Steel roller coaster

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A steel roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel track, which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along the track typically rely on wheels made of polyurethane or nylon to keep each train car anchored to the track.<ref name="Threewitt-Harris">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The introduction of tubular steel drastically changed roller coaster innovation, allowing for greater speeds, higher drops, and more intense elements such as inversions.

Arrow Dynamics is credited with inventing tubular steel track and introducing the first modern steel coaster with the opening of Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959. Older steel-tracked coasters existed previously in a simpler form, such as Little Dipper at Memphis Kiddie Park in Brooklyn, Ohio, which is the oldest operating steel coaster in North America. The oldest in the world is Montaña Suiza at Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo (Spain), which has been operating since 1928.

Characteristics

File:Blue Fire Megacoaster - Europa-Park - Durchfahrt des Loopings.jpg

Blue Fire, an inverting launched roller coaster, at Europa-Park, Germany

File:DuelingDragonsCS.jpg

Dragon Challenge was a unique inverted roller coaster that featured a dueling layout, located at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida

File:Air 41.jpg

A close-up of the tubular steel tracks of Galactica at Alton Towers

• Steel coasters can generally provide a smoother ride experience than their wooden counterparts, and due to their strength, can have more complex ride elements, achieve greater speeds, and feature higher drops. Despite the advantages, wooden roller coasters continue to be built and still remain popular in the industry for providing a different riding experience.Template:Citation needed
• Most world records for height, speed, and length are typically held by steel roller coasters.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Some designs combine steel tracks with wooden frames, or vice versa, which are referred to as hybrid roller coasters. In some cases, the original wooden track on a wooden coaster is retrofitted with steel track during a refurbishment, with one of the first being New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas. One of the most popular conversions was Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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There are various types of steel coaster models and designs, including flying, inverted, floorless, and suspended.

Notable steel roller coasters

File:Dorney Park Steel Force Thunderhawk.jpg

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom's Steel Force and Thunderhawk roller coasters, just outside Allentown, Pennsylvania. Steel Force is the eighth-tallest steel roller coaster in the world with a first drop of Template:Convert and has a top speed of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>

File:The Smiler on opening day.jpg

The Smiler, a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster at Alton Towers, which holds the record for the longest inversion

File:Impulse ride photographed from above.jpg

Impulse with 540° helix at Knoebels Amusement Resort

• Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the world's tallest full-circuit inverted coaster<ref name="Tallest Inverted">Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Banshee at King's Island, the world's longest inverted coaster<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Great America, the first inverted roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Corkscrew at Knott's Berry Farm, the world's first modern roller coaster to feature an inversion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Eejanaika at Fuji-Q Highland, the world's tallest and second fastest wing coaster<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure, the former world's tallest roller coaster at Template:Convert and second fastest at Template:Convert<ref name="Tallest Steel"/><ref name="Fastest Steel"/>
• Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, the world's fastest roller coaster at Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Impulse, 540° Helix at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Magnum XL-200, the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, the first tubular steel roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed Template:Convert in height<ref name="Tallest Steel"/><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Moonsault Scramble at Fuji-Q Highland, the first roller coaster over Template:Convert in height<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Ninja at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's fastest suspended roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Olympia Looping - world's tallest transportable coaster and the coaster with the most of traditional loopings (5)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Runaway Mine Train at Six Flags Over Texas, the first mine train roller coaster, built in 1966<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Steel Curtain at Kennywood- featuring the highest inversion in the world
• Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land, the world's longest roller coaster at Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the first roller coaster to exceed Template:Convert in height<ref name="Tallest Steel"/>
• The Smiler at Alton Towers, the most inversions in the world (14)<ref name=Inversions>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland, formerly the world's steepest roller coaster with a beyond-vertical drop of 121°<ref name=PR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest flying roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• The New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the first modern roller coaster with a vertical loop<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• TMNT Shellraiser at Nickelodeon Universe theme park, steel indoor roller coaster with the most inversions<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, the world's first full-circuit roller coaster to exceed Template:Convert in height<ref name="Tallest Steel"/><ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, the first roller coaster to reach Template:Convert in speed and Template:Convert in height<ref name="Tallest Steel">Template:Cite RCDB</ref><ref name="Fastest Steel">Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the world's first steel monorail roller coaster.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• X² at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the world's first 4th Dimension roller coaster<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm - world's first roller coaster to feature a hydraulic launch<ref>Template:Cite RCDB</ref>
• Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland, the world's tallest dive coaster at 223 ft<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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