Most coasters fall into the steel or wooden coaster category. The comparison of the two is simple, with steel coasters usually coming out on top. First introduced in America in the early 19th century, wooden roller coasters were the earliest form of entertainment on track. In fact, movement on a wooden coaster still resembles movement on a train. Steel coasters, on the other hand, are more recent and tend to move side to side and up and down. These coasters are made mostly out of steel and usually have cars that are in rows of two seats. Steel coasters are the most popular and common type in the world today.
The flying roller coasters were first introduced in 1997 in the United Kingdom. Skytrak was the name and it originated at Granada Studios in Manchester. The Flying Coaster does just what its name suggests: gives you the sensation of flying. You get into the coaster with the seats straight up, but once you're buckled in, the cars drop below the tracks and you are facing the ground. This a relatively new concept still and there are different varieties for children and adults.
The first diving coaster was debuted at Alton Towers in the United Kingdom. This coaster differs from others by its sheer drop of about 160 feet at a 90-degree angle. Riders are raised to a great height and suspended there for a few seconds and then dropped suddenly at 68 miles per hour into a fog. The newest invention for the diving coaster is called the Splashdown, which sprays water as you make the drop.
The last category of roller coaster is the 4th dimension. First revealed in 2002 as the X, these rides have been causing thrills since day one. Not only do they take guest 20 stories up in the air at speeds of up to 76 miles per hour, but they also have wing-shaped cars that allow you to basically break off from the crowd and tumble head over heels. The biggest difference in these coasters and others is that 4th dimension coasters have four tracks instead of two.
