Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Wood is the main source of all roller coaster history, used before the concept of sending people through a curving layout even existed. First built as structures off of terrain, hills would grow before standalone rides would operate, beginning with shuttle switchback railways before new innovations evolved to complete a full circuit. At the turn of the century, many designers, most notably John A Miller would create new safety systems to push these layouts to grow larger and twistier while keeping the trains from ejecting themselves or riders off the track. After a bit of a slowdown in the amusement industry due to two world wars and parks becoming more run down, roller coasters would start to fall out of fashion, before a park would take a chance to bring back the classic era of wooden giants. This series, like the two before on Intamin and Vekoma, will track each coasters progress from 1972 to present day, but not just from one manufacturer, but every wooden coasters the industry had to offer through that time. Excluding wooden wild mice, the progress of design capabilities is fascinating to track every year, and can be traced through the designers that have passed their knowledge down through generations.
Videos Used
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuZY1tsDk18gsH8_8WdCeyBZS36inhLJK&si=mnNrRNQsKGnx5k5U
Wood is the main source of all roller coaster history, used before the concept of sending people through a curving layout even existed. First built as structures off of terrain, hills would grow before standalone rides would operate, beginning with shuttle switchback railways before new innovations evolved to complete a full circuit. At the turn of the century, many designers, most notably John A Miller would create new safety systems to push these layouts to grow larger and twistier while keeping the trains from ejecting themselves or riders off the track. After a bit of a slowdown in the amusement industry due to two world wars and parks becoming more run down, roller coasters would start to fall out of fashion, before a park would take a chance to bring back the classic era of wooden giants. This series, like the two before on Intamin and Vekoma, will track each coasters progress from 1972 to present day, but not just from one manufacturer, but every wooden coasters the industry had to offer through that time. Excluding wooden wild mice, the progress of design capabilities is fascinating to track every year, and can be traced through the designers that have passed their knowledge down through generations.
Videos Used
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuZY1tsDk18gsH8_8WdCeyBZS36inhLJK&si=mnNrRNQsKGnx5k5U
