Russian Mountains

The Russian mountains are attractions putting in scene Train S traversing of the sinuous ways and at fort made uneven with an aim of creating a feeling of Peur and at the same time of Amusement at the Passager S. One finds them mainly in the parks with topics where they appear in it like the most appreciated attractions.

Being at the base a specialized system of Railroad, the Russian mountains consist of Rail S which go up and go down according to specific diagrams, with sometimes one or more reversals (most common being the Looping ) which briefly place the passenger with the upside down. The rails should not necessarily form a circuit closed although the purists consider that the term “mountains Russian” should be used only for the closed circuits. The majority of the Russian mountains have Wagon S which can contain two, four or six passengers each one and in which those settle to traverse the circuit. The whole of the coaches hung between them is called train.

History of the Russian mountains

The concept of “Russian mountains” comes from the races of Luge S proceeding on hills of snow especially built for, particularly in the surroundings of Saint-Pétersbourg.

At the end of the Years 1700, their popularity is such as contractors start to copy the idea elsewhere, by using cars provided with wheels attached from ways. A company (“Russian Mountains in Belleville”) built and deals with Russian mountains with Paris, in 1812. The first Looping is probably built with Paris, since an English diagram, in 1846. The principle is the following: a person in a Sledge, is launched in a loop (round) approximately 4 meters in diameter. Nevertheless, none of these ways forms a complete circuit.

LaMarcus Adna Thompson deposits a Brevet for the first Russian mountains the January 20th 1865.

In the Années 1880 the first Russian mountains with the the United States of America are based on trains driven by gravity. Placed at the disposal by companies of the railroad, their goal is to divert during the Week-end S, when the number of travellers falls.

The first complete circuit (in loop) appears in 1884 with Coney Island, one year later Phillip Hinkle introduces the Lift hill , a system drawing the train on the first coast from the circuit. In 1912, John Miller (often called the Thomas Edison of the Russian mountains), develops a new wheel, the Underfriction , which allows the train being very quickly very remaining on the rail.

A little later the Russian mountains invest the parks of recreation of the whole world. One of most famous historically is certainly The Cyclone, with Coney Island, built in 1927. These first Russian mountains are built in Bois, some like Kennywood and Blackpool Pleasure Beach is still operational later 70 years.

The Grande Depression mark the end of the first golden age of the Russian mountains, it is from there that the Amusement parks in general decline economically (like a great number of companies).

In 1959, the park with topic Disneyland of Disneyland Arises introduced a new model of tubular way out of steel, set up on the Matterhorn Bobsleds. This system was developed jointly by Walt Disney Imagineering and Arrow Dynamics. Contrary to its counterparts out of wooden, these Russian mountains allow the train not only being guided but also being hung with the way, and thus making loops , to go down around a vertical axis,…

It is in 1972, that The Racer with Paramount' S Kings Island, is a popular success. A second golden age starts then.

The greatest following innovations imply modifications of the train. Some make sit the passenger in a braces more “body-with-body”, making it possible the legs to remain in the air and to have a better visibility of the ground. Another variation consists in leaving the passengers in a position upright. Certain trains have seats vis-a-vis the back of the vehicle, their users cannot envisage the turns or the descents, that increases the effect of surprised. One of the last innovations (seen on the Hulk Coaster) consists in propelling the train at the time of the first rise, that increases the starting speed.

The operation of the Russian mountains

As opposed to what certain people think, the trains do not have a Moteur S and thus do not advance by themselves, but thanks to the Gravité, and with mechanisms located on the rails of the circuit.

Mechanical energies

The speed of the vehicles is given by a energy which is transferred to the train at the beginning from the circuit, and which enables him to join the end of the course. This energy is often obtained by hill on which the train by means of a chain is hoisted which one calls “Crémaillère”, but can also come from a “launching” of the train thanks to engines. The train once hoisted in top of the hill will have accumulated a maximum of energy called “potential energy” initial whose expression is:

$E_P=m.g.H$

where m is the mass of the train (passengers included/understood), G the acceleration of gravity (approximately 9,81 m/s/s) and H the height of the point highest of the circuit (by taking the point low like origin). When the speed of the train is negligible at the point highest, this initial potential energy constitutes the “mechanical energy” of the train:

$E_m=E_P=m.g.H$

At the time of the descent, the potential energy will be transferred in another energy called “kinetic”:

$E_c= \ frac12.m.v^2$

(either 0,5 multiplied by the mass of the train, multiplied by the speed of the vehicle squared).

This transfer is carried out (theoretically, if one neglects the losses by friction) so that the sum of the potential energy and the kinetic energy is equal in any point to the mechanical energy of the train:

$E_m=E_P=E_p+E_c=m.g.h+ \ frac12.m.v^2$

where H is the altitude of the point considered, and v speed in this point.

If the culminating point of the circuit (altitude H) is followed of a vertiginous descent towards the point low (altitude 0), speed reached can be spectacular. It is given by the equation:

$m.g.H= \ frac12.m.V^2$

who gives the value of V:

$V= \ sqrt (2.g.H)$

The speed reached on the " Silver Star" " Europa Park" , of uneven of 71 meters, is theoretically of 37 m/s, that is to say more than 130 km/h! In practice, frictions decrease the speed by approximately 20%, which remains sizeable…

This phenomenon of transfer of energy occurs with each rise and descent of a hill, and thus results in the deceleration at the time of the rise, then of acceleration at the time of the descent. Apart from any friction, this movement could be (quasi) eternal in closed circuit. Actually, these energies vary with the wire of the course and “are to some extent consumed” by the friction between the rails and the wheels of the coaches, and by the resistance of the air. The mechanical energy decreases along the circuit, its end value is reduced and makes it possible to slow down and stop the train in end of race. For this reason the engineers in this field seek as much as possible to reduce the contact between the rails and the vehicle. This “problem” that is the friction, was considerably tiny room with the appearance of the Russian steel mountains, but if those out of wood continue to be manufactured it is because they produce an effect of additional fear at the passenger, due to the Vibrations, related to the unstable appearance of attraction.

Mechanisms of the Russian mountains

The train leaves the station thanks to wheels equipped with Pneu S located on the circuit, which advance it until a distance envisaged.

In the case of traditional Russian mountains, it then generally arrives at the principal rise. It is drawn here towards the top by a chain (the toothed rack), or by a more recent mechanism: a cable (which with the advantage of being faster and less noisy). A security system allows the train not going down again if this chain would yield: a metal bar comes to be blocked on a part “in staircase” from the rails, so that it can advance only in one direction (upwards). Once at the top, the train is actuated (by the chain) towards the slope, and begins its descent.

In the case of Russian mountains “with launching”, to obtain its energy, the train can be “propelled” by two types of engines: a Linear motor : a series of Aimant S located chains some on the rails are synchronized to make accelerate the train as it passes near them; or a Driving hydraulics: a cable connects the train to a winch located at the end of the straight line which will be traversed. This Treuil will turn under the pressure of liquid fluids produces by the engine, and thus will draw the train. A hydraulic engine is more powerful, therefore faster than a linear motor: the Russian mountains fastest of the world (“Kingda Ka”) are propelled by a hydraulic engine.

Starting from this stage, the train does not depend any more a any mechanism, and advances then all alone, thanks to gravity and with the mechanical energies. He traverses the circuit by itself then, until in station.

Various Russian mountains

Today there exist two principal families of Russian mountains: that in Wood and that in Metal (generally of the Steel). Each type with its particular characteristics, of the possibilities of different feelings and of course its defenders and its detractors.

the Russian Montagnes of wood (often named with the English term Wooden coaster ) mainly make it possible to have an old, more rustic aspect and mainly to feel a feeling of levitation produced by the negative force of gravity when the train passes the peak of a top (" air time" or flight).

the Russian Montagnes out of metal (often named with the English term Steel coaster ) allow circuits very varied with sometimes from many Circonvolution S and/or flown away (air time). The visitors are often abused by Inversion S called loops (or loops ), nuts, bretzels and other names evocative.

the hybrid Russian Montagnes which use wood and metal. One for the rails and the other for the support according to the required effect.

Nevertheless it is not really the nature of the support which differentiates the Russian mountains enters, they are rather the experiment of the visitors compared to this support. One of the methods is simply to take each element which can constitute the Russian mountains to qualify them. The type will be thus a concentration of these various elements. By thus classifying them, one distinguishes eight principal categories of Russian mountains.

Main categories of Russian mountains

The various Russian mountains are characterized mainly by their various means of transport, which generate possibilities of different feelings: the passengers can thus find themselves with the top of the rails, in lower part, upright, lengthened and even the upside down. One then finds nine principal categories of Russian mountains:

sitted Russian Mountains ( Sit down roller coaster ): they are the Russian mountains “traditional” where the passenger sat normally in a train, and course a circuit which can present inversions.

reversed Russian Mountains ( Inverted roller coaster ): the passenger finds himself sitted on a seat located in lower part of the rails (without the structure of a train around); He thus does not see practically the circuit and finds himself with the legs balancing itself in the vacuum. However, the seats follow the slope of the rails strictly.

Russian Mountains without ground ( Floorless roller coaster ): the passenger finds himself sitted on a seat which is directly fixed on the rails (without structure of train around). He can thus see the rails under his feet.

Russian Mountains with vehicle suspended ( Suspended roller coaster ): the passenger sat in a train whose cars mobile and are suspended in lower part of the rails. I.e. the cars are balanced independently of the slope of the rails.

flying Russian Mountains ( Flying roller coaster ): the passenger is lengthened under the rails. He thus has a direct sight with the ground, for new feelings. They are often used for the attractions allotted (themized) to birds, or Superman, because of the Posture of the passenger.

Russian Mountains Bobsleigh ( Bobsleds roller coaster ): they are rather special Russian mountains, presented in the form of “slip” of the train on a track in semi-cylindrical form. The circuit is thus comparable with a track of Bobsleigh.

Russian Mountains pipeline ( Pipeline roller coaster ): these Russian mountains are rather rare and special, the rails are located coach on both sides, so that the supports are, on the major part of the course, circulars. The train, composed of only one coach, thus passes to the " milieu" rail.

Russian Mountains in driving position ( Stand-up roller coaster ): it is a traditional Russian mountain, where the passengers are maintained in the trains upright, instead of being sitted.

four-dimensional Russian Mountains ( 4th Dimension roller coaster ): they are Russian mountains where the passenger is above the vacuum and where the seats can carry out a rotation movement before and back of 360° maximum.

The diagram of the way

One can also classify the Russian mountains by the “design” of their circuit. It are not characterized all by their strong feelings but especially by the originality from their circuit. There is also more than one score different, here are the principal ones:

Dueling coaster : one thus calls two Russian mountains positioned in the vicinity (often in parallel) and whose two circuits cross to give the impression that the trains of each course miss striking accuracy.

Out and Back roller coaster : these are the Russian mountains whose way follows a straight line, forms an angle of 180° then returns while skirting the same way.

Racing roller coaster : one thus calls two Russian mountains similar, built under parallel, and operation simultaneously so that the trains of each circuit have the impression to make the race. Some of them allow that one can touch, by tightening the arm, the hands of the people in the opposite train.

Russian Mountains shuttle ( Shuttle roller coaster ): these Russian mountains present not completed: the trains are expelled at the end of the circuit, then return. Let us quote the example of the model of series Boomerang of Vekoma.

Spinning roller coaster : it is Russian mountains in which the coaches carry out side rotations on themselves.

Twister roller coaster : in these Russian mountains, the circuit does not respect a simple and linear way: it is the opposite of a “out and back”.

Wild Foams : these Russian mountains are characterized by small vehicles of on average four people, moderated speed, but where is favoured the tight turns getting a raised force of gravity side, as well as the fast “falls”. The passenger with the impression which the vehicle will fall from the circuit.

watery Russian Mountains : the course includes/understands a section " aquatique".

the Russian mountains in the black ( Indoor Coaster ), sometimes called interior Russian mountains ( Indoor Coaster ). They are located in kinds of hangars, without external light, to make it possible to use various special effects, and can be theoretically of all categories, although there exists about it only of sitted type (standard) in the facts. The darkness makes it possible “to hide” the rails, thus, the passengers do not have any reference mark compared to the circuit, to create an effect of Angoisse. That also makes it possible to use light effects or to create decorations to give a topic to attraction. This designation remains however dependant on the other types.

Specificities height

Cedar Point was the first park to propose Russian mountains exceeding of the limits heights. Thus (perhaps for reasons of merchandizing) it was the first to use specific names to classify the Russian mountains by class height, these names passed in the popular use.

Méga Russian mountains : the méga Russian mountains (of English Mega coaster ) are Russian mountains whose point highest culminates with more than 200 feet, that is to say 61 Mètre S. the first of them were conceived by Bolliger & Mabillard and bear the name of Apollos Chariot . It is located at Busch Gardens Europe in the United States. Beyond 300 feet, or 91 Meter S, it become Giga Russian mountains.

Giga Russian mountains : the giga Russian mountains (of English Giga coaster ) are Russian mountains whose point highest culminates with more than 300 feet, that is to say 91 Mètre S. Beyond 400 feet, or 122 Mètre S, it become Strata Russian mountains.

Strata Russian mountains : Strata Russian mountains (of English Strata coaster ) are Russian mountains whose point highest culminates with more than 400 feet, that is to say 122 Mètre S. It exists only 2 specimens of strata Russian mountains in the world: Kingda Ka (139 Meter S) with the park Six Flags Great Adventure (the United States - New Jersey). Signal Thrill Dragster (128 Meter S) with the park Cedar Not (the United States - Ohio). They have every two summer conceived and built by the company Intamin.

Certain fans of Russian mountains hope that the limit of the 500 feet, either 166 m or exceeded and would thus inaugurate the first " Tera mountains russes".

See too

mountain|Russian mountains

External bonds

Databases:

RCDB, a database on more than 1800 Russian mountains throughout the world.
Coasters World, a very complete interactive database, in French.
Park Fun World, another database, completely French-speaking.

Sites of impassioned:

Association Parks Passion
Exchange-Park a forum with many impassioned
Swiss RollerCoaster Fanclub
Topic parks and rollercoasters

the great history of the Russian mountains ParkOtheK: File in several parts devoted to the history of the Russian mountains since their creation.

Random links: