Glossary

The following list contains terminology used in the rcdb and their respective definitions. Click on any term's title for more options related to the term.

Organize this list: Alphabetically · By Related Terms

4th Dimension - a coaster with cars that spin on a horizontal axis.

Acceleration -

ACE Coaster Classic - a coaster meeting the criteria specified by the American Coaster Enthusiasts club. These roller coasters must meet guidelines like single position lap bars, no seat dividers or headrests, and more.

Angle Of Decent - the steepest angle experienced during on the ride in the direction of travel. This figure is not for track banking or the lift hill angle.

Batwing - formed by the exit of an Dive Loop going directly into a Immelmann. The two elements are positioned as if one is a mirror image of the other. The train exits the element parallel to i's entry and in the opposite direction.

Bent Cuban Eight -

Big Apple / Wacky Worm -

Bobsled - designed like a bobsled run -- without a fixed track. The train travels freely through a trough.

Bowtie - formed by the exit of an Dive Loop going directly into a Immelmann. The two elements are positioned as if one is rotated 180 degrees from the other. The train exits the element parallel to its entry and in the same direction.

Brakeman -

Butterfly -

Capacity - the highest number of riders per hour a roller coaster is capable of assuming the ride is using all of its trains.

Cobra Roll - formed by the exit of an Immelmann going directly into a Dive Loop. The two elements are positioned as if one is a mirror image of the other. The train exits the element parallel to its entry and in the opposite direction.

Commutator -

Compressed Air Launch -

Corkscrew -

Cutback -

Cyclone - roller coaster whose track layout is designed after the legendary Coney Island Cyclone.

Dive Loop - Immelmann traveled in reverse.

Diving Turn - 1/2 Inline twist completed with a 1/2 corkscrew.

Double Corkscrew -

Double Dip -

Double Figure Eight - Figure eights are side-by-side.

Double Heartline Roll -

Double In-Line Twist -

Double Out and Back -

Drop - the greatest continuous drop experienced on the roller coaster.

Electric Spiral Lift -

Elevator Lift -

Enclosed - a roller coaster built inside a structure intended solely for the ride. This structure often imparts a theme or houses special effects.

Family - a small roller coaster designed for young riders, but adults may comfortably ride also.

Figure Eight -

Floorless -

Fly To Lie -

Flying - a roller coaster ridden while parallel with the track.

Flying Snake Dive -

Flywheel Launch -

G-Force - the greatest gravitational force experienced during the ride.

Headrest -

Heartline Roll -

Height - the structure's greatest height measured from the ground to the track level. Railings, flagpoles and such are not counted as part of the roller coaster's height.

Helix -

Hill -

Horseshoe -

Hot Rail -

Hybrid (Steel Structure) -

Hybrid (Wood Structure) -

Hydraulic Launch -

Immelmann - named after German pilot Max Immelmann who flew in WWI. The maneuver starts like the first half of a traditional vertical loop. When the train is near the loop's apex it will be inverted and heading back in the direction it entered. Rather than completing the loop in the traditional way, the train rolls on its axis becoming right-side-up while simultaneously turning away from the loop. The result is the train exiting the maneuver in the opposite direction it came. This is a very similar element to the Sidewinder. In the case of the Sidewinder the after apex turn is sharper and the maneuver is exited higher and nearly 90° to the right or left of direction it was entered. When a Immelmann is traveled in reverse it is called a Dive Loop.

In Storage - the roller coaster is disassembled and being stored.

Inclined Dive Loop -

Inclined Loop - a traditional vertical loop tilted a bit from being vertical.

Individual hydraulic lap bar -

Individual ratcheting lap bar -

Indoor - a roller coaster built inside a structure unrelated to the ride.

In-Line Twist -

Inside Raven Turn -

Interlocking Corkscrews -

Inversions - the physical number of inversions on a roller coaster. This will be half the number traveled on a shuttle roller coaster with inversions. To counted as an inversion the element must turn rides a full 180° upside-down.

Inverted - a roller coaster which uses trains traveling beneath, rather than on top of, the track. Unlike a suspended roller coaster, an inverted roller coaster's trains are rigidly attached to the track.

Jr. Immelmann - Jr. Immelmann isn't the official name given of this element. It was created to separate an Immelmann-like element on the Black Mamba at Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany from other Immelmann inversions. As of this writing (1/11/2006), the Black Mamba is the only roller coaster with such an element. This element differs from a full Immelmann by only rolling riders to approximately 90° rather than a full 180°. Because the roll does not reach 180°, it is not considered a true inversion, but still can be classified as a unique element.

Jungle Mouse -

Kiddie - a small roller coaster designed solely for children.

Length - the roller coaster's physical course length as measured if a line existed between the rails. Transfer tracks are not included in this figure.

Lie To Fly -

Lift Hill -

LIM - LIM (Linear Induction Motor) is a form of electro-magnetic propulsion. They replace a traditional lift hill and do not contain any moving parts. Typically LIM systems launch the roller coaster from the station extremely quickly.

Loop -

L-Shaped Out and Back -

LSM - LSM (Linear Synchronous Motor) is a form of electro-magnetic propulsion. They replace a traditional lift hill and do not contain any moving parts. Typically LSM systems launch the roller coaster from the station extremely quickly.

Mine Train - a coaster designed to give the experience of riding a runaway mine train. They usually follow the terrain closely and make small - but quick - drops and turns.

Moebius - The two tracks are continuous forming a single circuit or 'Moebius Loop'.

Norwegian Loop - This element was first introduced on the Speed Monster at TusenFryd (Vinterbro, Oslo Norway).

Looking at the element from the side it looks very much like a pretzel. It is also very similar to the "Pretzel Loop" element used on flying coasters. The difference is the "Norwegian Loop" has a ½ inline twist at the start of the element and another at the end. This makes two inversions and the Pretzel Loop" has only one.

Operated - the roller coaster operated during the specified period but has since changed status.

Operating - the roller coaster is open to the public. Maintenance or off-season periods do not change a roller coaster's status from 'Operating'.

Out and Back -

Outside Raven Turn -

Oval -

Pipeline - a coaster where riders are positioned between the rails instead of above or below.

Powered Coaster - a roller coaster that is electrically powered throughout the entire ride.

Pretzel Knot -

Pretzel Loop -

Quad Heartline Roll -

Reverse Sidewinder -

Roll Out -

Roll Over - formed by the exit of an Immelmann going directly into a Dive Loop. The two elements are positioned as if one is rotated 180 degrees from the other. The train exits the element parallel to its entry and in the same direction.

Roller Coaster -

Saxophone - The saxophone inversion consists of basically two hairpin turns traveled vertically. During the first hairpin the car essentially falls over an edge and continues to curve downward - past vertical until it is upside-down and horizontal with the track above. After traveling horizontally in this inverted position for a bit, the train enters what resembles the second half of a traditional vertical loop, thus returning the car to an upright position. The second half of the inversion tends to have a larger diameter than the first. Tracing this inversion from the point where the train changes from right-side-up to the point where it returns to right-side-up creates a shape that looks like a saxophone turned 90 degrees.

SBNO - an acronym for Standing But Not Operating. The roller coaster is present and assembled at a park, but not open to the public. Maintenance or off-season periods do not change a coaster's status to 'SBNO'.

Seat divider -

Seatbelt -

Shoulder harness -

Shuttle - a roller coaster traveling to the end of its track and returning in the opposite direction. A shuttle roller coaster's track contains a beginning and end, unlike a traditional roller coaster which forms a continuous circuit.

Side Friction -

Sidewinder - a sidewinder starts like the first half of a traditional vertical loop. When the train is near the loop's apex it will be inverted and heading back in the direction it entered. Rather than completing the loop in the traditional way, the train rolls on its axis becoming right-side-up while simultaneously turning away from the loop. The result is the train exiting the maneuver almost nearly 90° to the right or left of direction it was entered. This is a very similar element to the Immelman. In the case of the Immelmann the after apex turn is not as sharp and the maneuver is exited lower and nearly in the direction it was entered.

Single position lap bar -

Sit Down - a traditional roller coaster ridden while sitting down.

Sky Loop - "Sky Loop" is an unofficial name used to describe this rather unique set of inversions used only on Maurer Söhne X-Car-Coaster models to date.
From the side the "Sky Loop" looks like a giant not-so-round vertical loop. The lift hill, known as a "Humpty Bump Lift", is integrated into this element. The lift pulls the train from a horizontal position up a tower vertically. The train is then pulled "beyond vertical", until it is upside-down and nearly above the starting point. This makes the lift ½ of the first inversion. The train then proceeds through a twist called a "360° Corkscrew" by Maurer Söhne. This twist resembles a Heartline Roll, but the train enters this twist while upside-down -- making it an upside-down Heartline Roll. At the twist's halfway point the train will be right-side-up. This point is considered the division of the two "Sky Loop" inversions. Proceeding through the second half of the twist, the train once again returns to an upside-down position completing 1 ½ inversions. The last ½ inversion is essentially the second half of a traditional vertical loop. The "Sky Loop" ends either back at the station or parallel to it if the ride consists of more than just a "Sky Loop".

Speed - the top speed encountered on the ride. In some cases this is not at the bottom of a roller coasters first drop.

Spinning Cars -

Spiral Lift -

Stand Up - a coaster ridden while standing up instead of sitting down.

Steel - a roller coaster with track consisting of steel tubes or rails. Occasionally steel roller coasters will use wood structures to support the steel track, this does not have an affect on its steel status.

Suspended - a roller coaster using trains which travel beneath the track and pivot on a swinging arm from side to side, exaggerating the track's banks and turns.

T-Bar -

Terrain -

Time - time spent in motion. Load and unload time is not included in this figure.

Tire Propelled Launch -

Tire Propelled Lift -

Tire Propelled Spiral Lift -

Tongue -

Top Hat - Inside -

Top Hat - Outside -

Trick Track - A crooked section of track that was made famous in the 1920s by designer Harry Traver.

Triple Corkscrew -

Triple Dip -

Triple Heartline Roll -

Tunnel -

Turntable -

Twin - a roller coaster with two tracks. The tracks often follow a similar course, allowing the trains to race with each other.

Twisted Horseshoe Roll -

Twister -

Under Construction - the roller coaster is being built and not open to the public. "Soft Openings", media days and/or preview periods do not change the ride's status.

Vertical Spiral -

Water Coaster -

Weight Drop Launch -

Wild Mouse - rides using single-car trains on a track with very tight turns. The cars' wheels are positioned closer to the rear of the car than a traditional coaster. The front of the car travels past the turn before changing directions, giving the sensation that the car will fall off the track

Wood - a roller coaster with track consisting of layers of wood. Occasionally wooden roller coasters will use steel structures to support the wooden track, this does not have an affect on its wooden status.

Wraparound Corkscrew -

Zero-G Roll -

Zyklon / Galaxi -