, and train design. Moreover, each company follows different layout guidelines and principles. The specialties of three vastly different roller coaster manufacturers are compared throughout this paper, including their history, highlights, and pitfalls. 

The three manufacturers under consideration are Bolliger and Mabillard (“B&M”), Gerstlauer, and Rocky Mountain Construction (“RMC”). To study their unique styles, a specific coaster built by each manufacturer is being evaluated. Dueling Dragons, a defunct inverted coaster that once stood at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, is being analyzed to represent B&M’s coasters. The Smiler, an infamous fourteen-looping coaster at Alton Towers, is explored to exemplify Gertslauer’s engineering. Finally, Iron Gwazi, a yet-to-open hybrid coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is evaluated to understand RMC’s rides. 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. 

To streamline the study of each coaster and manufacturer, each was evaluated via a variety of lenses. The first of these lenses, Manufacturer Overview, gives brief insight into the history and basics of each engineering firm. Following, Important Dates and History provides a backstory of the conception, design process, opening, struggles, and changes to each coaster. Afterwards, specific lenses such as Track Design, Support System, Train Design, Programming, and Lift System meticulously explore the details of each topic. These five lenses were selected because each aspect is quite different between all three manufacturers. Then, Ride-Through Description provides a detailed written explanation of the coaster’s experience from an on-ride perspective. Thematic Marketing discusses the theme of the coaster and its related advertising campaign. 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. To expand further, Redesign Considerations proposes realistic changes that could improve the coaster under consideration. The Summary lens restates all the notable points about the ride, and why the coaster and its manufacturer are important to the amusement industry. 

After the analysis of the details, strengths, and weaknesses of each manufacturer, a new hypothetical coaster named Galactic Twist is proposed. This coaster would combine the best elements and engineering principles from all three manufacturers’ roller coasters into one exemplary ride. Towards the end of this study, potential ways that both guests and ride operators can improve safety are discussed. 

Dueling Dragons

    Manufacturer Overview

The first coaster under consideration is Dueling Dragons, an inverted dueling coaster built by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (“B&M”). B&M was founded in Monthey, Switzerland in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard. This manufacturer’s first ride was a stand-up coaster called Iron Wolf, which opened in 1990 at Six Flags Great America. Two years later, B&M would debut its inverted coaster model, a type of attraction that significantly heightened their reputation as a roller coaster manufacturer. Batman: The Ride, the world's first inverted coaster, opened to the public in 1992 at Six Flags Great America, the same park as Iron Wolf. Soon, many other parks across the world would order an inverted coaster. Later in its life, B&M would design concepts such as the floorless coaster, the flying coaster, and the hyper coaster, among many others.

Uniformity is what makes this manufacturer unique. B&M is known for following a tried-and-true method of building coasters, and as a result, it does not innovate very much. Every coaster B&M has ever built features the same type of track: its famous box track. B&M’s rides commonly navigate the same handful of elements. Vertical loops, zero-g rolls, cobra rolls, and corkscrews are staples of B&M layouts, and all of these elements were featured in Dueling Dragons, in addition to many of its other coasters. 

    Important Dates and History

Dueling Dragons was an opening day attraction, and it opened to the public along with Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 1999. However, while an exact date is not known, the ride could have begun development and design anywhere from three to five years before that date, since the park began construction in 1995. In 1997, plans were filed with the city of Orlando’s building department (Kleinhenz). In 2010, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened, which was a land themed to the J.K. Rowling-inspired films. At the land’s debut, Dueling Dragons was renamed to Dragon Challenge to remain cohesive with the Harry Potter theme. Other than the name change and mild alterations to the queue, the coaster itself remained identical. In 2011, multiple incidents involving riders being struck by loose articles from the opposite train caused Universal to remove the dueling aspect of the ride (Garcia 2011). Consequently, the coaster lost popularity. Furthermore, park guests and even cast members of the Harry Potter films disliked the amount of noise emitted by the coaster, in addition to the fact that its track was visible from within the land. According to Theme Park Insider editor Robert Niles, “Even the stars of the Harry Potter films — typically ebullient with their praise for Universal — took passive-aggressive shots at the coaster's look. (At the Diagon Alley event, several people lauded the second Wizarding World land by noting the lack of visible ‘roller coaster track’).” Dragon Challenge (formerly dueling dragons) was ultimately closed and deconstructed in 2017, being the only B&M coaster to date to be completely scrapped. 

    Track Design

Dueling Dragons used the same type of track as all other B&M coasters do: its famous box track. This track consists of three main parts. The first part is a large hollow rectangular box, called a spine, which is sometimes filled with sand to reduce noise levels. The thickness of this box varies depending on how much stress is put on a given part of the coaster.The second section is steel cross-ties, which are thin steel sheets that are attached at regular intervals to the rectangular box. These cross-ties form a connection between the rails and the spine. The final part is the rails themselves, which may be filled with sand to reduce noise, rather than filling the spine. Both separate layouts in Dueling Dragons use the same type of track design.

     Support System

This coaster, like many other of B&M’s creations, used a system of hollow steel tubular towers as supports, which connected to their respective tracks via a system of thick bolts called fasteners. Additionally, the track was welded in place to the supports. The tubular towers were either subjected to compressive forces, where the train was exerting force downward, or tension forces, where the train was exerting force upward. These towers were held into the ground through a series of footers, which consisted of reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete is a combination of steel and concrete to create a structure that is able to withstand both tension and compression forces (Weisenberger).

     Train Design

B&M uses a standard type of inverted train for all of its inverted coasters, with the number of rows sometimes varying. Dueling Dragons’ trains consisted of 8 rows of four people, totaling a massive capacity of 32 riders per train. The restraint system consisted of over-the-shoulder restraints (sometimes referred to as OTSRs) which descended over riders’ heads and kept them safe during high intensity elements. The restraints used a ratcheting system, which consisted of a series of fixed positions that increased in tightness. A rider could lower the restraints to one of the fixed positions that fit them best. The trains were made of fiberglass and steel. On every row, there were two sets of three wheels that each grip the track on every train car. This is standard for most coasters, though usually the top wheels are the largest, due to the fact that they bear the most weight. These large wheels are called the road wheels. A metal brake fin ran along the top of the train, functioning as a way to interact with the magnetic brakes in order to slow the train down. 

Although identical mechanically to all of the B&M inverted coasters, Dueling Dragons’ trains were slightly different aesthetically. On both red and blue trains, the front row’s OTSRs were colored pink, along with other details like eyes and horns to make the front of the vehicle look like a dragon’s face. In addition, while most B&M inverts have smooth and uniform wheel covers, Dueling Dragons had themed wheel covers that looked like parts of a dragon. The sides of the rows of seats were also lined with what was supposed to look like dragon skin.

    Programming

The ride had a computer system which ensured that the trains ran side by side. Both trains did not need to be released from the station simultaneously. For example, when the red train was released from the station, the computer checked if there was a train ascending the blue lift hill. If there was, the red lift hill would accelerate to catch up with the blue train, and meet it at the top. However, if there was no train on the opposite lift hill, the program moved the chain at a slower pace. The train maintained this speed in anticipation of another set of riders dispatching and catching up to it. If no opposing train was dispatched in time, the ride vehicle would complete the course on its own. When the blue train was released from the station, the program would also check if there was a ride vehicle on the opposite lift hill. If it determined that there was, the chain would be told to move quickly, so the blue train could catch up with the red one. Once the trains were at the same spot on the lift hill, both chains would sync to maintain the same speed. This allowed the trains to crest the top of the lift hill at the same time, enabling them to duel.

Later in the ride's life, the dueling aspect posed a threat to riders’ safety. Incidents included a guest receiving a serious injury after being struck in the eye by a loose article from the opposing train (Garcia 2011). Other injuries occurred as a consequence of collisions with loose articles. In response, the ride was reprogrammed to do the opposite of its original function. The motors would manage the chain speed to purposely spread out trains on the lift hill. This would prevent the trains from dueling. 

The most important job of a ride’s programming is that it keeps the coaster trains from colliding with each other. This is done via block sections. A block section is a designated portion of a coaster’s layout with a method to stop a train at the end. A coaster must have at least one more block section than the number of trains running on the track. This can be compared to a sliding puzzle: there must be an empty block section ahead for a train to move forward. Dueling Dragons had five block sections. If a ride vehicle were to reach the end of any such section, and the block ahead of it was still occupied, the train would be stopped in order to avoid collision.

     Lift System

The lift system for this coaster was almost identical to all the other lift systems used on B&M inverted coasters. Its major difference was that the lifts were programmed to have the ability to sync up trains for dueling. The lift hills consisted of a chain and a small staircase-like system called anti-rollback teeth. The trains consisted of a strong catchcar to engage with the chain. The trains also contained an anti-rollback dog, which is a steel plate that runs along the anti-rollback teeth. If the chain were to ever snap or stop, which was unlikely, but possible, the anti-rollback system would keep the train from falling back down the hill. Both lift hills were 125 feet. 

     Ride-Through Description

The red side of Dueling Dragons was named the Fire Dragon, then re-named to the Chinese Fireball after the Harry Potter overhaul. After dispatching from the station and ascending its lift hill alongside the blue track on its right, the coaster would descend a 115-foot left-turning drop, which led into an Immelman inversion. The train would then glide over a parabolic hill known as a camelback, which flew over the blue track’s zero-g stall, creating a close-contact dueling interaction. The red side would whip through another Immelman, followed by a sharp right turn. A long section of straight track would guide the coaster into its signature element: the dueling loops, where both trains would zoom towards each other, then loop out of the way in unison. The train would traverse a left turn, then enter the ride’s interlocking corkscrews, where both trains would flip through a corkscrew inversion, and then travel under the opposing track’s corkscrew. After rolling around a left turn and down a stretch of straight track, the ride would complete its final inversion: another corkscrew. Multiple left turns would lead the ride back to the unload platform. 

The blue side of Dueling Dragons was named the Ice Dragon, then re-named to the Hungaranian Horntail after the Harry Potter overhaul. The blue train would release from the station and roll up the chain, with the red track on its left. Shortly after cresting the top of its lift hill, the train would descend a 95-foot right-turning drop, followed by a 270o turnaround to its left. The train would then twist through a zero-g roll, right underneath the red side’s camelback hill, creating a near-miss dueling interaction. Immediately after, riders swung through a cobra roll, which is a sharp series of two inversions. The ride vehicle would then glide down a long, straight track, lining the riders up for the dueling loops. The train coasted through its vertical loop, and then navigated a right turn, followed by the ride’s signature dueling corkscrews. The coaster would whip through its corkscrew and roll under red’s opposing element. Afterwards, the ride would meander through a series of left and right turns to navigate back to the station.

     Thematic Marketing

When this coaster opened, it was marketed as one of the headliner attractions for Universal’s Islands of Adventure, though it did not receive any huge marketing or promotion as its own ride. The ride, although more themed than most of B&M’s other coasters, was still not as immersive as some of the other rides in the park. The ride had no overarching story, and the premise was rather simple: a battle between two dragons. The queue was themed to a castle that the dragons destroyed. During the 2010 re-theme to coincide with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the queue was slightly altered to include elements from the Harry Potter franchise, like the crashed Flying Ford Anglia and flags from the “houses” of the school. The names of the tracks changed from a generic “Ice Dragon” to “Hungaranian Horntail” and nondescript “Fire Dragon” to “Chinese Fireball,” both of which are names of dragons from the franchise. 

     Highlights of B&M coasters

B&M coasters have great capacity, due to their large trains which can seat many riders. Dueling Dragons had an especially high capacity, due to its 32-passenger trains, and the fact that two trains were being filled at the same time. This gave this coaster nearly double the capacity of a normal B&M inverted coaster, which already has a high capacity. B&M coasters are quite reliable, and do not break down very often. Most B&M coasters feature smooth and graceful elements, which are crowd-pleasers for parks. This manufacturer generally adheres to a tried-and-true method of building coasters, and it is not known for its innovation. Its coasters have reliable programming, and do not feature complex elements such as launches. Coasters manufactured by B&M are known to have a long shelf life, and they can remain in parks for a long time without needing replacement.

     Pitfalls of B&M Coasters

One downside of B&M coasters being so reliable is that they are expensive for parks. Since they have such a long shelf life, it costs B&M a large sum of money to produce them. This can make it more difficult for smaller parks with tighter budgets to order a B&M coaster. Another pitfall of B&M is that a lot of its coasters have very similar elements. Granted, many of their older coasters follow a very similar formula. However, recently this manufacturer has been working hard to try to break its mold and add new elements to its rides. Recent examples include Banshee, an inverted coaster at Kings Island in Ohio, and Orion, a giga coaster at the same park. These coasters include some unique elements, such as the in-line twist and pretzel knot on Banshee, and the wave turn on Orion. Adding new elements like these is a step in the right direction for B&M.

     Redesign Considerations

No roller coaster is perfect, and there always may be some leeway for redesign considerations. The roughest and most shaky element of Dueling Dragons was the cobra roll on the blue side. Its sharp transitions amounted to headbanging between the over-the-shoulder-restraints. If the ride were to be redesigned, B&M could possibly envision a better element to turn the train around 180o, even though the cobra roll is its go-to element for making a turn like that. Given the space constraints, a dive loop, cutback, or Immelman would be ideal. 

Another issue with the coaster was that it was quite loud, and the roaring of the trains hurtling along the track was said to have broken the immersion of the guests inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A fix for this would have been to fill the spine of the track with sand, so the coaster would not emanate as much noise. 

A final, small detail that could have improved the ride is the addition of theming. Universal is known for making attractions that tell a story, and immersing its visitors within a fictional universe. It would be unrealistic to have theming throughout the entire ride, but some thematic elements could have been added at the end. For example, when guests were seated on the final brake run, Universal could have installed a nearby dragon animatronic, or to some extent made the area around it look like a mythical environment. 

     Summary

Dueling Dragons is an example of B&M engineering at its finest. It was the only dueling coaster manufactured by the company, and additionally was the only fully inverted dueling coaster in the world. The impressive programming, forceful inversions, and exciting interactions with the other train contributes to its status as one of B&M’s most advanced roller coasters. Overall, the high-thrill and minimally-themed approach to the ride was not perfectly suited for a Universal park. The plot of land upon which it once stood is now occupied by a fitting coaster for the area. While the popularity of the B&M inverted model has declined for parks, the manufacturer is still selling its inverted coasters. It is a possibility that one day a park may resurrect the concept of Dueling Dragons in the form of a faster and fiercer inverted dueling coaster. 

The Smiler

     Manufacturer Overview

The Smiler is an infinity coaster designed by German manufacturer Gerstlauer. The company was founded in 1981 by Hubert Gerstlauer, who used to work for now-defunct German manufacturer Schwarzkopf. Gerstlauer built its first coaster in 1998, which was a bobsled coaster called G'sengte Sau, at Erlebnispark Tripsdrill in Cleebronn, Germany. Gertslauer has built over 90 coasters across the world, all of which are still operating today. Gerstlauer has been involved with building wooden coasters and flat rides, but it is most well known for its Euro-Fighter and Infinity coaster models, which pack a lot of track and elements into a small plot of land. It built its first Euro-fighter model in 2003, called Vild-Svinet at BonBon-Land in Denmark. In addition to the previously mentioned models, Gerstlauer also manufactures wild mouse coasters, spinning coasters and launched coasters. It even used to manufacture trains for earlier RMC coasters, back when RMC was not able to make its own trains. 

     Important Dates and History

In 2011, Alton towers and Gerstlauer filed permits with local authorities to build a headliner attraction. In 2012, the permits were accepted, and Alton Towers was clear to begin construction. The name “The Smiler'' was trademarked that year. This was Gerstlauer’s first Infinity Coaster, and eleven more of this same model would come after it. The ride, after being rumored and speculated about for most of 2012, was officially announced by Alton Towers in January of 2013. The final track piece was laid in April of that year, and theming elements were also added. On May 31, 2013, The Smiler opened to the public, breaking the record for most inversions on a roller coaster with fourteen, as well as the record for most densely-packed coaster on earth. John Wardley, who designed the ride’s layout, said in an interview that the engineers “packed more track per metre of space in this ride than any other rollercoaster in the world...it plays around with your mind...it’s more than just a physical rollercoaster” (“Smiler To Be ‘Most Densley [sic] Packed’ Rollercoaster”). Later in the ride’s life, a major crash caused by human error occurred on June 2, 2015. The ride was closed for 9 months until it reopened in March of 2016. The ride has been operating incident-free ever since. 

     Track Design

The Smiler’s track formulation follows the same design utilized in most other Gerstlauer coasters. Two rails are connected by a cross-hatching of steel bars, and a spine is attached to those rails by two more sets of cross-hatchings of steel bars. This creates a triangular track design throughout. Some Gerstlauer coasters will use track that forms into a dual-spined box at higher-stress areas of the coaster. The Smiler, however, does not go very fast, but rather feels faster to riders as a result of the tight elements on the ride. Hence, Gerstlauer did not need to use the dual-spined track on any parts of The Smiler. 

     Support System

Since opening, The Smiler’s support system has been altered and improved. Earlier in the coaster’s life, cracks were found in the supports, and park guests witnessed a beam fall from the support structure. These issues have been resolved, and now the supports are sturdy. 

This ride’s support system consists of a large tangled mess of steel beams, which connect to the track via thick bolts called fasteners. The beams are held into the ground with footers made of reinforced concrete. The Smiler, though entirely safe and structurally sound, appears to have minimal supports to give the track a “floating” look. 

     Train Design

The trains for this coaster consist of four rows with four seats in each row, allowing a maximum capacity of sixteen riders per train. The front row of the train has a large metal crash guard on the front, bearing the Smiler logo. The whole train is painted black and yellow, with twisted smiling faces plastered on the back of every seat. Each seat uses over-the-shoulder restraints, which are kept locked in place by a hydraulic cylinder. This apparatus is encased in a metal yellow cage behind each seat. Since the ride uses magnetic brakes, a large metal magnetic braking fin is attached to the bottom of the train, in order to engage with the brakes along the ride. 

Being small and compact, the trains are able to traverse the tight elements in the ride. Each train features four distinct but similar segments. Each segment consists of two sets of three wheels which can grip the track and roll along it smoothly. The road wheels are the largest, since they bear the most weight. According to Gerstlauer, the infinity coasters’ trains have “...spring-mounted steering [which] provides high flexibility and riding comfort” (Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster Pamphlet).

     Programming

The programming of The Smiler works to stop trains from colliding. A system of sensors will detect when a train has passed through a section of track, and notify the computer when the succeeding train is clear to advance into that same portion of the ride. If a train is about to advance into an occupied block section, the system will stop the train on the brakes. Occasionally, one of these sensors will accidentally trigger, and make the ride system think there is a train within a block section, when in reality, there is not. This rare occurrence creates what is known as a “ghost train,” which may lead to a temporary shutdown of the ride. 

     Lift System

Two chain lifts are used to pull The Smiler’s trains to the top of their hills. One of the lifts is set at a slanted angle, and the other lift is vertical, pulling riders up at a 90o incline. A traditional lift hill would use a system of anti-rollback-teeth attached to the track and an anti-rollback-dog fastened to the underside of the trains to prevent the occasion of the coaster rolling back down the lift at all costs. If a train is stopped like this on a traditional lift hill, riders can be assisted in evacuating from the trains and safely descending the lift hill on foot. The Smiler’s lift hills, however, use magnetic anti-rollback systems, which can stop the train from rolling back in the event of the chain giving out, but can also be released and allow the train to descend back to the foot of the lift hill (Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster Pamphlet). This will allow easier evacuation for riders.

     Design Constrictions

Local authorities forbid Alton Towers from building any coasters above the treeline, as doing so “...may have a negative impact on the character of the landscape” (Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 89). To construct a coaster with 14 inversions, engineers at Gerstlauer informed the park that a very tall lift would need to be used. Yet, to comply with the aforementioned requirements, two shorter lifts are used instead, and the ride’s inversions are broken up. Half of the inversions coast off the momentum of the first lift hill, and half glide off of the momentum of the second. In addition to these efforts, Alton Towers decided to expand downwards, rather than building any higher. A large pit was excavated, varying in elevation from ten to twenty feet below ground level. Much of the twisted track of the ride sits within it.

     Incidents

The first year of the Smiler’s operating life was plagued with conflicts. In the week leading up to the ride’s opening, a train got stuck at the top of the first lift hill. Two times, a train empty of riders stalled in the lowest point of the batwing inversion. On July 21, 2013, guests were evacuated from the ride after witnesses noticed a beam fall from the support structure. Nine days later, the ride was closed for five days after cracks were found in the ride’s footers (Expressandstar.com). In November of that same year, a set of guide wheels fell off of the vertical lift and struck riders, injuring four. The Smiler would operate accident-free for all of 2014, but within the following year, the coaster’s worst incident would occur.

On June 2nd, 2015, The Smiler’s programming system detected higher winds than the coaster is able to operate safely in, and the ride was shut down. On this day, the park was extra crowded, and the maintenance team decided to add a fifth train to the track in order to increase capacity. The vehicle was added in addition to the four trains which were already on the track. The maintenance did not inform the ride operators of this action. This was later described as a “...huge breakdown in communication” (Bond and Roger). This train was sent around the course empty, and it stalled during the batwing inversion. Meanwhile, the operators of The Smiler began to allow guests to board again. Four trains were idled in the station, and the ride operator was oblivious to the fact that a fifth had been added. He sent a train full of guests up the lift. The ride’s programming stopped the coaster at the top of the lift, knowing that the section of track ahead was occupied. This is a testament to the efficacy of the ride’s programming. The ride operator and a colleague overrode the safety warning, and sent the train full of riders on the same track that contained the stalled train. The ride operator later said that he felt pressure to get the ride running again. The trains collided at 1:58 P.M. This incident could have been avoided, as it was caused entirely by miscommunication and human error. After the accident, all thematic references to correction within the attraction were removed, but the overall theme of The Smiler was not changed by the park.

     Ride-Through Description

The station of the coaster is set in the experimental facility run by the fictional organization known as “The Ministry of Joy.” Riders take part as volunteers in the Ministry’s experiments. As the train dispatches from the station, strong operating lights glare down from overhead, and distant laughter is heard from the dark tunnel into which riders will descend. The train takes a sudden left turn into pitch-black, followed by the ride’s first inversion: a barrel roll. Exiting this element, the riders emerge from the darkness and are able to see the words “HA HA HA” on the side walls, as they travel outside toward the first lift hill. After ascending the lift, the ride takes a slight dip and turns to the right, which leads the train into a rollover corkscrew drop. Riders drop down this inversion and coast into back-to-back dive loops, which resemble a figure-eight when viewed from the side. These elements interweave with the Marmaliser, a large robotic machine in the middle of the ride. Clearing the second dive loop, the coaster zips over a quick hill, flanked by the various robotic parts of the Marmaliser, such as the Tickler and the Flasher. The track maneuvers through a batwing inversion which inverts riders twice. The batwing interlocks with a cobra roll, in which the train will traverse later. A corkscrew flips the train over the track that it had hauled through earlier, and allows the riders to proceed into the mid-course brakes. At this point, the train comes to a complete halt. So far, the train has completed seven of the fourteen inversions on the coaster. 

A vertical lift looms above riders and a chain quickly begins pulling the train up the 90 degree hill. After cresting the hill, the train descends a short dip to the left, followed by a rollover corkscrew drop. This is essentially a mirror of the maneuver that the ride took when dropping off its first lift hill. A sea-serpent-roll follows, which is a rare pair of inversions consisting of two elevated back-to-back corkscrews. Riders pull out from the dual-inverting element, and speed over a hill parallel to the one taken a minute before. This hill zooms through more of the robotic mess of the Marmaliser, coming in close contact with the Inoculators and the Hypnotisers. The train flips through a cobra roll, which inverts twice and interlocks with the batwing from the first half of the ride. Back-to-back corkscrews follow the cobra roll, which fully rotate the riders clockwise two times in quick succession. These thirteenth and fourteenth inversions are the finale of the ride. A quick left turn swings the train into the final brake run, where the phrase “PROCESS COMPLETE'' is seen on a nearby wall.  

     Theming

Generally, parks in North America do not theme their coasters to anything risky or scary; they stick to safe and inoffensive themes to please the masses. In places like Alton Towers in the UK, however, they do not play by these rules. The Smiler is themed to a correctional facility known as “The Ministry of Joy,” whose mission is to forge a smile on the faces of all those who are feeling sad via a process called “marmalisation.” The coaster interweaves with a large robotic machine called the Marmaliser, which uses methods such as flashing lights, hypnotic spinning wheels, and “laughing gas” (which is actually just water vapor) to “correct” the subjects. The riders are volunteers to take part in this process, hence the words “PROCESS COMPLETE” at the end of the ride. The ride also has its own soundtrack produced by IMAscore. 

     Marketing

The Smiler had one of the largest and most complex marketing schemes of any coaster ever built. While most parks will do something simple like produce a commercial to be shown on television to promote their ride, Alton Towers did much more than that. Along with airing promotional ads on public broadcasting services, The Smiler’s logo was seen in a variety of places across Britain. Posters of the logo were seen in train stations and airports. The logo had been spray painted onto the wool of sheep across the UK. In addition, the Smiler’s logo was projected onto various buildings, including Big Ben. A countdown clock for the Smiler’s opening date was posted on Alton Towers’ website. Truly, these decisions were baffling, but the fact that these marketing schemes are still notable today is a testament to how well they were executed. 

     Highlights of Gerstlauer Coasters

Gerstlauer coasters are designed to be compact, which allows parks to fit a high-thrill coaster into a small space. They have mastered the art of vertical lift hills, which can make a coaster seem more intimidating to riders. Moreover, a vertical lift takes up less space than an inclined one. Inversions are a highlight of these coasters. These types of rides are known for tight and whippy elements, in stark contrast to B&M, which is known for graceful, drawn-out features. Gerstlauer’s creations are generally cost-efficient for parks.

     Pitfalls of Gerstlauer Coasters

A downside of Gerstlauer coasters is that they have small, low-capacity trains. Some of their Euro-Fighter coasters have trains that can only seat a maximum of eight riders. This problem is only solvable to a certain degree, because Gerstlauer needs to use compact trains in order to traverse tight elements. A good option is incorporating moving sidewalks that run alongside continuously-moving trains in stations, allowing dispatches to happen quicker. Also, rather than incorporating larger trains, increasing the quantity of trains is a better option. To allow this, coasters would need mid-course brake runs. This would separate the track into block sections, allowing multiple trains to run safely at once. 

     Redesign Considerations

If The Smiler were to be redesigned, much of it would stay the same, as many of the flaws in the ride’s engineering have been solved since its opening. The ride’s trains are an aspect that would be in the park’s best interest to change. Specifically, Alton Towers should switch to trains with five or six rows, rather than four. This would increase hourly capacity of the ride. No more trains can be added, because there is no place in the layout to add brakes to incorporate more block sections. Furthermore, a rare but possible problem that the ride encounters is that one of its trains can become stuck in the batwing element. On the hill proceeding this maneuver, it is possible for the park to add a short magnetic speed boost, which would guarantee that the train would not get stuck. In terms of superficial changes to the attraction, a pre-show, or segment of the queue that told guests more about the fictional story of the ride, would aid in the guests’ immersion experience of the attraction. Additionally, on-board audio would make the ride experience more enjoyable. It would allow for music or other sounds to be played directly to the riders, rather than via the various speaker systems around the ride. 

     Summary

The Smiler has changed the coaster industry for the better, because it exemplified the possibility of building an extremely thrilling coaster in a very small space. It completely crushed the record for most inversions on a roller coaster, raising the bar for what is possible for theme parks. The attraction also is an example of how important theming is to a ride experience; The Smiler would not feel the same if it lacked a theme as twisted as its track layout. Overall, this coaster is one of the best examples of a collaboration of both a coaster manufacturer and a park to make a thrilling, compact, well-themed ride. 

Iron Gwazi

     Manufacturer Overview

RMC, short for “Rocky Mountain Construction,” was formed in 2001 in Fred Grubb’s garage, where he and 10 employees simply repaired wooden coaster track for other parks. In 2008, Alan Shilke, former engineer for American manufacturer Arrow Dynamics, helped Grubb design the I-Box track, one of RMC’s now famous rail designs. A year later, RMC signed a contract with Six Flags to build its first hybrid coaster. This coaster was called New Texas Giant, and was located at Six Flags Over Texas. It took the structure of former wooden coaster Texas Giant, and re-designed the layout with different elements and steel track. This coaster opened in 2011, and revolutionized the idea of a hybrid coaster. At the start of its life as a roller coaster manufacturer, RMC outsourced its trains, and Gerstlauer built them. However, in late 2011, RMC began to build its own trains. In 2013, RMC opened Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City, its first coaster to be built with topper-track, a track that uses wooden planks with flat steel running rails attached. In 2016, it invented its single rail track known as raptor track. Two years later, Wonder Woman Golden Lasso opened at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and it was the first coaster to actually utilize RMC’s raptor track. Since 2011, RMC has become known for taking old or broken down wooden coasters and transforming them into wood-steel hybrids, along with constructing ground-up creations and single-rail coasters. 

     Important Dates and History

Gwazi, a wooden dueling coaster manufactured by Great Coasters International (commonly referred to as GCI) opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. This ride became progressively bumpier over the years, and the many attempts from the park to fix this did not help very much. In 2012, the “Tiger'' side of the coaster stopped running trains, removing the dueling aspect of the ride, cutting capacity in half, and only allowing guests to experience one side of the coaster. In 2015, the opposing “Lion” side shut down as well, and the ride officially closed. The coaster was not demolished, rather it sat SBNO (standing but not operating) for years. The first leaked hint that something would be done with the structure was in September of 2018, when the name “Iron Gwazi” was trademarked by Seaworld. The official announcement of the ride came in March of 2019, and construction began three months later. The original dueling aspect of Gwazi was scrapped in favor of a layout that combined the structure of both tracks. A dueling RMC coaster, while mechanically possible, was not an option due to budget constrictions. Trackwork was completed on March 8, 2020, and trains were successfully running around the course on the subsequent day. The park ceased operations days later due to COVID-19 restrictions, which forced Busch Gardens to shut its gates. The coaster, which should have debuted in 2020, was pushed back to have a 2021 opening. The ride is built and ready to operate, but is yet to admit guests. 

As of May of 2021, Iron Gwazi is the tallest hybrid coaster in North America at 206 feet, but tied for tallest in the world with Zadra at Energylandia in Poland. It is also the world's fastest hybrid coaster, with the steepest drop on any such ride ever built.  

     Track Design

Iron Gwazi uses RMC’s I-Box track which, unlike its topper track, is made entirely of steel. The track is fabricated by heat-welding together flat steel plates, which are cleaved to precision on large plasma cutters. Alan Shilke mentioned in an interview with Machinedesign.com that when manufacturing the track, “Heat of welding causes the metal to slightly change shape. But the company’s patented technique restores the shape to the original engineering specs. In the field, bolted-connection plates attach the lengths together” (Gordon). The track consists of two box-shaped rails, which are connected via steel cross-ties running perpendicular to the rails. The tracks connect to a series of steel beams which are then bolted to the wooden structure. 

     Support System

Usually on an RMC hybrid-conversion, a large majority of the structure from the original coaster being converted is used. However, since Iron Gwazi traverses a layout that vastly differs from Gwazi’s original, a majority of the old coaster’s structure was scrapped. While many old footers for the structure were utilized, approximately 75% of the original supports were torn down. In a late 2019 interview, Andrew Scaffer, Project Manager for Iron Gwazi, stated: “We’ve changed this ride so much from what it originally used to be, and the dynamics are completely different than what it used to be. It’s more than twice the height of what it used to be. We had to add some footers, for those additional dynamics of the ride. We’re re-utilizing most of the foundations that were there before, except for some areas where the second track was that we didn’t take up” (Stillwell). A majority of the structure is wooden, but the entirety of the lift hill is built from steel. 

     Train Design

This coaster uses the standard RMC train, with a zero-car attached to the front. A zero car is a section of a coaster train (usually at the front) that adds necessary weight, and potentially theming. Iron Gwazi’s zero car resembles the head of a crocodile. Each train can seat a total of 24 riders, consisting of 12 rows of 2. The train is broken up by joints into six segments, or “cars,” which each consist of two rows rigidly connected. The riders are held in place by lapbars, which stay locked via a system of hydraulic cylinders. 

Just like a traditional roller coaster train, RMC’s trains use three different types of wheels: road wheels, upstop wheels, and side wheels. The road wheels are the largest, because they bear the weight of the train, and are subjected to all the positive G-forces induced by the ride. The upstop wheels are slightly smaller, and run along the underside of the track, keeping the train from flying off and allowing it to perform elements with strong negative G-forces, a sensation sometimes referred to by coaster enthusiasts as “airtime.” The side wheels are positioned on the inside of the track, rather than the more common option of putting them on the outside. The combination of these three types of wheels working in tandem keeps the train tightly gripped to the track. 

     Programming

Iron Gwazi’s programming is fairly simple, since the ride can only run a maximum of two trains. This is sufficient for capacity, since the coaster will use 24-rider trains. The ride does not feature a mid-course brake-run, which means the entire portion of the ride between the lift hill and the final brakes are all classified as one block section. Hence, the system will only allow one train to occupy that area at a time. The other train will load riders in the station, and is only able to dispatch when the proceeding train has cleared out of the main block section. This system ensures that no trains will collide. 

     Lift System

Almost all coasters manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction use the same lift system. Each train is equipped with a metal catchcar that hooks onto the chain lift, and stays linked on throughout the entire climb up the lift hill. An anti-rollback dog beneath the train travels along the staircase-like ani-rollback “teeth,” which would prevent the train from rolling backwards down the hill in the highly unlikely event that the chain would snap. The motor that drives the chain lift can vary speeds; it runs slowly when the train is not on it, and speeds up drastically once the ride vehicle hooks onto the lift. Lift hills manufactured by RMC tend to be quite loud, as the sheer speed of the chain and the consequential quick movement of the train can create a substantial amount of noise. 

     Ride-Through Description

Iron Gwazi’s train dispatches from the station and immediately takes a left turn, leading to the lift hill. The ride vehicle engages with the chain lift and is quickly carried to the top of the coaster’s highest point. After cresting the peak of its lift hill, the ride descends a 91-degree drop, plummeting the train down a long dive into a tangle of wooden supports, before levelling out, and immediately sweeping into a large left turn. At the top of this turn, the track abruptly snaps from an inward to an outward bank, then gradually transforms back to an unbanked curve as the train descends to the bottom of this sweeping turn. Travelling directly underneath the first drop, the track quickly raises in elevation while taking a large right turn, setting up for the succeeding element: the barrel roll downdrop. The train hauls out of this element and completes a long inward, overbanked left turn, followed by a snappy wave-turn which jolts riders 90 degrees on their right. Advancing is a short hop-up into another wave turn, which banks left. This wave turn transitions into a left swoop into a zero-g stall, in which riders are suspended upside-down for a sustained amount of time. The train exits the zero-g stall and traverses the rest of the ride, which remains relatively low to the ground compared to the rest of the coaster. A series of short hills and slightly banked turns glide the train into the final brake run with much momentum.

     Thematic Marketing

The original, wooden Gwazi was named after a mythical beast of the same name. This creature has the head of a lion and the body of a tiger, and is sometimes depicted with wings and a dragon-like tail. This made sense, since the ride was a dueling coaster, and a Gwazi was a two-part creature. However, when designing the theme for Iron Gwazi, the whole idea of what constitutes a Gwazi was entirely scrapped. Now, the ride is themed to a crocodile, yet still contains Gwazi in its name; more for the purpose of paying homage to its predecessor than staying thematically consistent.

There has not yet been a strong marketing campaign for this coaster. Busch Gardens Tampa has been discussing the coaster’s progress on its social media platforms, in addition to posting a teaser video. In November of 2020, the marketing team uploaded a video of an on-ride view of the coaster, which has never been seen before then. While these strategies are enough to excite coaster enthusiasts about the ride, they are not sufficient to inform the general public about the attraction’s presence. It is likely that Seaworld entertainment will invest more time in marketing toward the masses during the ride’s opening weeks during the spring of 2021, probably accompanied by the headline: “North America's tallest and fastest hybrid coaster.”

     Highlights of RMC Coasters

RMC coasters are a great addition to parks for a multitude of reasons. They provide a glossy-smooth ride experience as a result of their laser-cut steel track. RMC trains’ restraint system is both efficient and comfortable; the lap bars are able to be pulled down with ease, allowing faster dispatch times, since less help is needed from ride operators. RMC hybrid conversions are also relatively cheap for parks, especially if a majority of an existing coaster’s supports are used. This company is great for parks with an old wooden coaster that does not please guests. RMC can take that old coaster and convert it into something new and widely appealing. Also, these coasters are quite versatile, in that they can perform graceful, drawn-out elements, as well as tight, whippy maneuvers. This creates a varying ride experience between all their coasters. In terms of visual appeal, these attractions consist of a mesmerizing arrangement of the seemingly-infinite wooden structure paired with the signature smooth, sharp track design. This leads RMC to produce some of the most aesthetically pleasing coasters on the market. 

     Pitfalls of RMC Coasters 

A problem with RMC coasters is their infamously noisy lift hills. These can echo throughout guests’ ears while waiting in line. Also, while the RMC I-Box track is quite versatile, it still is unable to complete tall inversions such as Immelmans, cobra rolls, or vertical loops. Since RMC has only been building roller coasters for approximately ten years as of 2021, it still struggles with incorporating complex elements like launches into their rides. 

     Redesign Considerations

Stating things that can be definitively improved about this coaster is difficult, since it is not open to the public yet. However, from taking what is already known about the ride and making inferences based off of other RMC coasters, some improvements can be considered. Firstly, the name Gwazi does not make sense as the title of the ride. The new coaster is themed to a crocodile. On the original Gwazi, the name made sense because it consisted of two dueling tracks named Tiger and Lion, which are the two parts which comprise a Gwazi. On this coaster, the title seems out of place, as there is only one track, and the ride has nothing to do with lions or tigers. But that is a superficial issue, and not a big problem. To capitalize on the crocodile theme, a clever addition would be to add hidden speakers at some points of the ride, like the peak of the lift hill, or the top of the barrel-roll downdrop. These could play short sounds like crocodile growls or snaps, making it seem like a reptile is following the train. 

A larger physical improvement to the ride would be to make it longer. From the on-ride video released by Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, it is evident that the train coasts into the brake run with substantial momentum, which could accommodate additional elements. RMC could have potentially extended the track layout using this leftover speed, allowing for a few more turns through the structure and even a low to the ground inversion. As a final superficial change, it would be favorable if the park incorporated theming on the final brake run, or at least something for guests to look at as they wait to roll into the station. A good option would be making the immediate landscape look like a swamp or other environment that a crocodile would live in, possibly with mist machines to immerse the riders. Another opportunity would be to incorporate rocks with animatronics of various crocodiles standing atop them, with plaques on the rocks that tell their breed and facts about them. On a hot day, perhaps these animatronics could squirt water at guests. 

     Summary

Iron Gwazi is an example of how much Rocky Mountain Construction has improved since their first coaster, New Texas Giant. The incorporation of inversions, large banked turns, snappy elevation changes, and the steepest drop on any hybrid coaster make this a very well-rounded attraction. While not yet open to the public, many roller coaster enthusiasts have high expectations for this coaster, as it is the tallest and fastest RMC creation as of 2021. Compared to the other coasters at Busch Gardens Tampa, this will absolutely be a headline attraction in the park, and quite possibly the most popular. A new coaster like this will be a major draw for attendance at the park, as many previous guests are already familiar with the original wooden coaster. Iron Gwazi is the epitome of reinvigorating of an old ride that was special to people, and improving it immensely. This coaster will rise above the wooden shadow cast by Gwazi, and become a twisted steel masterpiece in its own right. 

Galactic Twist

     Thought process

The highlights of the three presented manufacturers were considered and integrated into a new, custom creation. This hypothetical coaster would be a collaboration of the three manufacturers, and would emphasize the strengths of each. Considerations were also taken to eliminate the pitfalls of each manufacturer. Galactic Twist breaks the record for most inversions on any roller coaster, with seventeen. 

     Track Design

Galactic Twist uses Rocky Mountain Construction’s I-Box track. B&M is responsible for incorporating smooth, graceful elements into its coasters, and its track design suits those types of elements well. Conversely, Gerstlauer mainly uses its track to build compact elements. RMC’s I-Box track is the best option for building a well-rounded coaster because it is capable of completing both tight, snappy elements, in addition to long, drawn-out elements. The track nearby guest areas would be filled with sand. This would nearly eliminate the load roaring caused by the trains, which some guests might find irritating. The track is colored blue and purple. 

     Support System

While RMC’s track alone is capable of completing almost any type of element, its wooden-style support structure limits it from being able to execute tall inversions. Conversely, B&M’s supports are extremely versatile in that they can support almost any element regardless of height; their track design, however, limits them from performing tight elements. B&M’s steel tube support structure is utilized in Galactic Twist in tandem with RMC’s I-Box track, allowing the ride to complete maneuvers that were foreign to their respective manufacturers. The supports would be colored mint green to complement the color of the track. 

     Train Design

Galactic Twist uses 2nd-generation RMC trains, the same type found on Iron Gwazi. These trains suit the I-Box track well, and a train from any other type of manufacturer would be impractical. They seat twenty-four passengers each and use simple lap bars which are comfortable for riders. The simplicity of the restraints reduces guests’ struggles with boarding the train, and therefore, more people can ride the coaster in a shorter amount of time. The coaster would have theming on the front and rear of the train to aesthetically convey the look of a silver, futuristic spaceship. Specifically, the front of the train would be in the shape of a rocket ship nose cone, and the rear would resemble the motor mount and exhaust port. 

     Programming 

Galactic Twist would be capable of running up to five trains at once. Midcourse brake runs are appropriately scattered about the track layout, which makes it safe to run multiple trains. If one train is about to enter an already occupied block section, the block brake will stop the train, avoiding collision. Although Gerstlauer, B&M, and RMC all use this principle to program their rides, B&M would be employed to program this hypothetical coaster. Out of all three manufacturers, B&M has been building coasters the longest, and had the least issues with their rides’ programming. 

     Lift System

Both RMC and B&M have struggled with building launched coasters. RMC’s only launched coaster, Lightning Rod at Dollywood, faced severe downtime and engineering problems in its opening year. B&M has only built two coasters with a launch, which are The Incredible Hulk at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Thunderbird at Holiday World. As evidenced by these setbacks, a pair of chain lifts is the most reliable way to carry the train to the top of the hill. Gerstlauer would be the best option to engineer the lift because they are the only manufacturer of the three that is capable of constructing a vertical lift. In the unlikely event of the chain snapping on the lift, Gerstlauer’s magnetic anti-rollback brakes can safely return the train to the foot of the lift.  Another upside of these magnetic ARBs is that they do not make much noise, unlike RMC’s and B&M’s ratcheting anti-rollback systems. Gerstlauer would also manufacture the inclined lift, just for consistency.

     Thematic Marketing

The premise of Galactic Twist is an alien invasion. Aliens are attempting to abduct humans and study them in their ships. Their crashed vessels are scattered along various parts of the landscape, and the coaster zooms past them multiple times. These aliens’ weakness is water, so it is important that the ride has multiple water effects which activate in time with the train. This allows the riders to feel like they are fighting the aliens. The ride concludes with a splashdown, and the large jet of water created by the momentum of the train drenches a model of an alien ship. This marks a victory for the riders.   

    Ride-Through Description

The station of the ride is set in an imposing dimly-lit mountain. The coaster begins immediately with a counterclockwise-turning heartline roll right out of the station, which dangles riders over the guests waiting in line for the ride. The train exits from the mountain during this roll, and takes a right turn, followed by a slight left bank. This converts into another heartline roll, which rotates riders clockwise. Another right turn pulls the train into a vertical lift hill. The base of the hill is surrounded with alien ship debris. 

Upon reaching the top of the hill, the coaster uses a holding brake to dangle riders over the edge of a beyond-vertical drop. This element is inspired by various B&M dive coasters. When released from the holding brake, the train plummets down the steep 150-foot drop, and bottoms out while passing through a pit of mist. The train whips into a long, tall zero-g stall, which suspends riders upside down over a lake below. Descending from the stall, the track leads into a large cobra roll, which would be more enjoyable than a cobra roll on any B&M or Gerstluauer coaster. This is due to the fact that Galactic Twist’s trains use lap bar restraints, which eliminate the possibility of headbanging. The train sweeps out of the roll and glides into a left banked turn, which transitions to a sharp hill. An RMC-style wave turn follows, which jolts riders 90 degrees to their right. After rolling left through another turn, a wave turn whips riders in the opposite direction. A series of three sharp airtime hills succeed the transition out from the wave turn. The first hill has a slight right bank at its peak, and the next hill has a similar bank in the opposite direction. The third hill stays unbanked, and leads into a midcourse break run. 

Dropping out of the brake run, riders descend a drop that is about a third of the height of the first drop. The train moves through a long left turn over a body of water, with water jets erupting as the train goes by. Some alien figures are positioned along the turn, and the water jets give the impression that the train is “attacking” the aliens. At the end of the turn, the track winds through an element inspired by Dueling Dragons’ corkscrews. A counterclockwise corkscrew is then traversed, followed by a dip and a quick left turn through a small dark cave. Exiting the cave, another counter-clockwise corkscrew flips riders over track from before. Another short dip transitions into a sharp bank. The coaster glides through a subsequent barrel roll, which moves over the second heartline roll from the beginning of the ride. The end of this twisty inversion marks the beginning of the second lift hill. So far, the coaster has traversed eight inversions, with nine more to come. 

The second lift hill is less steep than the first one, albeit taller. The peak of the 270-foot-tall   lift transitions into a long 80-degree drop. An extended, low speed hill gives a quick pop of airtime. Then, similar to a mirrored version of the first element on Iron Gwazi, the track leads up into a large turning hill, which switches the direction that it banks at the top. The train completes the turn, and goes through two, simple parabolic hills that can be found on many B&M hyper coasters. A tight-banking turn sets up the track for a flying snake dive through the station’s mountain, a rare dual-inverting element that consists of a barrel roll and then a dive straight down. This drop goes right next to the coaster’s entrance, and travels underneath the station. A wide overbanked turn leads the train into another mid-course brake run. 

After the midcourse, the coaster wastes no time in completing another inversion; a vertical loop succeeds the brakes. Afterwards, the train moves up into a hill which banks right when ascending, then turns to banking left when descending. The drop runs into a batwing, which inverts riders twice, and interweaves with an alien structure. This whole maneuver and its interaction with theming were inspired by The Smiler. The line of track exiting the batwing runs parallel to the track that entered it, and allows the train to zip over a small speed hill. Riders then move through a helix that goes up and down in elevation as it moves through. The helix is inspired by Orion’s belt, an element at the end of Orion, a B&M Giga coaster. Theming rushes by as the train zooms through a low, banked turn, surrounded by different parts of crashed spaceships. The turn snaps into a quick corkscrew. At this point, the train is approaching the footpath which leads to the ride’s entrance. A Norwegian loop surrounds the path, which is similar to a vertical loop, but it starts and ends at the peak. Passing over the footbridge, riders descend the Norwegian loop, and then dash through a few quick banks which snap the train side to side. Then, the coaster turns upwards into a small rocky mountain. An alien robot with an armed structure similar to the marmaliser is seen atop, seeking to collapse the mountain. The train moves into the small cave, and hits a set of midcourse brakes. 

When in the cave, slowly falling rocks and creaking walls are visible to the riders. Abruptly, the train drops out of the midcourse brakes, and travels down a right turn through a parted waterfall, exiting the mountain. The turn continues over water and glides past the queue, giving onlookers a view of the finale of the ride. A small hill gives another pop of negative g-forces, and a subsequent quick left-banking turn allows the train to dash through a hole in another wall of rocks. The same footpath from before lies ahead once again, and this time, the train takes a vertical loop around it. This is the seventeenth and final inversion of the coaster. One last quick hill offers ejector airtime, and it comes in very close contact with another spaceship above. Riders drop into a splashdown, which blasts a large jet of water out behind the train, drenching the spaceship, and “defeating” it. The track moves out of the splashdown and takes a short left turn into the final brake run. When the station ahead is clear, the train advances into the mountain and allows guests to depart. 

     Highlights of Galactic Twist

This coaster excels in all areas that could have been problematic for individual manufacturers. Galactic Twist uses high-capacity trains which can be dispatched at a fast rate due to a simple restraint system and reliable programming. The ride is not limited to positive or negative G-forces, but it rather completes a wide variety of elements involving intensity and airtime. The track layout combines tight, snappy elements with wide, drawn-out maneuvers, thanks to RMC’s versatile track and B&M’s multi-faceted support structure. Loud noise would not be an issue, since the lift hills use magnetic anti-rollback brakes, and various track sections would be filled with sand. The guests’ on-ride experience would be fun and comfortable, since the restraints are non-restrictive. The track would have little-to-no rattling, since B&M's supports utilize strong, concrete footers. As a supplement, the theming throughout the coaster makes the experience more enjoyable. The ride also breaks the record for most inversions on any coaster ever built, with seventeen. 

     Pitfalls of Galactic Twist

Considerations have been taken to eliminate most every pitfall found throughout these coasters. However, a hardship brought upon by all these features would be the cost. Contracting three separate coaster manufacturers to work on different aspects of the attraction would be very expensive. The sheer size of this coaster would also contribute to a high cost for materials and construction. Another pitfall is that the attraction would take up a large plot of land. 

     Summary

If it was a real coaster, Galactic Twist would prove that a collaboration between manufacturers is a concept that can form a functional attraction. By breaking the record for most inversions on any coaster ever built, this ride would spike attendance in a park that is daring enough to add something of its caliber. As of May 2021, Galactic Twist is still merely an idea confined to the code of a computer and one’s imagination. However, one can only hope that someday a brave park with a high budget and a desire to stretch the limits would reach out to B&M, Gerstlauer, and RMC to create arguably the perfect coaster. 

Overall Safety Improvements for Parks

To shift from a study of coasters to an inquiry of human error, provided are multiple suggestions for how ride operators and guests can enhance safety. A majority of injuries at theme parks, whether minor or major, are caused by guests’ neglect to safety protocols. Before riding any type of attraction, it is recommended to read the sign outside, which informs guests not to board if they have any of the listed preexisting conditions that could be aggravated by the attraction. Also, as passengers on a plane should pay attention to a pilot’s safety announcements, park guests should listen to ride operators whilst they are giving instructions. Disregarding these policies could cause complications, confusion, and even risk of injury. Consequently, an uninformed guest who has not listened to any of the safety protocol could make the process of boarding a train take longer overall, which slows down the line for the hundreds of other people waiting. 

Ride operators could also implement multiple measures in order to decrease risk of injuries. Communication between all ride operators is key, and this prevents them from being uncoordinated when handling a crisis. Ride operators should not simply disregard programming warnings by the ride, as the system is designed to transmit those warnings for a reason. Since there is a rare chance that those systems could falsely trigger, the operators should consult park engineers before overriding those warnings. Although it is crucial that trains are boarded quickly and efficiently, ride operators must remember that guest safety is more important than dispatching a train in a short amount of time. Guests rushing to get into seats or ride operators racing to lower the restraints increases risk of potential injury, which will ultimately slow down the line more than any prolonged dispatch ever could. This is why having a visible countdown timer in the station to meet desired ride throughput could be a double-edged sword. This implementation could make guests more likely to rush into their seats, and possibly overlook safety protocols. 

Conclusion & Future Considerations

Overall, this paper provided insights into B&M’s Dueling Dragons, Gerstlauer’s The Smiler, and RMC’s Iron Gwazi. To achieve a streamlined analysis of each manufacturer, a series of lenses were implemented. The main lessons learned from exploring the aforementioned coasters and their respective companies were integrated into Galactic Twist, a hypothetical combination of the three engineering firms’ strengths. Lastly, potential safety implementations were suggested to reduce the possibility of injuries at parks.

If a second iteration were to be written of this paper, it would analyze another three coaster manufacturers and a notable attraction by each. Three remarkable engineering firms to analyze would be Great Coasters International (GCI), Arrow Dynamics, and Intamin. These companies all feature different elements and engineering techniques than the three manufacturers explored in this paper. For GCI, the coaster under consideration would be Gwazi, a defunct dueling coaster that was a predecessor to its current hybrid counterpart. The coaster used to represent Arrow Dynamics would be Magnum XL-200, a currently operating hyper coaster that boosted attendance in its park, and broke many records at the time. VelociCoaster, a brand-new multi-launch coaster, would be evaluated to gain a deeper understanding of Intamin’s engineering. All the same lenses which organized the survey of each coaster in this paper would be used to describe the new ones in the future iteration. 

This paper can empower upcoming coaster manufacturers to decide what type of engineering strategies to follow or imitate. It could also assist a park in deciding which manufacturer they should contract to build a coaster for them, based upon certain criteria they are looking for. As a result of COVID-19, 2020 was a troubling year for the theme park industry. Within the next few years, there is a large possibility that parks will consider cheaper investments that maximize thrills. Due to projected budget constraints, there is a likelihood that parks across the world will see a decline of B&M coasters being built. Conversely, parks might turn to Gerstlauer to build new attractions as a result of their relatively low price tag and footprint. In the coming years, RMC may have to increase their production of ground-up coasters, as they might soon run out of suitable wooden coasters to hybridize. Additionally, their single-rail coasters could be an ideal option for parks to add during the potentially forthcoming era of constructing low-cost rides. To meet the demands of these future challenges, parks and engineers can consult this paper for ideas and inspiration. 

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